18 Best Prepaid Debit Cards (Including Some With No Fees)

Prepaid debit cards offer the functionality of a traditional bank debit card without having to open a bank account or agree to a credit check, and there’s a wide variety of cards and issuers to choose from.

Typically, prepaid debit cards don’t have an annual fee, but many charge monthly fees (usually under $10 per month). Alternatively, several cards offer a “pay-as-you-go” option and charge a fee for each transaction instead of charging a monthly fee.

We list the best prepaid debit card options below.

What We Recommend

Many of the features and fees of the cards listed below are similar, but the American Express Bluebird Prepaid card is our top recommendation. This card won’t incur any fees unless you choose to reload it at a retailer other than Walmart (if so, you may pay up to $4 per reload).

The American Express Serve FREE Reloads Prepaid card has the potential to only cost about $7 per month if you sign up for your card online and reload your card at one of the participating retailers on the list.

American Express prepaid cards also have the highest maximum balance limit of any of the cards on our list — $100,000. It’s best to choose a high-limit card if you plan to use the card in place of a bank account or frequently reload the card and accept direct deposits.

All of the cards following the top three on our list have additional fees that may include activation, monthly, and/or transaction fees. Many of the cards listed below also charge for both in-network and out-of-network ATM transactions.

The best card for you will be determined by your individual needs and spending/saving habits.

Note that direct deposit (for payroll checks, tax payments, and government benefits) is one of the main features of prepaid debit cards. All of the cards below offer direct deposit at no charge. For more deposit options, our previous research features the best prepaid debit cards with mobile deposit.

Comparison Table

Use the table below to compare your options, or select any card name to find more details in the list below.

Note that you can sort the table using the arrows at the top of each column.

The List

Our list is in order beginning with the overall best options based on their fees, features, reload availability, and direct deposit policies.

1. American Express Bluebird Prepaid

• Features:
  • No overdraft fees^[1]
  • No annual fee^[1]
• Activation fee: None^[1]
• Reload fee:
  • Free at Walmart registers^[1]
  • Up to $4 elsewhere^[1]
• Transaction fee: None^[1]
• Monthly fee: None^[1]
• Balance limit: $100,000^[2]
• Transaction limits:
  • $15,000 per month in retail/online purchases and bill payments^[2]
  • $750 per day in ATM withdrawals^[2]
  • $2,500 per transaction and per month for Send Money transfers^[2]
  • $15,000 per month in transfers to a linked bank account^[2]
  • $2,500 per day and $5,000 per month in cash reloads^[2]
  • $5,000 per day and $10,000 per month in mobile check captures^[2]
• Account requirements: Bluebird uses Ingo Money for mobile check deposits, which you can link to your bank account. Money held in Bluebird accounts is eligible for FDIC pass-through-insurance.^[3]
• Apply

2. American Express Serve FREE Reloads Prepaid

• Features:
  • Free reloads at CVS, Family Dollar, Walmart, Dollar General, Rite Aid, and 7-Eleven^[4]
  • No annual fee^[4]
• Activation fee: Free online or about $4 in stores^[4]
• Reload fee:
  • Free at participating retailers^[4]
  • Up to $5 at other retailers^[4]
• Transaction fee: None^[4]
• Monthly fee: About $7 monthly^[4]
• Balance limit: $100,000^[5]
• Transaction limits:
  • $15,000 per month in retail/online purchases and bill payments^[5]
  • $750 per day in ATM withdrawals^[5]
  • $5,000 per day and $10,000 per month in mobile check captures^[5]
  • $2,500 per day and $5,000 in cash reloads^[5]
  • $10,000 per month and $100,000 per year for all combined Add Money transactions^[5]
  • $100,000 per year for direct deposits^[5]
• Account requirements: Serve uses Ingo Money for mobile check deposits (requires Debit Account for mobile deposits)^[6]
• Apply

