Prepaid & Debit Cards
Prepaid cards help consumers control their spending by allowing you to spend only the amount you have already deposited into your account. Our objective opinion is included on each card.
1. AccountNow® Prepaid Visa®
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| Interest Rate*: | n/app |
|---|---|
| Intro Rate: | No Introductory Rate Available |
| Grace Period: | n/app |
| Credit Limit: | up to $10,000 |
| Annual Fee: | None |
Our Opinion: Pre-paid card that does not require a banking account, but does require advance payments. The processing fee is $19.95. The monthly fee is $4.95 ($59.40 per year). $.50 transaction fee for each purchase with the card. However, there is a free bill pay service for the first 7 transactions each month. $2 U.S. ATM transaction fee (1 free cash withdrawal per month). One of the best features is access to a free credit builder service; this reports bill payment info to a national credit reporting agency, which can help build your credit score.
2. Wired Plastic™ Prepaid Visa® Card
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| Interest Rate*: | n/app |
|---|---|
| Intro Rate: | No Introductory Rate Available |
| Grace Period: | n/app |
| Credit Limit: | n/a |
| Annual Fee: | None |
Our Opinion: Pre-paid card with no annual fee. Applicaion fee is $9.95; monthly fee is $3.95 (fees total $57.35 in 1st year). Minimum load is $10. Card offers direct deposit and a rewards program. Earn 1 point per $1 spent on purchases. Earn unlimited points; points do not expire. Points earned may be used for music downloads, ring tones, calling cards and prepaid wireless service. Employment verification and credit checks are not required for this card.
3. BuyRIGHT Pre-Paid MasterCard®
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| Interest Rate*: | n/app |
|---|---|
| Intro Rate: | No Introductory Rate Available |
| Grace Period: | n/app |
| Credit Limit: | up to $2,500 |
| Annual Fee: | None |
Our Opinion: Requires first load of $20. There is no fee to load the card with direct depost. You will pay a fee with other types of funding. Fees include: $29.95 set-up fee, choose betwee a $7.95 monthly fee or $1 per transaction fee (choose the monthly fee if you make over 8 transactions each month). They also offer a free BuyRight Membership. This gives you access to a pre-approved $5,000 line of credit that you can only use on purchases at the BuyRIGHT Marketplace; this is not connected to the BuyRIGHT prepaid card. The BuyRIGHT awards program offers 1 point per $1 on purchases. Earn unlimited points; points do not expire.
5. READYdebit® Card
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| Interest Rate*: | n/app |
|---|---|
| Intro Rate: | No Introductory Rate Available |
| Grace Period: | n/app |
| Credit Limit: | up to $10,000 |
| Annual Fee: | None |
Our Opinion: The READYdebit® Card from MetaBank is the perfect way for people who don’t have a checking account to obtain and use a debit card for all of their purchases - whether plastic is required or not. With this prepaid card, cardholders simply load the READYdebit® Card with cash and use it as they would a credit card. Paychecks can even be directly deposited into a READYdebit® account to get easy access to funds without waiting in line at the bank and to avoid paying high check cashing fees. The READYdebit® Card offers two options, depending on the cardholder's needs. The Basic plan is $4.95 a month, while the Select plan is $8.95 a month and comes with lots of extras like free online bill pay*. Select plan cardholders are also cut a break on other fees such as ATM withdrawal fees, balance inquiry fees, and fees for PIN transactions. The best thing about the READYdebit® Card is the freebies. Unlike other prepaid cards, cardholders are not charged card loading fees or negative balance fees - something banks would charge a pretty penny for. The best part is that the READYdebit® Card works just like a credit card and can be used to book hotel or car reservations or to make purchases online - something that just can't be done without a credit card. Plus, your funds on the READYdebit® Card are protected by Visa®'s Zero Liability™ policy, which protects cardholders from unauthorized transactions. Funds can be loaded onto the READYdebit® via direct deposit, or at participating retail stores including Wal-Mart, Walgreens, Rite Aid, RadioShack, and wherever the Visa® ReadLink symbol is displayed.
