Prepaid Cards

Prepaid cards are a beneficial alternative to a regular credit card. Allowing you a handy way to make payments and transfer money, these cards will not offer a line of credit. In other words, you cannot go into debt with prepaid cards (also known as prepaid credit cards). Credit checks are nonexistent and you can apply for prepaid cards if you plan to go abroad, have a low credit rating, need a way to manage money, or want to keep tabs on your kids' spending habits.

Operating similarly to a 'pay as you go' phone, prepaid cards allow the user to simply load it with funds and spend at a wide range of retailers, online, restaurants, and ATMs around the globe. Parents can have a main prepaid card and give kids second prepaid card – allowing them to access money quickly while parents retain control. Make sure to check for fees and charges when using the comparison table below.

COMPANY	ISSUER	COST	MAX	MONTHLY FEE	PURCHASE BALANCE	ATM FEE	UNDER 18	SMS SERVICES	MONEY SHARE	APPLY
Orange Cash Card		£5.00	£5,000	£0.00	£0.00	2.95%	Yes	Yes	Yes
Orange Cash Card	The Orange Cash Card is a prepaid card that is designed for you. In a nutshell, the Orange Cash prepaid MasterCard® is a card that can be loaded with cash and used just like a credit or debit card, online and in the shops. It’s just like having cash in your pocket but better, with rewards as you spend and added peace of mind.									Top Ups Top Ups BACS. (Rate: 0%) Internet. (Rate: 0%) Post Office. (Rate: £1.50) Services Services Get rewarded as you spend Advantages Advantages 1. A prepaid card that is designed for you 2. Shop using the latest contactless technology 3. A card for everyone. 4. Get rewarded as you spend 5. It is contactless, so simply tap and pay. 6. Covered for loss and theft 7. Load cash online or on the high street 8. Spend online or on the high street 9. Manage by mobile or online. Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. £1.50 fee transaction on internet banking 2. Identity check required for full card
ClearCash Pay As You Go		£4.50 - £5.00	£5,000	£0.00	2.5%	£0.75	No	Yes	No
ClearCash Pay As You Go	The ClearCash Pay As You Go prepaid card has no monthly charges and is perfect for you if you plan to use your card only for occasional purchases. Be aware there is a 2.5% charge to buy goods in a shop.									Top Ups Top Ups Paypoint Top Up Rate: 3% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Post Office Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Wages Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) BACS Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Cheque Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £4.50, Max: £35.00) Services Services Prepaid Card Advantages Advantages 1. No monthly fee 2. Ideal for occasional use 3. Earn cashback on purchases 4. FREE SMS balance checking service. 5. 24/7 Free Email Customer Services. Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. There is a 2.5% charge to buy goods in a shop, and purchase protection insurance costs extra
The First Premier Card		£8.95	£3500	£1	0%	£1	No	No	No
The First Premier Card	The First Premier Card is a refreshing new take on the plastic you keep in your wallet. It may look just like a standard credit or debit card, but it gives you incredible peace of mind encouraging you to only spend what you load in the first place. It combines the old fashioned values of cash in your pocket, with the security features you'd expect from a MasterCard card. It's the sensible, modern way to manage your money.									Top Ups Top Ups 1. Inform your employer to change the account your wages go into 2. Log in to your web account and transfer cash from an existing bank account 3. Set up a BACS transfer 4. Go to your local post office or PayPoint and load your card using cash Services Services 1. Prepaid Card Advantages Advantages 1. Helps you keep in control of your cash 2. Spend online, or on the high street wherever you see the MasterCard Acceptance Mark 3. Withdraw cash from most high street banks 4. Get wages paid straight onto your card 5. Buy a secondary card to share money with loved ones Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. £10.00 Minimum load amount 2. £500.00 Maximum single load for PayPoint, Post Office 3. £500.00 Maximum load via debit or credit card 4. £500.00 Maximum load via BACS/wage transfer
Freedom Prepaid MasterCard		£5.99	£5000	£0	£0	£2.50	Yes	Yes	Yes
Freedom Prepaid MasterCard	The Freedom Card is the UK's first retail instant issue, fully reloadable, embossed Prepaid MasterCard® with chip & PIN security that customers can purchase without any ID. The instant card has a maximum balance of £1,650 - upgrade your card by providing a Passport, or UK Driving Licence to £5,000. NOW with FREE Insurance Protection, Discounts at 1000's online stores and Cheque Cashing Service!									Top Ups Top Ups Paypoint Top Up Rate: 3% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Post Office Top Up Rate: 2% (Min: £0.99, Max: £0.00) Wages Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) BACS Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Services Services Prepaid Card Advantages Advantages 1. Pay As You Go or Monthly tariff. 2. 100% acceptance and no ID needed for Instant Cash card. 3. Cheque Cashing Services. 4. FREE Insurance Protection. 5. FREE Discounts at 1000's online retailers. 6. Available to top up at Post Office, by PayPoint and bank transfer. 7. Add up to 2 Companion Cards. Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. 2.75% purchase fee. 2. Money share ability available after upgrade.
