A credit card is issued by a company that is lending you the money, and you pay them back. A gift card is purchased by another person for you, and the money has already been paid. When you use a gift card, you are using the money that has already been paid, and you don't pay anyone back. Usually, a credit card can be used in many places, while a gift card is specific to one store or company. However, some credit card companies now also sell gift cards (for example, Visa gift cards). These can be used to purchase things online or in person just like a credit card - the difference is, the money has already been paid when the card was purchased, so you don't have to pay anyone back later.