PrePaid “Credit” Cards

Credit cards can be a convenient way to move through today’s world. BUT if you don’t like the idea of credit or the loss of privacy related to opening an account there are prepaid credit cards.

They have varying degrees of cost and some require ID but a few will fit the need nicely.

Check out the list below and help us decide which is best in terms of fees and privacy. Leave your comments below

this is a list for Canada – do you have a USA list?

SOURCE – http://forums.redflagdeals.com/prepaid-credit-cards-continuously-updated-532830/

This thread is updated regularly – Last Update: November 11, 2015

I noticed there have been people hunting prepaid credit/gift cards so I put into a list as below that are offered to Canadians. This thread is about prepaid Visa/Mastercard/AMEX brand card and not about secured credit card. While they are similar in nature, secured cards do affect credit score ratings whereas prepaid ones don’t.

The Financial Consumer Agency of Canada published a useful guide where you will find more info about the card products.
http://www.fcac-acfc.gc.ca/Eng/resources/publications/paymentOptions/Documents/PrepaidC-Lescarte.pdf

The only prepaid cards that are embossed (ie. with numbers raised on the card) are the BMO Travel Mosaik Mastercard, Desjardins Visa Card (QC/ON only) & RBC Visa Gift Card. All other cards are ‘flat’, only for electronic authorization only

You can now find Prepaid Cards at:

Non-Reloadable ones No ID required except RBC/VanCity [YMMV].

Visa

RBC Branches (Visa Gift Card $25- 500) (Loading Fee-$3.95, cash only. Funds do not expire)
http://www.rbcroyalbank.com/visagiftcard/purchase.html

Vancity Branches (MyTreat Visa Gift Card $25-1000) (Loading Fee-$2, cash only. Funds do not expire)
https://www.vancity.com/Visa/TypesOfVisa/enviroReloadableVisa/

Shoppers Drug Mart (Vanilla Prepaid Visa Card $35-250 denominations) (Loading Fee -$4.95 to 7.95 Funds do not expire) [May have to ask cashier for selection or cash-debit only]
http://visaprepaidcanada.com/

Canada Post Office (“Give Joy” Visa Gift Card $25-250) (Loading Fee-$3.95-6.95, cash or debit only Funds do not expire)
http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/productsservices/visagiftcard.jsf

Safeway, Mac’s, Rexall, Staples, Save-on-Foods, Real Canadian Superstore, Thrifty Foods, Sobeys, Lawtons & Metro (Visa Gift Card $25, 50, 100 and 200) (Loading Fee $3.95-5.95 Funds do not expire)
https://visacard.giftcardstore.ca/
3V Visa ($20-500) (Loading Fee – $2.95 to 6.95, virtual card with 90 days expiry date. Can be purchased online with online banking)
https://www.3vcash.ca/index.html

Mastercard

All Trans Pre-Funded MasterCard (Maximum $2500)
http://www.alltrans.com/about-us/news/news8.php

7-11, Shoppers Drug Mart, Sears and MoneyMart (Vanilla Mastercard $25, 50, 75, 100 or 200) (Loading Fee $3.95-6.95 Funds do not expire, beware certain websites will not accept this card due to lack of address registration)
http://www.vanillamastercard.com/

West Edmonton Mall (MasterCard Gift Card $20- 500) (Loading Fee-$2 Funds do not expire)
http://www.wem.ca/#/shop/wem-card

Safeway & Lawtons (The Ideal Choice MasterCard Gift Card $25, 50, 100) (Loading Fee $2.95-5.95 Funds do not expire)
https://mastercard.giftcardstore.ca/

American Express

Shoppers Drug Mart, 7-11, Couche-Tard, Quickie Convenience & Circle K (AMEX Gift Card $50, 100 or 200-500) (Loading Fee $4.95-8.95 Funds do not expire) Note: Card can only be used in Canada and US.
http://www.americanexpress.com/canada/en/giftcards/index.shtml

Reloadable Ones ID Required by law.

Mastercard
Bank of Montreal Prepaid Travel Mosaik MasterCard ($6.95 annual fee, account bill payment/transfer only)
http://www.bmo.com/home/personal/banking/credit-cards/prepaid-credit-cards

My Vanilla Reloadable MasterCard (Available at 7-11, Fine Foods in SK and Avondale Food Stores in ON)
https://www.myvanillacard.com

PC Financial Prepaid MasterCard
https://prepaid.pcfinancial.ca/

Cash Passport Prepaid Mastercard (Cannot be used in Cuba, Iran, Myanmar, Sudan and Syria)
http://www.cashpassport.com/1/en/ca/

Opt+ MasterCard (Cash Money Stores)
http://myoptplus.ca/

nTrust MasterCard
https://www.ntrust.com/

Titanium+ MasterCard @ MoneyMart ($12.99 + tax Purchase Fee, $0.50 per POS if choose the $6.50 monthly fee option or pay $12.99/mth without POS/ATM fee)
http://www.mytitanium.ca/

Visa

Vancity enviro Reloadable VISA ($14.95 for new card, $4.95/month- BC Residents only)
https://www.vancity.com/Visa/TypesOfVisa/enviroReloadableVisa/

Desjardins Visa prepaid card ($6.95/year – QC/ON Residents only)
http://www.desjardins.com/ca/personal/loans-credit/prepaid-card/

Citizens Bank Reloadable Visa card ($14.95 for new card, $4.95/month)
https://www.citizensbank.ca/Visa/CitizensBankReloadableVisa/

Scotiabank Prepaid Reloadable Visa Card ($10 for new card, $10/year)
http://www.scotiabank.com/ca/en/0,,7772,00.html

Canada Post Reloadable VISA ($15 for new card – temporary card available at Post Office)
http://www.canadapost.ca/cpo/mc/personal/productsservices/visagiftcard.jsf

Petro Canada PIVOT reloadable Visa card (fuel saving discount available to cardholders)
http://services.petro-canada.ca/pivotcard/

Angry Birds Visa Prepaid Card
https://angrybirds.paymobile.com/ang…s/ex/index.jsp

Link Prepaid Visa Card (at NorthMart and Northern stores across Canada)
http://www.northmart.ca/financial/financial-prepaid-visa-card.php

We Financial Visa Prepaid card (at Northern, NorthMart, Valu Lots, and select Giant Tiger stores)
http://www.wefinancial.ca/

ZoomPass
https://www.zoompass.com/web/personal/index.jsp

PayPower (Safeway & Home Depot, excluding SK, QC, NWT & YK) ($5.95 purchase fee, Load between $20 and $950)
https://paypower.ca/

US Dollars/Euro/British Pound card
See Cash Passport Mastercard above.

Last edited by cahk; Nov 12th, 2015 at 01:51 AM. Reason: update info