Do Banks Give Free Check Registers

+ Summary: All-time prepaid debit cards

• Bluebird past American Express : All-time for avoiding fees.

• Fifth Tertiary Admission 360° Reloadable Prepaid Carte du jour : Best for ATM withdrawals.

• FamZoo Prepaid Bill of fare : Best for parents (necktie).

• Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard : Best for parents (tie).

• Walmart MoneyCard : Best for shopping at Walmart.

• Chime : All-time inexpensive prepaid alternative.

What are prepaid debit cards?

A prepaid debit card can serve every bit a budgeting tool or an all-out replacement for a banking concern account — and the best prepaid cards offer convenience while charging few fees.

Prepaid cards are piece of cake to get. Prepaid cards are sold at retail stores (unremarkably for a fee) and some can be ordered online. At that place'southward no credit check, and they're ofttimes available fifty-fifty if yous tin't get a bank account because of a bad banking history. Unlike with a credit bill of fare, you lot load funds onto prepaid cards before utilize.

Some companies too offer mobile-optimized banking accounts that don't require a squeaky-clean banking or credit history — and they often cost less than prepaid cards. Skip ahead to read about these depression-fee alternatives.

Prepaid debit cards vs. regular debit cards

You don't need a bank business relationship to get a prepaid debit card, simply it's a requirement for a regular debit card, which is linked to your checking account. For prepaid debit cards, you load the carte with coin when y'all get it, then utilize it to make purchases. For regular debit cards, the funds for your payments are taken directly from your checking business relationship as you make payments.

Nerdy tip: If you need to build credit or take been denied a banking concern account, a prepaid debit card might not be the best pick: Secured credit cards help build credit , and if you can't get a regular checking account, try 2nd run a risk checking . These accounts provide another shot at mainstream banking and its perks.

Why trust NerdWallet: Our writers and editors follow strict editorial guidelines to make sure our coverage is fair and authentic, so you tin can choose the financial accounts that piece of work best for you. See our criteria for evaluating banks and credit unions .

Hither are our top prepaid debit cards based on fees and features. Scroll down for more than item on each business relationship.

BEST FOR AVOIDING FEES
NerdWallet rating Read review	Bluebird by American Express No monthly fees; no fee for cash reloads at Walmart. Free ATM network. Great budgeting features.
BEST FOR ATM WITHDRAWALS
NerdWallet rating Read review	Fifth Third Access 360° Reloadable Prepaid Card One of the biggest free ATM networks amidst prepaid cards. $4 monthly fee that'southward reasonably easy to waive.
BEST FOR PARENTS
	FamZoo Multiple subaccounts for kids. Costs $2.fifty-$5.99 per month.
	Greenlight Multiple subaccounts for kids. Shop-specific spending controls. Monthly fee from $4.99.
Best FOR SHOPPING AT WALMART
	Walmart MoneyCard 3% cash back at Walmart.com and in the Walmart app and other cash back rewards. Multiple subaccounts for family members. 2% APY on upward to $1,000 in savings account.
BEST Cheap ALTERNATIVE TO PREPAID
NerdWallet rating Learn More at Chime, Deposits are FDIC Insured	Chime No monthly fees. Has a savings component.

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Bluebird by American Express

Best for avoiding fees

Bluebird , issued by American Express, offers more than the average prepaid debit carte du jour, and yous can load and spend money without paying fees.

Just Bluebird does have limits when it comes to merchant credence, and it doesn't allow greenbacks dorsum at retailers.

• General fees and features: No monthly fees and no costs for online activation or inactivity.

• Purchases: No fees.

• ATM withdrawals: Costless at ATMs in the MoneyPass network; $2.50 fee at other ATMs, plus any ATM operator fee.

• Reload methods: Direct deposit, debit card transfer, card-to-card transfer, mobile bank check deposit (with a 3rd-party fee for instant processing), cash load at Walmart or other stores. (Retailers other than Walmart may charge upwards to $3.95.)

• Other services: Separate "set aside" accounts for savings and upward to iv subaccounts for family unit members.

• Downsides: No cash back at retailers. The bill of fare is issued by American Express, which isn't accepted everywhere that Visa and Mastercard are.