6. Vision Premier(SM) Prepaid Visa® Card
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| Interest Rate*: | n/app |
|---|---|
| Intro Rate: | No Introductory Rate Available |
| Grace Period: | n/app |
| Credit Limit: | n/a |
| Annual Fee: | None |
Our Opinion: The Vision Premier(SM) Prepaid Visa® Card is ideal for people who are finding it difficult to obtain a secured or unsecured credit card or who are in need of another option when making purchases. Based on an identification check, applicants can be issued a personalized card. Also, cardholders will have access to a rewards program where they earn rewards at the rate of one point per dollar spent. Points are redeemable for wireless airtime minutes; 200 points = 1 minute of prepaid wireless airtime. As with any prepaid credit card, this one is not without its fees and regulations. To participate, you must pay a weekly fee of up to $0.95 unless you are on direct deposit and the weekly fee is automatically waived, and a one-time activation fee of $9.95 which can be rebated when you sign-up for direct deposit. Additionally, you'll be charged $1.95 for withdrawing cash from ATMs and $0.95 for making purchases using your PIN. Total fees can amount to at least $101.35 your first year. To keep using your prepaid card, you have to keep loading it. Reloads are free using direct deposit or can cost you up to $5 at retail locations. The good news is that Bancorp Bank offers more than 100,000 retail locations where the Vision Premier(SM) Prepaid Visa Card can be reloaded, including Western Union®, PayXone™, ACE Cash Express and MoneyGram®. With the Vision Premier(SM) Prepaid Visa®, cardholders will have access to card benefits that include the added protection of the Visa® Zero Liability policy which makes using the card safer than carrying cash. Cardholders will also have the convenience of online shopping, online bill pay, and around the clock access to millions of ATMs to get cash whenever it's needed. *See terms and conditions for complete details.
7. AccountNow® Prepaid MasterCard®
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| Interest Rate*: | n/app |
|---|---|
| Intro Rate: | No Introductory Rate Available |
| Grace Period: | n/app |
| Credit Limit: | up to $10,000 |
| Annual Fee: | None |
Our Opinion: 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 stored value cards to lack benefits; however, this card does offer a free bill pay service (for the first seven transactions each month) and access to a free credit builder service, which reports bill payment information to a national credit reporting agency. Therefore, those who are looking for a stored value card with flexibility to pay in advance for purchases, do not mind paying upfront fees, and would like the opportunity to participate in the credit builder service will find the AccountNow® Prepaid MasterCard®, to be a beneficial option. This card offers cardholders their choice of two unique plans, which differ in terms of the fees and the services that are offered, so cardholders should review the terms and conditions before applying to see which plan will fit their needs the most (the current card review reflects the premium plan). AccountNow Prepaid MasterCard is issued by MetaBank pursuant to license by MasterCard International Incorporated. MasterCard and the MasterCard Brand Mark are registered trademarks of MasterCard International Incorporated. iAdvance is an open end line of credit offered by MetaBank, a federally chartered savings association located in Sioux Falls, S.D. certain fees and eligibility requirements apply. Consult the iAdvance Terms and Conditions for further details. *Subject to ID verification. Cardholders must complete a separate application for iAdvance Line of Credit. Certain fees and eligibility requirements apply.
9. Ultra VX Visa® Card
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| Interest Rate*: | 14.9% |
|---|---|
| Intro Rate: | No Introductory Rate Available |
| Grace Period: | 25 Days (Min.) |
| Credit Limit: | up to $25,000 |
| Annual Fee: | None |
Our Opinion: The Ultra VX Visa® Card, issued by New Millennium Bank, is a stored value card designed for those who are looking for an above average secured card that also offers a reward program. Most often, secured credit cards do not have any additional perks or benefits; however, this card does provide a rewards program. Cardholders receive one point per dollar spent on purchases. Points can be redeemed for travel rewards with Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, jetBlue, Marriott, and more. Although there is no annual fee, there is an account set up fee of $29.95. There is also a monthly participation fee of $6.95 that amounts to $83.40 annually. In total, cardholders can expect to pay $113.35 in fees during their first year. The most unique feature of the card is the Credit-On-Demand™ option. Credit-On-Demand™ allows cardholders to increase their credit limit up to $25,000. Through the Credit-On-Demand™ feature cardholders are able to determine their credit limit by the amount of funds that are deposited into the cash balance of the account. Funds deposited into the cash balance of the cardholder account can be moved to the secured balance by making a purchase or moving the money to the secured balance. Advance payments can also be funded directly from the cardholder's paycheck or cardholders can load the card in person at 100,000 retail transfers. Therefore, those who are looking for an above average secured card that also offers a reward program and would like a card with limited fees may find the Ultra VX Visa® Card to be a beneficial option.
10. Vision Silver(SM) Prepaid MasterCard®
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| Interest Rate*: | n/app |
|---|---|
| Intro Rate: | No Introductory Rate Available |
| Grace Period: | n/app |
| Credit Limit: | up to $1,000 |
| Annual Fee: | None |
Our Opinion: 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 features available to all cardholders. These free features include unlimited signature transactions, online access to statements, e-mail and text message alerts, and automated customer service. The Vision Silver(SM) Prepaid MasterCard® is a good option for people who want to make electronic transactions but who don't want, or can't get, a traditional credit card. *See terms and conditions for complete details.