3. PayPal Prepaid Mastercard

• Features:
  • Earn rewards^[7]
  • No annual fee^[7]
• Activation fee: None^[7]
• Reload fee: Up to $4^[7]
• Transaction fee:
  • None for purchases^[7]
  • $1.95 for ATM transactions^[7]
• Monthly fee: None^[7]
• Balance limit: $15,000^[8]
• Transaction limits: 
  • $325 per ATM withdrawal and $940 per day in ATM withdrawals^[8]
  • $2,500 per day in cash loads^[8]
  • $7,500 per ACH deposit or bank transfer^[8]
• Account requirements: Requires PayPal Cash Plus account for mobile deposits^[9]
• Apply

4. Western Union Netspend Prepaid Mastercard

• Features:
  • No annual fee^[10]
  • Optional savings account^[10]
• Activation fee: None^[10]
• Reload fee: About $4^[10]
• Transaction fee: $1.50 per transaction^[10]
• Monthly fee: About $10 monthly (reduced to $5 if you deposit $500 or more per month)^[10]
• Balance limit: $15,000^[11]
• Transaction limits:
  • $5,000 per transaction for pin-based and signature-based purchases and over-the-counter cash withdrawals^[11]
  • $325 per transaction and $940 per day in ATM withdrawals^[11]
  • $7,500 per 24-hour period and $15,000 per 30-day period in reloads^[11]
• Account requirements: Must have active Card Account for direct deposits^[12]
• Apply

5. Mango Prepaid

• Features:
  • Savings account option (open with just $1)^[13]
  • No annual fee^[13]
  • Add money from your PayPal account at no charge^[13]
• Activation fee: None^[13]
• Reload fee: None for Green Dot reloads (third-party fees apply if you reload a different way)^[13]
• Transaction fee:
  • None for purchases^[13]
  • $3 for ATM transactions^[13]
• Monthly fee:
  • $5 (waived if you make at least $800 in deposits per month)^[13]
  • $8 fee after 90 days of inactivity^[13]
• Balance limit: $10,000^[14]
• Transaction limits:
  • $2,500 per day in purchases^[14]
  • $500 in withdrawals per day^[14]
  • $1,700 per day and $10,000 per month in card-to-card transfers^[14]
  • $950 per day in cash deposits^[14]
  • $5,000 per day in direct deposits, ACH deposits, or total reloads^[14]
• Account requirements: Card funds are held in an FDIC-insured Card Account^[14]
• Apply

6. Akimbo Prepaid

• Features:
  • Fee-free signature purchase transactions^[15]
  • No annual fee^[15]
• Activation fee: None^[15]
• Reload fee: Up to $6^[15]
• Transaction fee: $1 each for ATM transactions and PIN purchases^[15]
• Monthly fee: None^[15]
• Balance limit: $9,999^[16]
•  Transaction limits:
  • $2,500 per day in card purchases^[16]
  • $705 per day in cash withdrawals (ATM or over-the-counter)^[16]
  • $1,000 per day in cash loads, incoming bank transfers, and card-to-card transfers^[16]
  • $9,999 per day in direct deposits^[16]
• Account requirements: Akimbo uses Ingo Money for mobile check deposits; must have a Card Account or linked bank accont for mobile/direct deposits^[16]
• Apply

7. BB&T (Truist) Prepaid Debit Card

• Features:
  • No annual fee^[17]
  • No overdraft fees^[17]
• Activation fee: None^[17]
• Reload fee: Up to $7^[18]
• Transaction fee: None^[17]
• Monthly fee: $5 monthly (reduced to $3 with $1,000 balance)^[17]
• Balance limit: $10,000^[17]
• Transaction limits:
  • Lesser of $3,000 or up to your available balance per day in purchases^[19]
  • Lesser of $500 or up to your available balance per day in ATM withdrawals^[19]
• Account requirements: Must have active deposit account for mobile and direct deposits^[20]
• Apply

8. Walmart MoneyCard

• Features:
  • Earn interest and cash back^[21]
  • No annual fee^[21]
• Activation fee: $6^[21]
• Reload fee:
  • No charge at Walmart stores with the MoneyCard app^[21]
  • Up to $6 elsewhere^[21]
• Transaction fee: None^[21]
• Monthly fee: Up to $6 per month (waived if you loaded $1,000 or more in the previous month)^[21]
• Balance limit: $10,000^[22]
• Transaction limits:
  • $10,000 in total purchases and cash withdrawals per day^[22]
  • $300 per transaction and $500 per day in ATM withdrawals^[22]
  • $1,500 in in teller withdrawals per day^[22]
  • $3,000 in cash deposits per day^[22]
• Account requirements: Must have a Green Dot deposit account for deposits^[23]
• Apply

Note: Our previous research features more details on the Walmart MoneyCard.

