This article explains why your Perk Card shows as inactive and what makes it active again.
Why is my card inactive?
Your Perk Card's status is tied directly to your balance — it isn't something PerkUp or your employer switches on or off by hand. When your balance is $0, your card automatically shows as inactive. As soon as funds land in your account, whether from a new reward or an existing one, the card reactivates on its own. There's no button to press and no waiting period beyond the funds actually arriving.
How do I reactivate my card?
To reactivate an inactive Perk Card, you simply need a positive balance. Once a reward is funded to your account, your card automatically switches back to active status. If you're expecting a reward and don't see funds yet, check with your HR or People team about when the reward was issued — PerkUp can't fund rewards on its own schedule.
Why does my card show "activate after receiving or adding funds"?
The message "activate after receiving or adding funds" appears whenever your Perk Card balance is $0 — it's what an inactive card shows while there's nothing to spend. This isn't an error: it means you haven't received a funded reward or added personal funds yet, so there's nothing to activate. Once a reward funds your account, or you add personal funds, the message clears and your card becomes active automatically.
Do I need to do anything else to activate my card?
Besides having a balance above $0, activating your Perk Card requires all of the following:
Your organization offers the Perk Card (not every organization does — if you don't see a card option in your account at all, your organization likely doesn't offer it)
A US billing address on file, or you've selected to use your company's address
You've accepted the card terms
If you've met all of these and your card still isn't active, double-check your balance — a $0 balance is the most common reason a card sits inactive.
Why did my card get cancelled instead of just going inactive?
Inactive and cancelled are different statuses. Your card goes inactive automatically at a $0 balance and comes back on its own once funded — no action needed. A card is cancelled, on the other hand, only if you're removed from your organization or if your organization's PerkUp subscription lapses. If your card was cancelled for either of these reasons, contact support through the messenger on this help center or in the app, and they can tell you whether you're eligible to create a new card.
Can I manually turn my card on or off?
No — there's no self-serve way to freeze, lock, or manually activate your Perk Card. Status changes automatically based on your balance and your organization membership. If you believe your card should be active but isn't, contact support through the messenger on this help center or in the app and describe what you're seeing.
Signed in to the wrong organization?
If you belong to more than one organization on PerkUp, your card can show as inactive because you're viewing the wrong one. Switch organizations from the org name in the sidebar and check your card again.