Where to buy prepaid debit cards in Australia

Looking for a way to spend money without the fuss of having to open a bank account? A prepaid debit card could be the solution.

This article is going to let you know a little bit more about what a prepaid debit card is before delving into six of the options currently available to Australians.

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What’s a reloadable prepaid card?

A reloadable prepaid card is a form of payment card that can be used to make purchases without being linked to a bank account. You simply add money to the balance, spend and then reload it when the balance gets low.

There are a few potential advantages to using a prepaid debit card over other types of card.

• Your credit score isn’t factored into the application
• Can help manage spending as there's no overdraft or credit
• Don’t need to apply for and open a bank account just to get the debit card
• Limits your exposure if your card is hacked

Prepaid debit cards available in Australia

There are a variety of prepaid debit cards available in Australia so to help get you started we’re going to take a look at these six.

• Wise Card
• Australia Post Everyday Mastercard
• Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard
• Travelex Travel Card
• Qantas Travel Money
• Travel Money Oz Currency Pass

How to buy a reloadable prepaid debit card in Australia

The Wise Card

The Wise Card is a debit card that’s backed by a Wise Account and powered by Visa. It can be used in Australia as well as abroad, and works almost anywhere a Visa card is accepted.

These are just a few of the benefits of having a Wise Card.

• Hold balances in more than 40 currencies and spend in over 150 countries
• No inactivity fees or hidden margin on the exchange rate
• Integrates with payment wallets including Google Pay and Apple Pay
• Manage your money online or using the Wise app

The first step to getting a Wise Card is to sign up for a Wise Account. Don’t worry, it’s free and can be done in minutes. Once that’s out of the way you can order the card which costs $10 AUD to have sent out.

Reloading your Wise card is pretty simple as it just involves sending money to your Wise Account. You can do this through the app by hitting ‘Add’, or by sending money via direct deposit or bank transfer.

Australia Post Everyday Mastercard

As the name suggests, the Australia Post Everyday Mastercard is offered by our national postal service, Australia Post, and is backed by Mastercard.¹ It can be used to make purchases online and instore, and supports contactless payments.

Here’s some of the features of this prepaid debit card.

• Manage your balance online or using the Australia Post Everyday Mastercard App
• Supports up to 11 currencies including AUD
• Card-to-card transfers are possible between Australia Post Everyday Mastercards
• Compatible with Google Pay and Samsung Pay

To order the Australia Post Everyday Mastercard just visit their website and follow the prompts to complete the online buying process. The purchase price to receive a card is $7.95.

As you spend you can top the balance up online, using the app, at participating Australia Post outlets or by bank transfer. Keep in mind the minimum balance you can have is $20 AUD and the maximum is $15,000 AUD.

Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard

While Cash Passport may not be as well known as some of the other companies on this list, they do offer a prepaid Mastercard debit card in Australia.² This is done in conjunction with Heritage Bank who are registered under Australian Financial Services Licence 244310.

Here’s a look at some of the main features you might like.

• Load up to 11 currencies including AUD onto the card
• 24/7 global assistance if you need it
• Supports contactless payments
• In the event of a flight delay you may get complimentary access to a Loungekey airport lounge

Ordering the card is relatively simple as it can all be done online. There’s no card issue fee or initial load fee to worry about which is a bonus.

When it comes time to top up the debit card you generally have three options; an instant transfer from another debit card, bank transfer or BPAY. If you bought the card in-store it’s also possible to reload in person, as long as you go back to the store you purchased it from.

Travelex Travel Card

A multi award winner in Mozo’s “Best Prepaid Travel Card” category, the Travelex Travel Card is predominantly for international travelling, however it can be used in Australia too.³ It’s powered by Mastercard and is accepted at retailers around the world..

Let’s take a look at some of the benefits of the Travelex card.

• Card limit of $50,000 AUD or equivalent
• No currency conversion fees to worry about
• Load up to 10 currencies on the card at once
• Additional emergency card is available by request

You can order a card online, through the Travelex Money App or in-store. There’s no initial card purchase fee if you do the process online or through the app, but there’s a fee if you order one in-store and load AUD as the currency. You also need to load the minimum amount which is equivalent to $350 AUD online or $100 AUD in-store.

Travelex cards can be topped up online, using the app, in-store or with BPAY. The minimum amount for an online or app top up is $50 AUD, which is quite a bit higher than some of the other options on this list.

Qantas Travel Money

As well as being our nation's flagship carrier, Qantas offers a prepaid debit card that’s powered by Mastercard.⁴ Dubbed the Qantas Travel Money card, it can be loaded up with AUD and used at home and abroad.

Here’s some of the main features for this card.

• Earn Qantas points when you spend in foreign currencies
• Lock in exchange rates before you travel
• Load up to 10 international currencies
• No ATM fees for withdrawals in Australia

To sign up for a Qantas Travel Money card you need to become a Qantas Frequent Flyer member first. This usually costs $99.50 but sometimes it’s possible to join for free. Once that’s done you can go to the website and request a card.

If you need to top up, start by logging into the website or Qantas Money app. From there you need to choose the currency you want to load and whether you want to pay by bank transfer, BPAY or instant load using another card.

Travel Money Oz Currency Pass

The Travel Money Oz Currency Pass is another prepaid Mastercard debit card that’s predominantly designed for travel but like the others we’ve mentioned it can be used in Australia too.⁵ It’s accepted almost Mastercard is, including online, in-store and at ATM’s.

These are some of the key features for the Currency Pass card.

• Supports up to 10 currencies
• Able to lock in an exchange rate
• If you don’t have enough of a currency to complete a transaction the balance will be automatically converted from other currencies you hold

To get a Travel Money Oz Currency Pass you can order it online or visit a store. It’s free to buy but keep in mind that online orders can take up to 14 business days to be delivered.

When you need to reload the card it can be done online, through the Travel Money Oz app or instore. Depending on the reload method you can pay by card, cash, BPAY or bank transfer. The minimum reload is $20 AUD while the maximum is $10,000 AUD.

The Wise Account and Debit Card

If you’re looking for a flexible account that is great for daily spending in Australia and overseas, the Wise Account is worth a look.

The Wise Account can be opened for free and allows you to hold money in over 40 currencies and send money to 160 countries. You can also order local account details for 10 world currencies including AUD.

You can also use the Wise Debit card to spend money in 150+ countries without markups and hidden transaction fees. The mid-market rate is used when switching between currencies, helping to keep costs low when sending money internationally. It’s the rate you see on a Google conversion search.

Join over 16 million customers currently enjoying Wise. It’ll only take a few minutes to register and see what’s inside.

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Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

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Sources:

1. Australia Post - Australia Post Everyday Mastercard
2. Cash Passport - Cash Passport Platinum Mastercard
3. Travelex - The Travelex Money Card
4. Qantas - Qantas Travel Money
5. Travel Money Oz - Travel Money Card FAQs

Sources checked on: 20 October 2023