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A prepaid debit card can be an overall useful tool for spending. It can also be a useful way to teach kids about money or send money internationally.
We’ve researched specific features and fees so that you can evaluate the pros and cons of each card and determine the best one for you. Our favorite prepaid debit cards have remained our top picks for the last few months because they continue to stand out for their notable features and perks.
A prepaid debit card is similar to a regular debit card, but it doesn’t have to be attached to a checking account.
Best Prepaid Debit Cards
Bluebird by American Express Prepaid Debit Card – Product Name Only: Best for no monthly feesAmerican Express® Serve® Free Reloads Prepaid Debit Card – Product Name Only: Best for free reloadsFamzoo Prepaid Debit Card – Product Name Only: Best for kids
Compare the Best Prepaid Cards
Prepaid Debit Cards FAQs
What is a prepaid debit card?
With a prepaid debit card, you load money onto a card and use it to spend money. For example, if you put $1,000 on the card, you can spend up to $1,000 before your transaction is denied due to lack of funds. There are several ways to reload the card with more money. Most companies let you put cash on the card at places like Walmart, or you can deposit a check at an ATM and have the funds go onto the card.
How is a prepaid debit card different from a regular debit or credit card?
A prepaid debit card is similar to a regular debit card, but there are some key differences. A regular debit card is attached to a checking account, but you don’t need a checking account to have a prepaid card. For this reason, a prepaid card can be useful for people who don’t have bank accounts but still receive cash or checks. With a credit card, you charge money to the card and pay it off later. A prepaid debit card spends the money you’ve already loaded onto the card, so you don’t have to worry about any payments down the road.
How do you get a prepaid debit card?
You can usually order a prepaid debit card online. But if you need access to a card immediately, you can visit a retailer — such as Walmart, CVS, or Kroger — and get one.
What are the pros and cons of prepaid debit cards?
The main pros of prepaid debit cards are that you don’t need a bank account, you can’t overspend as you might with a credit card, and it’s easy to qualify for one. The main cons are that there are usually fees for things like signing up and reloading money, and using a prepaid debit card doesn’t help you build credit.
Are there any good alternatives to prepaid debit cards?
Online checking accounts are worthwhile alternatives to prepaid cards, as long as you’re comfortable banking digitally. Many online banks don’t charge you for signing up, and there are no monthly fees. Most have free ATM networks, and unlike with some prepaid debit cards like Netspend, you won’t pay a fee each time you swipe your card.
Best Prepaid Debit Card Reviews
Bluebird by American Express Prepaid Debit Card – Product Name Only
There’s no fee to open a Bluebird by American Express Prepaid Debit Card, and there are no monthly service fees. You may have to pay up to $3.95 to reload your card at certain retailers, but you can reload for free at Walmart. You can also use over 30,000 MoneyPass ATMs for free around the US.
If you set up direct deposits, your paycheck could appear on your card up to two days early. The Bluebird card also gives you access to roadside assistance.
If you deposit a check with your mobile app, it takes 10 days to process. To deposit the check immediately, you’ll pay 1% on a government check or paycheck and 5% on other checks, with a $5 minimum fee.
American Express® Serve® Free Reloads Prepaid Debit Card – Product Name Only
You can reload your American Express® Serve® Free Reloads Prepaid Debit Account for free at over 45,000 places nationwide, including businesses like CVS, Walmart, and Dollar General. It’s also free to add money from a bank account or via direct deposit.
This card charges a $6.95 monthly service fee, and there’s no way to waive it. (Fees are not charged for residents of New York, Texas, or Vermont, though.) Before choosing Amex Serve FREE Reloads over another prepaid debit card, check whether you’d actually be saving money by avoiding reload fees but paying a monthly fee.
Famzoo Prepaid Debit Card – Product Name Only
The Famzoo Prepaid Debit Card is a good option if you want to help manage your kids’ money without adding them to your bank account, and it made Insider’s list of the best kids’ debit cards. Assign each kid a card and put money for allowance, birthday gifts, or money for other purposes onto their cards. You can also track each debit card’s balance and purchases from your app, as well as lock cards.
