Prepaid Debit Card Reviews, Complaints, Etc

Tag: featured

Is the GreenDot Prepaid Visa Debit Card a Good Deal or Bad?
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. Your input is invaluable and we’d love to have your opinion as to whether the Green Dot prepaid debit card is a good deal (see below) – this site is powered by you!

Unlike almost all card comparison sites that only list cards that advertise with them, 85% of the cards on our site don’t pay us a dime.
How the Green Dot Reloadable Visa Debit Card Works

Just like many other prepaid debit cards, the standard Green Dot Prepaid Visa® Card (which is what this review will focus on) works like a bank debit card or ATM card. However, depending on what you load your Green Dot prepaid card to do, the working can vary a little. You can load the card to put money on other prepaid cards, debit cards or credit cards; and even to pay some specified bills.

Please Note! This page was originally published a few years ago and is no longer being updated in 2021. GreenDot is focusing on promoting their new and improved Go2Bank Cash Rebate Visa- Click Here for to More Info and to Apply Online in Just Mins! (sponsor link)

Now, depending on the service that you will be using your prepaid card to access, there are a number of benefits you may receive as compared to using bank cards. For instance, you can use the Green Dot card to get some discounts on online shopping. In some cases, you may also be rewarded with points for using the card.

However, please note that the card has a pretty high monthly maintenance fee of $7.95 if you do not do a monthly direct deposit of at least $1,000 (which is a high amount as well compared to other prepaid Visa cards). Also, there is a $1.95 fee to purchase the card (activation fee) and a cash reload fee of $5.95, which is high as well in comparison to other similar prepaid card offers (bad features).

Good Benefits of using the Green Dot Reloadable Visa Card

You can track spending on the go using the Green Dot mobile app.

You can apply for this prepaid debit card whether you have a bank account or not and you will not be subject to a credit check before you are provided with the card.

You will be able to fill other prepaid cards, debit cards or even credit cards easily with the Green Dot MoneyPak. On the same note, you can use the card to pay bills, withdraw cash from ATMs and even shop online.

You will have no long usage commitments. This means you can choose whether to use it or not.

You will not be subject to any penalty charges and overdraft fees.

Finally, the card is reloadable meaning that you can top up the money on the card using direct deposit, MoneyPak or even bank money transfer services.

Important Consumer Note!

The Greendot debit card does NOT help you improve your credit.

Registering for Green Dot Prepaid Debit Card

There are two ways to get a Green Dot reloadable Visa prepaid debit card. You can register online and setup your account or purchase a card at a retail location. Both options are simple. However, by registering online you can avoid the fee associated with purchasing a card in-store. You will be required to load the card before you can make purchases.

When registering, you may be required to submit some of your personal details including the provision of your social security number. After registration, you will be provided with a non-reloadable temporary prepaid card that you will use until you are provided with the reloadable prepaid card. It is important to note that the temporary card will not have access to some services like ATM usage, and it may be limited for use in the United States only.

As per the provision of Federal laws, Green Dot will have the responsibility of obtaining, verifying and recording relevant customer information that can be used to identify them (customers). Some of the basic information that Green Dot may require from you when registering for a Green Dot reloadable prepaid debit card include your name, date of birth, social security number and address.

Is the Green Dot Prepaid Visa Debit Card a Good Deal or Bad? (Summary)

Please Note! This page is no longer being updated in 2021. GreenDot is focusing on promoting their new and improved Go2Bank Cash Rebate Visa- Click Here for to More Info and to Apply Online in Just Mins! (sponsor link)

The Green Dot prepaid card may be a good deal for you, but be sure to review our other prepaid card offers which have less fees, such as the new no fee Chime Visa below, and different benefits. The monthly membership fees on Green Dot are high if you don’t have a direct deposit every month.

The bottom line is that it may or may not be the best reloadable card for you depending on how you use it. You should compare prepaid cards carefully to be sure you choose the prepaid card that’s most cost efficient for you.

Related New Visa Card to Compare to Green Dot (Works Like Greendot Debit but has No Fees):
Chime is a new Visa card that is amazingly free (unless you use the card outside of their large ATM network). This is best alternative to a prepaid card that we’ve seen in 5+ years and offers all of the benefits of traditional bank account.

People with poor credit can apply too as there is no credit check (No ChexSystems either). Chime can be managed entirely from your smartphone. No hidden fees. No overdraft fees. No minimum balance. No monthly service fees. No transfer fees. Over 38,000 fee-free ATMs, plus 30,000+ cash-back locations.

