Best Prepaid Debit Cards of 2024 (2024)

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A prepaid debit card can be an overall useful tool for spending. It can also be a useful way to teach kids about money or send money internationally.

We've researched specific features and fees so that you can evaluate the pros and cons of each card and determine the top options for you. Our favorite prepaid debit cards have remained our top picks for the last few months because they continue to stand out for their notable features and perks.

What is a Prepaid Debit Card?

With a prepaid debit card, you load money onto a card and use it to spend money. For example, if you put $1,000 on the card, you can spend up to $1,000 before your transaction is denied due to lack of funds. There are several ways to reload the card with more money. Most companies let you put cash on the card at places like Walmart, or you can deposit a check at an ATM and have the funds go onto the card.

Best Prepaid Debit Cards

• Bluebird by American Express Prepaid Debit Card: Best for no monthly fees
• American Express® Serve® Free Reloads Prepaid Debit Card: Best for free reloads
• Famzoo Prepaid Debit Card: Best for kids

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Best Prepaid Debit Cards FAQs

Best Prepaid Debit Card Reviews

The best prepaid debit cards will be easy to use, come with perks, and have low monthly fees. You'll also be able to reload them for free at many locations. And you won't need a checking account in order to use them.

Here are the best prepaid debit cards as picked by Business Insider editors in 2024.

Bluebird by American Express Prepaid Debit Card

There's no fee to open a Bluebird card, and there are no monthly service fees. You may have to pay up to $3.95 to reload your card at certain retailers, but you can reload for free at Walmart. You can also use over 30,000 MoneyPass ATMs for free around the US.

If you set up direct deposits, your paycheck could appear on your card up to two days early. The Bluebird card also gives you access to roadside assistance.

If you deposit a check with your mobile app, it takes 10 days to process. To deposit the check immediately, you'll pay 1% on a government check or paycheck and 5% on other checks, with a $5 minimum fee.

American Express® Serve® Free Reloads Prepaid Debit Card

You can reload your American Express® Serve® Free Reloads Prepaid Debit Card for free at over 45,000 places nationwide, including businesses like CVS, Walmart, and Dollar General. It's also free to add money from a bank account or via direct deposit.

This card charges a $6.95 monthly service fee, and there's no way to waive it. (Fees are not charged for residents of New York, Texas, or Vermont, though.) Before choosing Amex Serve FREE Reloads over another prepaid debit card, check whether you'd actually be saving money by avoiding reload fees but paying a monthly fee.

Famzoo Prepaid Debit Card

The FamZoo card is a good option if you want to help manage your kids' money without adding them to your bank account, and it made Insider's list of the best kids' debit cards. Assign each kid a card and put money for allowance, birthday gifts, or money for other purposes onto their cards. You can also check your debit card's balance and purchases from your app, as well as lock cards.

The family plan is $5.99 per month, or $2.50 per month if you pay upfront.

You can lower your overall costs by paying in advance rather than monthly, but you can't waive the fee altogether.

Prepaid Debit Cards That Didn't Make the Cut and Why

Here are some other prepaid debit cards we looked at and our reasoning for not choosing them as our favorites:

• Venmo Teen Debit Card: Venmo has a debit cards for teens ages 13 to 17. Parents or legal guardians will open the Venmo Teen Debit Card for their child.
• Credit Sesame Cash: Credit Sesame Cash may be a good option if you would like to build credit. The maximum you may deposit into to Cash account is $20,000.
• Walmart MoneyCard: This is a good option if you shop at Walmart frequently, because you'll earn cash back — but cash back is limited to $75 per year.
• Fifth Third Access 360 Reloadable Prepaid Card: You might like this card if you live near a Fifth Third branch, but branches only exist in 10 US states.
• Greenlight Prepaid Debit Card: This is another worthwhile option for families, but there's no way to deposit cash, and there isn't a free ATM network.
• BusyKid Spend Card: BusyKid has strong parental monitoring features, but FamZoo has a more affordable subscription.
• GoHenry Card: GoHenry may be ideal if you're looking for platform that offers a kid's debit card and financial literacy resources for kids and teens. The monthly service fee is $3.99 for one child or $6.99 for up to four children, though.
• Netspend Prepaid Debit Card: You can receive your paycheck early with Netspend, but its fees are higher than what you'll pay with our top picks.

Are These Companies Trustworthy?

Normally, we compare companies' Better Business Bureau trustworthiness grades. But not all of our favorite prepaid debit card companies have been graded by the BBB, so we aren't factoring scores into our trustworthiness review.

None of these companies have any recent scandals, so you may decide you feel comfortable using them. But to figure out whether you'll have a smooth relationship with a company, you may want to ask family or friends about their experiences or read online reviews.

Advantages of Using Prepaid Debit Cards

Control Overspending

Prepaid debit cards help you limit how much you spend by giving you limited access to your funds. If your 50/30/20 rule budget leaves you with $1,000 for shopping in a month, for instance, you can load only $1,000 onto your prepaid debit card and not have to worry about accidentally going over that threshold.