The family plan is $5.99 per month, or $2.50 per month if you pay upfront.
You can lower your overall costs by paying in advance rather than monthly, but you can’t waive the fee altogether.
Prepaid Debit Cards That Didn’t Make the Cut and Why
Here are some other prepaid debit cards we looked at and our reasoning for not choosing them as our favorites:
Credit Sesame Cash: Credit Sesame Cash may be a good option if you would like to build credit. The maximum you may deposit into to Cash account is $20,000. Walmart MoneyCard: This is a good option if you shop at Walmart frequently, because you’ll earn cash back — but cash back is limited to $75 per year.Fifth Third Access 360 Reloadable Prepaid Card: You might like this card if you live near a Fifth Third branch, but branches only exist in 10 US states.Greenlight Prepaid Debit Card: This is another worthwhile option for families, but there’s no way to deposit cash, and there isn’t a free ATM network.BusyKid Spend Card: BusyKid has strong parental monitoring features, but FamZoo has a more affordable subscription. GoHenry Card: GoHenry may be ideal if you’re looking for platform that offers a kid’s debit card and financial literacy resources for kids and teens. The monthly service fee is $3.99 for one child or $6.99 for up to four children, though.Netspend Prepaid Debit Card: You can receive your paycheck early with Netspend, but its fees are higher than what you’ll pay with our top picks.
Are These Companies Trustworthy?
Normally, we compare companies’ Better Business Bureau trustworthiness grades. But not all of our favorite prepaid debit card companies have been graded by the BBB, so we aren’t factoring scores into our trustworthiness review.
None of these companies have any recent scandals, so you may decide you feel comfortable using them. But to figure out whether you’ll have a smooth relationship with a company, you may want to ask family or friends about their experiences or read online reviews.
Why You Should Trust Us: Experts’ Advice on the Best Prepaid Debit Cards
We consulted banking and financial planning experts to inform these picks and provide their advice on finding the best prepaid debit cards for your needs.
Here’s what they had to say about kids’ debit cards. (Some text may be lightly edited for clarity.)
What should I look for in a prepaid debit card?
Mykail James, MBA, certified financial education instructor, BoujieBudgets.com:
“If I want to buy or put some money on a prepaid debit card, I always like to look for a Visa card. its the most accepted across the board and internationally.”
Sophia Acevedo, certified educator in personal finance, banking reporter, Personal Finance Insider:
“I would look for a versatility. Some cards may let you use a certain ATM network for free. You also might be able to set up direct deposits so you can easily add money to your card.”
Is a kids’ debit card worth it?
Mykail James, MBA, CFEI:
“I think that these are great options to get children to start being a little bit more financially focused. It’s a wonderful way to help them understand how to stick within a budget. That’s actually how my mother taught me how to budget. She would give us a prepaid debit card for Christmas.”
Sophia Acevedo, CEPF:
“Kids’ debit cards can be useful to teach kids about spending. It’s a simple way of teaching them to make financial decisions while still being able to monitor and control their usage. A lot of kids’ debit cards have tools or features that let you set limits or alerts for parents.”
What should I look for in a kids’ debit card?
Mykail James, MBA, CFEI:
“I like the ones that have an app where you can see how much money is in the account.”
Sophia Acevedo, CEPF:
“I would look at any fees needed to maintain the account. You might have to pay a fee for each time you load money into a card or a monthly service fee. Some debit cards also may also have age requirements.”
Methodology: How We Chose the Best Prepaid Debit Cards
We looked at a dozen prepaid debit cards before selecting our favorites. We chose prepaid cards that are relatively easy to use. You should be able to use a card at ATMs and have several convenient options for reloading money onto the card. If a prepaid debit card had a special perk like cash back or a budgeting feature, we took that into consideration, too.
Finally, we picked cards that are relatively affordable. Almost every prepaid card comes with some fees, but we chose ones that are pretty manageable. We looked at monthly service fees and charges for signing up for a card, reloading money, and using an ATM.