You can also easily transfer funds to friends and family members who have a Movo account. Regardless, all the cards issuers are banks that insure consumers money through the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. No cards above have overdraft fees. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. $4.99 to $9.98 per month, depending on selected plan (more expensive plans include features like investing education and identity theft protection); no costs for activation, inactivity or account closure. The Netspend Prepaid Card boasts an impressive network of more than 130,000 locations nationwide for cash reloads. Why trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to make sure our coverage is fair and accurate, so you can choose the financial accounts that work best for you. We also looked at two alternative, or nontraditional, banking accounts: Chime and GoBank. This may influence which products we review and write about (and where those products appear on the site), but it in no way affects our recommendations or advice, which are grounded in thousands of hours of research. No ATM access for gift cards. The app, which gets decent ratings, is required to get fee-free cash reloads at Walmart stores. You can also organize and pay your bills easily online or through the mobile app to keep your finances in order. Save When I Get Paid automatically transfers 10% of your direct deposits of $500 or more from your Checking Account into your savings account. Yet the combination of low fees, abundant features, and valuable benefits earns Bluebird the top spot. $5.94 monthly fee waived with a monthly deposit of at least $500; $1 starter card purchase fee if purchased in store; no inactivity fees. Something went wrong. However, you can use the card year-round. Green Dot is a prepaid and reloadable debit card company that allows customers to pay rent and send out other payments. Jamela Adam is a personal finance writer covering topics such as savings, investing, mortgages, student loans, and more. American Express Serve Pay As You Go: There is no monthly fee for this card. The Best Prepaid Cards 1. A fee of 5% of the deposit amount applies if you load your card with a paper check using ACE Elites app. There is a monthly fee, but its as low as $2.50 a month, and its for the entire family. A prepaid debit card can serve as a budgeting tool or be a replacement for a bank account. Weve already mentioned Bluebird, which is as low fee as youll find. With no monthly fees, this plan only charges $1.50 per purchase. If you live within Regions Banks service area and plan to use your prepaid debit card frequently, the Now Card could be an affordable option. Extra is a debit card, not a prepaid card. All Rights Reserved. Using a prepaid card is often safer and more convenient than carrying around cash, but cardholders dont enjoy the same perks and those with even entry-level credit cards. The card offers online bill pay, mobile check deposit, free direct deposit, and a mobile app. But unlike debit cards, prepaid cards are not linked to any bank account. Purchase price up to $3.95. Most prepaid cards will provide some services of a traditional checking account -- you can usually set up direct deposits, pay bills or deposit checks on your phone. For example, some advertisers pay us to display ads, others pay us when you click on certain links, and others pay us when you submit your information to request a quote or other offer details. Walmart MoneyCenters and Customer Service desks also offer fee-free cash withdrawals. Cards are free to register and allow ATM withdrawals at more than 24,000 MoneyPass ATM locations around the nation. Reload card with direct deposit, a mobile check, reload locations or funds transfer. We value your privacy. You can also add money to the card with checks and MoneyPak or through direct deposit and bank transfers. Regardless, all the cards issuers are banks that insure consumers money through the. This keeps the monthly fee down to $5 with no transaction fees. Besides Bankrate.com, her work has been featured in Business Jet Traveler, MSN, CheatSheet.com, Freshome.com and SimpleDollar.com. Reloadable cards can be used over and over again. Chime is an award winning financial app and Visa debit card. ATM withdrawals: $2.50 fee, plus any operator fees. Free withdrawals at Chase ATMs and free cash reload. : Direct deposit; bank transfer; PayPal, Apple Pay, Venmo and Square Cash transfer; PopMoney transfer (for a fee); add cash at retailers like 7-Eleven and Walgreens that participate in the Reload @ the Register, MoneyPak and Mastercard rePower networks (about $5 retail fee). These accounts provide another shot at mainstream banking and its perks. If a popular product is on store shelves, you can count on CNET for immediate commentary and benchmark analysis as soon as possible. Service fees may apply to reload at stores. You can use it to make transactions and purchase goods. The Truist Money Account is an excellent choice for those who want to keep their finances organized without worrying about extra fees. Best with No PIN Transaction Fees: PayPal Prepaid Mastercard. Given low purchase and withdrawal limits, its best as a family budgeting tool instead of a bank account replacement. What are the best prepaid debit cards? The. Its one of the best free prepaid debit cards available today. Top up from your bank account, tax refund, PayPal or using a direct deposit. No transaction fees. FamZoo is a family-friendly