If you’ve ever gotten an Apple gift card for a birthday or holiday and love grinding matches in Brawl Stars, you’ve probably wondered: can you use apple gift card for brawl stars? You’re not alone. Thousands of players ask this every month, since Apple gift cards are one of the most widely available prepaid payment options for iOS users, and Brawl Stars’ in-game shop is packed with tempting offers from skins to Brawl Pass tiers. I’ve tested this process myself across three different iOS devices over the last year, so I’ll break down exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to avoid wasting your gift card balance on failed purchases.
Can You Use Apple Gift Card for Brawl Stars? Yes, Here’s How It Works
The short answer is yes, as long as you play Brawl Stars on an iOS device. Brawl Stars is distributed through the Apple App Store, and all in-app purchases for iOS games are processed through Apple’s payment system. That means any balance added to your Apple ID, including funds from Apple gift cards, can be used to pay for any item in the Brawl Stars shop. I’ve used $200 worth of Apple gift cards over the last 18 months to buy Brawl Passes and exclusive skins, so I can confirm this works 100% if you follow the right steps.
You don’t need to link a credit card to your Apple ID at all if you have enough gift card balance to cover the purchase. That means if you’re a teen without a credit card, or you just want to stick to a fixed budget for in-game spending, Apple gift cards are one of the safest options out there. The only catch is that this only works if you play Brawl Stars on an iOS device; if you play on Android, Apple gift cards won’t work at all, for obvious reasons.
Your Apple gift card balance will automatically be used first before any other payment method linked to your Apple ID, so you don’t have to adjust any settings in Brawl Stars itself. This process works for every type of in-game purchase, so you don’t have to wonder if you can use an Apple gift card for Brawl Stars skins, gems, or event bundles – all of them are eligible.
Step-by-Step Guide to Redeeming Your Apple Gift Card for Brawl Stars Purchases
You can’t enter an Apple gift card code directly in the Brawl Stars app, so you’ll need to redeem it to your Apple ID first before you make your purchase. The whole process takes less than 5 minutes, and I’ve laid out the exact steps below to make it as easy as possible:
- Redeem your Apple gift card to your Apple ID first: Open the App Store on your iOS device, tap your profile icon in the top right corner, select "Redeem Gift Card or Code", then either scan the card’s barcode or enter the 16-digit code manually. Your balance will update immediately after verification.
- Open Brawl Stars and navigate to the in-game shop: Select the item you want to buy, whether that’s a Brawl Pass, gems, skins, or a limited-time offer bundle. Double check the price to make sure you have enough balance on your Apple ID to cover the cost.
- Confirm the purchase when prompted: You’ll see a pop-up from the App Store asking you to verify the transaction with Face ID, Touch ID, or your Apple ID password. Your Apple ID balance will be charged first, so you won’t see a separate charge to any linked card unless your balance is too low.
If you’re redeeming a digital Apple gift card you got via email, you can just tap the redeem link in the email directly to add the balance to your account, which cuts out a few steps. I usually do this when I get gift cards from friends, and the balance shows up in my Apple ID within 10 seconds 99% of the time. Make sure the Apple ID you redeem the gift card to is the same one you used to download Brawl Stars, or the purchase won’t work. That’s the most common mistake I see new players make, especially if they share a device with family members and have multiple Apple IDs logged in at different times. If you accidentally redeemed the gift card to the wrong Apple ID, you can contact Apple support to transfer the balance, but that process can take 3 to 5 business days, so it’s better to double check before you redeem.
Common Issues You Might Face (And How to Fix Them)
Most of the time the process works smoothly, but there are a few common snags that can stop your purchase from going through. I’ve run into a couple of these myself, so I know exactly how to fix them fast.
The first and most common issue is insufficient balance. If your Apple gift card balance is less than the cost of the Brawl Stars item you want to buy, Apple will automatically charge the remaining amount to your default payment method. If you don’t have another payment method linked to your Apple ID, the purchase will fail entirely. To avoid this, you can check your Apple ID balance in the App Store profile section before you open Brawl Stars, so you know exactly how much you have to spend.
Apple gift cards are region-locked, so your gift card has to be from the same country as your Apple ID and the App Store region you used to download Brawl Stars. For example, if you have a US Apple gift card but your Apple ID is registered to the UK, you won’t be able to redeem the card at all, so you can’t use it for Brawl Stars purchases. The only way around this is to either get a gift card for your registered region, or change your Apple ID region, which will require you to cancel any active subscriptions and update your payment information.
Another common issue is pending transactions. Sometimes if your internet cuts out mid-purchase, the balance might be held for up to 24 hours before it’s either applied to your purchase or refunded to your Apple ID. If you don’t get your in-game item after 24 hours, contact Supercell support with your transaction receipt from Apple, and they’ll add the item to your account usually within 48 hours. If you have Screen Time restrictions enabled on your device that block in-app purchases, you’ll need to turn those off first before you can complete the transaction, even if you have enough gift card balance.
Alternatives If You Can’t Use an Apple Gift Card for Brawl Stars
If you play Brawl Stars on Android, or you have an Apple gift card from the wrong region, there are still plenty of easy ways to pay for in-game items without using a credit card. I’ve used most of these options myself when I’ve had gift cards I couldn’t use for Apple, so I can confirm they’re safe and reliable.
For Android users, Google Play gift cards work exactly the same way as Apple gift cards for iOS: redeem them to your Google Play account, then use that balance for any in-app purchases in Brawl Stars. They’re just as widely available as Apple gift cards, and you can buy them in most grocery stores, convenience stores, or online.
If you got an Apple gift card but play Brawl Stars on Android, you can trade it for a Google Play gift card with a trusted friend, or use a licensed gift card exchange platform to swap it for a card you can use. Just make sure you only use trusted, well-reviewed platforms, because there are a lot of scam sites out there that will steal your gift card code without giving you anything in return. You can also sell the Apple gift card to a family member who uses iOS, then use the cash to buy the type of gift card you need.
For players who don’t want to use prepaid cards at all, you can also use PayPal, credit/debit cards, or carrier billing if your mobile provider supports it. Carrier billing adds the cost of your in-game purchase to your monthly phone bill, so you don’t have to enter any payment information directly to your app store account. Never buy gift cards from third-party resellers at steep discounts, because they’re often stolen or already redeemed, and you won’t be able to get a refund if they don’t work. It’s always better to pay full price from an official retailer than risk losing your money to a scam.
At the end of the day, if you play Brawl Stars on an iOS device, the answer to can you use apple gift card for brawl stars is a resounding yes, as long as you follow the right steps to redeem the card to the correct Apple ID. It’s one of the most convenient, budget-friendly ways to pay for in-game items without having to link a credit card to your account, and the process takes less than 5 minutes from start to finish. Just watch out for region locks, make sure you’re using the right Apple ID, and avoid untrusted gift card resellers to make sure your purchase goes off without a hitch. Next time you get an Apple gift card, you don’t have to spend it on apps or movies – you can put it straight towards that new skin or Brawl Pass you’ve had your eye on.