Credit and Debit Card Ratings

NetSpend Prepaid Visa Debit Card Rating

Please note that this page is outdated and maintained for archival purposes only. However, consumer comments below are current and new consumer reviews (by folks like you) on this card are still encouraged. You can view our current prepaid card reviews here!

Welcome to our site! Our editors have been covering the credit and debit card space for a total of 30+ years and we are proud to have been featured by the Wall Street Journal, CNN, etc.

Unlike almost all card comparison sites that only list cards that advertise with them, 95% of the cards on our site don’t pay us a dime. This site is powered by consumers like you! 🙂

Net spend Prepaid Visa Benefits:

Product Details:
Rating- No Upfront Activation Fees
No Per Transaction Fees (only for Pay As You Go card)
Free Online Bill Payment
Free Card-to-Card Transfers
No Inactivity/Maintenance Fees

Issuing Website Link – not active: The Netspend Visa® Prepaid Card and MasterCard Prepaid Card are both issued by Axos Bank, The Bancorp Bank, MetaBank®, and Republic Bank & Trust Company.

Activation Fee: No purchase fee

Monthly Fee: $0.00-$9.95

PIN Transaction Fee: $2.00 with Pay as you Go Plan

Signature Transaction Fee: $1.00 with Pay as you Go Plan

ATM Withdrawal Fee: $2.50 (Over the counter cash withdrawals may be cheaper at a Netpsend network location)

ATM Out of Network Withdrawal Fee: $2.50

Bank Teller Cash Fee: $2.50 + 3.5% Transaction Fee

Inactivity/Maintenance Fee: $5.95 per month (fee applies if Card Account has not had any activity, that is, no purchases; no cash withdrawals; no load transactions; or no balance inquiry fee for 90 days).

Cash Load Fee (* asterisk indicates third party fees): varies

Card Features

Initial Fees

Average Monthly Fees

Bill Pay Fees / Features

Loading Fees / Options

Total Score

Best Rated Features:

With an upgrade to the NetSpend Premier Prepaid Debit Card, you can make unlimited purchase transactions for $5 per month, which is a 50% savings over the basic Fee Advantage plan. Netspend also offers PayBack Rewards where you can earn cashback on some of your purchases and they offer a savings plan where you can earn interest on any money you set aside.
Things We Dislike

PIN fees are high (2 bucks per transaction) and signature transaction fees of $1.00 on the Pay As You Go card, as well as $2.50 for ATM withdrawals on all card plans.


Posted May 25, 2019 by Curtis Arnold

NetSpend has been a pioneer in the prepaid space having been in business since 1999 and, as a result, they have strong brand recognition. They partner with many prepaid cards and offer three different plans for their main prepaid Visa and MasterCard (read our Netspend Prepaid MasterCard Review here) plans: Pay As You Go, Fee Advantage and Premier.


The choices are nice, but our rating of the card reveals that NetSpend prepaid debit cards fees can add up quickly, though you can lower the fees depending on how you wisely use the card.

Please see bottom line independent (Netpsend does not advertise with us) review of the card and the Refer a Friend or Family Member program at the bottom of this page and also customer complaints and positive opinions. And please be sure to post your own cardholder opinion and/or any questions you may have.

To give just a sampling of those charges, NetSpend Fee Advantage and NetSpend Premier Prepaid debit card have monthly fees of $9.95 and $5.00, respectively. Although the Pay As You Go plan does not levy a monthly fee, the $2.00 charge for all PIN transactions and the $1.00 hit for any signature purchases can make up for that fast (get more info on the Pay as You Go plan fees by reading our post on What Fees Does Netspend Charge here).


If you want to withdraw cash from an ATM with any of the cards (and who wouldn’t?), you are going to rack up another $2.50 for each visit to the cash machine.

Of course, you can try to avoid that charge by getting cash back when you make purchases (remember, the Pay As You Go card charges $1.00 to do this). But the problem with that strategy is that you can usually only get a limited amount of cash back, which may or may not be enough to meet your needs.

Another limiting factor with these cards can be paying for specific items, like gasoline. In order to pay at the pump, you must have a minimum balance of between $55 and $100. Each time you buy gas, NetSpend holds $55 for the merchant. So if you only have say $20 on the card and you need gas, you will be out of luck.

On the positive side, direct deposits are free (though this benefit is typical of most prepaid cards) as well as text alerts and online account management.

Card Sweepstakes Details: (Sweepstakes ended April 30th)

Netspend® Visa® Prepaid cardholders are automatically entered for a chance to double their direct deposit (up to $5,000 each month) in the “Double your Payday Sweepstakes”. To qualify, you must have a Direct Deposit of $100 or more. See their website for more details.