Bread Card		£7.50	£3500	£0	£2.00	£1.50	Yes	Yes	Yes
Bread Card	Features - 3 choices of prepaid cards designs, can be bought by mobile phone SMS, up to 10% cashback at over 900 online shops. Can be loaded for FREE at Post Offices or by bank transfer. FREE SMS balance checking service also. Only £7.50 to buy card and now accepted everywhere the Mastercard logo is found.									Top Ups Top Ups Paypoint Top Up Rate: 3% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Wages Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) BACS Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Post Office Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Services Services Prepaid Card Advantages Advantages 1. Free Top up at Post Office and by BACS Bank transfer 2. No monthly fee 3. Flat £1.50 fee for card to card transfer 4. FREE SMS balance checking service 5. 24/7 Free Email Customer Services Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. UK Purchase fee of 2% of transaction value 2. Customer Service calls are expensive
Cashplus Gold Mastercard		£4.95	£5000	£4.95	£0	£1.00	No	No	Yes
Cashplus Gold Mastercard	Top-up for FREE at 14,500 locations, including any UK Post Office® branch Use at over 25 million retail outlets and over 1 million ATMs worldwide, wherever you see the MasterCard acceptance mark. 100% acceptance guaranteed!									Top Ups Top Ups Post Office Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Wages Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) BACS Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Services Services Prepaid Card Advantages Advantages 1. Free Top Up at Post Offices and cashplus retail outlet 2. Wide acceptance globally 3. No card to card Money Transfer fee 4. You can rebuild your credit rating 5. FREE purchase protection included Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. £4.95 Monthly charge is high 2. No SMS banking
Onebanking Prepaid Card Bank Account		£30	£25000	£12.50	£0	£0	No	Yes	Yes
Onebanking Prepaid Card Bank Account	Onebanking is both a banking facility and a Prepaid card that's open to everyone. Irrespective of your current situation or past credit history. There are no credit checks! You will also get a personal account manager to help you manage your money.									Top Ups Top Ups Bank Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) BACS Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Wages Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Services Services Prepaid Card Advantages Advantages 1. Bank Account and Prepaid Card - with no Credit checks 2. No purchase Fee 3. No UK ATM Fee 4. No Top Up Fees 5. One to One account manager available 6. Billing account allows a max balance of £25,000 7. You earn interest on any money held in your billing account Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. £30 application fee 2. £12.50 Monthly Fee
Splash Plastic		£5.00	£3500	£0	£2.50	£1.50	Yes	Yes	No
Splash Plastic	Available to persons aged 10 and over, you can top up Splash Prepaid credit cards at any Post Office branch or PayPoint outlet, over 34,000 locations across the UK									Top Ups Top Ups Paypoint Top Up Rate: 3% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Post Office Top Up Rate: 3% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) BACS Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Internet Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Services Services Prepaid Card Advantages Advantages 1. You can buy by SMS Mobile text message 2. Available to under 18s Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. Annual Fee of £4.95 2. UK ATM Fee = £1.50 (+ 2% for withdrawals above £50)
Blue Sky Card Pay As You Go		£9.99	£3000	£0	0%	£0.99	No	No	No
Blue Sky Card Pay As You Go	Apply online today and start to enjoy the benefits of a Blue Sky Prepaid MasterCard, with no credit application. For only £9.99 you will receive one of the safest ways to shop online, in-store and for cash withdrawals. In addition never pay booking fees with Ryan Air when booking flights using your Blue Sky Prepaid MasterCard.									Top Ups Top Ups 1. Over 20,000 PayPoints in the UK 2. Over 14,000 Post Offices in the UK 3. Standing Order 4. Online Banking 5. Telephone Banking 6. Bank Transfer in branch Services Services 1. Prepaid card Advantages Advantages 1. No bank account required. 2. Have you wages or benefits paid directly onto your card. 3. One of the safest ways to shop online, in-store and for cash withdrawals. 4. Never pay booking fees with Ryan Air when booking flights using your Blue Sky Prepaid MasterCard. 5. 24/7 Mobile Banking via SMS and real time statements online. Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. When you use your Blue Sky Prepaid Card at an ATM, you may also be subject to applicable fees, surcharge rules and regulations of the relevant ATM, or other financial institution or association. 2. In some circumstances, you may need a minimum balance on your Prepaid card for your card to be accepted.
