Best prepaid debit cards: Top 6 UK picks

Interested in getting a prepaid debit card? Perhaps you want to manage your spending more carefully, you don’t have a bank account or you have a poor credit score. Or maybe you’re looking for a prepaid card designed for travel spending.

Whatever you’re looking for, we’re here to help. Read on for a complete guide to the best prepaid debit cards in the UK right now. We’ll look at their main features and fees, so you can compare all the options before choosing a card.

We’ll also show you an alternative to a prepaid debit card from the money services provider Wise – the Wise card. It’s perfect for travel, letting you spend in the local currency in 150+ countries worldwide for low fees* and mid-market exchange rates. Just top off your Wise account from your bank account and you’re all set to use this card.

Learn more about the Wise card

Table of contents

What is a prepaid debit card? Advantages and disadvantages of prepaid debit cards How to pick the best prepaid debit card? Are there any free prepaid debit cards in the UK? Quick comparison of the best prepaid debit cards Top 6 picks for the best prepaid debit cards in the UK Tesco Clubcard Pay+ Prepaid Card - Best for fee-free spending HyperJar Prepaid Card - Best for spending abroad Suits Me Essential Card - Best for poor credit score FairFX Prepaid Multi-currency Card - Best for multi-currency spending Pockit Prepaid Mastercard - Best for multi-tiered plans Ode Cashback Card - Best for earning cashback Which prepaid debit cards are best for kids? A great alternative for low-cost spending abroad - the Wise card

What is a prepaid debit card?

A prepaid debit card is similar to an ordinary debit card, in that you can use it for spending and cash withdrawals.

However, there’s one big difference. Where a standard debit card is linked to a current account, a prepaid card needs to be loaded or ‘topped up’ with funds. You can’t spend more than what is loaded on the card.

Prepaid cards aren’t usually issued by UK banks - you’ll usually find them offered by alternative providers and specialist services.

Advantages and disadvantages of prepaid debit cards

Prepaid debit cards aren’t for everyone. Let’s run through some of the main pros and cons to bear in mind before getting one.

Advantages:

• A good way to manage your spending - as it’s not possible to go overdrawn or spend more than you have.
• You don’t necessarily need a UK bank account to get one.
• You can usually get a prepaid card even if you have a poor credit history.
• Some prepaid card providers offer specialist travel cards for spending abroad in multiple currencies.
• Some cards offer rewards or cashback.

Disadvantages:

• Some prepaid cards have high fees for transactions, ATM withdrawals and topping up the card. You might also face inactivity fees for not using the card.
• You might struggle to top up your card while abroad.
• Prepaid cards aren’t covered under Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act - this is the piece of legislation that protects credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000. However, you will still have chargeback protection.¹
• There are some places where you can’t use prepaid cards, such as car hire firms, hotel bookings and some petrol stations.¹

How to pick the best prepaid debit card?

Fees will be the main thing to watch out for when shopping around for a prepaid card that suits your needs. It’s important to read the small print, to understand exactly what you’ll be charged to get and use the card.

You should also look at how the card is managed. An app-managed card can be easiest, but only if you have a smartphone and are comfortable managing your money that way.

If you plan to use the card overseas, you’ll need to check whether the card permits spending and ATM withdrawals in other currencies. And crucially, if there are any fees for currency conversion and foreign transactions - and what the exchange rate will be.

💡 Read more: UK travel credit cards you can use abroad

Are there any free prepaid debit cards in the UK?

Most prepaid cards have fees of some type or another. Some have monthly or annual fees, while others charge for top ups, spending overseas and/or ATM withdrawals. It’s always important to check the list of fees carefully before signing up.

The exception is the Tesco Clubcard Pay+ Prepaid Card, which doesn’t have any fees to get the card, spend on it or top up. We’ll give you all the details below.

Quick comparison of the best prepaid debit cards

When you’re choosing between prepaid debit cards, your decision will mostly come down to cost.

So to help you compare options, here’s a quick look at all the main fees for our list of prepaid debit cards in the UK:

Card	Card order fee	Monthly fee	Transaction fee	Top-up fee	ATM fees
Tesco Clubcard Pay+ Prepaid Card	Free	Free	- Free for UK/GBP - 2.75% for other currencies²	Free	- Free for UK/GBP - 2.75% + 1% for other currencies²
HyperJar Prepaid Card	Free	Free	Free in the UK and overseas	- Free for loads of £10+ - 50p for loads under £10³	ATM withdrawals unavailable
Suits Me Essential Card	Free	Free	- Free for UK/GBP - £1 + 2% for other currencies⁴	£1.25⁴	- £1.50 for UK - £1.50 + 2% for Europe - £2.50 + 2% worldwide⁴
FairFX Prepaid Multi-currency Card	Free	Free	- Free in 20 supported currencies - 2.25% for other currencies⁵	- Free for loading funds - £5 for refunds⁵	£1 for all withdrawals⁵
Pockit Prepaid Mastercard	£0.99 to £19.99⁶	£0 to £9.99⁶	- Free for UK/GBP - 4% in other currencies⁶	£1.99⁶	- £1.99 in the UK - £2.25 overseas⁶
Ode Cashback Card	Free	Free for first year, £2.99 a year after⁷	- Free for UK/GBP - 2.5% in other currencies⁷	Free	ATM withdrawals unavailable

Top 6 picks for the best prepaid debit cards in the UK

Now, let’s look at each of our top UK prepaid debit cards in a little more detail.

Read on for a roundup of features, what each card is best for, if there are any fees and some more useful info on each option.

