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Home Credit Cards Can You Buy a Prepaid Card with a Credit Card?

Can You Buy a Prepaid Card with a Credit Card?

Prepaid card being bought with a credit card

At a glance

You can usually buy a prepaid card with a credit card, but you might not be able to load it with one. It depends on the terms of your credit card agreement.

Written by Victoria Scanlon and Robert Jellison

Nov 14, 2022

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We promise to always deliver the best financial advice that we can. Our writers and editors follow strict editorial standards and operate independently from our advertisers and affiliates. Learn more about how we make money.

Prepaid cards are a useful financial tool—you can use them like credit and debit cards, but they don’t draw on lines of credit and aren’t tied to your bank account. Instead, you can spend money that you (or someone else) pre-loaded on the card. This makes them particularly popular as gifts.

It’s generally possible to buy a prepaid card with a credit card, but there are a few things you should know first. We’ll cover which prepaid cards you can buy with a credit card and where to get them.

Table of Contents

  1. Which prepaid cards can you buy with a credit card?
  2. Can you load a prepaid card using a credit card?
  3. How to buy a prepaid card with a credit card

Which prepaid cards can you buy with a credit card?

You can use a credit card to buy just about any type of prepaid card, including a prepaid Visa or prepaid Mastercard.

Prepaid cards typically don’t come with restrictions in their cardholder agreement or terms and conditions that would prevent you from using a credit card for the purchase, so it’s really up to the retailer selling the prepaid card to decide whether or not to accept credit card payments.

Most of the popular retail outlets that sell prepaid cards accept credit card payments for any purchase, so you should be able to easily find a prepaid card you can buy with a credit card.

Can you load a prepaid card using a credit card?

You may be able to use a credit card to load or reload a prepaid card with money, but it depends on the credit card you’re using.

Most prepaid card issuers will allow you to add funds to your account using a credit card. However, many credit card companies consider loading a prepaid card to be a “cash-equivalent” or “cash-like” purchase (similar to a credit card cash advance) rather than a traditional purchase. Some card issuers forbid these types of transactions. 1

Other credit cards allow cash-equivalent purchases but impose certain fees and restrictions.

Drawbacks of loading a prepaid card with a credit card

Here’s what to look out for when you transfer money from a credit card to a prepaid card:

  • Cash advance fees: Many credit card issuers charge a cash advance fee equivalent to a dollar amount (e.g., $5 or $10) or a percentage of the transaction amount (e.g., 2%–5%).
  • Low cash advance limit: Your regular credit limit may not apply to cash advances or cash-like purchases. You might only be able to load a smaller amount onto a prepaid card.
  • Higher interest charges: Some credit cards have a separate APR that applies to cash advances, which will be higher than your normal credit card APR (the purchase APR). In addition, interest may begin accumulating on the day of the transaction rather than after your regular credit card grace period.
  • Ineligibility for cashback rewards: Cash-equivalent purchases may not be eligible to earn credit card rewards, such as cash back, rewards points, or miles.

Check with your credit card issuer before loading a prepaid card (or buying a preloaded one) to ensure you’re not violating the terms and conditions of your credit card agreement or racking up excessive fees.

Can you pay your credit card bill with a prepaid card?

You may be able to pay your credit card bills with money from a prepaid card, but it’ll probably be more hassle than it’s worth. Since many banks only allow funds to be transferred from a bank account, you won’t be able to do it directly. You’ll need to withdraw funds from your prepaid card, deposit these funds into a bank account, and then use that bank account to pay your credit card bill.

How to buy a prepaid card with a credit card

Once you’ve confirmed that your credit card agreement allows cash-equivalent purchases like prepaid cards and gift cards, you can begin researching your options and finally make the purchase.

1. Decide where to buy a prepaid credit card

You can buy a prepaid debit card in a regular brick-and-mortar store or make your purchase online or over the phone. You may find more options and better deals by shopping online, but the drawback is that you may have to wait longer for your physical card to arrive in the mail.

Here are places you can shop for a prepaid card in person:

  • Banks
  • Credit unions
  • Retail stores (e.g., grocery stores, drugstores, gas stations, and convenience stores)
  • Currency exchange offices

2. Shop around

Explore lists and reviews of the best prepaid credit cards on the market and compare different offers. This is an important step in finding the perfect prepaid card for your purpose, whether it be for yourself or for someone else.

Here are some of the top prepaid cards you might want to consider:

  • Bluebird® by American Express
  • Netspend
  • Walmart MoneyCard®
  • Brink’s Prepaid Mastercard®
  • FamZoo Prepaid Card
  • PayPal Prepaid Mastercard®
  • Serve® American Express® Prepaid Debit Account

Think carefully about the type of prepaid card you want. Some prepaid cards can only be used at particular stores, whereas others can be used anywhere that accepts card payments through one of the main credit card networks. 2

If a more versatile card appeals to you, then you can narrow your search to just the prepaid cards offered by Visa, Mastercard, or American Express.

3. Set up the prepaid card account

Once you’ve chosen and purchased a prepaid card, register it so that you have protection in case it’s ever lost or stolen. Reloadable cards purchased online are usually automatically registered, but this won’t be the case if you bought your card at a retail store. 3

After setting up and activating the prepaid card, check your credit card account details to see what fees you’ve been charged and then pay off the balance as soon as possible to avoid having to pay extra interest.

If you’re giving the prepaid card as a gift, it’s also a good idea to save the receipt in case the recipient has any issues activating or loading their card.

Takeaway: You can use a credit card to buy a prepaid card if your credit card agreement allows cash-equivalent purchases.

  • You can usually buy a prepaid card by credit card from any retailer that accepts credit card payments.
  • Most credit card companies consider buying a prepaid card to be a “cash-equivalent purchase,” similar to a credit card cash advance.
  • Although most credit card issuers will allow you to buy a prepaid card, they may impose added fees and restrictions.
  • Do your research before getting a prepaid card to ensure you’re getting a good deal. You can buy a prepaid card online, over the phone, or at a bank or retail store.
  • Make sure to register the card so you’re protected in case it’s lost or stolen and pay your credit card balance as soon as possible to avoid steep interest charges.

Article Sources

  1. Wells Fargo. "Credit cards" Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  2. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "How do I shop for and buy a prepaid card?" Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  3. Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. "Understand your prepaid card disclosure" Retrieved November 14, 2022.

Victoria Scanlon

Credit & Finance Editor

View Author

Victoria Scanlon is a professional writer, editor, and researcher for FinanceJar. She has experience editing research for publication in academic journals and writing educational content. Her goal is to help non-experts better understand topics related to personal finance and credit repair so that they can make more-informed financial decisions.

Robert Jellison

Managing Editor

View Author

Robert Jellison is a Managing Editor and writer specializing in the intersection of insurance, finance, and tech. In the past, he's written and edited work for several SaaS companies, and created work for various investing and trading websites.

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