SPECIFIC TO PREMIER: To qualify for the Premier program, set up free direct deposit and make a total of $500 in Direct Deposits during one calendar month. This automatically upgrades you to a NetSpend Premier card. With this you get lower-fees and a purchase cushion, but is it enough to make this card worth it for you?

Cash Bonus Referral Program:

When you refer a friend to Netspend and he or she loads at least $40, you both get a $20 credit to your account (not actual cash). You can refer an unlimited number of friends and family members – meaning there is no cap on how many referrals you can make (see our bottom line review below).

On a relate note, once your friends and family get a Netspend Visa or MasterCard, you can send them money or receive money from them using instant cardholder transfers (most prepaid cards offer this same benefit).

Optional Savings Program:

With Netspend®, you can open a Savings Account to set aside money for special purposes with up to a 5.00% interest rate (APY) earned on your savings, which can help your savings grow.

Simply transfer money from your Netspend PrepaidCard Account to your Netspend Savings Account to start earning interest on the money that you want to put aside (such as for a rainy day fund).

Choose from a few savings deposit options:

Make direct transfers between your Netspend Savings Account and your Netspend MasterCard of Visa
Set up AutoSave to automatically transfer any amount you choose (beforehand) to your Netspend Savings Account. This transfer will happen every time you load cash to your Card and is a “forced savings benefit”.


If you happen to need money from Savings for an unexpected expense, you can transfer it back to your card for spending purpsoses up to 6 times per calendar month
Important Consumer Note! The Netspend prepaid card does NOT help you build or rebuild your credit. If you are trying to improve your credit, we strongly suggest you consider applying for a secured credit card (click to read reviews)

Also, secured cards are a typically less expensive than prepaid cards (like regular credit cards, secured cards do charge interest charges if you carry a balance).

Is the NetSpend $20 Cash Bonus Refer a Friend and Family Member a Scam (and Prepaid Card Review)?
We like the options Netspend gives you and that their cards are FDIC insured (though many other prepaid cards offer FDIC insurance). However, while Netspend has a lot of customers (they claim 10 million and growing) and has been a major player in the prepaid card space for years, other Visa cards have lower fees (see Chime card below for example).


Their Friends and Family cash bonus referral program is not a scam, but we have read complaints about the program (please post your opinion below and read other customer reviews). We do prefer Chime’s referral program over Netspend as Chime offers $50 instead of $20.

The bottom line is that the Netspend Visa is one of the biggest and most well known prepaid cards (and is not a scam), but there are definitely other prepaid cards with lower fees and different benefits your should consider before you apply.

One lower fee card option than the Net Spend reloadable card is

Finally, be sure to read customer reviews (complaints and praises) of Netspend below as to whether the card is scam or not and post your negative or positive review!

Editorial Note!:
“The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, including this review and the reviews written by actual cardholders below.”

Netpsend Card Scam or Not?

Related Netspend Prepaid MasterCard to Consider:
The Netspend® Small Business Mastercard® (click to read our full Netspend business card rating)
will give you the business tools you need to manage your business and features no minimum card balance, no activation fee and no credit score check.

Business Credit Card Features:

Your Card Account is FDIC-insured by MetaBank®.

Business Mastercard Easy Savings®

When you use your card to make certain types purchases at participating merchants such as gas, restaurants and business services, you are eligible to receive automatic rebates that post to your Account. Earn rebates at hundreds of restaurants throughout the country for example.

Ways to Transfer Funds from your Business MasterCard:

Business Name on Card
Feature your Business or Corporate Name on your Netspend Small Business credit card. (Business verification required).

Mobile Check Load
If you get paid with checks for business services, you can deposit checks to your Account in a snap with your phone. (Non-sole proprietorships must verify their business to enable this feature). Please note that a fee may apply and fee is a third party fee, not assessed by Netpspend.

Transfer money from other Netspend customer accounts or load cash on to your prepaid business card at any of the 130,000+ locations in the Netspend Reload Network (fees may apply). Once your card is activated, your funds are FDIC insured up to the current coverage limit via MetaBank®, Member FDIC.

Accept Credit Card Payments
With the optional card feature called ProPay®. Send invoices, and even accept debit and credit card payments that will post to your credit card account.

Consumer Ratings of the Netspend Prepaid Visa and MasterCard:

RedRobin
December 26, 2016 at 5:46 am

Nice information you’ve supplied within the post.

alan durango
November 15, 2017 at 2:13 am

how can i add funds in this prepaidcard??

Shane Tripcony
November 15, 2017 at 6:29 pm

Visit the Netpsend site where you can find information on loading your card.