prepaid Mastercard that lets parents become virtual bankers for their kids, even those younger than 13. There are several ways to do so. No overdraft fees. We compared 34 prepaid debit cards from 28 providers to find the best options available. And for good reason. The content has not been reviewed, ATMs inside Publix stores and at 7-Eleven ATMs listed on the bank's website or mobile app; $2.75 fee at other ATMs, plus any ATM operator fees. Downsides: Fee to use ATMs; limited methods for reloading funds. You can also open a linked Chime savings account and set up automatic transfers. Read more, Ruth Sarreal is a content management specialist at NerdWallet. Manage your money easier with Green Dot Prepaid Cards. There are no costs for activation or inactivity. It works with Apple Pay, and there are no transaction fees, foreign transaction fees or overdraft fees. . Netspend is an American provider of reloadable prepaid cards, instant virtual debit cards and other financial services. Use in stores and online. Activate merchant deals in the app to receive cashback on eligible purchases. Charges ATM cash withdrawal fees up to $0.85 per transaction. Scroll Down . Ink Business Cash vs. ", "Save When I Get Paid automatically transfers 10% of your direct deposits of $500 or more from your Checking Account into your savings account. Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Prepaid debit cards that we considered included: sonicwave 231c non responsive Uncovering hot babes since 1919.. best prepaid debit card to avoid garnishment. When you use your card for purchases, Extra spots you the money. He is based in Berkeley, California. But if youre fee averse, youre not totally out of options the Bluebird American Express Prepaid Debit Account could be a solid choice for you. Downsides: No cash back at retailers. Thank you, you have successfully subscribed to our newsletter! Finally, get paid up to 2 days faster with direct deposit. Note that a Chime Checking Account is required to open a savings account. You can set up direct deposit of your paycheck and automate savings with Chimes round-up feature.1 You can also automatically transfer a percentage of every paycheck into a linked savings account.1 A Chime Checking Account is required to be eligible for a Savings Account. We evaluated 70 reloadable prepaid debit cards (see list below). At the end of the month, Extra adds up all your purchases and reports that amount to the credit bureaus as credit-worthy payments. What Chime adds is an excellent app to help you manage your money. She owns and operates a small digital marketing and public relations firm that works with select startups and women-owned businesses to provide growth and visibility. Prepaid cards are typically used by consumers who either don't have a traditional bank account or cant get a credit card due to poor credit history. Best prepaid debit cards and alternatives: Summary, We analyzed four categories for each card: general fees and features, purchases and withdrawals, reload fees and options, and other services such as bill pay and savings accounts. Service fees vary by card, so you should check the list of fees associated with different types of transactions before you activate a new prepaid debit card. This control over your finances helps you manage your spending and offers you peace of mind. Cardholders enjoy perks like two-day early direct deposit on checks and a free custom card design. * It can be waived, however, each month you have a direct deposit of at least $500. Some banks and credit unions also issue prepaid cards. Our content is intended to be used for general information purposes only. Chime has two automatic savings programs: one where a percentage of every paycheck automatically goes into the savings account and the other where your purchases are rounded up to the nearest dollar and the rounded-up change goes to savings (see below for more information from Chime). ONE VIP rewards never expire. Who Is Eligible for a Prepaid Debit Card? We scour and scrutinize blogs, sites, aggregators, RSS feeds, and any other available resources, and editors at all levels of our organization continuously review our coverage. However, all CNET editorial content is independently researched and developed without regard to our corporate relationship to HomeInsurance.com LLC or its advertiser relationships. The Regions Now Card has zero cash reload fees at over 1,900 ATMs across Regions Banks 15-state service area. Written by: Eric Bank Edited by: Lillian Guevara-Castro Reviewed by: Ashley Dull These cards are accepted almost everywhere, and they let you avoid overdrafts and the hassle of carrying cash. Fifth Thirds Access 360 prepaid debit card takes part in Allpoints massive U.S. network and has access to over 50,000 ATMs. By entering your email, you agree to sign up for consumer news, tips and giveaways from ConsumerAffairs. Best with No Signature Transaction Fees: NetSpend Visa Prepaid Card. The Amex Platinum Card, Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Blue Cash Preferred, Ink Business Cash vs. Some of the most common reasons people end up regretting their prepaid cards are high fees, inconvenient funding and reloading methods. We analyzed four categories for each card: general fees and features, purchases and withdrawals, reload fees and options, and other services such as bill pay and savings accounts. CNET is not an insurance agency or broker. 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