And for a limited time, earn a Cash referral bonus of $50 when you tell your friends and family members about Chime and they sign up (and they’ll earn $50 too)- details within the app after you apply! Click for more info.- you can apply online in just 2 mins with no obligation. Start by simply entering your email address and clicking “Get Started”– over 3 million customers couldn’t be wrong. 🙂 (Referral Link)

Please read our review of another Green Dot offer here:

Full Green Dot Prepaid Unlimited Cashback Debit Card Review
January 19, 2021
What is A Prepaid Debit Card? Glossary & Common Terms

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. Your input is invaluable and we’d love to have your comments on What is a Prepaid Debit Card? (see below) – this site is powered by you!

Courtesy of Linda Sherry, Director of National Priorities for Consumer Action, here is a comprehensive list of fees associated with prepaid debit cards.

by Lucy Lazarony

Looking for a new Debit Card, then you should check out the new award-winning No Fee Chime Visa Debit, (Ad Link) which can managed entirely from your smartphone and charges no overdraft fees, no monthly service fees and no transfer fees. No minimum balance is required and Chime features over 38,000 fee-free MoneyPass® and Visa Plus Alliance ATMs (there is a map of all fee-free ATM’s in the app).

This is the best and cheapest alternative to prepaid cards we have seen since we started reviewing prepaid cards over 5 years ago. And for a limited time, earn a Cash referral bonus of $50 when you tell your friends and family members about Chime and they sign up (and they’ll earn $50 too)- details within the app after you apply! Click for more info.- you can apply online in just 2 mins with no obligation- start by simply entering your email and clicking Get Started– over 3 million customers couldn’t be wrong. 🙂

What is a Prepaid Debit Card? Glossary and Common Prepaid Debit Card Terms.

Purchase fee. This is a one-time charge for buying the card, generally in a retail location.

Activation fee. A one-time charge that is also known as an opening fee, initial load fee or set-up fee, can range from free to $30 or more. This is a fee that must be checked carefully, particularly if you also have to pay to buy the card (see purchase fee above).

Monthly “maintenance” fee. This is a common fee that can vary widely, up to $10 per month; may be reduced or waived if monthly reload minimum is met or you set up direct deposit; some cards may also charge an annual fee.

Reloading fee. This fee is charged for adding funds to the card, which can vary by type or source of funds (cash, for example); third-party fees for cash loads made at agents (such as a participating chain of stores) also may apply.

Funds transfer fee. This kind of fee may be charged on certain funds transfers, such as from one card to another or from a bank account to the card.

Purchase transaction fee. This fee may be waived with a minimum number of transactions in the month or with direct deposit; may be charged on debit (personal identification number, or PIN) transactions and not on credit (signature) transactions, or vice versa.

Click HERE for our current ratings of the Best Prepaid Cards including the Best Overall No Fee Visa Card and see how this card compares to others.

Denied transaction fee. This fee may be charged if you try to make a purchase or an ATM withdrawal that exceeds your account balance.

Overdraft (or shortage) fee. This type of fee is charged by the relatively few cards that will allow you to spend more than you have loaded on the card; typically ranges from $10 to $25 or more.

Cashier withdrawal fee. This fee may be charged when cash is withdrawn at a bank or an agent location.

ATM withdrawal fee. A fee charged for withdrawing money from an ATM (unless the card offers free withdrawals at participating ATM locations or a certain number of free ATM withdrawals per month); another, separate fee of $1 to $3 is taken by most ATM owners/operators.

Balance inquiry fee. This fee may be charged for getting your balance statement at an ATM.

Foreign currency conversion fee. This type of fee is charged if you use your card outside the U.S. (typical for credit and debit cards, too).

Inactivity fee. This fee may be assessed if you don’t make at least one transaction in a certain period (typically 60 or 90 days).

Card replacement/reissue fee. This fee may be charged if your card is lost or stolen.

Paper statement fee. A type of fee charged for requesting a paper statement rather than viewing your statement online.

Customer service fee. Some card issuers charge this fee when you contact a live customer service representative (as opposed to using the automated help system); some cards may even charge a small fee for using the automated phone system.

Closure fee. This type of fee is charged when you close the card.

Other Related Reviews and Resources That Might be Helpful:

Click HERE for our current ratings of the Best Prepaid Cards including the Best Overall No Fee Visa Card and see how this card compares to others.

April 20, 2020
Tips on How to Best Use a Prepaid Reloadable Debit Card

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. Your input is invaluable and we’d love to have your opinion regarding tips on how to best use a prepaid debit card (see below) – this site is powered by you!

