Coinstar charges a fee for exchanging coins for cash, but not always for other options.
For cash
- The service fee can be up to 12.9%, plus a $0.99 transaction fee.
- Fees may vary depending on location.
- This means that for every $100 in coins exchanged for cash, you could lose around $12-$13 in fees.
To avoid the fees
- eGift Cards: You can choose to receive an eGift card for participating retailers and restaurants (like Amazon, Starbucks, or Home Depot) with no service fee. [Coinstar] provides a list of some of the available options.
- Donations to Charity: Coinstar also waives the fee if you choose to donate your coins to a partnered charity. However, Coinstar retains a processing fee from the donation amount: 10% for national charities and 7.5% for regional charities.
- Bank/Credit Union: Some banks and credit unions offer free or low-fee coin counting services, especially for their customers.
- Self-checkout: At many grocery stores, you can use your loose coins at the self-checkout lanes to pay for your purchases, thereby avoiding any fees.
- Manual Rolling: You can obtain coin wrappers (often available for free at banks) and manually roll your coins to deposit them at a bank without incurring a fee.
Important: It’s a good idea to check the specific fees and gift card options displayed on the Coinstar kiosk before making your decision, as they can vary by location.