Tesco Clubcard Pay+ Prepaid Card - Best for fee-free spending

The Tesco Clubcard Pay+ Prepaid Card is a debit card that comes with a Clubcard Pay+ payment account. It’s also your Clubcard, so you’ll need to open a Clubcard account (for free) to get it.⁸

The account is managed via the Tesco Bank Mobile Banking app. There are no fees to get the card or activate it, and you can also top up, spend and withdraw cash for free. You can use the card outside the UK, but foreign transaction fees apply for spending or withdrawing cash in foreign currency.⁸

Features include:⁸

• Earn 1 Clubcard point for every £1 spent in Tesco
• Earn 1 Clubcard point for every £8 spent elsewhere
• Access to a Round Up Savings Account, where your debit card purchases are rounded up to the nearest pound and the difference added to a savings pot.

HyperJar Prepaid Card - Best for spending abroad

The HyperJar prepaid card is an app-managed card designed for spending only, so you can’t use it for cash withdrawals.

Features include:⁹

• Cashback offers for selected brands
• Exclusive discounts and rewards for saving in the app
• No transaction fees or exchange rate mark-ups when spending abroad
• Bill sharing
• Jars for saving
• Options for kids, teens and childminders.

Suits Me Essential Card - Best for poor credit score

The Suits Me Essential Card comes with the Essential Account, and is described as a ‘pay as you go card’.

Features include:⁴

• Payments and transfers from your account (fees apply)
• Cashback on card spending with partner retailers
• Discounts on spending on selected brands
• 24/7 money management via the Suits Me App.

The card can be used for both spending and cash withdrawals abroad, but fees apply.

Suits Me also has Premium and Premium Plus accounts available, where you’ll pay monthly fees in exchange for lower transaction fees and more perks.

FairFX Prepaid Multi-currency Card - Best for multi-currency spending

If you’re looking for a prepaid card specifically for travel, the FairFX Prepaid Multi-currency Card could be worth a look.

It lets you pre-load and spend in 20 currencies worldwide, wherever Mastercard is accepted. There are quite a few fees though, including a £2 per month inactivity fee.⁵

Features include:⁵

• 20 supported currencies, for spending in 190 countries - including GBP, EUR, USD, AUD, NZD, CAD, DKK, JPY and CHF.
• Up to 3.5% cashback online or in-store at some of the UK’s leading high street retailers.
• Virtual cards available to create instantly.

💡 Read more: Prepaid USD cards in the UK: exchange rates and fees

Pockit Prepaid Mastercard - Best for multi-tiered plans

Pockit is a personal prepaid account and card, which you can apply for with no hard credit checks required.

It has a choice of monthly plans available, ranging from £0 to £9.99 a month.¹⁰ The more you pay, the more features and perks you get. However, it’s worth bearing in mind that there are still plenty of transaction fees with the Pockit Prepaid Mastercard.

Features include:¹⁰

• Up to 15% in cashback and rewards from major high street brands (paid plans only).
• Up to £1,000 purchase protection against damage or theft (paid plans only).
• Pockit Credit Builder tool (paid plans only).
• Apply for £50 cash advance before payday (0% interest, but fee applies).
• Spend and withdraw cash abroad (fees apply).

Ode Cashback Card - Best for earning cashback

Now for something a little more niche, but still very useful for some people. If you work within sectors such as charity, education or health and social care, you can apply for an Ode cashback card.

It’s free to load up the card, and offers cashback on spending. An annual fee is charged after the first year though, and there’s also an inactivity fee of £5 a month if you don’t use the card for 12 months.⁷

Features include:¹¹

• Up to 16% cashback on high street brands, both online and in-store.
• No credit checks.
• Easy top-ups.
• App-based management.

You can only use the card for spending, not ATM withdrawals. It works overseas, but there’s a foreign transaction fee.

Which prepaid debit cards are best for kids?

Prepaid debit cards are also good options for children, as they start to learn about money. This is because they can be managed by parents and guardians, who control spending by topping up the card. This makes them much safer than ordinary debit cards linked to children’s bank accounts.

Many prepaid debit cards for kids also have additional features, to help children learn about budgeting and saving.

If this sounds like something you’d be interested in for your child, here are a few options to check out:

• NatWest Rooster Money - a pocket money app and prepaid debit card for kids aged 6 to 17. Parents can manage allowances and spending, set chores and encourage children to save for goals.
• Nimbl - another pocket money app and card for children aged 6 to 18, offering instant top-up, automated pocket money payments and spending alerts.
• GoHenry - a popular prepaid card and app for children aged 6 to 18, with tools to help kids learn practical money management skills. Features include weekly pocket money, payment for chores, ‘money missions’ and even an options junior ISA.

A great alternative for low-cost spending abroad - the Wise card

Looking to do some travelling and need a convenient and cost-effective card that you can top up from your main bank account?

Get yourself a Wise card and you can spend at the mid-market rate in 150+ countries, whenever you want.

Open a Wise account online and you can get a Wise card for a one-time cost of just £7. Your card automatically converts currency whenever you spend, so you don’t need to worry about preloading your account or converting cash. There’s only a small conversion fee* to pay.

And if you need cash, your Wise card has you covered. You can withdraw up to £200 a month (max 2 withdrawals) from ATMs for free (although double-check that the ATM operator doesn’t charge its own fee).

Sign up with Wise today 💰

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Sources used:

1. MoneySavingExpert - Prepaid cards
2. Tesco Bank - Clubcard Pay+ Terms and Conditions
3. HyperJar - Fees and limits
4. Suits Me - Essential Current Account
5. FairFX - Multi-currency card
6. Pockit - Terms
7. HealthServiceDiscounts - Ode Cashback Card Terms and Conditions
8. Tesco - Clubcard Pay+
9. HyperJar - Prepaid card
10. Pockit - Plans
11. HealthServiceDiscounts - Ode Cashback Card

Sources last checked on date: 03-Sep-2024