Compare Fees on Prepaid Cards

All UK Prepaid Cards

Last Updated: 29th September 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
CashPlus Gold MasterCard	Chip and Pin	£9.95 £4.95 (50% off)	Free	£4.95	£5,000	ATM Fee = 99p (uk) Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.75%	-Purchase Protection Included -Can add Creditbuilder and improve your credit score -Top-up at the Post Office and epay	£4.95
Optimum MasterCard	Chip and Pin	£9.95	Post Office = Free Debit Card = Free BACS Payment = Free PayPoint = 3%	£4.95	£5,000	ATM Fee = £1.50 (2% surcharge over £50) (uk) Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.95% Online gambling and betting transactions Fee = 3%	-Pay for your card via SMS Top-up at the Post Office and PayPoint	£4.95
The Tuxedo MasterCard	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 26 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)
Sterling Card	Chip and Pin	£8.95	Free	£5.95	£5,000	UK ATM Fee = £2.50 Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.75%	-Accepted at 26 Million Locations -Purchase Protection Included -Low cost for Medium / frequent users -Top-up at the Post Office and epay	£5.95
Virgin Prepaid MasterCard	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 26 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
The Sun Prepaid MasterCard Pay as you go	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 26 Million Locations -No Monthly Fees -Pay as you go	£7.37 (2.95% purchase per use fee)
The Tuxedo MasterCard Pay as you go	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 26 Million Locations -No Monthly Fees -Pay as you go	£7.37 (2.95% purchase per use fee)
payzone worldwide money MasterCard		£5.00	£0 - £100 =£3.95 £101 - £350 =£6.95 (max single reload = £350)	Free	Upto £10,000	Per use fee = Free ATM Fee = £1.50 (uk) Foreign Transaction Fee = 3%	-Free to use in shops and online -No Monthly Account Fee -All Tops-ups are loaded onto the MasterCard instantly -Load up to £10,000 or £1,700 per year without sending ID	£6.95
CrewCard MasterCard	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
CashPlus MasterCard Gold Pay-As-You-Go	Chip and Pin	£9.95	Free	Free	£5,000	UK ATM Fee = 99p Foreign Transaction Fee = 2.75% Per Use Fee (purchases) = £1.00	-Accepted at 26 Million Locations -Purchase Protection Included -Low cost for occasional users	£12 (£1 per transaction)
Cred Maestro Card	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 9 Million Locations	£0.70 (if reloaded at PostOffice)
The BREAD Card	Chip and Pin	£10.00	Post Office = Free PayPoint = 3% (max reload £500) Standing Order/Payroll BACS = Free (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 9 Million Locations	£5.00
Splash Plastic	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%	-Accepted on gambling sites -Pay By Text Message -Great for under 18's, and available to persons aged 10 and over. -Accepted at 9 Million Locations -Choice of plastic design	£6.25 (if reloaded by bank trfr/wages)
On-x Prepaid Maestro Card	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
The Aspinall Maestro Card	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
Quidity Mirror Card Prepaid Maestro		£5.00	Post Office = Free PayPoint = 3% Credit/Debit Card = 1.95% - min. £1.00	Free	£3500	Per Use Fee (purchases) = £2.95% UK ATM Fee = £1.50 +2% if over £50 Foreign Transaction Fee = 0.55% Annual Fee = £4.95	-Accepted at 9 Million Locations -Top-up at paypoint and post office	£7.37 (based on 2.95% fees on all UK transactions)
3V Voucher		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
Post Office Travel Card (£)		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