Curtis Arnold
November 15, 2018 at 4:10 pm

FTC Gives Back more than $10 Million to NetSpend Prepaid Card Customers:

The Federal Trade Commission is mailing more than 430,000 checks totaling more than $10 million to people who could nit access money deposited to their NetSpend reloadable prepaid cards. According to an FTC complaint, many NetSpend card customers were unable to access their funds.

To settle the FTC’s charges, NetSpend agreed to notify and provide refunds to eligible customers who requested them before October 7, 2017. NetSpend also agreed to remit to the FTC any fees collected from NetSpend prepaid debit cards that were eligible for refund, but were not paid out during the consumer redress period. The FTC is using this money to send checks to customers who did not receive a refund previously in this case.

Read more here:

Cindy Fong
May 18, 2019 at 5:30 am

I don’t like the Netspend Visa because I needed something to deposit my tax refund check on and now (after tax season) I’m trying to get another prepaid card.

I’ve had it for a few month’s and the fees are too high (4.95 a month).

I need a free card so I can get pay check added to it every month.

I got declined for the Chime card. 🙁

Any suggestions? Maybe my bank has a prepaid card that they don’t charge for.

Curtis Arnold
May 18, 2019 at 5:34 am

Oh no on Chime! I wonder why they did not approve you.

At any rate, I would suggest you try WalMart MoneyCard then if a WalMart is close to you.

Here’s a link to our review:

Empower others by posting your rating of the Netspend reloadable card below!

Category: Best Low Fee Prepaid Cards

Millions of people are turning to prepaid debit cards as a smart alternative to carrying cash and writing checks. Almost anyone can qualify and they don’t require a credit check or a bank account.

Though they carry credit card logos and can be used anywhere a credit card is used, unlike a credit card, they do not offer a line of credit. The user can only spend the amount that has been loaded onto the card or placed into the account associated with the card.

There are dozens of debit cards on the market, many of them issued by the same bank, but fee structures are vastly different. Bestprepaiddebitcards.com has done all the research for you and provides comprehensive reviews to help you decide which card is best for you.

GO2bank Offers Overdraft Protection up to $300.

And build your credit with the GO2bank Secured Visa® Credit Card with no annual fee*, no credit check*, and no impact to your credit when you apply. (sponsor link)

  • NetSpend Prepaid Visa Debit Card Rating

    Please note that this page is outdated and maintained for archival purposes only. However, consumer comments below are current and new consumer reviews (by folks like you) on this card are still encouraged. You can view our current prepaid card reviews here!

    Welcome to our site! Our editors have been covering the credit and debit card space for a total of 30+ years and we are proud to have been featured by the Wall Street Journal, CNN, etc.

    Unlike almost all card comparison sites that only list cards that advertise with them, 95% of the cards on our site don’t pay us a dime. This site is powered by consumers like you! 🙂

    Net spend Prepaid Visa Benefits:

    Product Details:
    Rating- No Upfront Activation Fees
    No Per Transaction Fees (only for Pay As You Go card)
    Free Online Bill Payment
    Free Card-to-Card Transfers
    No Inactivity/Maintenance Fees

    Issuing Website Link – not active: The Netspend Visa® Prepaid Card and MasterCard Prepaid Card are both issued by Axos Bank, The Bancorp Bank, MetaBank®, and Republic Bank & Trust Company.

    Activation Fee: No purchase fee

    Monthly Fee: $0.00-$9.95

    PIN Transaction Fee: $2.00 with Pay as you Go Plan

    Signature Transaction Fee: $1.00 with Pay as you Go Plan

    ATM Withdrawal Fee: $2.50 (Over the counter cash withdrawals may be cheaper at a Netpsend network location)

    ATM Out of Network Withdrawal Fee: $2.50

    Bank Teller Cash Fee: $2.50 + 3.5% Transaction Fee

    Inactivity/Maintenance Fee: $5.95 per month (fee applies if Card Account has not had any activity, that is, no purchases; no cash withdrawals; no load transactions; or no balance inquiry fee for 90 days).

    Cash Load Fee (* asterisk indicates third party fees): varies

    Card Features

    Initial Fees

    Average Monthly Fees

    Bill Pay Fees / Features

    Loading Fees / Options

    Total Score

    Best Rated Features:

    With an upgrade to the NetSpend Premier Prepaid Debit Card, you can make unlimited purchase transactions for $5 per month, which is a 50% savings over the basic Fee Advantage plan. Netspend also offers PayBack Rewards where you can earn cashback on some of your purchases and they offer a savings plan where you can earn interest on any money you set aside.
    Things We Dislike

    PIN fees are high (2 bucks per transaction) and signature transaction fees of $1.00 on the Pay As You Go card, as well as $2.50 for ATM withdrawals on all card plans.