Chime is a new Visa card that is amazingly free (unless you use the card outside of their large ATM network). This is best alternative to a prepaid card that we’ve seen in 5+ years and offers all of the benefits of traditional bank account.

It’s a Visa card and has a lot less fees than the typical prepaid debit card. Also, people with poor credit can apply too as there is no credit check. Chime can be managed entirely from your smartphone. No overdraft fees. No minimum balance. No Chex Sytems. No monthly service fees. No transfer fees. Over 38,000 fee-free ATMs, plus 30,000+ cash-back locations.

And for a limited time, earn a Cash referral bonus of $50 when you tell your friends and family members about Chime and they sign up (and they’ll earn $50 too)- details within the app after you apply! Click for more info.- you can apply online in just 2 mins with no obligation. Start by simply entering your email address and clicking “Get Started”– over 3 million customers couldn’t be wrong. 🙂 (Referral Link)

Prepaid debit cards are big business in the United States. According to Time magazine, consumers used them for (http://business.time.com/2013/08/01/prepaid-debit-cards-a-few-good-ones-to-consider-and-several-to-avoid) $77 billion worth of transactions in 2012. That’s a lot of swiping.

We all know about using them to pay for lunch or a pair of shoes. But have you ever thought about a prepaid card for. Following are some tips on creative ways you can use a prepaid debit card (Visa or MasterCard).

1. A door prize. You want lots of butts in the seats at the community cleanup or the first PTA gathering of the year? Advertise that a $50 prepaid debit card (or a couple of $25 ones) will be given away. Advertise it extensively.

Sure, it would be nice if people would attend such things without coaxing, but be realistic: If someone’s on the fence about attending (“Do I want to get up that early on a Saturday?/Be out that late on a school night?”) then the chance of winning might tip them over into Do The Right Thing territory.

2. An employee incentive. Whether it’s for putting (usable) ideas in the suggestion box or for making it through the holiday crush without losing their minds, your workers might appreciate the chance to get a little something extra.

Do it through a random drawing or as an out-and-out prize for a really smart suggestion. (Note: These are considered taxable income, according to the Internal Revenue Service. But they’re still fun to get.) On a related note, please note that Pex and Bento offer employee prepaid cards for small to medium sized businesses.

3. Help to a relative/friend in need. Sometimes handing over cash feels weird. Giving a prepaid card lets the person you love get what he needs: medicine, a bag of groceries, a tank of gas. Better yet: Slip it under the person’s door or mail it anonymously.

4. Moving expenses. Donna Freedman, who blogs at Surviving and Thriving (http://www.donnafreedman.com), tells us: “When my daughter and son-in-law moved from Seattle to Phoenix, I saw them off with a big bag of snacks and a $300 prepaid gift card for road expenses. I thought the card would be easier to manage than a wad of cash. (It was.)”

5. Kid travel gift. If your pre adolescent or teen is heading cross-country to visit his grandparents or to spend the summer with the noncustodial parent, a prepaid card will let him buy his own snacks and incidentals.

6. Blog giveaway. Want to build subscriber loyalty and get the attention of additional readers? Have a monthly giveaway – and every so often, make it a prepaid debit card. “This is something that we definitely plan on doing for our readers of our website and Facebook page.

With our website name talking specifically about prepaid cards, it just makes sense,” says Shane Tripcony, co-founder of BestPrepaidDebitCards.com. Regular gift cards are popular, too, but not everyone drinks coffee or shops at Target, whereas a prepaid card is good just about anywhere. Heck, I wish I could win one.

7. New grad gift. It can be tough to guess the needs/desires of an 18 or 22-year-old. A prepaid gift card means not just buying power, but choice. It’s up to him whether he spends at a grocery store or at The Gap.

8. Tax refund. The major tax preparers let you have the option of a refund via prepaid debit card. You’ll want to keep a close eye on the fees, but if you’re unbanked or underbanked, you want the refund a little faster or you just want to really manage how you spend your tax refund, this could be the right option.

9. Teacher present. Believe me when I tell you that your kid’s teacher has waaaaay too many mugs already. Please don’t add to that problem. Give a prepaid card because it can be spent at any merchant the teacher chooses. However, I predict at least some of it will be rung up at a bookshop or educational supply store. Teachers are just like that.

This is a short list of potential ways to use a prepaid reloadable debit card. What are some creative ways you have used your prepaid card? We welcome your comments below and would love to hear from you.

September 1, 2019
Where Can I Get an American Express Serve Card (You Can Apply @ WalMart)?

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. Your input is invaluable and we’d love to have your opinion as to whether the Chime Bank debit card is a good deal (see below) – this site is powered by you!

