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Prepaid Credit Cards |
Prepaid credit cards are designed for individuals who might have difficulty getting approved for an unsecured line of credit but would still like all the functionality and convenience of a regular charge card. While specific features will vary from program to program, a prepaid card generally requires the user to deposit cash or a paycheck (also known as “loading” the card) which will then be used as a secured source of funds for the owner to drawn against for as long as a positive balance is maintained. Prepaid credit cards work just like regular debit or charge cards; you can use them at any location that accepts Visa or MasterCard and some will even issue you a PIN number to use to withdraw cash at any ATM, anytime, anywhere.
People looking to apply for a prepaid credit card are usually concerned about three major determining factors: the annual fee, the application fee, and the participation fee. Annual fees are charges to use the prepaid service on a per-year basis, whereas participation fees are a charge to use the service on a per-month basis. You will rarely see a prepaid card that charges both an annual fee and a participation fee, so choosing between one or the other is simply a matter of deciding where you want your fees paid for in one lump sum (annually) or on more of a pay-as-you-go system.
Please see our library of recommended reading materials on the right for more information & additional assistance with prepaid credit card terminology and selection.
| Vision Silver(SM) Prepaid MasterCard® |
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The Vision Silver(SM) Prepaid MasterCard®, issued by MetaBank, is ideal for people who are finding it difficult to obtain either a secured or an unsecured credit card.
Applicants will not have to go through a credit check because approval is guaranteed. With this prepaid card, cardholders fund their own credit lines, which eliminates the risk of owing creditors.
As with most prepaid cards, this card has several fees associated with usage*. To start, cardholders will be charged an activation fee of $9.95. Every month thereafter, they will be charged $3.95 monthly. For the first year, cardholders can expect to pay $57.35 for these two fees combined. There is also a $25 shortage fee, which cardholders are charged whenever their accounts go into negative territory.
Additional fees apply with ATM usage, PIN transactions, and cash advances. Please review the issuer's website for further details on all fees.
While this card may come with many fees, it also has a number of free feature
Annual Fee: $0
Application Fee: $9.95
Participation Fee: $3.95
Features: Various Internet related account services.
FREE Transaction fees.
FREE Online statements.
FREE E-mail and text message alerts.
FREE Automated customer service.
See website for additional benefits.
[Click Here for a Full Review] |
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| Vision Premier® Prepaid Visa® Card |
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Want to Direct Deposit paychecks or government benefits check to a prepaid card? Then the Vision Premier® Prepaid Visa® Card is the best card for you. Vision Premier is stress free. There are no customer service fees and no bank account needed. It's prepaid, so you spend only whats on your card. Theres no credit check, no debt, no interest and no overdraft fees. With FREE Direct Deposit, your pay or benefits checks arrive faster each payday. Use it everywhere Visa debit cards are accepted - grocery stores, restaurants, retail stores, gas stations, shop online, pay bills and more. Adding cash is quick and easy at more than 100,000 retail locations, and you can track spending with FREE text and email alerts and 24/7 online access.
Annual Fee: $0
Application Fee: Up to $29.95
Participation Fee: Up to $0.95 Weekly
Features: Various Internet account related services.
Free account balance alerts.
Visa® Zero Liability policy.
Free direct deposit.
See website for additional benefits.
[Click Here for a Full Review] |
4.0 |
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| BuyRIGHT Pre-Paid MasterCard® |
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The BuyRIGHT Pre-Paid MasterCard®, issued by MetaBank, is a stored value card designed for those who would like to take advantage of the rewards program and the shopping membership that this card has to offer.
This stored value card does require payment of an initial load of $20. Funds may be loaded onto the card in numerous ways and although fees do apply to most funding methods, there is no charge to fund the card via direct deposit. Funds loaded to the account are available for future purchases made with the card.
The card has a $29.95 account set-up fee, and cardholders have the option of choosing between paying a monthly fee of $4.95 or paying no monthly fee with a per transaction fee of $1. If the cardholder plans to make at least five card transactions per month, it would be beneficial to pay the monthly fee, since any more than five transactions would result in fees that would exceed the set monthly fee.
Cardholders will have the option to sign up for the Credit Building
Annual Fee: $0
Application Fee: $29.95
Participation Fee: $59.40 ($4.95 monthly)**
Features: Various Internet account related services.
Free BuyRIGHT Membership.
Access to BuyRIGHT Rewards program for free.
Access to the Credit Building Program for an additional fee.
Access to the BuyRIGHT Cash Back program, which rewards cardholders with $5 when they sign up for direct deposit within 30 days and $25 for every cardholder that they refer.
Auto payment option.
See website for additional benefits.
[Click Here for a Full Review] |
4.0 |
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| Wired Plastic™ Prepaid Visa® Card |
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The Wired Plastic™ Prepaid Visa® Card, issued by The Bancorp Bank, is a stored value card designed for those who may have difficulty in obtaining an unsecured credit card.
