NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Card (Classic)
Good choice for people with bad credit scores and those who don't own a bank account
Updated: Jul 4, 2024
All you have to do to get one is to apply for it online, and the card will come to your doorstep in less than 10 business days. The card is issued by Pathward N.A., an official member of FDIC, and it allows you to receive direct deposits, transfer money, pay bills, and earn interest along the way. The card doesn't require any credit score checks, so you don't have to worry about getting declined. Once you get the card, you can use it as a standard visa card, but only after you place a deposit. You can also use the card to receive direct deposits from the government, and you can also get your paycheck two days earlier. When you run out of cash, just go to one of over 130,000 reload locations in the US and reload the card for a small fee. The card comes with a complimentary app that helps you control your budget, and you can get text notifications whenever the card is used.
ANNUAL FEE
$0
ONGOING APR
0% Fixed
INTRO APR
N/A
Application Fee
$0
Credit Reporting
No
Recommended Credit Score
Bad Credit OK
Key Features
- With Direct Deposit, you can get paid faster than a paper check.
- No late fees or interest charges because this is not a credit card.
- Use the Netspend Mobile App to manage your Card Account on the go and enroll to get text messages or email alerts (Message & data rates may apply).
- Card use is subject to activation and ID verification. Terms and Costs apply.
- Card issued by Pathward N.A., Member FDIC. Card may be used everywhere Visa debit card is accepted.
- See additional NetSpend® Prepaid Visa® details.
Our Take
The NetSpend Visa Prepaid Card is an excellent solution for people who don’t want to provide credit scores and looking for checking account alternatives with reasonable fees.
Who Is This NetSpend Card For?
- For those with bad credit. There are many different cards one can get, but most of them require credit scores from all three bureaus, which can be a problem for people with bad credit. Well, the NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Card from MetaBank® offers an easy solution for those people, since it doesn’t require any credit checks.
- For those who don’t have a bank account. Also, the Netspend card is an excellent solution for people who do not own or don’t want to own a bank account. It allows the same features as a bank account, including money transactions, tax refunds, and paying for services, but without a bank account. It’s important to know that the card is useless until you load it with money.
NetSpend Visa Prepaid Card Benefits
- Overspending cushion. First, it’s a great card for making sure that you stay within your budget. It’s got a $10 overspending cushion, so you won’t be able to spend more than you can.
- Easy notifications. The second benefit is that you can use the SMS text mobile notification service that will give you an overview of the situation every time you use the card. You can customize the notifications to send you reports on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis as well. You can also download the Netspend budgeting app on your smartphone to keep track of your spending and payments. It’s a good way of understanding how credit cards work and what their limits are.
- Customizable. You can customize your card to look it the way you want – add a family photo, or any image of your choice.
- Free Direct Deposits. The card allows direct deposits including work paychecks, tax refunds, pensions, social security benefits, veteran benefits, and a few other options as well. It will help you save time because you won’t have to go to the bank to pick your cash up.
- High daily withdrawal limit. Another area where the Netspend card shines is the daily withdrawal limit, which is almost twice higher than the average limit. That allows you to pull cash from PayPal directly to your card, from where you can either withdraw the cash in over 130,000 locations or spend it directly on products and services.
- Works like a bank account. The card also allows you to transfer and receive money the same way you could with a bank account. The only downsides you have to consider are the numerous fees that could add up to a hefty sum if you’re not careful during the setup process.
Are There Any Disadvantages?
- Many different fees. As we just mentioned, this card comes with all kinds of fees you have to consider. You’ll have to pick your plan during the application process. The standard plan has a monthly fee, but you can also get a Pay-As-You-Go plan that has a fixed fee every time you use the card. Then, you’ll have other fees including a 90-day inactivity fee, a closing fee, ATM withdrawal fees, ATM card declined fees, over-the-counter withdrawal fees, cash reload fees, online bill pay fees, and a few other fees you can’t work around.
