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Finding a prepaid visa card with high limits that also allows you to essentially treat it as a bank account, can be challenging.
Finding one that also offers prescription discounts, access to more than 130,000 loading centers, and being able to transfer from card to card is even more challenging.
Netspend offers all of that and so much more. This article will discuss what Netspend Prepaid Visa Card is, the pros and cons, as well as the features and benefits of the card.
Netspend is a reloadable prepaid Visa debit card. This means you can add money to your card, anytime, and then use it anywhere Visa is accepted.
Unlike most reloadable prepaid Visa cards, Netspend allows you to fund your card in many different ways, while also providing many added features and benefits that are discussed below.
You can get started with Netspend in three easy steps.
You can add money at more than 130,000 Netspend locations and you can find the nearest locations from within the Netspend app.
Here are some alternatives to the Netspend Prepaid Visa card.
Chimehas a Visa debit card that is not only usable anywhere Visa is accepted but has more than 38,000 in-network ATM locations where you can withdraw money free.
You can take part in the Chime “SpotMe” program which is similar to Netspend’s $10 Cushion. However, with Chime, you get a cushion of up to $20 which can be raised to $100 overtime.
You get access to Chime’s SpotMe when you set up Direct Deposit and receive at least $500 per month via this method. Also, similar to Netspend, Chime offers a Savings Account.
>> More: Chime Bank Review
Current Bank has a free service, Premium Service at $4.99, and Teen Banking service at $36 per year. Depending on what level of service you are at, you can earn 1x points on every purchase as a free plan and up to 15x on Premium and Teen Banking.
Although you do not earn interest with your Current Bank Savings Account, you can set up a Savings Pod which acts as a separate account and have funds added automatically by having Current round-up purchases to the nearest dollar and adding the difference to your Savings Pod.
>> More: Current Bank Review and Current Visa Debit Card Review
Greenlightis a Mastercard debit card that helps teach kids financial responsibility. Parents have a full line of controls to monitor their child using the card.
If your child is paid an allowance, Greenlight has a built-in feature that allows the parent to set up chores that can then automatically be paid when the child completes them.
Greenlight starts at $4.99 per month but does have a plan with more features at $9.98 per month such as identity theft, phone, and purchase protection.
>> More: Greenlight Debit Card Review
Similar to Netspend Prepaid Visa, Brink’s Prepaid Mastercard is issued by Netspend. With Brink’s Mastercard, you need to be 18 years or older to be eligible for a card.
You will enjoy many of the same benefits with the Brink’s Mastercard as you do with Netspend, such as early access to direct deposits, real-time alerts, mobile banking, prescription discounts, purchase cushion up to $10, and payback rewards.
>> More: Brink’s Prepaid Card Review
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Netspend Prepaid Visa card.
Yes, Netspend Prepaid Card is safe to use. With it being a Mastercard, you are protected against fraudulent charges.
Also, your money is insured up to $250,000. You also can set up “virtual cards” which essentially hide your card information from online merchants.
Yes, Netspend Prepaid Visa card has fees, and depending on what plan you are on will depend on how much fees you pay.
If you are on the pay-go plan, you will pay $2 for every PIN transaction and $1 for Signature transactions. If you are on the monthly plan at $9.95 per month or the Premier plan of $5 per month, you will not pay for PIN transactions nor Signature transactions. All three plans do have a $0.50 ATM balance inquire, and a $3.95 Cash reload fee.
Yes, since the Netspend card is a prepaid visa card, there are no credit checks so having bad credit is fine.
No, since Netspend is a Prepaid Visa debit card, there are no credit checks. While this means people with bad credit will also get approved, it unfortunately means no credit is built.
Yes, Netspend is legit having been around for more than 2 decades and with over 10 million customers.
Netspend is more expensive than many cards at their pay-go and standard monthly fee of $9.95. However, if you add direct deposit, you can get Premier, which reduces the $9.95 down to $5 per month.
For just $5 a month, Netspend offers you everything but credit building! You will have access to a Savings Account, discounted Prescriptions, mobile banking, early access to direct deposit, capabilities to instantly transfer money from card to card, and much more. This makes Netspend a great option at the $5 per month Premier level.
Other Debit Cards:
Brian is a serial entrepreneur that loves financial technology and personal finance. From working with start-ups to creating his own recruiting company, Brian knows first hand what it takes to manage money. Throughout his career, Brian has become a respected writer covering topics in personal finance, business, and financial technology.