    Posted May 25, 2019 by Curtis Arnold

    NetSpend has been a pioneer in the prepaid space having been in business since 1999 and, as a result, they have strong brand recognition. They partner with many prepaid cards and offer three different plans for their main prepaid Visa and MasterCard (read our Netspend Prepaid MasterCard Review here) plans: Pay As You Go, Fee Advantage and Premier.


    The choices are nice, but our rating of the card reveals that NetSpend prepaid debit cards fees can add up quickly, though you can lower the fees depending on how you wisely use the card.

    Please see bottom line independent (Netpsend does not advertise with us) review of the card and the Refer a Friend or Family Member program at the bottom of this page and also customer complaints and positive opinions. And please be sure to post your own cardholder opinion and/or any questions you may have.

    To give just a sampling of those charges, NetSpend Fee Advantage and NetSpend Premier Prepaid debit card have monthly fees of $9.95 and $5.00, respectively. Although the Pay As You Go plan does not levy a monthly fee, the $2.00 charge for all PIN transactions and the $1.00 hit for any signature purchases can make up for that fast (get more info on the Pay as You Go plan fees by reading our post on What Fees Does Netspend Charge here).


    If you want to withdraw cash from an ATM with any of the cards (and who wouldn’t?), you are going to rack up another $2.50 for each visit to the cash machine.

    Of course, you can try to avoid that charge by getting cash back when you make purchases (remember, the Pay As You Go card charges $1.00 to do this). But the problem with that strategy is that you can usually only get a limited amount of cash back, which may or may not be enough to meet your needs.

    Another limiting factor with these cards can be paying for specific items, like gasoline. In order to pay at the pump, you must have a minimum balance of between $55 and $100. Each time you buy gas, NetSpend holds $55 for the merchant. So if you only have say $20 on the card and you need gas, you will be out of luck.

    On the positive side, direct deposits are free (though this benefit is typical of most prepaid cards) as well as text alerts and online account management.

    Card Sweepstakes Details: (Sweepstakes ended April 30th)

    Netspend® Visa® Prepaid cardholders are automatically entered for a chance to double their direct deposit (up to $5,000 each month) in the “Double your Payday Sweepstakes”. To qualify, you must have a Direct Deposit of $100 or more. See their website for more details.

    SPECIFIC TO PREMIER: To qualify for the Premier program, set up free direct deposit and make a total of $500 in Direct Deposits during one calendar month. This automatically upgrades you to a NetSpend Premier card. With this you get lower-fees and a purchase cushion, but is it enough to make this card worth it for you?

    Cash Bonus Referral Program:

    When you refer a friend to Netspend and he or she loads at least $40, you both get a $20 credit to your account (not actual cash). You can refer an unlimited number of friends and family members – meaning there is no cap on how many referrals you can make (see our bottom line review below).

    On a relate note, once your friends and family get a Netspend Visa or MasterCard, you can send them money or receive money from them using instant cardholder transfers (most prepaid cards offer this same benefit).

    Optional Savings Program:

    With Netspend®, you can open a Savings Account to set aside money for special purposes with up to a 5.00% interest rate (APY) earned on your savings, which can help your savings grow.

    Simply transfer money from your Netspend PrepaidCard Account to your Netspend Savings Account to start earning interest on the money that you want to put aside (such as for a rainy day fund).

    Choose from a few savings deposit options:

    Make direct transfers between your Netspend Savings Account and your Netspend MasterCard of Visa
    Set up AutoSave to automatically transfer any amount you choose (beforehand) to your Netspend Savings Account. This transfer will happen every time you load cash to your Card and is a “forced savings benefit”.


    If you happen to need money from Savings for an unexpected expense, you can transfer it back to your card for spending purpsoses up to 6 times per calendar month
    Important Consumer Note! The Netspend prepaid card does NOT help you build or rebuild your credit. If you are trying to improve your credit, we strongly suggest you consider applying for a secured credit card (click to read reviews)

    Also, secured cards are a typically less expensive than prepaid cards (like regular credit cards, secured cards do charge interest charges if you carry a balance).

    Is the NetSpend $20 Cash Bonus Refer a Friend and Family Member a Scam (and Prepaid Card Review)?
    We like the options Netspend gives you and that their cards are FDIC insured (though many other prepaid cards offer FDIC insurance). However, while Netspend has a lot of customers (they claim 10 million and growing) and has been a major player in the prepaid card space for years, other Visa cards have lower fees (see Chime card below for example).


    Their Friends and Family cash bonus referral program is not a scam, but we have read complaints about the program (please post your opinion below and read other customer reviews). We do prefer Chime’s referral program over Netspend as Chime offers $50 instead of $20.