9. Brink’s Money Prepaid Mastercard

• Features:
  • $10 overdraft cushion offered at bank’s discretion^[24]
  • No annual fee^[24]
• Activation fee: None^[24]
• Reload fee: $4^[24]
• Transaction fee:
  • $1 for signature purchases^[24]
  • $2 for PIN purchases^[24]
• Monthly fee:
  • About $10 per month (reduced to $5 with at least $500 per month in direct deposits)^[24]
  • Additional charge of about $6 per month after 90 days of inactivity^[24]
• Balance limit: $15,000^[25]
• Transaction limits:
  • $5,000 per day in pin- and signature-based purchases^[25]
  • $325 per transaction and $940 per day in ATM withdrawals^[25]
  • $5,000 per day in over-the-counter cash withdrawals^[25]
  • $1,500 per day, $2,500 per week, and $3,500 per month in account-to-account transfers^[25]
  • $7,500 per 24-hour period and $15,000 per 30-day period in reloads^[25]
• Account requirements: Must have a Card Account for direct and mobile deposits^[26]
• Apply

10. Green Dot Prepaid Visa

• Features:
  • No overdraft fees^[27]
  • No annual fee^[27]
• Activation fee: About $2^[27]
• Reload fee: About $6^[27]
• Transaction fee: None for U.S. transactions^[27]
• Monthly fee: About $8 monthly (waived if you loaded $1,000 or more in the previous month)^[27]
• Balance limit: $10,000^[28]
• Transaction limits:
  • $3,000 in daily cash reloads^[28]
  • $500 in ATM withdrawals per day^[28]
  • $1,500 in teller withdrawals per day^[28]
• Account requirements: Must have an active Card Account for deposits^[29]
• Apply

11. Green Dot Load & Go Prepaid Visa

• Features:
  • Pay-as-you-go^[30]
  • No annual fee^[30]
• Activation fee: About $4^[30]
• Reload fee: Up to $6^[30]
• Transaction fee: $1.50 per purchase^[30]
• Monthly fee: None^[30]
• Balance limit: $10,000^[31]
• Transaction limits:
  • $3,000 in daily cash reloads^[31]
  • $500 in ATM withdrawals per day^[31]
  • $1,500 in teller withdrawals per day^[31]
• Account requirements: Must have active Card Account for deposits^[31]
• Apply

12. Kroger Prepaid

• Features:
  • No overdraft fees^[32]
  • No annual fee^[32]
• Activation fee: None, though there is a $1.50 charge if you purchase a temporary card in-store^[32]
• Reload fee: Up to $5^[32]
• Transaction fee: None^[32]
• Monthly fee: About $5 monthly^[32]
• Balance limit: $10,000^[33][34]
• Transaction limits:
  • $5,000 in total purchses/withdrawals per day^[33][34]
  • $1,000 per day and $10,000 per 30-day period for cash reloads^[33][34]
  • $5,000 in total reloads per day^[33][34]
• Account requirements: Kroger uses Ingo Money for mobile check deposits^[35]
• Apply

13. PNC SmartAccess Prepaid Visa

• Features:
  • Free transactions at PNC ATMs^[36]
  • No annual fee^[36]
• Activation fee: None^[36]
• Reload fee: Up to $4^[36]
• Transaction fee: None^[36]
• Monthly fee: $5^[36]
• Balance limit: $10,000^[37]
• Transaction limits:
  • $5,000 per day and $10,000 per 30-day period in total deposits and reloads^[37]
• Account requirements: Must be linked to active PNC deposit account^[36]
• Apply

