While most loans require a traditional bank account, there are some short-term lenders that offer loans for Netspend cardholders, and you do not need to have a bank account to qualify.
Keep in mind, these loans are typically high-interest, high-fee options, which should only be used in a financial emergency.
Below, we have more information about loans for Netspend cardholders, including which lenders do and do not disburse funds onto Netspend cards, as well as an alternative way to get loan funds to your Netspend account.
Loans for Netspend Cardholders
Netspend offers reloadable, prepaid Mastercard and Visa debit cards that cardholders can use for additional services like direct deposits and mobile deposits.
While Netspend and its issuing bank, MetaBanks, do not offer loans for cardholders, Netspend representatives told us that you can deposit loan funds onto your Netspend card as you would with a traditional bank account, since your Netspend account has a routing number and account number associated with it.
But, to deposit loan funds on to your Netspend card, you must find a lender that is willing to disburse to prepaid debit cards.
Be aware that the loan types available to prepaid debit cardholders typically include emergency loans, payday loans, auto title loans, and short-term installment loans.
These types of loans should only be used in times of hardship, as you’ll pay high fees and interest along with the loan amount — short-term loans can lead to a cycle of debt if you are unable to repay them quickly.
If you can, you may want to find the money a different way, such as through finding a source of side income or borrowing from a friend or family member.
Lenders That Deposit to Netspend
The following lenders told us that they may disburse loan funds to a Netspend account, depending on the payday loan regulations in your state, the type of loan you choose, how you apply, and where you originally got your Netspend card.
We’ve researched company policies online and spoke with customer service representatives to gather the details for each lender below, including their requirements, available loans, and disbursement processes.
Our list also includes fees for each lender; however, keep in mind that these fees are approximate, as fees and rates vary by state according to lending regulations.
We’ve ordered the list starting with the best overall options.
ACE Cash Express
- Loan type(s): Payday loans
- Loan disbursement: In-store loans are disbursed in cash, but you can apply online for disbursement to a prepaid debit card as long as it has an account number and routing number.
- Application requirements:
- Personal contact information
- Regular source of income
- Social Security number
- Fees:
- Payday advance fee: $10 to $20 per $100 borrowed, depending on your state
- Late payment fee: Greater of $7.50 or 5% of the payment amount
- Returned payment fee: $15 to $30
- Administrative fee (Minnesota and Texas): $25
- Verification fee (Florida only): $5
- Available in: California, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Minnesota, and Texas
- Find out more or apply
Check City
- Loan type(s): Payday loans starting at $100; maximum loan amounts vary by state and your creditworthiness
- Loan disbursement: Online applicants can deposit funds on to a Netspend card as long as the card has an account number and routing number, a Check City corporate customer service representative said.
- Application requirements:
- Personal contact information
- Proof of income
- Proof of identity
- Fees:
- Financing fee: About $15 to $30 per $100 borrowed for 14-day loans
- Late and non-sufficient funds fees: $15 to $30
- Origination fee: $5 per loan
- Available in: Alabama, Alaska, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Kansas, Missouri, Nevada, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming
- Find out more or apply
Moneytree
- Loan type(s): Installment loans up to $5,000, payday loans up to $1,000, signature loans up to $500, and title loans up to $500
- Loan disbursement: Moneytree can deposit funds on to your Netspend card if you originally purchased the Netspend card at a Moneytree location and it is connected to your Moneytree account. If a Netspend deposit is available, the option will appear when you select how you want to receive the funds during the approval process, Moneytree customer service representatives said.
- Application requirements:
- Government-issued photo ID
- Social Security number, alien registration number, or ITIN
- Residential address
- Phone number
- Verifiable income
- Additional documents may be required, depending on the type of loan you choose
- Fees: Vary by state, loan amount, and loan type — the following are estimates
- Administrative fee: About $75
- Installment loan origination fee: 5% to 10% of the loan amount
- Late payment fee: $10 to $13 or 5% of the payment amount
- Returned payment fee: $20
- Payday loan fee: $15 to $20 per $100 borrowed
- Title loan fee: $25 per $100 borrowed
- Available in: California, Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, and Washington; loan type availability varies by state
- Find out more or apply
Advance America
- Loan type(s): Payday loans and cash advances up to about $600; limits vary by location
- Loan disbursement: You can deposit your payday loan funds on to a Netspend card by visiting an Advance America store, customer service representatives said. You can either complete the entire application process in-store or begin your application online and choose to pick up the funds in-store.
- Application requirements:
- Government-issued photo ID
- Proof of income
- Social Security number
- Fees:
- Financing fee: About $15 per $100 borrowed
- Late and returned payment fees: Vary
- Available in: Alabama, California, Delaware, Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, Nevada, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming
- Find out more or apply
LoanMart
- Loan type(s): Auto title loans; loan amounts vary based on the vehicle model, mileage, and location
- Loan disbursement: LoanMart may deposit your funds on to your Netspend card using the account number and routing number, customer service representatives said. Funds are transferred as soon as 24 hours after approval. If LoanMart is unable to deposit the money on to your card, it will send you a check or MoneyGram transfer.
- Application requirements:
- Government-issued photo ID
- Must own a car and have the title in your name
- Proof of residence
- Proof of income or the ability to repay the loan
- Fees:
- Late fee: 5% of the payment amount
- Loan origination/processing fee: 5% to 10% of the loan amount
- Available in: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New Mexico, Oregon, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, and Utah
- Find out more or apply
Capital Good Fund
- Loan type(s): Emergency loans from $300 to $500
- Loan disbursement: Capital Good Fund will deposit the funds on to your Netspend account using an ACH transfer.
- Application requirements:
- Government-issued photo ID
- Prepaid debit card with ACH features and two months of account statements
- Proof of emergency need, such as an outstanding bill or a note from a mechanic
- Fees: Variable APR
- Available in: Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island
- Find out more or apply
Lenders That Do Not Deposit to Netspend
During our research, we found that the following lenders will not deposit funds into a Netspend card account.
These lenders either require a traditional checking account, only allow deposits to other types of prepaid debit cards, or use a different loan disbursement method (e.g., cash, check, Moneygram transfer).
- The Check Cashing Store
- Check Cashing USA
- Check Into Cash
- Check ‘N Go
- Finova Financial
- Money Mart
- OneMain Financial
- Regional Finance
- Speedy Cash
- TitleMax
- USA Check Cashing Store
An Alternate Solution
If a lender won’t deposit the funds to your Netspend account, you can request to receive the funds in cash or by check and then load the money on to your Netspend card yourself.
You can check out our related article for the list of places where you can reload your Netspend card.
Many loan providers — particularly for small, short-term loans like payday loans — pay in cash or by check if you apply in-store. These include:
- ACE Cash Express
- Advance America
- Check ‘n Go
- The Check Cashing Store
- Money Mart
- Regional Finance
Requirements may include proof of income, your personal contact information, your Social Security number, and a government-issued photo ID.