Bad Credit Prepaid Cards
UK Pre paid Cards
Last Updated: 1st June 2008
The following table compares all of the UK’s top prepaid cards. It's ordered by product type - full MasterCard or Visa CHIP first, Maestro/Electron Mag only last, and then by aprox usage cost. This estimated cost may be higher or lower based on your intended use and selected prepaid product type. It is just a guide to enable a more informed selection.
All Prepaid Cards | Cards for under 18's | Prepaid Gold Cards | Prepaid Business Cards | Prepaid Travel Cards | Pay As You Go Prepaid Cards
Prepaid Card Issuer |
Card Type |
Card Issue Fee (inc. Postage) |
Reload Fees |
Monthly Fees |
Max Balance Allowed in Account |
Other Fees |
Key Benefits |
Approximate monthly fees, based on one £250 reload per month and 3 purchase's each week |
Chip and Pin |
£9.95 |
Free |
£4.95 |
£5,000 |
ATM Fee = £2.00 (uk) Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.75% |
-Accepted on gambling sites -Purchase Protection Included -Can add Creditbuilder and improve your credit score -Top-up at the Post Office and epay |
£4.95 |
|
Chip and Pin |
£9.95 |
- Cash reloads at bank branch = Free using Paying-in Book - Cash loads at PayPoint = 3% - Top-up at PostOffice = 99p - Bank transfer = Free - BACS / Wages online = Free |
£4.99 |
£3,000 |
UK ATM Fee = 50p Foreign Exchange rate Fee = 0% |
-Accepted at 24.6 Million Locations -Lowest ATM cash withdrawal fee, compared to all other prepaid MasterCard branded cards -Fixed monthly fee with no hidden usage Fees |
£4.99 (If loaded via bank branch) |
|
Chip and Pin |
£8.95 |
Free |
£5.95 |
£5,000 |
UK ATM Fee = £2.50 Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.75% |
-Accepted at 24.6 Million Locations -Purchase Protection Included -Low cost for Medium / frequent users -Top-up at the Post Office and epay |
£5.95 |
|
Chip and Pin |
£9.95 |
Post Office = Free Debit Card = Free BACS Payment = Free PayPoint = 2.75% |
Free |
£3,500 |
Per Use Retail Fee = 2.95% (uk) / 3.5% (int) ATM Fee = 2.95% (uk) / 3.5% (Int) |
-Accepted at 24.6 Million Locations -Top-up at the Post Office, PayPoint and by Debit/credit card - Access to the Virgin Discount Network |
£7.35 (2.95% fee on purchase transactions) |
|
Chip and Pin |
£6.49 |
- Cash reloads at bank branch = Free using Paying-in Book - Cash loads at PayPoint = Free until 1 May 2008 - Top-up via Credit/Debit card = 1.95% (min 50p) - Bank transfer = Free - BACS / Wages online = Free |
Free |
£3,000 |
UK ATM Fee = 1.5% (99pmin/£1.50max) Foreign Exchange rate Fee = 0% Per Use Fee (Uk/Intnl purchases) = 2.95% of transaction value (min 50p max £1.50) |
-Accepted at 24.6 Million Locations -No Monthly Fees -Pay as you go |
£7.37 (2.95% purchase per use fee) |
|
Chip and Pin |
£9.95 |
- Cash reloads at bank branch = Free using Paying-in Book - Cash loads at PayPoint = Free until 1 May 2008 - Top-up via Credit/Debit card = 1.95% (min 50p) - Bank transfer = Free - BACS / Wages online = Free |
Free |
£3,000 |
UK ATM Fee = 1.5% (99pmin/£1.50max) Foreign Exchange rate Fee = 0% Per Use Fee (Uk/Intnl purchases) = 2.95% of transaction value (min 50p max £1.50) |
-Accepted at 24.6 Million Locations -No Monthly Fees -Pay as you go |
£7.37 (2.95% purchase per use fee) |
|
Chip and Pin |
£10.00 pack inc. 2 cards |