You can get the card without any issues in a matter of minutes, but you’ll have to pay for that with ongoing fees for as long as you use the card.
Should You Use This Visa Card?
The Netspend prepaid card is an excellent solution if you want to receive direct deposits but don’t own a bank account. Since you don’t need to provide any credit scores, you can get the card even if they are really bad. It won’t affect your credit scores in any way, but you’ll be able to make transactions and receive money just like you would through a bank account. It’s also a good solution for parents who want to limit their children’s spending. However, the card comes with all kinds of fees, so you must consider that before getting one. (Read: Chime vs Netspend)
Best NetSpend Visa Alternatives
- Novo Business Mastercard – For business use
- Axos Bank Checking Visa – As a checking account alternative
- Greenlight Debit Card for Kids – For teens and parents
- CCU Visa Debit Card – Simple Debit Card with the bank account
Other Netspend Card Design Offers
| Issuer: | Other Issuers |
|---|---|
| Network: | VISA® |
| Category: | Consumer (Stored Value) |
| Review: | Full Card Review |
| Best Used For: |
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| Rewards: | Yes |
| Reward Types: |
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| Reward Units: | Cash |
| Annual Fee: | $0 |
|---|---|
| Opening Min: | $10 |
| Application Fee: | $0 |
| ATM Fee: | $2.95 |
| Other Fees: |
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Similar Offers
Additional Information & Comments
Plan Fee Options: Pay-As-You-GoPlan $0, Monthly Plan $9.95, Reduced Monthly Plan $5.00. The Pay-As-You-Go Plan listed above is automatically applied to your Card Account when you first obtain the Card. You may change your Plan any time by calling 1-86-NETSPEND/1-866-387-7363.
Non-Affiliate Offer Disclosure
*The information provided for NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Card (Classic) is believed to be accurate at the time of evaluation and has been collected independently by MarketProSecure®. The card issuer did not provide the details, nor it is responsible for their accuracy.
NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Card (Classic)
Reviews - (4 User Reviews)
November 12, 2020
Jared
(36-45) - Cardholder
Income on Application
$38000
Credit Score
Fair (580-669)
Credit Limit
$1500
Filed for Bankruptcy
No
Useful for controlling spendings
I needed a card for getting my paycheck and seamlessly paying for my daily purchases, but I didn’t want a credit card. I’m generally not very careful with my spending, so I didn’t want to risk getting into debt.
I’m very satisfied with NetSpend, which actually helped me become more responsible with money. Love the rewards program. I get cashback on almost all of my purchases.
If I had to single out one bad thing about this card, it would be all the fees. They’re not hefty, but they can easily accumulate. But then again, almost every prepaid card comes with ATM fees, monthly fees, and the like. It’s not a deal-breaker. I’ll definitely keep using this card.
Fees & Charges:
4/5
Features & Benefits:
3/5
Customer Support:
5/5
Application Process:
4/5
August 18, 2020
Jerry
(18-25) - Cardholder
Income on Application
$3000
Credit Score
Excellent (740-850)
Credit Limit
$6000
Filed for Bankruptcy
No
I like it
I think this card is really beneficial
Fees & Charges:
4/5
Features & Benefits:
5/5
Customer Support:
4/5
Application Process:
4/5
July 7, 2020
Tim
(26-35) - Cardholder
Income on Application
$57300
Credit Score
Fair (580-669)
Credit Limit
$2500
Filed for Bankruptcy
No
Very satisfied with Netspend visa
Hello everyone, just wanted to share my experiences with this card. I have it for about 8 months now, and I like what I’m getting… I constantly write my budget through my email, and it’s easy to stick to it… For example, I just got a delivery from Amazon of various food products, and all of the purchases are accounted for accurately. It’s very easy to withdraw or add cash through the retail network this card works with. But make sure that you shop with those retailers before getting this card.
Fees & Charges:
4/5
Features & Benefits:
4/5
Customer Support:
5/5
Application Process:
5/5
NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Card (Classic)
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