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Bankrate follows a stricteditorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.
We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories, except where prohibited by law for our mortgage, home equity and other home lending products. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range, can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range of offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
With prepaid cards, you can make purchases anywhere credit and debit cards are accepted, without applying for a credit card or attaching a bank account. It’s like using cash without having to carry it. Simply deposit funds into your prepaid account and use your prepaid card like you would any credit or debit card.
Prepaid cards are often called prepaid credit cards or prepaid debit cards, but they’re actually quite different. Unlike a credit card, you can’t build credit or carry a balance and pay it off over time with a prepaid card. Unlike a debit card, you don’t need to connect — or even have — a savings or checking account to use a prepaid card. Prepaid cards are ideal for controlling spending and avoiding debt, but they offer few rewards and some even charge fees.
Our Bankrate experts rated the best prepaid cards based on several factors. Startup, monthly and per-transaction fees, along with conveniences like direct deposit, savings incentives and mobile app management tools are the key criteria we used. You can compare offers and find expert recommendations in our prepaid credit card reviews below.
