Debit Cards | Credit Card Topics

What is Overdraft Protection? How to Safeguard Your Finances When Using Prepaid or Debit Cards

By: Eric Bank, 11/25/2024

Is overdraft protection a convenient safety net or a slimy way to separate you from your money? It promises to bail you out when you go a little wild with your debit card, but occasionally, that promise isn’t worth the price tag. Overdraft protection for debit and prepaid cards is a service that covers transactions when you spend more than what's in your account, often for a fee. To determine whether you’re getting a good deal or being taken for a ride, you must... read more »

What Is a Debit Card? How Deposit-Based Cards Differ From Credit Cards

By: Eric Bank, 8/28/2024

I just got my two grandnephews, ages 8 and 4, their first debit cards. The older kid was over the moon, and the younger one liked the card’s pretty colors. It’s never too soon to teach kids how to handle money, though I admit 4 may be pushing it a bit. A debit card is a type of payment card that allows you to manage money from a linked account to pay for purchases, make bill payments, or withdraw cash from an ATM. It functions similarly to a credit card just without the... read more »

7 Best No-Fee Debit Cards (2025)

By: Choncé Maddox, 3/10/2025

Debit cards are an essential part of modern-day banking and a convenient option to make purchases. Unfortunately, some banks and debit card issuers charge fees, including checking account monthly maintenance fees, ATM fees, and overdraft fees. These costs can add up, but you can avoid them by considering a no-fee debit card. Here, we cover the best no-fee debit cards that you can get, even if you don’t have the best credit or would prefer a banking alternative. ... read more »

7 Things to Know About the Discover Debit Card (2024)

By: Eric Bank, 1/31/2024

Discover® is renowned for its high-value, low-cost financial products, and the Discover® Cashback Debit is a leading example. The card caters to consumers who’d rather bank online than at a brick-and-mortar branch. The card offers cash back rewards without fees or minimums, and you don’t need a credit history to get one. If all that works for you, keep reading to learn about the Discover® Cashback Debit's key features and terms. 1. It is a Full-Fledged Checking... read more »

Do Debit Cards Affect Credit Scores?

By: John Ulzheimer, 12/21/2023

TLDR: It depends on whether your debit card has an associated line of credit or overdraft protection and whether your debit card issuer reports such accounts to the credit bureaus. If your debit card does have overdraft protection or an associated line of credit, and the card’s issuer chooses to report it to the credit bureaus, then it can help your credit scores if the account is paid back on time, or it can lower your credit scores if it’s paid late or goes into default. ... read more »

5 Best Reloadable Debit Cards (2025)

By: Eric Bank, 3/11/2025

Reloadable debit cards provide an effective way to pay with plastic without incurring debt. You use them to spend money you’ve already deposited, so credit is unnecessary, and a bank account is optional. You can also say goodbye to late fees and overdrafts. We review the best debit cards — a healthy mix of prepaid and bank-issued products. You can use these cards to make purchases, pay bills, withdraw cash from ATMs, and send money to other individuals. Best Reloadable... read more »

4 Best Online Bank Accounts With Instant Debit Cards (2024)

By: Eric Bank, 3/21/2024

Online banks continue to flourish because of their convenience, flexibility, and excellent interest rates. Instant debit cards reinforce convenience by eliminating the wait for a physical card to arrive in the mail. You can request an instant debit card when you open an account at our reviewed online banks. Feel free to use these cards for online shopping, money transfers, and bill paying, and you can add one to your mobile wallet to make in-person purchases at participating... read more »

9 Best Debit Cards With No ATM Fees (2024)

By: Bob Haegele, 3/21/2024

Banks typically charge you a fee when you withdraw funds from an ATM that is not in your bank’s network. Add this to the numerous fees banks sometimes charge, such as maintenance fees and overdraft fees, and the last thing you need is another fee. Fortunately, most debit cards let you avoid ATM fees when using your card at an in-network ATM. These networks have locations around the country, and an ATM locator is usually available on your card issuer’s website or app, making them... read more »