14. Vanilla Prepaid Mastercard or Visa

• Features: No annual fees^[38]
• Activation fee: None^[38]
• Reload fee: About $4^[39]
• Transaction fee:
  • $0.95 for all purchases^[38]
  • $1.95 for all ATM transactions^[38]
• Monthly fee: None for active accounts; $4 if account is inactive for 90 days^[38]
• Balance limit: $9,999.99^[40][41]
• Transaction limits:
  • $400 daily and $2,500 monthly in ATM withdrawals^[42]
  • $5,000 daily and $7,500 monthly in total cash withdrawals (ATM, POS, or over-the-counter)^[42]
  • $500 per transaction and $2,500 per day in cash loads^[40][41]
  • $9,999 per day in direct deposits^[40][41]
• Account requirements: MyVanilla uses Ingo Money for mobile check deposits^[38]
• Apply

15. Fifth Third Bank Access 360

• Features:
  • Free transactions at Fifth Third Bank ATMs^[43]
  • No annual fee^[43]
• Activation fee: None^[43]
• Reload fee: None^[43]
• Transaction fee: $2.75 for out-of-network ATMs^[43]
• Monthly fee: Up to $7 (waived with $500 or more deposit per month)^[43]
• Balance limit: $10,000^[44]
• Transaction limits:
  • $2,500 initial load^[45]
  • $2,500 in in-person withdrawals per day^[44]
  • $10,000 minus your current balance in cash reloads per day at a branch or ATM^[45]
  • $10,000 minus your current balance in direct deposits per day^[45]
• Account requirements: Must be linked to active Fifth Third deposit account^[43]
• Apply

16. Netspend Prepaid Visa or Mastercard

• Features:
  • No overdraft fees^[46]
  • No annual fee^[46]
• Activation fee: None^[46]
• Reload fee: About $4^[46]
• Transaction fee:
  • None for purchases (though a pay-as-you-go option is available for $2 per purchase)^[46]
  • $2.50 for ATM transactions^[46]
• Monthly fee: About $10 monthly ($6 fee after 90 days of inactivity)^[46]
• Balance limit: $15,000^[47][48]
•  Transaction limits:
  • $325 per transaction and $940 per day in ATM withdrawals^[47][48]
  • $5,000 per transaction in over-the-counter cash withdrawals or pin-based/signature-based purchases^[47][48]
  • $7,500 per day and $15,000 per month in value loads^[47][48]
• Account requirements: Netspend uses Ingo Money for mobile check deposits; must have an active Card Account for deposits^[46]
• Apply

17. Control Prepaid Mastercard

• Features:
  • Cash back rewards^[49]
  • No overdrafts and no annual fee^[49]
• Activation fee: None^[49]
• Reload fee: $4^[49]
• Transaction fee:
  • None for purchases^[49]
  • $2.95 for ATM transactions^[49]
• Monthly fee: $8 (reduced to $5 with $500 monthly deposits)^[49]
• Balance limit: $15,000^[50]
• Transaction limits:
  • $325 per withdrawal and $940 per day in ATM withdrawals^[50]
  • $5,000 per transaction in over-the-counter withdrawals^[50]
  • $7,500 per 24 hours in value loads^[50]
• Account requirements: Must have Card Account to access all features^[51]
• Apply

18. RushCard Prepaid Visa

• Features:
  • Cash back and rewards programs^[52]
  • No annual fee^[52]
• Activation fee: None^[52]
• Reload fee: Up to $10 depending on your plan choice^[52]
• Transaction fee:
  • $1 with the pay-as-you-go option^[52]
  • $2.50 for out-of-network ATM transactions^[52]
• Monthly fee:
  • $6 with direct deposit^[52]
  • $8 without direct deposit^[52]
• Balance limit: $10,000^[53]
• Transaction limits:
  • $5,000 per day in point-of-sale transactions^[53]
  • $3,000 per month in ATM or teller withdrawals^[53]
  • $2,999 per day in cash loads^[53]
  • $2,000 per day and $5,000 per month in card-to-card transfers^[53]
  • $10,000 per transaction for direct deposits^[53]
• Account requirements: Must have a Card Account for direct and mobile deposits^[54]
• Apply