We are gradually moving to a digital era, where technology is constantly integrating the financial industry and bringing even more convenient payment methods.
Perhaps, bank cards like credit, debit, and prepaid cards are still among the popular payment methods.
However, the financial industry noticed a revolution in payment methods since the 2020 pandemic; — according to a report by technology solutions provider FIS shared by creditcards.com, the usage of digital wallets in 2020 increased by 23.7% year-over-year in e-commerce, accounting for 29.8% of all e-commerce transactions in the United States.
At this time, financial institutions were focused on shifting from traditional banking methods to contactless payment solutions since social distancing was a priority.
Thankfully, that did not only help in preventing the spread of the pandemic but also came with more convenience for banking online.
What's even more interesting is, that you can combine traditional payment cards like prepaid cards with digital payment apps (Cash Apps) to give an even more powerful payment option.
In this article, we've compiled the best Cash Apps that accept prepaid cards that you can use for completing your financial transactions.
Table of Contents
What Are Cash Apps That Accept Prepaid Cards?
Cash Apps are payment apps that allow you to complete financial transactions such as money transfers through their easy-to-use services.
Cash Apps that accept prepaid cards are simply payment apps that allow you to link prepaid cards as a funding source for transactions.
This way, the Cash Apps would serve as a medium that allows you to complete transactions through your prepaid card.
5 Best Cash Apps That Accept Prepaid Cards
There are many Cash Apps out there — they are basically payment apps.
However, most of them accept debit cards and some accept credit cards, but you'll find only a few accepting prepaid cards.
If you've always been looking for Cash Apps that accept prepaid cards, then you'll find the options below useful.
- PayPal.
- Venmo.
- WorldRemit.
- Square's Cash App.
- Zelle.
1. PayPal
PayPal is arguably the most popular payment service that has been in operation for some time now.
PayPal is a typical money transfer app that allows users to send money to friends and family to and from any part of the world — you can even send money anonymously through PayPal.
You'll need a PayPal account to start using the app — thankfully, it is straightforward to set up a PayPal account.
PayPal is ideal both for personal and business use as you can set up an account for personal use or for your business and begin receiving payment from your customers.
PayPal also allows users to send money to themselves if they have two PayPal accounts.
PayPal allows users to link credit, debit, prepaid cards, and even gift cards to their account, making it one of the best Cash Apps that accept prepaid cards.
To link a prepaid card to PayPal:
- Log in to your PayPal account and go to "Wallet."
- Click "Link a debit or credit card."
- Tap "Link a card manually" if given the option to link manually or through a bank.
- Enter your prepaid card information.
- Tap "Link Card."
2. Venmo
PayPal's Venmo is another popular payment service in the United States.
Venmo uses a peer-to-peer (or call it person-to-person) payment scheme to facilitate payments through the app; — you can even Venmo yourself.
Paying through Venmo is really easy — all you need to do is enter the recipient's payment address or phone number and tap Pay to send a payment.
Venmo also allows users to send money anonymously though the process is quite tricky.
Just like its parent company, Venmo accepts credit, debit, and prepaid cards that are branded by any of the big four branded networks; American Express, Discover, MasterCard, and Visa — making Venmo one of the popular Cash Apps that accept prepaid cards.
To link a prepaid card to Venmo:
- Open the Venmo app on your phone.
- Select "Payment Methods."
- Below your current payment methods, select "Add bank or card..."
- Enter your prepaid card information.
- Add your card.
3. WorldRemit
WorldRemit is a digital cross-border remittance business that provides international money transfer and remittance services in more than 130 countries and over 70 currencies.
Whether you're looking to do a cross-border money transfer, WorldRemit is one of the best options you can find out there and best is, it offers four ways to receive money which include; bank deposit, mobile money, mobile airtime top-up, and cash pick-up.
Getting started with WorldRemit is simple and straightforward — all you'll need to do is download the Android or iOS app, sign up for your account, and start transferring money.
The good news is, that WorldRemit accepts most credit, debit, and prepaid cards and you'll be happy to hear that WorldRemit is one of the best Cash Apps that accept prepaid cards.
4. Square's Cash App
Square's Cash App is a popular payment service that allows users to send and receive payment online conveniently and safely.
Just like Venmo, Cash App uses a person-to-person payment scheme to allow users to send and receive payments instantly.
Additionally, you can use Cash App to transfer money to yourself and even if you don't have an account, there are still a couple of ways to send money to Cash App without an account.
Cash App can also be an untraceable money transfer app that allows users to send money anonymously without traces and keep the payment details between the two parties involved in the transaction.
Cash App is one of the best Cash Apps that support prepaid cards as the payment giant allows users to link prepaid cards to their accounts.
Learn more about how prepaid cards work with Cash App.
To link a prepaid card to Cash App:
- Open Cash App on your phone.
- Go to the "My Cash" tab, and tap "+ Add Bank."
- You'll be prompted to add your bank using your debit card.
- Enter your prepaid card number and tap "Add Card."
Pro tip!
Make sure you've linked a debit card to your Cash App account before attempting to add a prepaid card to the app.
5. Zelle
Zelle is another fast, safe, and easy way to send and receive money with friends, family, and others you trust, which is why Zelle is never safe to receive money from strangers.
Zelle is a popular money transfer app that is typically known for allowing users to transfer money between their bank accounts —however, only U.S. registered banks can be used with Zelle.
Sending money through Zelle is easy — all you need to do is download the Zelle app, sign up for an account, and link your bank account.
The best with Zelle is you can send money to someone who hasn't yet enrolled with the app; — you'll just need their phone number or email address to send them money, and then Zelle will provide them with instructions to receive their money.
You can even send money anonymously on Zelle, though the app typically displays your name when you send money to other users.
While Zelle is known to work with U.S. banks, it, however, works with a few prepaid cards, making Zelle one of the best Cash Apps that accept prepaid cards.
Learn more about what prepaid cards work with Zelle.
Can I Use A Vanilla Gift Card On Cash App?
No, you cannot use a Vanilla gift card on Cash App.
However, you can get cash from your Vanilla gift card and deposit the funds in your Cash App account.
Frequently Asked Questions
What websites accept prepaid cards?
Most e-commerce sites accept prepaid cards and you should be able to know if they do by reading their payments FAQs.
What cards work with Cash App?
Cash App supports debit and credit cards from Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Most prepaid cards are also supported.
Final Thoughts
While the use of cash is gradually declining, it is more than crucial to have a convenient payment method that you can use for your financial transactions in this new era.
Cash Apps that accept prepaid cards like PayPal, Venmo, and WorldRemit are some of the best you'd find out there; — they let you link your prepaid card to your account and use it as a funding source for your transactions.