A comparison of the 5 best prepaid credit cards from Visa & Mastercard

If you cannot or do not want to get an ordinary credit card, there is also the possibility of a prepaid credit card, without any debt trap. We looked at five prepaid credit cards, compared them and summarized the most important information for you at a glance.

Prepaid credit cards without Schufa & for full cost control

A prepaid credit card solves many problems: Anyone who makes a lot of online purchases and travel bookings knows that in some cases only credit cards such as Visa, MasterCard or American Express are accepted as a means of payment. However, most of us only have a debit card, since credit cards often have an annual fee. Credit cards also harbor the risk of a lack of cost control. As the name suggests, the card grants a loan – you pay with money that you may not even have.

The advantage of a prepaid credit card is that it can only be used to pay if it has been loaded with money in advance. So you have a complete overview of how much money you spend with the credit card. Despite the name, you cannot use the card to take out a loan that you then pay off in installments. Rechargeable credit cards are therefore particularly suitable for young people. Since you cannot go into debt, a credit check by the Schufa is usually not required – another advantage of this means of payment.

Prepaid credit cards: 5 popular cards in comparison

In the following, we have only looked at prepaid credit cards for which you do not have to open an extra checking account with the issuing bank, but can easily top up using your existing payment options.

payback

In the Payback prepaid card It is a prepaid credit card from Visa that can be applied for without a Schufa. In the first year it is free, but from the second year it costs 29 euros a year. When paying in foreign currency you have to deduct 1.75 percent, this also applies to withdrawing money abroad. Withdrawing money in Germany is free of charge. In addition, you collect one point for every 5 euros spent with Payback with every purchase, even outside of the Payback partner program. There is also an additional 150 points as a welcome bonus.

My Volksbank Raiffeisenbank

Also the Raiffeisenbank Prepaid Mastercard can be applied for without a credit check and from the age of 12. In addition, it is free up to the age of 18. After that, it costs 20 euros a year and is therefore the cheapest of the cards presented. The foreign currency fee is 1.9 percent. However, depending on the federal state, the issuing bank determines which fees are due for withdrawing money domestically and abroad. If you are interested, it is best to find out in advance which conditions apply to you.

postal bank

Also the Postbank offers a Visa prepaid credit card which also does not require a Schufa credit check. It can be applied for from the age of 14 and costs 29 euros per year. The foreign currency fees are 1.89 percent of the turnover and for cash withdrawals outside the euro zone you pay 2.5 percent or at least 5 euros foreign transaction fees.

Commerzbank

In the Commerzbank you will receive a prepaid credit card from Mastercard. It can also be applied for from the age of 14, is free of charge up to the age of 18 and is available for EUR 39.90 a year beyond that. For use in a country with a different currency, you pay 1.75 percent of the turnover and for withdrawing cash 1.95 percent of the turnover amount, but at least 5.98 euros in Germany and abroad.

travel bench

The Reisebank also offers one Prepaid Mastercard on. This can only be applied for from the age of 18 and costs 29 euros in the first year. From the second year, the annual fee drops to 15 euros. Reisebank also charges a 1.5 percent fee for paying in a currency other than the euro. When withdrawing money from Reisebank machines, you pay 1 percent of the transaction amount and at least 2.85 euros, when withdrawing cash from third-party ATMs that accept Mastercard, you pay 2 percent of the transaction amount and at least 5 euros, and when withdrawing cash at a Reisebank branch, you pay 3 percent and also at least 3 percent 5 euros.

Are you looking for a credit card with an overdraft option? Then you should check out the 7 best free credit cards:

Credit card without Schufa: How does a prepaid credit card work?

You have to imagine a prepaid credit card in a similar way to a voucher. Before it can be used, it must first be loaded with credit and, despite the name, it does not grant any credit. Thus, an overdraft and the associated high interest rates are not possible. For this reason, however, there is no need for a credit check with the Schufa, which is otherwise essential for ordinary credit cards.

Where can I pay with prepaid credit cards?

In principle, you can pay with prepaid credit cards almost anywhere that regular Visa and Mastercard cards are also accepted. But still there are some exceptions. You will most likely not be able to rent a car or have problems with some hotels that require a guarantee or deposit. For this reason, it is best to find out exactly before booking whether your prepaid card will be accepted.

Conclusion: advantages and disadvantages of a prepaid credit card

The biggest advantage of a prepaid credit card is full cost control. Since most prepaid cards are free until the age of 18, they are ideal for children and can be used to teach responsible money management. Another advantage is that no credit check is required at the Schufa, which means that people with a negative Schufa score can easily get a Visa or Mastercard. However, the cards are usually not free and also comparatively expensive. There is also no card without foreign currency fees or including free cash withdrawals abroad.

Prepaid credit cards are therefore recommended if you want to create them for your children or avoid the Schufa credit check.