    The bottom line is that the Netspend Visa is one of the biggest and most well known prepaid cards (and is not a scam), but there are definitely other prepaid cards with lower fees and different benefits your should consider before you apply.

    One lower fee card option than the Net Spend reloadable card is

    Finally, be sure to read customer reviews (complaints and praises) of Netspend below as to whether the card is scam or not and post your negative or positive review!

    Editorial Note!:
    “The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, including this review and the reviews written by actual cardholders below.”

    Netpsend Card Scam or Not?

    Related Netspend Prepaid MasterCard to Consider:
    The Netspend® Small Business Mastercard® (click to read our full Netspend business card rating)
    will give you the business tools you need to manage your business and features no minimum card balance, no activation fee and no credit score check.

    Business Credit Card Features:

    Your Card Account is FDIC-insured by MetaBank®.

    Business Mastercard Easy Savings®

    When you use your card to make certain types purchases at participating merchants such as gas, restaurants and business services, you are eligible to receive automatic rebates that post to your Account. Earn rebates at hundreds of restaurants throughout the country for example.

    Ways to Transfer Funds from your Business MasterCard:

    Business Name on Card
    Feature your Business or Corporate Name on your Netspend Small Business credit card. (Business verification required).

    Mobile Check Load
    If you get paid with checks for business services, you can deposit checks to your Account in a snap with your phone. (Non-sole proprietorships must verify their business to enable this feature). Please note that a fee may apply and fee is a third party fee, not assessed by Netpspend.

    Transfer money from other Netspend customer accounts or load cash on to your prepaid business card at any of the 130,000+ locations in the Netspend Reload Network (fees may apply). Once your card is activated, your funds are FDIC insured up to the current coverage limit via MetaBank®, Member FDIC.

    Accept Credit Card Payments
    With the optional card feature called ProPay®. Send invoices, and even accept debit and credit card payments that will post to your credit card account.

    Consumer Ratings of the Netspend Prepaid Visa and MasterCard:

    RedRobin
    December 26, 2016 at 5:46 am

    Nice information you’ve supplied within the post.

    alan durango
    November 15, 2017 at 2:13 am

    how can i add funds in this prepaidcard??

    Shane Tripcony
    November 15, 2017 at 6:29 pm

    Visit the Netpsend site where you can find information on loading your card.

    Curtis Arnold
    November 15, 2018 at 4:10 pm

    FTC Gives Back more than $10 Million to NetSpend Prepaid Card Customers:

    The Federal Trade Commission is mailing more than 430,000 checks totaling more than $10 million to people who could nit access money deposited to their NetSpend reloadable prepaid cards. According to an FTC complaint, many NetSpend card customers were unable to access their funds.

    To settle the FTC’s charges, NetSpend agreed to notify and provide refunds to eligible customers who requested them before October 7, 2017. NetSpend also agreed to remit to the FTC any fees collected from NetSpend prepaid debit cards that were eligible for refund, but were not paid out during the consumer redress period. The FTC is using this money to send checks to customers who did not receive a refund previously in this case.

    Read more here:

    Cindy Fong
    May 18, 2019 at 5:30 am

    I don’t like the Netspend Visa because I needed something to deposit my tax refund check on and now (after tax season) I’m trying to get another prepaid card.

    I’ve had it for a few month’s and the fees are too high (4.95 a month).

    I need a free card so I can get pay check added to it every month.

    I got declined for the Chime card. 🙁

    Any suggestions? Maybe my bank has a prepaid card that they don’t charge for.

    Curtis Arnold
    May 18, 2019 at 5:34 am

    Oh no on Chime! I wonder why they did not approve you.

    At any rate, I would suggest you try WalMart MoneyCard then if a WalMart is close to you.

    Here’s a link to our review:

    Empower others by posting your rating of the Netspend reloadable card below!

  • Ratings and Reviews of TurboTax Prepaid Visa Debit Card

    Please note that this page is outdated and maintained for archival purposes only. However, the overall Editor’s rating above is still updated.

    Also, be sure to read consumer comments below. New consumer reviews of the Turbo Tax prepaid Visa debit card (by folks like you) are still encouraged! You can view our current prepaid card reviews here.

    Welcome to our site! Our editors have been covering the credit and debit card space for a total of 30+ years and we are proud to have been featured by the Wall Street Journal, CNN, etc.