This also helps avoid temptation; if you have a regular debit card and know you're over budget, but see something you really want, you might be tempted to dip into your emergency fund to get it. But with a prepaid debit card, you can't do that without several extra steps, giving you more time to think about whether you really want it or not.

No Credit Check Required

Most bank accounts require some sort of credit check, although there are second chance bank accounts that don't. Prepaid debit cards don't either, so if your credit score is low enough that you're struggling to open a bank account, a prepaid debit card might work for you.

Easy Reloading Options

Depending on the card, prepaid debit cards can come with a lot of different ways to reload them. Using ATMs, reloading in stores like Walmart, or depositing a check through a mobile banking app are all ways you can reload your prepaid debit card, among others. Some prepaid debit cards also let you direct deposit money into them.

Keep in mind, however, that each of these reloading options can come with their own fees.

Criteria for Selecting Prepaid Debit Cards

Fee Structure and Transparency

Most prepaid debit cards come with some sort of fee, but the best ones don't have many and are open about the ones they do have. Look for low-fee prepaid debit card options, such as cards with low or no monthly fees, cards with low or no fees for reload methods you're most likely to use, and cards with a clear fee structure so you know exactly when you'll be charged for what.

Ease of Use and Accessibility

The best cards offer several ways to reload them at many different locations. For example, a card that has a large ATM network and also lets you reload for free at Walmart will be easier to reload than a card that only lets you reload for free at a specific local bank's branches.

Additional Benefits and Rewards

Some cards come with bonuses, such as cash-back debit cards, cards that let you get early deposit, or cards with perks focused on helping kids learn how to use them. If those interest you, keep an eye out for prepaid debit cards that come with these rewards — but make sure that the bonuses aren't hiding higher fees than other cards might require.

How to Choose the Right Prepaid Debit Card

Matching the Card to Your Spending Habits

Consider how you're planning on using the card. For example, if you want a prepaid debit card for kids to use to help them learn how to manage their finances, there are several cards made for that exact purpose. If you know you'll use the card for online shopping, look into the best prepaid cards for online shopping. And if you know you're not going to use your card very often, prioritize a prepaid debit card with no monthly fees.

Considering Reload Methods and Convenience

You'll want to compare reloadable prepaid card features to choose a card with the reloadable options you plan on doing the most. Do you know you'll want to use direct deposit to reload your card? Look for prepaid cards with direct deposit benefits. Conversely, if you know you almost never travel, a card that's low-fee other than charging for using ATMs outside your local area might still be a good pick for you.

Convenience is a factor here; if you can reload your card for free, but only at an ATM that's several cities away, there's a good chance you'll end up using a more costly reloading method anyway.

Why You Should Trust Us: Experts' Advice on the Best Prepaid Debit Cards

We consulted banking and financial planning experts to inform these picks and provide their advice on finding the best prepaid debit cards for your needs.

• Sophia Acevedo, banking editor, Business Insider
• Mykail James, MBA, certified financial education instructor,BoujieBudgets.com

Here's what they had to say about kids' debit cards. (Some text may be lightly edited for clarity.)

What should I look for in a prepaid debit card?

Mykail James, MBA, certified financial education instructor,BoujieBudgets.com:

"If I want to buy or put some money on a prepaid debit card, I always like to look for a Visa card. its the most accepted across the board and internationally."

Sophia Acevedo, banking editor, Business Insider:

"I would look for a versatility. Some cards may let you use a certain ATM network for free. You also might be able to set up direct deposits so you can easily add money to your card."

Is a kids' debit card worth it?

Mykail James, MBA, CFEI:

"I think that these are great options to get children to start being a little bit more financially focused. It's a wonderful way to help them understand how to stick within a budget. That's actually how my mother taught me how to budget. She would give us a prepaid debit card for Christmas."

Sophia Acevedo, CEPF:

"Kids' debit cards can be useful to teach kids about spending. It's a simple way of teaching them to make financial decisions while still being able to monitor and control their usage. A lot of kids' debit cards have tools or features that let you set limits or alerts for parents."

What should I look for in a kids' debit card?

Mykail James, MBA, CFEI:

"I like the ones that have an app where you can see how much money is in the account."

Sophia Acevedo, CEPF:

"I would look at any fees needed to maintain the account. You might have to pay a fee for each time you load money into a card or a monthly service fee. Some debit cards also may also have age requirements."

Methodology: How We Chose the Best Prepaid Debit Cards

We looked at a dozen prepaid debit cards before selecting our favorites.We chose prepaid cards that are relatively easy to use. You should be able to use a card at ATMs and have several convenient options for reloading money onto the card. If a prepaid debit card had a special perk like cash back or a budgeting feature, we took that into consideration, too.

Finally, we picked cards that are relatively affordable. Almost every prepaid card comes with some fees, but we chose ones that are pretty manageable. We looked at monthly service fees and charges for signing up for a card, reloading money, and using an ATM. Check out our bank account rating methodology to see how we generally factor these features into our ratings.