Fifth Tertiary Access 360° Reloadable Prepaid Card

Best for ATM withdrawals

Fifth Third'due south Access 360° prepaid debit carte du jour takes function in Allpoint'southward massive U.S. network and has admission to over 50,000 ATMs. This card is available in the xi states where in that location are 5th Third branches, which is the just place you can get the menu.

• Full general fees and features: $4 monthly fee that's waived if you accept a Fifth Third checking account or if you make $500 or more in deposits monthly; no costs for activation or inactivity.

• Purchases: No fees.

• ATM withdrawals: Free at Fifth Third ATMs and ATMs in the Allpoint ATM network; free at Presto! ATMs inside Publix stores and at 7-Xi ATMs listed on the bank'south website or mobile app; $two.75 fee at other ATMs, plus whatsoever ATM operator fees.

• Reload methods: Direct deposit, bank transfer, greenbacks load at 5th Third branch or ATM.

• Other services: Carte tin can have joint owners.

• Downsides: At that place'southward no access to a nationwide retail network for adding cash; the card is only available in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Ohio, S Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia; and the card doesn't have a dissever savings feature.

FamZoo Prepaid Bill of fare

Best for parents (tie)

FamZoo is a family-friendly prepaid Mastercard that lets parents get virtual bankers for their kids, even those younger than 13. Four cards are complimentary on the monthly plan, but more tin exist added for a ane-time $three fee per menu. From the website or app, you can send allowances, split payments, run across balances and activity across all cards and set up text and email alerts.

• General fees and features: You can prepay $59.99 for two years of FamZoo — that works out to $2.50 per month. Other prepayment plans too offer a discount. If you don't prepay, the fee is $5.99 for a monthly subscription. There are no costs for activation or inactivity.

• Purchases: No fees.

• ATM withdrawals: No charge from FamZoo, but ATM withdrawals will still price yous: Since FamZoo doesn't have any of its own ATMs, tertiary-political party ATM operator fees can employ.

• Reload methods : Direct eolith; bank transfer; PayPal, Apple Pay, Venmo and Square Cash transfer; PopMoney transfer (for a fee); add cash at retailers like 7-11 and Walgreens that participate in the Reload @ the Register, MoneyPak and Mastercard rePower networks (well-nigh $5 retail fee).

• Other services: Multiple accounts under one plan, free and instant FamZoo card-to-card transfers, ability to lock and unlock FamZoo cards, budgeting tools.

• Downsides: No gratuitous ATM network; maximum monthly fee is college than boilerplate; no mobile bank check deposit feature.

» Looking for a traditional spending business relationship?  Check out NerdWallet's best free checking  accounts.

Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard

Best for parents (tie)

Greenlight stands out for a feature that other prepaid cards lack: shop-specific spending controls. Parents tin preapprove where their kids spend money, so $300 earmarked for school supplies tin can simply be spent at a campus bookstore, for example. The prepaid card also offers real-fourth dimension activity alerts, gratuitous menu-to-card transfers for allowances and the ability to remotely lock lost cards.

A Greenlight account can accept upwardly to five subaccounts, so it works for a family. Given low purchase and withdrawal limits, it's best as a family budgeting tool instead of a bank account replacement.

• Full general fees and features: $four.99 to $9.98 per month, depending on selected programme (more expensive plans include features like investing pedagogy and identity theft protection); no costs for activation, inactivity or account closure.

• Purchases: No fees.

• ATM withdrawals: No fees from Greenlight, but ATM withdrawals will cost you: Since Greenlight doesn't accept whatever of its own ATMs, tertiary-political party ATM operator fees may utilise.

• Reload methods: Direct deposit, debit menu transfer, bank transfer.

• Other services: Upwardly to five subaccounts, no international ATM withdrawal fee.

• Downsides: No checks or cash can be deposited; no costless ATM network; the daily purchase maximum per family business relationship is $1,500 and daily ATM withdrawal limit is $100, which are much lower than boilerplate for prepaid cards.

Walmart MoneyCard

Best for shopping at Walmart

The Walmart MoneyCard offers its shoppers up to $75 per yr in cash-back rewards: 3% for purchases made at Walmart.com and in the Walmart app, 2% at Walmart fuel stations and 1% at Walmart stores. The app, which gets decent ratings, is required to get fee-free cash reloads at Walmart stores. Walmart MoneyCenters and Customer Service desks too offer fee-free cash withdrawals.

