This flexibility makes them convenient for everyday purchases and financial transactions, offering an alternative to traditional banking for those who prefer not to maintain a bank account. Serve Cash Back by American Express is a unique prepaid debit card because it offers 1% cash back on in-store and online purchases. Therefore, a Serve Cash Back prepaid debit card is a great alternative for those who want to earn cash back but don’t want to open a credit card. This prepaid debit card functions similarly to a checking account, making it a great alternative for those without a bank account. It also offers several ways to deposit money onto the card and an extensive free ATM network.

Walmart MoneyCard is low-fee, can be loaded for free at any Walmart location, and even offers up to $75 in rewards. The account you choose is up to you, and it mostly depends on how you plan to use your prepaid card. Offers that appear on this site are from third-party advertisers from which Credit Karma typically receives compensation. Except for mortgage loan offers, this compensation is one of several factors that may impact how and where offers appear on Credit Karma (including, for example, the order in which they appear). We believe by providing tools and education we can help people optimize their finances to regain control of their future.

Walmart MoneyCard

Greenlight is another prepaid debit card that caters to families, providing parents with tools to monitor and manage their children’s spending habits. FamZoo is a prepaid debit card designed with families in mind, offering a range of features tailored to teach children financial responsibility while providing parents with peace of mind. A prepaid card can be a good alternative to a credit card if you want to avoid the temptation of racking up debt. It can also provide the convenience of plastic if you don’t qualify for or have a checking account. When you make purchases with the card, you use the money you loaded. In most cases you’ll have to show or upload proof of your identity for verification, and then load an initial amount onto the card.

• That’s because these prepaid cards rarely maintain or partner with extensive ATM networks.
• This site may be compensated through the bank advertiser Affiliate Program.
• We do not sell specific rankings on any of our “best of” posts or take money in exchange for a positive review.

The Paypal prepaid debit card was made especially for people who use Paypal and would like to have an easy way to withdraw money from their account. With Bluebird, users can enjoy free direct deposits, bill pay, and mobile check capture, making it a convenient option for those looking to streamline their finances. Using a prepaid debit card has become an increasingly popular choice among U.S. consumers, businesses and governments. According a recent Federal Reserve study, prepaid debit card payments had the greatest growth rate by number (9.6 percent per year), reaching 18.1 billion payments. Prepaid debit cards are more secure and convenient than carrying lots of foreign currency cash.

The best prepaid cards are not only great budgeting tools, but they also provide a lot of other features and are relatively affordable. We considered several factors as we compiled our list, including fees, extra benefits, free reload options and ways to get money back. Revolut offers prepaid travel cards and multi-currency accounts you can manage in-app, with a standard best prepaid debit cards plan and 2 higher tier plans which offer more features and no-fee transactions. Use your Revolut account to hold 25+ currencies,  exchange between them no-fee up to plan limits ($1,000/month for the no-fee plan), and spend on your linked prepaid card around the world.

All else being equal, we favor prepaid cards — whether credit or debit — that pay users back. Most charge fees for cash loads and reloads, ATM withdrawals, and other account activities. Questions submitted to Credit-Land.com may be posted to our website with your first name, and may be edited for length and clarity. We are not a bank or a credit card issuer, and we do not have access to your account information. A prepaid debit card is a good option for people who want to control payments on auto-renew.

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On the card enrollment anniversary, savings will earn 2% APY (compounded annually) on up to $1,000. Prepaid cards are a safer, more secure option than carrying around cash. If you lose your card, or it is stolen, you can freeze the account online or with the app, which means your preloaded money should be inaccessible to thieves and fraudsters. On top of the cheap Bluebird, American Express has another prepaid debit card if you’d like some more options,  the Serve American Express Prepaid Debit card. FamZoo’s prepaid debit card, with many budgeting tools, is an excellent option for families with children.

Our pick of the top UK prepaid cards

• For example, parents have the ability to monitor and control where and how much their children can spend, including setting specific store-level spend controls.
• While prepaid debit cards offer convenience and control over spending, they may not be suitable for everyone’s financial goals.
• This applies to credit cards and protects purchases of more than £100 and up to £30,000.
• We assume no liability for actions resulting from our advice and cannot guarantee the accuracy of information in all cases.
• This is because most providers, including the majority of our list above, are not banks and are not signed up to the FSCS.

One important point to note is that this card can’t be used for cash withdrawals from ATMs, so if you need a card for this you’ll need to choose another provider. By booking experiences directly through the app, customers could receive up to 10% cashback. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear), but does not influence our editorial integrity. We do not sell specific rankings on any of our “best of” posts or take money in exchange for a positive review. Bluebird is family-friendly, allowing you to add up to 4 people to the card’s account. You can set limits specific to each card in case you want to manage your children’s expenses.

Prepaid cards are sold at retail stores (usually for a fee) and some can be ordered online. There are no additional fees for using the card overseas for any currency. While Revolut was granted a banking licence in July 2024 its customers do not yet have FSCS protection for funds held in the account. The card has to be opened and managed through the Tesco Bank app, so you’ll need a smartphone or tablet to use the card. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive payment from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site.

A prepaid card offers the convenience of having your money available to spend without the potential issues of using cash — the risk of total loss if it’s stolen or misplaced. Issued through Stride Bank, N.A., the ONE VIP Visa Debit Card is a prepaid card focused on supporting the Black community. The debit card offers, a rewards program that earns up to 1.5% cash back on purchases, particularly at select Black-owned businesses. Cash back can be applied to your account, or you can choose to make a charitable donation to a cause benefiting communities of color.

Checkwriting Rarely Found with Prepaid Cards

Some also use prepaid cards to work their way up to traditional bank accounts. Load money in advance onto a prepaid debit card, then use it to make purchases or get cash at ATMs. The MOVO Digital Cash Card is a prepaid, reloadable debit card that emphasizes a digital-first banking experience.

What’s the difference between a prepaid debit card and a secured credit card?

But it can also be a useful and low cost prepaid card for use at home. It may suit international students living in the UK, for example, who can then use the card at home. Revolut offers a range of add-on features including budgeting tools, free instant transfers between Revolut accounts and discounts on shopping with selected brands. There are also reward points – RevPoints – on spending, which can be converted into travel rewards, such as hotel discounts with travel partners (1 RevPoint per £10 spent on the card). The best-prepaid debit card overall to replace a bank account would be NetSpend.

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Compare offers for secured credit cards on Credit Karma to learn more about your options — some secured cards don’t require credit checks or even bank accounts to apply. Keep in mind, however, that they do require a security deposit, so you’ll have to put money down to use this type of card. If you’re a part of  the “unbanked” community, meaning you don’t use or have access to mainstream financial services such as checking or savings accounts, you aren’t out of luck. Prepaid debit cards are designed to be loaded and used right away as opposed to being a credit line that you pay each month. If you want to actually build credit, a secured credit card may be a better choice.

Some card fees are likely to apply, including out of network and international fees applied by merchants and ATM operators. Fees apply for different transaction types – including a foreign transaction fee which may be in the region of 3.5%, and international ATM fees which can be around $4.95. Check your terms and conditions – particularly for international charges.

ATM networks and access

Topping up the card is free as are UK transactions, but cash withdrawals are not possible with this Visa card. It offers a mobile app with mobile bill pay, online bill pay, and free direct deposit. FamZoo prepaid cards can be used at any merchant that accepts Mastercards.