Speed-e-card		£7.95	£3,000.00	£2.9	£0.75	£1.50	No	Yes	No
Speed-e-card	Speed-e-card is a prepaid MasterCard that works like a debit card, except you control the amount you load onto the prepaid card. You cannot go over drawn. Use worldwide wherever the MasterCard Acceptance Mark is displayed.									Top Ups Top Ups Paypoint Top Up Rate: £2.00 BACS Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Services Services 1. Load your salary and manage your bills online. 2. No credit check to pass. Advantages Advantages 1. Load your salary and manage bills online 2. Use worldwide wherever the MasterCard Acceptance Mark is displayed 3. No bank account needed and no credit check to pass. 4. Security SMS to you EVERY time your card is used 5. Accepted at ATMs 6. Easy to load and use as soon as you get your speed-e-card! Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. There is a £10 fee to use your card abroad. 2. Paper statements are £1.50
Moneybookers prepaid MasterCard		€10	€100,000	€0.00	€0.00	€1.80	No	No	No
Moneybookers prepaid MasterCard	You can use your prepaid MasterCard to shop online, to pay in stores or restaurants and to withdraw cash at over 1.5 million ATM’s worldwide. The Moneybookers MasterCard is a reloadable prepaid card which gives you instant access to all the money you receive on your Moneybookers account.									Top Ups Top Ups Bank Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: €0.00, Max: €0.00) BACS Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: €0.00, Max: €0.00) Internet Top Up Rate: 3% (Min: €0.00, Max: €0.00) Services Services Access to get great deals offered exclusively to Moneybookers customers Advantages Advantages 1. No bank account needed 2. No credit check 3. No tie-ins or monthly fees 4. No overdraft or late payment fees 5. Shop online. 6. Access to get great deals offered exclusively to Moneybookers customers 7. All EU countries Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. You must be 18 years old or over.
MeCard		£9.99	£3000	0	0%	£0.75	Yes	No	No
MeCard	MeCard is the prepaid card for teenagers, backed and supported by their parents and allowing them a unique opportunity to manage their cash online. MeCard, a prepaid MasterCard® card for young people that want to take control of their money									Top Ups Top Ups See website for details Services Services 1. Prepaid card Advantages Advantages 1. Prepaid MasterCard Card For everyone 13 and over 2. Top up your PAYG phone 3. 24 hour access to your online account 4. Get special access to events 5. Shop online 6. Check your balance online Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. Please see T&Cs for all usage restrictions 2. Cancellation or Redemption £10.00 3. Annual management fee £9.99
Kalixa Prepaid Mastercard		£4.95	£9,000	£0.00	£0.00	1.75%	No	No	No
Kalixa Prepaid Mastercard	Kalixa is the combined prepaid MasterCard and eAccount that puts users in control of their cash. New cardholders can get started by depositing as little as £10 - which covers the one time registration fee of £4.95. With Kalixa there are NO monthly account charges and NO charges on transactions using the MasterCard at POS or online.									Top Ups Top Ups Internet (Credit) Top Up Rate: 1.95% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Internet (Debit) Top Up Rate: 1.95% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) BACS Top Up Rate: 1.99% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Wages Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Services Services Prepaid Card Advantages Advantages 1. Save £ when travelling with Kalixa - No FX Fees 2. Everywhere MasterCard is accepted - Kalixa is. 3. Be secure on the high street. 4. No monthly account fee. 5. No charges on transactions using the mastercard at POS or online. 6. No credit checks 7. Cardholers can aso choose their four digit PIN number at registration. 8. Maximum limit of £9,000 Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. The card is valid for a period of 24 months from the date of issue. 2. £12 - may be applied in cases where your disputed transaction claim has not been successful
Evolution Premier		£12.50	Ask on application	£12.50	£0.00	£0.50	No	No	No
Evolution Premier	Evolution is is both a banking facility and a Prepaid card that's open to everyone. You can use your Evolution Prepaid Card at over 30 million locations across the world in any store, restaurant, hotel, airline, petrol station or other outlets and locations, showing the MasterCard® Acceptance Mark. So whether you're shopping online, in-store, needing cash or paying for something by phone, your Evolution MasterCard® gives you the flexibility and security you need.									Top Ups Top Ups Bank Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) BACS Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Wages Top Up Rate: 0% (Min: £0.00, Max: £0.00) Services Services MasterCard Debit Card, Online Banking, Telephone Banking, Direct Debits, Monthly Statements, Payzone Advantages Advantages 1. No Credit Checks 2. Free Online Banking 3. Free Direct Debits 4. Free Monthly Statement 5. Free Point of Sale Transactions Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. UK ATM withdrawl 50p per transaction
Virgin PAYG Prepaid		£9.95	£3500	0	2.95	2.95%	No	No	No
Virgin PAYG Prepaid	The Virgin Prepaid Card is ideal if you don’t want a credit card! You do not need a bank account or perfect credit rating to apply, all you need is to be over 18 and a UK resident. There is no monthly fee with the Virgin Pay as you go Prepaid Card.									Top Ups Top Ups 1. At any Post Office® 2. By debit card at myvirginmoney.com 3. By direct transfer from your bank account 4 FREE 4. By credit card at myvirginmoney.com 5. At any shop or garage where you see the PayPoint logo Services Services 1. Prepaid card Advantages Advantages 1. No bank account needed, and no credit checks 2. It's a secure way to shop - online, by phone and in store 3. It makes budgeting easy 4. Great discounts at Virgin companies 5. A choice of 'Pay as you go' or 'Pay monthly' tariffs Disadvantages Disadvantages 1. Without the identity check we will give you a reduced spending limit of £1,600 per year - up to £600 of this can be withdrawn from cash machines. A single transaction limit of £600 also applies.