Prepaid cards
Compare pre-paid cards with MoneySuperMarket and find the right deal for you - whether you're spending overseas, looking to improve your credit rating, or simply want to earn cashback and rewards.
Everyday prepaid cards - Ordered alphabetically A-Z
Monthly fee
Free —
Card fee
Free —
Transaction fee
Free —
UK ATM fee
Free —
International ATM fee
Free —
- Free UK ATM withdrawals, Direct Debits and Standing Orders
- Up to £250 iDraft and £1,000 Direct Debit cover available - subject to approval
- Add Creditbuilder to your account at no extra cost
Prepaid cards for Euros - Ordered alphabetically A-Z
- The first travel money card that connects directly to your high street bank account: no top-ups, no pre-pay, no leftover balance.
- Works with all leading high street banks and supports all currencies. No hidden fees like weekend or dormant charges.
- You can choose to contribute a part of your savings on bank charges to plant trees and offset the environmental impact associated with your travels.
- You must be over 18 years old, a UK resident, and have a UK bank account.
- You can withdraw a maximum of £500 per month from international ATMs. UK ATM withdrawals not allowed.
- Free multi-currency card that lets you hold 15 major currencies with no monthly fees
- Lock in some of the best rates available before you travel, or while you’re away, and spend in over 190 countries at 35 million locations
- Spend in the UK without any added fees and earn at least 3.5% cashback at some top high street retailers, including Sainsbury’s and Argos. T&Cs apply
- You'll need to be a UK resident and aged 18 or over
- Store up to 23 currencies on one prepaid contactless - enabled Mastercard® and pay with your smartphone
- Mobile app lets you top-up, check your balance, freeze spend, view PIN and all transaction history
- Stick to your holiday budget by locking in your currency rate and get peace of mind
- If you have money left on your card a year after the card expires, a £2 monthly maintenance fee will apply. If there’s no balance remaining, you won’t be charged
- A 3% cross-border fee will apply if usage is outside of 23 wallets
- You must be a UK resident and be 18 years or over to open an account
Prepaid Cards
Prepaid cards work a little differently to other types of plastic. Although you can use them to make purchases or withdraw cash in the same way as a debit or credit card, the key difference is that they need to be loaded up with cash in advance – and you can then only spend the balance on the card.
There are a number of benefits to using a prepaid card, so it pays to compare your options carefully and select the right one for your needs.
Advantages of prepaid cards
Prepaid cards usually fall into two categories – pay monthly and pay-as-you-go. Pay monthly prepaid cards charge a monthly fee, but in return you pay lower transaction fees than you would with a pay-as-you-go card, and often, you will also be given rewards or cashback on your spending.
Pay monthly prepaid cards are more suited to those who regularly spend on their card, while pay-as-you-go options are more suited to those who only make a handful of transactions on their card each month.
Because you can only spend the money you've pre-loaded onto your prepaid card, they are a great choice for those on a budget, for parents who want to keep an eye on their children's spending, or even for businesses.
But another benefit of prepaid cards is that they don't require a credit check and, as a result, they are easier to get hold of than credit or debit cards. This means they can be a good option for those with a poor credit score or no credit history at all. Some prepaid cards will also allow you to add a 'credit builder' service to your card which will help you to improve your credit rating.
What's more, certain prepaid cards can even be used as an alternative to a bank account, allowing your salary to be paid onto them.
Prepaid cards can also be a handy addition to your wallet if you're holidaying abroad. This is because a number of cards allow you to pre-load them with foreign currency and then side-step the expensive fees charged by many debit and credit cards for use overseas.
Disadvantages of prepaid cards
Prepaid cards can be riddled with fees, so it's important to read the small print carefully.
In particular, you should watch out for monthly fees, charges for loading funds onto your card, fees for withdrawing cash or spending on your plastic, and inactivity fees – which kick in if you don't use your card for a number of months.
Finally, unlike credit cards, prepaid cards are not covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. This protects credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000 against a retailer going bust, or your goods arriving faulty or damaged. This protection was extended up to £60,260 under the 2011 Consumer Credit Directive.
More prepaid cards options
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