    Unlike almost all card comparison sites that only list cards that advertise with them, 95% of the cards on our site don’t pay us a dime. This site is powered by consumers like you! 🙂

    Overview:

    Activation Fee: None

    PIN Transaction Fee: None

    Signature Transaction Fee: None

    ATM Withdrawal Fee: None in network

    ATM Out of Network Withdrawal Fee: For ATM withdrawals made outside of the Turbo Prepaid Visa card ATM network, a $2.50 fee will be charged in addition to any fee the ATM owner may charge.

    Cash Load Fee (* asterisk indicates third party fees): Fees of up to $5.95 may be charged by approved cash reload agents when reloading your Card at their locations.

    :

    Card Reviews: Card Reviews, Prepaid Debit Card Reviews

    Card Features

    Initial Fees

    Average Monthly Fees

    Bill Pay Fees / Features

    Loading Fees / Options

    Total Score

    User Rating
    79 total ratings

    Things We Like
    Intuit, Turbo Tax and Green Dot all have good brand name recognition.

    Also, if you are a Turbo Tax customer, this card is convenient to deposit your federal tax refund on.

    Free credit score (rare benefit among prepaid cards in general, but a common freebie offered by credit cards).

    Things We Dislike
    You have to deposit at least 1K each month (high when compared to other prepaid offers) to avoid the monthly fee.
    Does not help you build your credit (even though it gives you a free credit score) and no rewards program.


    Posted April 1, 2021 by D. Shane Tripcony
    Looking for a new fee card with great reviews?

    Apply in 2 mins for the new no fee Chime Visa Debit Card.

    Start by simply entering your email!

    (Referral Link)

    Advertisement Notice:
    Please note that we receive financial compensation for some links on our site. We carefully screen advertisers and hope they provide value to our readers. These links are labeled “Referral Link” or “Sponsor Link”.

    Financial Question? Ask an Expert by Posting a Comment at the Bottom of This Page. Here are Our Most 3 Recent Comments:
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    Full Review

    Your input is invaluable and we’d love to have your opinion as to whether the TurboTax prepaid reloadable Visa debit refund card is a good or bad deal (see other customer opinions at bottom of this page and be sure to post your own comments and/or questions as to whether this Visa is legit or worth it) – this site is powered by consumers like you!

    Also, be sure to post questions, opinions or complaints (such as whether it’s a good deal or scam) regarding the TurboTax debit card at the bottom of this page- click on “Leave a Comment” to read and comment if you’re using a mobile device. This site is powered by consumers like you!

    New 2021 Stimulus Check Update! Important message from Green Dot the bank that issues the TurboTax Visa:

    We are working 24/7 to process your stimulus money payment asap. Log in to your account for a quick status update- please note that government stimulus payments are NOT eligible for early direct deposit.

    If you have questions about the 2nd Coronavirus Stimulus Funds ($600), please click HERE for more information.

    We first reviewed this popular tax refund Visa card a few years back prior to when Green Dot (large financial services company that issues a lot of prepaid accounts) began servicing Turbo Tax cardholders (see announcement below from 2012 for more info).

    TurboTax is a popular low fee (do it yourself software) tax preparation service and its prepaid card is aggressively marketed with its tax software as a convenient and faster way for users to direct deposit their IRS tax refund.

    Please scroll to the bottom to see our bottom line independent (this TurboTax Prepaid Debit Card does not advertise with us) review of this card and how good it is when compared to other prepaid cards that you can apply for (a few mins. of comparison shopping is always advised before you apply for any card and can save you a lot of money and time).

    Also, be sure to read Turbo customer or consumer reviews, complaints, problems and praises, and post your own consumer opinion of the TurboTax Card below!

    Get a $10 Bonus with Direct Deposit- {Expired Offer!}:
    Account login and receipt of a 2nd recurring direct deposit of $250 or more by July 24, 2020 required.

    ACTIVATE CARD

    To qualify for this offer, set up Direct Deposit and receive a 2nd recurring Direct Deposit of $250 or more between December 1, 2019 and July 24, 2020. $10 reward credited to your Turbo Card within 14 business days of your 2nd qualifying payroll or government benefits Direct Deposits of $250 or more. One $10 credit per customer.

    Cash Bonus Offer Details- Post Tax Refund Promotion {Expired Offer!}:

    TurboTax is currently trying to entice new cardholders by offering a $20 rebate during 2019 (following tax season). To qualify for this limited time bonus card offer, you must log in to your prepaid account, set up Direct Deposit and receive two recurring Direct Deposit of $250 (payroll, government benefit check, etc.) or more before July 10, 2019.

    A $20 cash bonus reward will be credited to your Turbo Visa Card within 14 business days of your 2nd qualifying payroll (government benefits qualify) Direct Deposit of $250 or more. Please note this offer is limited to one $20 credit per new customer.