- Cash reloads at bank branch = Free - Cash loads at Payzone = 3% - Top-up via Debit card = £0.70 - BACS / Wages online = £0.70 |
£0.50 |
£3,000 |
ATM Fee = £1.25 (uk/int) Foreign Exchange rate Fee = 3% |
-low UK ATM fees -low monthly Fee -Money Share via SMS |
£0.50 (if loaded at bank branch |
|
Chip and Pin |
£9.95 |
Free |
Free |
£5,000 |
UK ATM Fee = £2.00 Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.75% Per Use Fee (purchases) = £1.00 |
-Accepted at 24.6 Million Locations -Purchase Protection Included -Low cost for occasional users |
£12 (£1 per transaction) |
|
Chip and Pin |
£8.95 |
PostOffice = £0.70 Up to 3% of reload at PayPoint/internet Debit card needed to apply |
Free |
£1000 |
UK ATM Fee = £1.00 Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.00% |
-Great for under 18's -Chip and Pin Protected -Accepted at 7 Million Locations |
£0.70 (if reloaded at PostOffice) |
|
Chip and Pin |
£10.00 |
PayPoint = 3% (max reload £500) Standing Order/Payroll BACS = £0.25 (max reload £3,500) Debit card or SMS needed to apply |
Free |
£3,500 |
UK Purchase per use fee = 2% UK ATM Fee = £1.50 Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.75% |
-Very low reload fees -Low cost ATM Withdrawal fees -Accepted at over 7 Million Locations |
£5.25 (if reloaded via BACS) |
|
Chip and Pin |
£5 |
Bank Transfers/Wage Payments = Free Post Office/Paypoint = £0.30 per £10 loaded Credit/Debit Card = 2.5% - min. £1.50 |
Free |
£3500 |
Per Use Fee (purchases) = £2.5% Annual Fee = £4.95 (payable on first reload) UK ATM Fee = £1.50 (+ 2% for withdrawals above £50) Foreign Transaction Fee = Additional 1.00% Gambling or betting transactions = Additional 1.00% |
-Pay By Text Message -Great for under 18's, and available to persons aged 10 and over. -Accepted at 7 Million Locations -Choice of plastic design |
£6.25 (if reloaded by bank trfr/wages) |
|
Chip and Pin |
£8.98 |
Online Reloads = 50p Post Office Reloads = 50p |
Free |
£3,000 |
Per Use Fee (uk purchases) = 50p ATM Fee = £2.00 (uk) Foreign Transaction Fee/ATM = 2.75% |
-Low cost for low users -Top-up at the Post Office -Pay as you go Prepaid card |
£6.50 |
|
Chip and Pin |
£11.98 |
Online Reloads = 50p Post Office Reloads = 50p |
Free |
£3,000 |
Per Use Fee (uk purchases) = 50p ATM Fee = £2.00 (uk) Foreign Transaction Fee/ATM = 2.75% |
-Low cost for low users -Top-up at the Post Office -Pay as you go Prepaid card |
£6.50 |
|
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Free |
Vouchers purchased at payzone participating retailers £20 voucher = Free £30 - £100 voucher = £2 £110 - £200 voucher = £3.50 |
Free |
£200 per Voucher purchased. £1625 total value per annum |
Foreign Transaction Fee = 1.75% £1.75 to redeem unspent money on voucher |
-Available to people aged 16 and over -Accepted on the internet, over the phone and mail order |
N/A – £20 voucher = Free |
|
Free (min load amt £50) |
1.5% of re-load -min £3 max £20 (fee does not apply to €/$ card) |
Free |
£5000 |
UK ATM Fee = £1.50 Non UK ATM Fee = £2.00 Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.75% |
-Low cost Travel Card for occasional user -Also available in EUR and $ (no 2.75% foreign mark-up fee applies if used in country matching same currency as card.) |
£3.75 |




