Sequin Debit Card Empowers Women to Build Credit and Help Close the Financial Gender Gap

By: Jon McDonald, 3/2/2022

Sequin is on a mission to help close the gender gap in finance with its card product that helps women develop their credit. The debit card can provide a crucial stepping stone to other products that help women build a financial profile and increase their credit score. Sequin also helps women understand the financial system and position themselves to capitalize on opportunities. Sequin focuses on helping younger women build credit, and it plans to launch additional credit... read more »

Friz Uses Nontraditional Financial Data to Offer Debit Cards, Credit Lines, and Cash Advances to Freelancers

By: Adam West, 2/16/2022

Freelance workers may not have formal business entities, but they market themselves, manage revenue, and pay taxes as a business does. But traditional banks may overlook them as candidates for credit because they don't have fixed employment or income. Friz overcomes that roadblock for freelancers in Singapore by using nontraditional forms of financial data, including work activity and invoicing history, to demonstrate creditworthiness. That enables Friz to offer debit... read more »

Wirex Card Integrates Traditional and Digital Currencies for Global Spending That Saves Users Fees and Pays Rewards

By: Adam West, 1/5/2022

The Wirex card enables debit card spending worldwide and also functions as a digital currency exchange. It allows users to manage dozens of traditional and digital currencies while charging no exchange fees and paying up to 2% rewards back. Wirex plans to enter many more global markets to bring digital currency into the mainstream as a means of global exchange and spending flexibility. When the co-founders of the Wirex debit card platform met as London business... read more »

GoHenry: A Debit Card and App for Kids That Teach Financial Responsibility Through Interactive Games

By: Jon McDonald, 12/9/2021

Today’s consumers often spend and save in a nearly cashless environment. But card products from traditional banks don't teach kids about financial responsibility or give them access to funds in a way that's easy for parents to manage. The GoHenry debit card and app give children as young as 6 control of their own money with parental supervision. GoHenry includes fun, interactive, age-appropriate Money Mission games and helps kids learn to navigate the cashless world of... read more »

ONE VIP Visa Debit Card Supports Black-Owned Businesses and Rewards Spending

By: Adam West, 12/1/2021

The Black community has historically been underserved by traditional banking institutions. That's why the country's largest Black-owned media company — Urban One — created the ONE VIP card to help spread the wealth. ONE VIP is a Visa debit card and app that allow users to receive rewards for shopping at Black businesses, and users can even deposit payroll, tax, and benefit checks directly into their prepaid account. The card program aims to foster trust in financial... read more »

Wealthfront Offers Automated Investing, Financial Education, and an Interest-Bearing Cash Account Linked to a Debit Card

By: Adam West, 11/9/2021

Before connected digital tools, companies in the financial management space kept their operations isolated, and the time it took to consolidate information was too much for most consumers. Wealthfront uses digital automation to bridge the gap between financial services and lower costs, and it puts money to work for consumers. It combines banking, investment, and credit products with access to high-quality advice in its comprehensive app and platform to help consumers... read more »

Robinhood’s Cash Management Tool and Debit Card Enhance its Mission to Democratize Finance

By: Adam West, 11/2/2021

Investing in the stock market has traditionally been reserved for the wealthy. But the expansion of technology has heralded the democratization of finance. Robinhood has spearheaded those efforts by enabling fractional investing, placing a powerful wealth-building tool within everyone’s reach. Robinhood also offers a Cash Management feature and debit card that provide convenience and support for all users. Consumers who use the Robinhood app can start investing... read more »

Hatch Business Checking Accounts and Debit Cards Help SMBs Save on Fees and Earn Rewards

By: Adam West, 4/14/2021

The last thing new or struggling businesses need is a chronic bank fee burden. That's why the Hatch business checking account and debit card dispense with minimum balance and overdraft fees that can chip away at cash flow for small businesses. The modern fintech, an emerging team player for SMBs, incorporates a 1% to 5% cash back rewards and discount program into its card products. That removes obstacles and can transform business checking from a cost center into a... read more »

