What Are the Different Types of Reloadable Credit Cards?
- Reloadable cards can be a good money-managing tool.three credit cards image by Aleksandr Ugorenkov from Fotolia.com
Reloadable credit cards are prepaid MasterCard or Visa cards. They are not actually credit cards, as they do not provide the user with any credit and must have a prepaid balance in order to be used. Unlike single-use cards which are often purchased as gifts, reloadable cards can have money added to them repeatedly so that they can be used on an ongoing basis. These cards typically have many fees associated with them. - This card is a prepaid Visa card which is intend for business use. The Pex system allows the owner of a small business to issue prepaid cards to employees, then use the system to reload the cards from a corporate account. Software is provided which displays card usage and balances, and lets the business owner or manager add funds to any card instantly. Each card can be personalized with an employee's name and controlled in order to limit spending. There are no fees for making deposits or for card transactions. There is a monthly service fee for each card. Pex cards can be purchased online from the Pex web site.
- Green Dot cards are accepted anywhere that accepts debit cards with either a MasterCard or a Visa logo. They can be purchased at retail stores such as Kroger, Kmart, Walgreen's and others. They can also be purchased online. The card can be personalized with your name and is not connected to a bank account. You can reload the card online or by buying a MoneyPak at a retailer. Some services, such as direct deposit and online bill pay, have no fees, but there are charges associated with purchasing the card, adding funds to your card and checking your balance. There is also a monthly service fee.
- You can purchase a NetSpend card through the company's Web site. As with other cards of this type, you can use them anywhere that accepts MasterCard or Visa debit cards. This company does not charge you to get a card, but there is a shipping and handling charge when it is delivered. There are several different account options from which you can choose. Different fees are associated with each type of account, and the account types are based on anticipated monthly card usage. There may or may not be a fee for reloading the card, depending on the account type. NetSpend also has a program which provides cardholders the opportunity to establish credit and use the card as a credit card as well as a debit card.