    Direct Deposit Cash Promotion:{Expired Offer!}

    Turbo Tax is currently (above offer expired) running a promotion to encourage cardholders to Sign up for ASAP Direct Deposit (for your paycheck for ex). If you start a new direct deposit of $100 or more between June 5th and December 31, 2019, you will have a chance to win one of 10, $100 cash prizes or a $1,000 Grand Prize. And new winners picked each month through the end of the year.

    Important Consumer Note!
    The Turbo prepaid Visa does NOT help you improve your credit. 🙁

    No annual fee (unlike almost all prepaid cards), and all the credit building benefits with responsible card use.
    26.99% APR (interest rate)
    Unlike a prepaid card, it builds credit when used responsibly, with regular reporting to the 3 major credit bureaus
    You will get an initial $200 credit line after making a security deposit of only $49, $99, or $200, determined based on your creditworthiness
    (Sponsor Link)

    How to File a Complaint Against TurboTax / Intuit:

    If you have contacted Green Dot Corporation (that issues this Visa) and are unable to resolve your account issues in good faith, we strongly suggest taking the following steps:

    1) Please post your account issues and problems at the bottom of this page in our cardholder comments section.

    2) Notify Turbo customer service (ask to speak to a manager or decision maker) that you have complained in writing on BestPrepaidDebitCards.com (feel free to take a screen shot), a consumer advocacy site that has been featured for years in many major national media outlets.

    Also, feel free to share that your post can be shared by our site with members of the media (we will change your name to protect your privacy and will certainly not share any personal account info).

    3) Consider also filing your grievance with the BBB and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and your state’s Attorney General Office.

    4) Please post any updates to your problem after taking these steps as sharing your experiences will help educate and empower other consumers! 🙂

    Turbo Tax Refund 0% Rate and No Fee Advance- Get Up to $3000 within 1 Hour of Filing Your Taxes:

    TurboTax has a popular tax refund advance loan that is unique among tax advance loans (most of which we don’t recommend). Read our review of their 0% APR interest rate loan with no fees here and see if it’s a good fit for you.

    How to Best Track Your Refund Using the TurboTax Prepaid Debit Card:
    If you are receiving your tax refund on your Turbo Visa, you can track it only by visiting irs.gov/refunds or calling the IRS Refund Hotline at (800) 829-1954. Please note that neither Intuit nor Green Dot have any info on the status of your IRS refund.

    Card Benefits and Features:
    With the TurboTax Refund Card you receive free ATM withdrawals within network, a $2.50 fee for each ATM out of network withdrawal applies. Balance inquiries are free in network and out of network ATMs cost 50 cents.

    As for monthly charges, the $4.95 monthly charge is waived if you direct deposit (or load) at least $1,000 on your card in the previous month.

    Optional services, features or products, like using photo check deposit, may require additional customer verification and will require your acceptance of applicable terms and conditions.

    You can use the Turbo card for purchases everywhere Visa Debit® is accepted.
    Download the app to track your account 24/7, stash extra funds in your Vault, slide for balance, pay bills anytime, get direct deposit information
    No overdraft fees (true of most prepaid cards)
    You can send money for free. Recipients can get their cash loaded onto a Green Dot Bank-issued card or PayPal account.
    Get your government benefits check up to 4 days before payday.
    Free bill pay.
    No minimum balance fees (true of most prepaid cards)
    No penalty charges

    Changes in Monthly Maintenance Fee:

    On our last review of this card a few years ago, your first monthly fee was free and the monthly fee or charge was waived if you had an available balance of at least $50 on your card on last day of your billing cycle.

    Unfortunately, this nice fee perk has has been changed, though, and now you pay $4.95 a month (not too high), but you have to deposit at least $1,000 to avoid paying the new $4.95 monthly fee (they do still waive the fee the first month), which is pretty high deposit amount for a lot of folks on fixed incomes (consider free Chime offer below as an alternative).

    TurboTax Prepaid Visa Debit Card Review Summary- Good or Bad?
    Customer Complaints, Etc. Below

    The TurboTax Refund Card is worth (not a bad deal) if your loyal to Turbo Tax and are able to put at least $1,000 each month (this is a high amount to spend each month in comparison to other prepaid Visa offers) of the card to avoid the ongoing monthly maintenance or membership fee.

    We also like that they give away free credit scores (unique benefit among prepaid card offers), you debt-to-income ratio, and give you personalized advice via their app.

    However, if both these conditions don’t apply to you, there are better Visa cards available with less fees and different benefits

    Also, there have been some customer complaints and poor ratings below regarding Turbo that we suggest that you review before you apply. Click on “Leave a Comment” to read and comment if you’re using a mobile device.