Although the card does not require a security deposit, it does require payments in advance, which are then used to offset future purchases made with the card.
There is no interest applied on the account, no annual fee, and none of the other charges similarly found with most unsecured credit cards. There are also fewer credentials required in comparison to common unsecured credit cards, such as a no credit check policy, no employment verification, and so forth.
Nevertheless, it is important to note that there are some fees associated with this card, such as a one-time application fee of $9.95, a monthly maintenance fee of $3.95 ($47.40 annually), and a minimum initial load amount of $10. So in the first year alone, a cardholder can expect to pay a total of $57.35 in fees. This is very reasonable for this t
Annual Fee: $0
Application Fee: $9.95
Participation Fee: $47.40 ($3.95 monthly)
Features: Various Internet account related services.
Automatic bill payment.
Free direct deposit load option.
Access to the Wired Points Rewards program.
See website for additional benefits.
[Click Here for a Full Review] |
5.0 |
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| AccountNow® Prepaid MasterCard® |
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The AccountNow® Prepaid MasterCard®, issued by MetaBank, is a stored value card designed for those who may have difficulty in obtaining a standard unsecured credit card.
Although the card does not require a banking account to be opened, it does require payments in advance, which are then used to offset future purchases made with the card.
Advance payments can be funded directly from the cardholder's paycheck and automatically loaded to the card every pay period. The card can also be loaded by wiring money from an established bank account or through MoneyGram® ExpressPayment®.
It is important to note that there are some fees associated with this card that include an account set up fee of $9.95 (waived with direct deposit loads) and a monthly participation fee of $9.95, which amounts to $119.40 annually. There is no additional charge for U.S. purchases. So, in the first year alone, a cardholder can expect to pay a minimum total of $129.35 in fees.
It is common for
Annual Fee:
Application Fee: $9.95
Participation Fee: $119.40 ($9.95 monthly)
Features: Access to free credit builder program.
Free bill pay service for the first seven transactions per month.
No liability for unauthorized transactions.
See website for additional benefits.
[Click Here for a Full Review] |
4.0 |
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| NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Debit Card |
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The NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Debit Card provides 100% approval with no credit check required.
There are two pricing plans available with this prepaid card to fit your specific needs, the Pay-As-You-Go plan and the Fee Advantage plan.
Setting up direct deposits from your employer to your card account is free, or you can make free account-to-account transfers via the Internet to load funds to your card.
You can add up to $10,000 to your account, and your funds are held in an exclusive 5% APY savings account.
You'll also be able to borrow money and build credit with the iAdvance line of credit, plus there are absolutely no overdraft fees or minimum balance requirements.
Sign up for the NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Debit Card today to get instant approval with no credit checks.
Annual Fee:
Application Fee: $9.95
Participation Fee: $119.40 ($9.95 monthly)
Features: iAdvance Line of Credit.
NetSpend Premier.
Online Bill Pay.
[Click Here for a Full Review] |
0.0 |
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| American DreamCard™ Prepaid MasterCard® |
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The American DreamCard™ Prepaid MasterCard® is the alternative to checking accounts, providing access to convenient mobile banking and online money management.
The American DreamCard™ offers you the opportunity to win cash jackpots each month. You'll earn entries to win monthly cash jackpots by loading cash on your card and when you use it for everyday shopping.
Cardmembers receive free direct deposits, and it's easy to add your paycheck, tax refund, or government benefits into your account, enabling faster access to your funds.
You can save money by avoiding expensive check cashing fees, overdraft fees, late fees, or interest charges, and cardmembers are also protected from unauthorized purchases if your card is lost or stolen.
This unique prepaid card also provides free text alerts, free online bill pay, and convenient online access to your account features.
Take advantage of the American DreamCard™ Prepaid MasterCard® to have the opportunity to win m
Annual Fee: $59
Application Fee: $0
Participation Fee: $0
Features:
[Click Here for a Full Review] |
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| AccountNow Gold Visa® Prepaid Card |
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The AccountNow Gold Visa® Prepaid Card, issued by MetaBank, is a stored value card designed for those who may have difficulty obtaining a standard unsecured credit card. This card allows cardholders to enjoy the convenience of a bank account and the privilege of a gold card, all in one.
With the AccountNow Gold Visa® Prepaid Card, there are no late or overdraft fees, there is no credit check, and no minimum balance requirement.
Although the card does not require a banking account to be opened, it does require payments in advance, which are then used to offset future purchases made with the card. Advance payments can be funded directly from the cardholder's paycheck and automatically loaded to the card every pay period. Cash can also be added at one of over 135,000 participating retail partners nationwide. Plus, cardholders receive a $25 bonus when they sign up for free direct deposit.
With this prepaid card, cardholders can even borrow money with the iAdvance Line of Cre
Annual Fee: 0
Application Fee:
Participation Fee: $9.95
Features: Cardholders receive a $25 bonus when they sign up for free direct deposit.
[Click Here for a Full Review] |
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