The Bancorp Provides Prepaid Debit Card and Technology Solutions to Non-Bank Financial Firms

By: Adam West, 2/15/2021

The Bancorp is a leading provider of private-label banking and technology solutions to non-bank companies. Top neobank operations rely on The Bancorp Bank, the wholly owned banking subsidiary of The Bancorp, Inc., to power innovative financial products. The Bancorp offers customer-focused guidance, creative thinking, and operational support that helps firms from the startup to the Fortune 500 level differentiate and thrive. As technology introduces more capabilities... read more »

The Current™ Debit Card Motivates Gen Z to Learn Financial Responsibility While Offering Parents Convenience and Security

By: Adam West, 10/19/2020

Young Americans aren't typically thought of as sound financial planners, but the Current debit card and money management platform is empowering the next generation to break that stereotype. Parents can connect their bank accounts to the mobile-only Current app and retain visibility on transactions and control over how money can be spent. Their children can use the secure Current chip card and app for purchases, receiving deposits, managing their accounts, and even... read more »

Greenlight’s Instantly Loadable Debit Card Helps Parents Raise Financially Smart Children

By: Ray FitzGerald, 10/19/2020

Every parent wants their child to grow up with solid financial know-how, but teaching proper spending and savings habits is difficult in a society that uses more plastic than cash. The Greenlight Debit Card for Kids helps parents introduce their children to modern payment methods with a card that pairs with a mobile application, allowing parents to automatically disburse allowance, and monitor and approve spending. Parents can set and pay an interest rate for money their... read more »

CARD.com’s Prepaid Visa® Cards Offer Fun Designs, Widespread ATM Access & Mobile App Management

By: Ray FitzGerald, 10/19/2020

In a Nutshell: Payment cards have lost a lot of their individuality over the last 30 years. Customers don’t have the option to personalize cards the way they did with personal checks. To add some personality to the payment space, CARD.com offers prepaid Visa® debit cards that can be printed with any of the more than 1,000 affinity images — from Betty Boop to your favorite NFL football player. As they are not credit cards, the prepaid products require no credit checks and have no... read more »

BitPay Enables Bitcoin Owners to Cash In on Their Investment Anywhere Visa® is Accepted

By: Ray FitzGerald, 10/19/2020

In a Nutshell: Bitcoin's value explosion is unlike anything seen in the financial market in several decades. As prices surge past $10,00o per coin, the number of retailers accepting the currency as payment only moderately rises. To combat that, BitPay developed a system that converts coins into dollars and instantly loads the value onto a prepaid debit card that can be used anywhere Visa is accepted. The card experienced nearly 700% growth in 2017. In addition to the card, BitPay also... read more »

Can I Use My Debit Card as a Credit Card? 3 Things to Know (May 2025)

By: Shannon McNay, 5/9/2025

For the longest time, when I was making a purchase and the "credit" or "debit" option appeared on the terminal screen, I quietly wondered, "Can I use my debit card as a credit card?" I would never ask the sales clerk though. I assumed it was common knowledge I had somehow missed out on learning. But that wasn't exactly the case. Leave it to banks to overcomplicate the issue. Giving consumers a debit card and then providing the option to choose “credit” or “debit” without... read more »

3 FAQs: ATM Card vs. Debit Card vs. Credit Card (May 2025)

By: Linsey Knerl, 5/9/2025

Having plastic in your wallet is almost a necessity these days. Not only is it convenient to be able to swipe or tap to make a payment for your everyday purchases, but some retailers require it. And if you do any shopping online, you'll likely need to have some type of credit or debit card to complete a transaction. Before you acquire your next piece of plastic, it’s important to know that not all card types are created equal. Below, we'll dive more deeply into the differences... read more »

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All articles tagged Debit Cards (23)