    Finally, please see cardholder or customer complaints and praises about the TurboTax Prepaid Debit Card below (and be sure to post your own opinion!). If you have questions, please also post below and one of our experts will respond typically within just 24 hours.

    TurboTax also offers a popular tax advance loan (read our review here) that allows you to put your advance on your card and that promises that you will get $250 – $3,000† within 1 hour of IRS acceptance of your personal return.

    Attention Turbo Tax Prepaid Visa Cardholders Prior to 2012: As of November 2, 2012, your TurboTax refund card was been converted to a Green Dot card issued by Green Dot Bank. In the future, you will use Green Dot’s website to access your online account. Please Note: You may be required to establish a new username and password to access the Green Dot account management website.If you need to activate a re-issued TurboTax card, please call Green Dot.

    Related Tax Refund Prepaid Card for Comparison:
    Read our full review of the TaxSlayer prepaid tax refund card here.


    Editorial Note!:
    “The editorial content on this page is not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and has not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are author’s alone, including this review and the reviews written by actual cardholders below.”

    Other Reviews Related to the Turbo Card and Resources That Might be Helpful:
    Using a cell phone? Click on “Leave a Comment” to read and sharing your own opinion (positive or negative) if you’re using a mobile device.

    Consumer Reviews and Ratings (Good and Bad):

    D. Shane Tripcony

    More articles by D. Shane Tripcony »
    Related:
    Card Reviews

    11 CommentsLeave a comment »
    Kaitlin DuncanAugust 4, 2021 at 6:15 pm
    This is the third and last time i use this company. It’s August and I am still fighting fraud charges from January. Now I use it one check and another fraud charge. Get your money off and NEVER USE IT AGAIN!!!

    Curtis ArnoldAugust 17, 2021 at 9:36 pm
    Kaitlin,

    So sorry for your problems with with Turbo tax refund card.

    What kind of fraudulent charges were you a victim of and has there been any refunds?

    GermiJanuary 2, 2021 at 2:29 pm
    This card is the worse they deactivated my account

    now the second stimulus check is coming and I cant contact customer service on how I’ll get a new card or my stimulus *$K&$ turbo debit card

    JoshuaSeptember 24, 2020 at 12:46 am
    2 different people from customer service told me that i had reached my monthly withdrawal limit of $3000.00 and they couldn’t do anything for me. ive never heard of that before so now i have ro wait 3 weeks before im allowed to get my own money.

    Patricia shannonMay 6, 2020 at 6:27 pm
    I am trying to cancel my card. I really do not need it. I did not use it for a year and for some reason, the little money that was left on the card went to monthly fees that i was not aware of. can anyone live tell me how to cancel the card?????????????????????????????????????

    Curtis ArnoldMay 8, 2020 at 8:06 pm
    Patricia-

    Sorry for your issues with the Turbo visa card. Have you tried to call their customer service number (I know some customers where having problems earlier but I suspect it was due to increased call volume related to the stimulus checks:

    Customer care
    (888) 285-4169
    (You can Report a lost, stolen or damaged Visa card or Dispute a merchant transaction at this number)

    Hope this helps and pls keep us posted. 🙂

    Hillery watkinsApril 16, 2020 at 1:26 am
    The turbo app sucks doesn’t respond constant error please try again!!! On top of that there phone # is unreliable, I recommend no one get this card. I will be getting all my money back.

    Hillery

    Curtis ArnoldApril 17, 2020 at 1:30 am
    Sorry for your problems. Are you waiting on stimulus money?

    I do know those who used their rapid refund anticipation loan during tax season are seeing delays in getting their stimulus government checks as the IRS does not have their direct deposit info. 🙁

    Kenny KamelFebruary 26, 2020 at 1:40 am
    The Turbo debit card is a scam, they sold it to me as a way to get my tax refund faster only to find out later that I would receive it on the card just as soon as I would have received it via direct deposit. Also they open up a bank account for you without your knowledge or consent and it (so far) has been extremely difficult to get in contact with their customer support to accomplish anything. I have been trying to close tge bank account and cancel the debit card, I have been put on hold indefinitely sometimes as long as two hours before being disconnected.

    Joshua SuperFebruary 13, 2020 at 3:23 pm
    The TurboTax card is junk. Went to buy a new bedroom set. Card was declined. Called they told me they would allow it in an hour. 1 hour 15 minutes later. Still declined. I will be going to an atm and will withdrawal everything even if I have to do it a few times. I will never get another one.

    kim delauraJanuary 4, 2021 at 4:29 pm
    This bank is the worst bank as you can’t get in touch with nobody

    Their customer service reps keep hanging up on me- this is a terrible *&$E company

    do not use TurboTax I’m contacting an attorney

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