Related Visa Card to Compare to AmEx Serve (like Serve but with less fees):

Chime is a new Visa card that is amazingly free (unless you use the card outside of their large ATM network). This is best alternative to a prepaid card that we’ve seen in 5+ years and offers all of the benefits of traditional bank account.

It’s a real debit card, not a prepaid debit card which usually have a lot more fees) and people with poor credit can apply too as there is no credit check. Chime can be managed entirely from your smartphone. No overdraft fees. No minimum balance. No monthly service fees. No transfer fees. Over 38,000 fee-free ATMs, plus 30,000+ cash-back locations.

And for a limited time, earn a Cash referral bonus of $50 when you tell your friends and family members about Chime and they sign up (and they’ll earn $50 too)- details within the app after you apply! Click for more info.- you can apply online in just 2 mins with no obligation. Start by simply entering your email address and clicking “Get Started”– over 3 million customers couldn’t be wrong. 🙂 (Ad Link)

Please Note! This article was published in 2013 and is being keep for historical purposes. Please click here for our current review of the American Express (AmEx) Serve Card.

In October of 2012 American Express and Walmart teamed up to launch Bluebird, a low-fee card meant to attract people unhappy with traditional checking and debit account fees. On April 21^st of this year, Walmart and AmEx announced that they were joining forces again, this time to make the American Express Serve prepaid card available for sale at 4,100 of the retailer’s stores nationwide. The card will cost $1.95 and be sold at checkout lines and in Walmart MoneyCenters.

This announcement instantly gives AmEx an attractive bragging point in the increasingly competitive prepaid debit card industry. By making Serve available at thousands of Walmart stores, AmEx has has created the largest free cash reload network in America. In addition to Walmart, it is now possible for Serve customers to add cash to their Serve accounts for no charge at 19,500 locations, including CVS pharmacies and 7-Eleven locations.

Customers can now go to the cash register at any of those locations and add as little as $20 or as much as $500 to their Serve accounts. This ubiquity is important, says Madeline Aufseeser, a senior analyst at Aite Group. “American Express Serve is making it even more convenient for consumers to add cash to their accounts so they can use those funds to quickly and easily manage their personal finances,” she says.

This expansion of Serve is just the latest effort by AmEx to better serve the millions of so-called “unbanked” or “underbanked” Americans, who either don’t have a traditional bank account or are unhappy with what they do have. “By offering American Express Serve alongside Bluebird at Walmart, we’re expanding our portfolio of products to meet the needs of more Walmart shoppers,” says Dan Schulman, group president of Enterprise Growth at American Express. “Bluebird is a great option for the “unhappily banked” who are looking for a true alternative to the fees and hidden charges often associated with debit and checking. With Serve, our full service reloadable prepaid account, we can now provide the nearly 70 million Americans who are unbanked or underbanked a simple and affordable way to move and manage their money.”

To go along with its expansion of the availability of Serve cards, AmEx is also launching an advertising campaign to highlight the benefits of its signature prepaid product. The TV ads are shot in a documentary style and are meant to highlight the struggles regular Americans who are either ignored or underserved by the traditional banking system face to make simple financial transactions.

April 22, 2019
A Prepaid What? A Guide to Prepaid Debit Cards for 2013

This Page is No Longer Being Updated. Please Click Here to search for our current listings of the best prepaid debit cards.

April 18, 2019

TD Go Prepaid Visa Card Review (Independent)

TD Go Prepaid Visa Card Review (Independent)

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, among other publications But your input is invaluable and we’d love to have your opinion on the TD Bank Go Visa prepaid debit card (see below- this site is powered by you)!

Please note that this 2018 review is outdated and is only kept for historical reasons. Please read our updated review of the TD Bank Go Visa Card here (that is in a better visual format).

If one of your New Year’s resolutions was to teach your teenager how to better manage money, TD Bank wants to help. A few years back, TD Bank, one of the ten largest banks in the U.S., announced the release of the Visa TD Go Card a few years back (when we first reviewed this card offer), its first foray into the prepaid debit card market.

TD Bank’s new prepaid card is aimed at helping parents teach their teenagers how to spend money wisely, albeit in a way that offers a sturdy safety net.

“The development of smart spending habits is a journey and many parents want to offer teens a gradual path to increasing fiscal freedom,” says Tami Farrow, Senior Vice President and head of retail deposit payments for TD Bank. “With the launch of the TD Go Card, TD Bank is offering parents a convenient and safe environment to get money to their teens and an easy way to monitor spending.”

