Flare Account® Debit Card
The Flare Account by Pathward, N.A. - its more then just a debit card.
Updated: Jul 4, 2024
The ACE Flare Visa Debit Card is a stored-value card that has very little or no requirements to receive it. Due to no credit checks and the fact the card is not tied to credit, it is safer than cash and is insured by the FDIC. Fees are low. Moreover, it's not just a debit card - it comes with full features Ace Flare Bank Account by MetaBank.
ANNUAL FEE
See Terms
ONGOING APR
0% Fixed
INTRO APR
N/A
Application Fee
$0
Credit Reporting
No
Recommended Credit Score
Bad Credit OK
Key Features
- LIMITED OFFER: Apply now and get a $100 Credit
- Get paid up to 2 days faster with free direct deposit
- Avoid check cashing fees and long lines - do all online
- No fee cash withdrawal from Ace Flare Bank account
- Optional Netspend pre-funded check service
- High yield saving with up to 6% APY
- Plus 0.01% Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
- Optional debit card overdraft protection
- Earn additional interest on your core flare account
- Payback rewards program
- Metabank is now Pathward, N.A.
Our Take
ACE Flare Visa Debit Card is an interest-bearing prepaid card, and the credit card issuer is MetaBank. The bank ensured that the card offered many attractive features, ranging from the optional savings account to early direct deposits. The card comes with a monthly fee the cardholders can’t waive, while the free withdrawals remain only available only to people who meet strict requirements.
Best for
- US citizens or permanent residents who want to pay with plastic but don’t qualify or want to use a credit card;
- People who want more control over their finances as they can only spend money in their accounts;
- People who want to avoid overdraft fees bounced checks and interest payments;
- Those who want to earn 0.01% APY on funds in their accounts;
- People who want to be able to withdraw cash without paying a fee.
Advantages
ACE Flare Visa Debit Card offers several advantages.
- Online registration is available. Long gone are the days when you had to wait in a line to open a bank account and get plastic. MetaBank ensured that all consumers had access to the online application process. Once you complete the application process, the staff at the bank will verify your identity, and you should receive your new debit card in 7 to 10 business days.
- No credit check. Many people avoid applying for debit and credit cards because they are afraid that there is a credit check which can potentially negatively impact their credit score. When you apply for an ACE Flare account and debit card, the issuer will not check your credit, and your score will remain intact.
- There is no minimum deposit requirement. Unlike some other debit card issuers, MetaBank doesn’t require future ACE Flare account owners to pay a deposit upfront. You will be able to open the account and get the debit card without spending cash. If, for some reason, you don’t apply online and decide to open your account in person, you will be charged a processing fee of $3.
- Free cash withdrawal. You can use ACE Flare Visa Debit Card on participating Ace locations to withdraw cash for free. However, to do it for free, you need to have at least one direct deposit in the last 35 days. You should also be aware that there is a $400 daily limit.
- Solid overdraft protection. You can overdraft your account when spending or withdrawing cash. However, this card has solid overdraft protection. If you overdraft it by less than $10, you won’t be charged any fees. The overdraft fee of $20 triggers only if your overdraft is more than $10 and you fail to bring your balance to $0 in 24 hours.
- A debit card that earns interest. Finally, we are talking about an interest-bearing debit card. You can earn 0.10% APU on funds in your account. If saving is something you are interested in, you have access to optional savings account with 5% APY on balances up to $1,000 and 0.5% APY on balances above.
Disadvantages
You should be aware of the following disadvantages if you are considering opening an account at MetaBank.
- The monthly fee is rather high. ACE Flare Visa Debit Card comes with a considerable monthly fee. You will be charged $9.95 every month. The bank does offer a 50% discount on a monthly fee. If you want to bring it down to $5 a month, your direct deposits have to total at least $500 a month.
- Direct deposit is a requirement for several things. Making direct deposits is not the only prerequisite to bringing your monthly fee down to $5. It’s also a prerequisite for overdraft protection, free cash withdrawals, and the optional savings account. In other words, the most valuable features are locked behind direct deposits.
- Limited access to customer support. MetaBank currently only provides customer support over the phone to ACE Flare Visa Debit Cardholders. If you have any questions before applying for the card, you will have to read the FAQ section on the official website, contact the support team by filling out the form, or send an email.
- Manual activation of overdraft protection. Overdraft protection is such a cool and money-saving feature to have on a debit card, and it’s there with this card. However, it’s not there by default. The bank decided to offer it as an option. You will need to call them directly or visit an Ace Cash Express location to activate it.
What makes it different
This card appears like any other debit card, but only if you look superficially. Yes, you can make direct deposits and use the card to make payments on all terminals that support VISA cards. However, if you use this card as your go-to payment method, you will be able to unlock additional perks. First, you will bring the monthly fee down by 50%. You will also be eligible to activate overdraft protection, withdraw cash for free, and open a savings account. Another thing that makes this card different is that it is an interest-bearing card. You earn 0.10% APY on cash in your Flare account and up to 6% APY on your savings account balance. Finally, if you quickly lose track of your tax refunds, you can directly deposit the refunds every year on your Flare account.
Bottom line
ACE Flare Visa Debit Card is a solid debit card available to US citizens or residents. You can apply for the card and register an account online. If you meet the minimal direct deposit requirements, the banks also allow you to withdraw cash for free, open a savings account, and activate overdraft protection. It comes with a substantial monthly fee which can be a big no to many consumers. If this is the case with you, there are many other debit cards on the market you can research and choose from. ACE Flare also offers the Pink ACE Flare Account by MetaBank.
Frequently Asked Questions
Issuer: | Meta Bank |
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Network: | VISA® |
Category: | Consumer (Stored Value) |
Best Used For: |
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Rewards: | Yes |
Reward Types: |
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Reward Units: | Point |
Annual Fee: | See Terms |
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Opening Min: | $10 |
Application Fee: | $0 |
ATM Fee: | $2.5 |
Other Fees: |
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