This prepaid, reloadable card is family-friendly. Y'all can society an account for free for up to four additional people who are at least 13 years onetime. The Walmart MoneyCard offers a complimentary "Vault" savings feature. Savings will earn ii% APY on upward to $1,000 on the card enrollment anniversary.

Because it's not part of an ATM network, y'all'll pay $2.50 for ATM withdrawals in improver to whatever operator fees.

• General fees and features: $5.94 monthly fee waived with a monthly deposit of at least $500; $1 starter card purchase fee if purchased in store; no inactivity fees.

• Purchases: No fees.

• ATM withdrawals: $2.50 fee, plus any operator fees.

• Reload methods: Add cash via the Walmart MoneyCard app at Walmart stores; mobile cheque eolith; add funds from checks cashed at Walmart stores; $three to reload greenbacks at a Walmart store; up to $four.95 to reload elsewhere.

• Other services: Upward to four gratuitous additional accounts; savings account with two% APY for first $i,000, and chances to win monthly cash prizes; selection to lock and unlock your card via the app; text and e-mail alerts.

• Downsides: Fee to utilise ATMs; express methods for reloading funds.

Low-fee alternatives to prepaid cards

The departure between prepaid debit cards and checking accounts is starting to blur, every bit many have similar features and services.

This is especially true for mobile-optimized cyberbanking accounts: Similar most prepaid debit cards, many have no credit cheque; unlike prepaid cards, they come with some actress perks, such as avant-garde savings features, bigger ATM networks and check-writing privileges.

Chime

Best inexpensive alternative to prepaid

at Chinkle, Deposits are FDIC Insured

Chinkle isn't a prepaid debit card or a traditional depository financial institution account but a complimentary "spending business relationship" in the Visa payment network. This business relationship has many of the aforementioned functions as a checking business relationship. Though it doesn't come up with paper checks, you can use the app to request that checks be mailed to a recipient, even yourself, for free.

You can as well open a linked Chime savings business relationship and set upwards automatic transfers.

• General fees and features: No monthly fee and no costs for activation or inactivity; no credit check. Cash withdrawal and third-party fees may use.

• Purchases: No additional charge.

• ATM withdrawals: Gratis at over lx,000 ATMs in the Allpoint, MoneyPass and Visa Plus Alliance ATM networks; $2.50 at other ATMs, plus any ATM operator fee. Cash withdrawal and third-party fees may apply.

• Deposit methods: Direct deposit, bank transfer and mobile check deposit; add cash at retailers such as 7-11 and Walmart (the retailer may charge a fee) or at Walgreens for free.

• Other services: Optional savings account earns 0.50% almanac percent yield. Chime has ii automated savings programs: i where a percentage of every paycheck automatically goes into the savings account and the other where your purchases are rounded upwards to the nearest dollar and the rounded-upwardly change goes to savings (come across beneath for more data from Chime). Y'all tin can also receive instant transaction alerts and lock your debit card if yous lose it. Notation that a Chime Spending Business relationship is required to open up a savings business relationship.

• Downsides: The out-of-network ATM fee.

Chime says: "Chinkle is a financial engineering science company, non a bank. Banking services provided by, and debit bill of fare issued by, The Bancorp Bank or Footstep Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC."

See more data from Chime

Chime says: "Round Ups automatically round upwardly debit card purchases to the nearest dollar and transfers the circular up from your Chime Spending Account to into your savings account. Save When I Get Paid automatically transfers x% of your direct deposits of $500 or more from your Spending Account into your savings account."

The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") for the Chime Savings Account is variable and may modify at any time. The disclosed APY is effective as of November 1, 2021. No minimum balance required. Must have $0.01 in savings to earn interest.

Best prepaid debit cards and alternatives: Summary

Business relationship/card	Monthly fee	# of free ATMs
Bluebird by American Express	$0	30,000+
Chime account	$0	60,000+
FamZoo Prepaid Card	$2.50 to $4.33 if prepaid; $five.99 if billed	None
5th Third Access 360° Reloadable Prepaid Carte	$0-$four	fifty,000+
Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard	$4.99 to $9.98	None
Walmart MoneyCard	$0-$5.94	None

Oft asked questions

What is a prepaid debit card?