New Popular No Fee Visa Debit Card (works like the TD prepaid card but with less fees):

Chime is a new type of bank account designed to help people lead healthier financial lives and automate their savings (people with poor credit can apply too as there is no credit check). With Chime, you get a free Chime Visa Debit Card (a real debit card, not a prepaid debit card which usually have a lot more fees).

Chime can be managed entirely from your smartphone. No overdraft fees. No minimum balance. No monthly service fees. No transfer fees. Over 38,000 fee-free ATMs, plus 30,000+ cash-back locations.

And for a limited time, earn a Cash referral bonus of $50 when you tell your friends and family members about Chime and they sign up (and they’ll earn $50 too)- details within the app after you apply! Click for more info.- you can apply online in just 2 mins with no obligation. Start by simply entering your email address and clicking “Get Started”– over 3 million customers couldn’t be wrong. 🙂 (Ad Link)

Here’s how the TD Bank prepaid card works. Parents can purchase the TD Bank Go Card online and fund it initially with a minimum of $20 and a maximum of $1,000.

Once the card is activated, which is partnered with Visa Buxx, parents have the ability to monitor how their child uses the card online and can also receive text and email alerts account balances, transactions and so-called “adult-oriented” purchases.

The TD Bank Go Reloadable Prepaid Visa Card (aka TD Teen Card) is by no means the first to market itself as a learning tool. Companies like SpendSmart offer prepaid cards designed with many of the same features as TD Bank’s new prepaid card. More infamously, celebrities like Justin Beiber have attached their names to prepaid debit cards meant to attract teens.

One thing parents and teens who opt to get a TD Go Card might learn is that using a prepaid debit card can sometimes be pricey. Depending on how a teen uses the card, the fees it charges can add up.

There is a $4.95 charge for purchasing the card initially and there’s a $1.00 charge to load it using either a debit or credit card (direct deposit is free).

Withdrawals from a TD Bank ATM are free, although taking money out of a non-TD Bank ATM costs $3.00, as does a balance inquiry at a non-TD ATM.

Requesting a paper account statement runs $5.00 and there is a $2.50 charge if the card EACH MONTH if not used for 12 months.

Go Visa Card Features:

24/7 access lets you easily spend, load and track your money
Set up transaction alerts, check your balance, reload your card on the go, and more with the TD Alerts app
Helps you budget – you can only spend what you put on your card.

How to Load Funds:

Load funds online* 24/7 using your TD Bank Debit or Credit Card
Direct deposit any amount from your paycheck
Deposit cash or checks or transfer funds from your TD Bank checking or savings account at any TD Bank

How to Open:

Bring $25 cash – no TD Bank account needed – or transfer $25 from your TD Bank checking or savings account
Bring your Social Security number and a valid ID (driver’s license, passport or state-issued)

Monthly fee is $5.99*

Per purchase $0

ATM cash withdrawals:

$0 in-network
$3.00 out-of-network

Reload Fee: $0

Is the TD Go Prepaid Card Good? (Summary):

Please note that this 2018 review is outdated and is only kept for historical reasons. Please read our updated review of the TD Bank Go Visa Card here (that is in a better visual format).

The TD Go Card is a good card if you are an existing customer- the fees are definitely low. It’s also a good option if you are looking for a teen card for allowances. But the TD Go Card is not a great option for a general prepaid card.

Click here to search for the prepaid debit cards with different benefits than the TD Card (and at least in one case, lower fees) – read reviews and apply online in mins.

One lower fee card option than the TD Bank Go reloadable card is the new No Fee Chime Visa Debit Card, (Ad Link) which can managed entirely from your smartphone and charges no overdraft fees, no monthly service fees and no transfer fees. No minimum balance is required and Chime features over 38,000 fee-free MoneyPass® and Visa Plus Alliance ATMs (there is a map of all fee-free ATM’s in the app).

This is the best and cheapest alternative to prepaid cards we have seen since we started reviewing prepaid cards over 5 years ago. And for a limited time, earn a Cash referral bonus of $50 when you tell your friends and family members about Chime and they sign up (and they’ll earn $50 too)- details within the app after you apply! Click for more info.- you can apply online in just 2 mins with no obligation- start by simply entering your email and clicking Get Started– over 3 million customers couldn’t be wrong. 🙂

Finally, be sure to read customer reviews (complaints and praises) of the TD Bank Go Visa Card below and post your negative or positive review!

Related Prepaid Card to Consider:

The TD Connect reloadable prepaid visa card is offering (for adults- not teens). Read our full TD Prepaid Connet Card Review by clicking here. Please note that anyone can apply for this card – no TD Bank account needed.

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.”

January 1, 2019