Control prepaid card review | finder.com (2024)

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How much does Control Prepaid Mastercard cost?

The Control card has two payment plans — a monthly plan and a reduced monthly plan for those who have at least $500 in monthly direct deposits. Aside from the monthly fee, both plans are identical.

How do I open a Control Prepaid Mastercard account?

Request your Control card in five simple steps:

1. Go to the provider’s site and follow the steps to apply.
2. From the Control Prepaid Mastercard website, click Sign Up Now.
3. Enter your name, street address and email address.
4. Select your direct deposit methods.
5. Choose your card design.
6. Click Get My Card.

How long will it take to get my card?

Once you request your card online, it should arrive in the mail within seven to 10 days.

Pros

The Control card comes with standard features like an intuitive mobile app, early direct deposits, real-time text alerts and no credit check, as well as:

• Low fees. Unlike other prepaid cards, the Control card doesn’t charge a one-time card purchase fee or inactivity fee. Its monthly plans are also cheaper than comparable cards that charge around $9.95 a month.
• Rewards. Opt into this optional program and earn cashback rewards when you use your card at select stores, restaurants and service providers.
• Card customizations. For a one-time $4.95 fee, you can customize your Control card.
• Purchase cushion. Overdraw your account by $10 or less and your card will cover the negative balance and deduct it from your account next time you load funds.
• Optional savings account. Earn 5% on the first $1,000 in your account and 0.5% on balances of $1,000 or more when you stash cash in this optional account.

Cons

The Control card has a long list of perks, but here are a few drawbacks to watch out for:

• Not open to Vermont residents. As with most prepaid cards, you can’t get the Control card if you live in Vermont.
• Unavoidable monthly fee. No matter which way you slice it, you’ll pay a monthly fee with the Control card. But it’s reduced to $5 when you have at least $500 in monthly direct deposits.
• Maximum card limit. You can’t hold more than $15,000 on your Control card at any given time.
• High foreign transaction fees. You’ll pay a 4% fee on foreign transactions, while other prepaid cards only charge 3%.
• Lack of ATMs. There’s no ATM network, so you’ll pay $2.95 to withdraw money.

If you’re looking for a prepaid card with a lower monthly and foreign transaction fee, explore the best prepaid cards.

Compare Control with other prepaid cards

I got my Control card. Now what?

Now that you have your card, here are a few ways to make the most of it:

• Activate your card. Call the number on the back of your card or visit mycontrolcard.com/account/activate to activate your card.
• Set up direct deposits. Get your monthly fee reduced from $7.95 to $5 when you set up at least $500 in monthly direct deposits.
• Avoid fees. Review the card’s fee schedule so you know what you can expect to pay for certain services, such as ATM withdrawals or cash reloads at Netspend locations.
• Rewards. Look through the Control Card app to see which cashback rewards you qualify for. They change depending on your shopping habits.

Funding options

There are several ways to add money to your Control card:

• Direct deposit
• Netspend reload location
• Bank transfer
• PayPal
• Transfer from another Control or Netspend card
• Tax refund

Frequently asked questions

• The Control card has a maximum daily spending limit of $5,000 for purchases and over-the-counter cash withdrawals. You can’t withdraw more than $325 at an ATM per withdrawal or $940 per day.

• Keep more money in your pocket by opting to get cash back at retailers instead of ATMs. Simply select Debit instead of Credit when checking out at a store. Then, enter your PIN and select your cashback amount.

• There are two ways to close your Control card account:

  1. Call customer service at 866-753-6324.
  2. Log in to your Control Card account, go to Help & Support and click Close Account.

  Before you close your account, transfer or withdraw any remaining funds. You’ll pay $5.95 if the company has to send you your remaining funds via a paper check in the mail.