A prepaid debit card can serve equally a budgeting tool or be a replacement for a banking company account. The best prepaid cards offer convenience and don't accuse many fees.

There's no credit cheque required to get a prepaid bill of fare, and they're frequently bachelor fifty-fifty if y'all can't get a bank account because of a bad banking history. You load funds onto prepaid cards before using them for purchases. Generally, you tin as well employ a prepaid debit carte to withdraw cash from ATMs.

Where can you get a prepaid card?

Prepaid cards are sold at retail stores (normally for a fee) and some can be ordered online.

How do you add money to a prepaid bill of fare?

The methods for adding coin to a prepaid menu vary from card to card. But mostly, the options include adding cash at a retail register (frequently for a fee), adding funds by using an app to make a mobile cheque eolith, and by directly eolith, card-to-card transfer and banking company transfer.

What is a prepaid debit card?

A prepaid debit menu can serve as a budgeting tool or be a replacement for a bank account. The

all-time prepaid cards

offering convenience and don't charge many fees.

In that location's no credit bank check required to get a prepaid menu, and they're frequently available even if you tin can't become a bank account considering of a bad cyberbanking history. You load funds onto prepaid cards before using them for purchases. Generally, you can also use a prepaid debit carte to withdraw cash from ATMs.

Where can you get a prepaid card?

Prepaid cards are sold at retail stores (usually for a fee) and some tin can be ordered online.

How do you lot add money to a prepaid card?

The methods for calculation money to a prepaid card vary from card to carte. But generally, the options include adding cash at a retail annals (often for a fee), calculation funds by using an app to make a mobile check deposit, and past directly deposit, card-to-menu transfer and bank transfer.

METHODOLOGY : Best Prepaid Debit Cards of 2022

We looked at 45 reloadable prepaid debit cards offered by some of the biggest banks, credit unions and prepaid debit carte du jour issuers. Where multiple card plans existed, just the basic monthly fee plan was considered.

We analyzed four categories for each card: general fees and features, purchases and withdrawals, reload fees and options, and other services such as pecker pay and savings accounts. The cards that made this listing had the best combination of these categories. Some cards in this roundup have nonbank plan managers that partner with banks. Regardless, all the cards' issuers are banks that insure consumers' coin through the Federal Eolith Insurance Corp. No cards above take overdraft fees.

ACE Elite Visa Prepaid Debit Card , AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Menu , American Limited Serve , BB&T MoneyAccount, Bluebird by American Limited , Boost Mobile Wallet Prepaid Mastercard, Brink'due south Prepaid Mastercard, Card.com Prepaid Card, CashPass Prepaid Mastercard, Commerce Bank mySpending Card, Control Prepaid Mastercard, Exact Prepaid Mastercard, FamZoo Prepaid Card, Fancard, FasterMoney, Fifth Third Access 360° Reloadable Prepaid Menu, Fred Meyer Prepaid Card, Green Dot Prepaid Visa Carte du jour , Greenlight Prepaid Mastercard, H&R Cake Emerald Prepaid Mastercard, Mango Visa Prepaid Bill of fare, MOVO Virtual Prepaid Visa Card, MyVanilla Prepaid Menu, Netspend Visa Prepaid Carte du jour , NexsCard Visa Prepaid Bill of fare, Opt+ Prepaid Visa Card, PayPal Prepaid Mastercard , PNC SmartAccess Prepaid Visa Carte du jour, Regions Now Visa Prepaid Card, RushCard Prepaid Visa Card , Starbucks Rewards Visa Prepaid Card, TD Connect Reloadable Prepaid Visa Card, Walmart MoneyCard , Western Spousal relationship Netspend Prepaid Carte.

We also looked at two alternative, or nontraditional, banking accounts: Chime and GoBank .

What the ratings mean:

— Among the very all-time

— Very skilful; simply pocket-size caveats for most customers

— Proficient; issues that might make a difference to some customers

— Fair; make sure strengths and weaknesses are a good match for you

— Poor; go along with great circumspection

(or below) — Best to avert

Source: https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/banking/best-prepaid-debit-cards

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