People who are looking for an easier alternative to a traditional checking account often opt for a prepaid debit card. It is similar to a debit card except that it’s not connected to any checking account. A prepaid debit card provides features like online bill payment, mobile check deposit, and direct deposits. These cards are also used for withdrawing cash, making purchases, and transferring money. While traveling, these cards can be of great help as they prevent overspending and at the same provide funds when needed.

Prepaid cards are also known as pay-as-you-go cards. Even people who don’t have a bank account can opt for these cards. Prepaid cards require users to load the card with a certain amount, and they can then spend that amount as per their convenience.

Prepaid cards make it easier for people to manage their finances. To add to the ease that prepaid cards provide, one can choose a free prepaid card. Free prepaid cards offer certain free services, and these free services vary depending on the prepaid card provider.

How to choose a prepaid card
Choosing a prepaid card can be a tough task, but once you know what to look for, it will be easy for you to make a choice.

While looking for a prepaid card, look for features like convenient card loading options, free direct deposit, cards that are widely accepted and have minimal or no monthly fees. Along with these features, look for cards that come with the facility to transfer money to family or friends using a mobile app.

Upon understanding the essential features of a prepaid card, it becomes easier to find one that suits all the purpose of an individual. Now, let’s have a look at some of the top prepaid cards available for free.

Top 10 free prepaid cards

24k Prepaid Visa® RushCard
This prepaid card is known for its simple application process. Additionally, it is easy to use this card. One does not need to maintain a minimum balance as long as they prove their identity with a valid ID.

If the user chooses the pay as you go plan, then there will be no monthly fee, and if they choose the unlimited plan, there will be a monthly fee of $5.95 with direct deposit and $7.95 without direct deposit.

After one starts using this card, they receive real-time alerts on their account activity and low funds. This card also sports a Visa Zero Liability policy that protects users’ funds in case the card is lost or stolen.

Bluebird Prepaid Card
This card is a product of American Express, which allows its users to shop from any place that accepts American Express cards. Once an individual gets this card, they can enjoy free cash withdrawals from over 24,000 ATMs across the country. Users are not charged any monthly fees or activation fees; they also do not have any foreign exchange fees . This feature enables cardholders to use this card even while traveling abroad.

Users can reload this card through direct deposit or debit card transfers. The Bluebird Prepaid Card comes with a financial management tool that is great for keeping track of all expenditures so that one can stick to their budget.

PayPal™ Prepaid MasterCard®
This card is the ideal choice for PayPal users, especially if they prefer the facility of transferring money between their PayPal account and debit card. This card provides an instant balance transfer from the PayPal account.

There is no purchase fee with this card, and the initial mandatory load is a minimum of $10. The monthly cost of this card is around $4.95, but it offers unlimited PIN and signature purchases along with cash back from select restaurants and specialty stores.

Fifth Third Access 360° Reloadable Prepaid Card
This card is excellent for people who have a checking account with the Fifth Third Bank as they will not be charged a monthly fee. It is also ideal for those who need to make frequent ATM transactions as they do not charge any fee at more than 45,000 ATMs across the country.

If the user is not an existing customer, they would be charged a monthly fee of around $4. This fee is waived off if the user adds more than $500 to their card each month.

MOVO® Digital®   Prepaid Visa Card
This is another free prepaid card that one can readily acquire. They do not carry out a credit check, and the user doesn’t have to pay any monthly fee. As opposed to some prepaid cards, the MOVO® Digital® Prepaid Visa Card does not charge an activation fee either. There are over 6000 MOVO ATMs across the country from where one can withdraw cash without any withdrawal fee. But one has to pay a cash withdrawal fee of around $2 when money is withdrawn from other ATMs.

With this card, one can reload cash through a bank account transfer, direct deposit, and through some retailers like Walgreens or Safeway.

Western Union® NetSpend® Prepaid MasterCard®
People using this card get access to several kinds of fee payment options, and they can pick the option that suits them the best. The pay-as-you-go option doesn’t come with a monthly fee; instead, users have to pay $1 every time they use it as a credit card. On the other hand, when used as a debit card, users are charged a fee of $2 every transaction.

This card also comes with a Monthly Fee Advantage plan where a user pays a fixed amount of around $9 each month and can use the card with no additional fees.

Pink NetSpend® Visa® Prepaid Card
This card expedites the process of getting money through direct deposits. It can be used wherever Visa is accepted. While there is no signature transaction fee and PIN transaction fee, a user has to pay a monthly fee of around $9.95.

The non-chargeable services provided by this card include direct deposit, mobile check load, account-to-account transfer, balance inquiry, and card delivery. Chargeable services include check request, additional statement mailing fee, account maintenance, overdraft protection, transaction decline, and ATM withdrawal.

American Express Serve®
The American Express Serve® cards are the most convenient prepaid cards available for free. One can order the regular Serve card online and not be charged any fee, but a fee of around $3.95 will be charged if one purchases it from a retail location. The monthly fee that comes with American Express Serve® card is around $1. This fee will be waived if the user signs up for the direct deposits program and deposits $500 in the account each month.

American Express also offers the Serve Free Reloads card which comes with the feature of free reloads. Though users get access to free reloads, they end up paying a slightly higher monthly fee of around $4.95.

Netspend® Visa® Prepaid Card
People who are looking for prepaid cards with an easy-to-understand fee structure can opt for Netspend® Visa® Prepaid Card. Using the pay-as-you-go plan lets people enjoy the freedom of no monthly fee, and the monthly plan comes with a low monthly fee and unlimited transactions. Users can also reload for free at more than 130,000 locations in the country. Additionally, there is no minimum balance or credit check required with this card.

Brinks Prepaid Mastercard®
This prepaid card is a great choice for those who are looking for quick access to their paychecks, and those who wish to load their card through Netspend Reload locations. Though this card does not charge any signature transaction fee or PIN transaction fee, it does come with a monthly fee of around $9.95.