Direct Express® Prepaid Debit MasterCard®

All in all, it's not a bad card and I've never had any problems having it accepted. So, basically, it does what it needs to do. My biggest problem with it comes when I need to withdraw from an ATM. Sadly, it's very hard to find an ATM that doesn't charge me fees and the ones that don't are so far out of my way, I pay more for gas than the fees. It's not a lot, but they can add up overtime and when your income is limited, it's a pain.

The Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card sounds like a pretty good card. The only downside I can see is the fairly small fee which the card issuer assesses for ATM transactions. However, since there are no other fees, this is definitely a card worth looking into. I have used the WalMart Money Card and think the Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card is a better value because, unlike the Walmart Money Card, there is no monthly fee or card loading fee.

I started using this card this month. IT is great never any problems when I called cs for a question, so some of these complaints I don't understand

The Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card is very much like other prepaid cards. You put money onto it or have money transferred to it and then you can use that when you use the card. The upshot is that it's a great way to build credit, you don't have to worry about payments, fees, or any interest, and it is a safer alternative to cash. The downside though is since you can only really use your money, it's not necessarily as useful as an emergency backup. But it's still a great option to have in your back pocket if you can't or don't want a standard credit card. But, if you can, you might be better off with a normal credit card. That way you can build your credit even more, have a credit line for emergencies, and maybe get rewards points like with the Capital One Rewards card.

The Direct Express Prepaid MasterCard is really useful if you receive Social Security or SSI. There is no activation fee, monthly fee, or signature transaction fee. You can use the card at ATMs for a small fee of $0.85. A similar card is AccountNow Prepaid MasterCard. The Direct Express is better because the AccountNow charges a $4.95 activation fee, $1 transaction fee, and the annual cost is $144. The ATM fee is $2.50. However, the customer service for the Direct Express card is terrible. If you have any problems, they will not help at all. So be careful because if you run into any issues, they will not resolve them.

I think that Direct Express Prepaid MasterCard is good for those receiving government funds. It works in most places since it is a Debit Mastercard. It makes paying bills online easy and you can use it at the post office to purchase money orders that is conveniet. It does not have any fees and the ATM fee is only $0.85 which is less than a lot of other cards. This website is also convenient and makes it easy to link a bank account to the card. I would recommend this card to anyone looking for a credit card for their benefits check.

Don't waste your time with it! These people direct express have working for them are very rude and don't want to help you except get you off the line. I actually have been hung up on three times for trying to find out about my account . Their courtesy was terrible and their professionalism was extremely unorthodox. I don't give stars or good compliments or recommend anyone to direct express.

It seems like this is a decent value prepaid card: no fees, free customer support, etc. However, the fact that there is an ATM fee kind of bothers me. I have little doubt that there is some incentive for MasterCard to have people tying their Social Security of Supplemental Security Income benefits to a card, I just don't know what it could be. Something isn't right here. I understand that there is a certain amount of convenience involved in not having to cash a check, but nowadays a lot of banks allow you to deposit checks with a smartphone. Obviously, not everyone has access to a smartphone, but cards like this will be obsolete very soon.

I'm one of those that screwed up my checking account and have no other means of receiving my benefits except through this card. So far I have had no problems. I wish you could deposit money onto the card but you can't. I use the cash advance feature to avoid fees. I just hit a bank, go in and get cash from a teller. I wish they had a free app for this, but they don't. So I just look up my info on the website. Now if only some places I do business with would stop charging convenience fees, that would be nice.

I like the features of this Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid. I think it would be ideal to allow people to not worry about checks floating around in the snail mail system. The lack of fees is definitely also a vote in favor of using this card. I mean it only has $0.90 fee for ATM withdrawals. That's better than most other credit cards which charge like $3-5. Kind of a perfect balance of use it when you need and don't worry it about in between.

The only reason for one star was to right this review . Haven't been able to get fraudulent charges reversed on two occasions and I have spent the last two hours trying without luck to find routing/account numbers. What a crock, just another way for uncle Sam to give to us, no lube included.

Hey, this Direct Express Mastercard Prepaid card doesn't sound too shabby. Only .09 cents for an ATM transfer. I've had cards like this before that charges more than that. After having read the other comments I'd be hesitant to sign up. Somethings that are too good to be true really are.

This card is not one that should be used. This company is a fraud. If there is any issues with your account you will not get it resolved. If you lose your money and did not authorize it they do not care and you will not receive any help from them. I personally am doing what I can to let people kknow the truth. If you have any other option, use it. There are other prepaid options if that is what is necessary.

They may sound convenient but I warn anyone considering using Comerica US Direct Express, you will absolutely regret it! If you are lucky enough to never have an issue or reason to contact them, then perhaps you might be led to believe they are fine, but the moment you need to contact them you will begin by realizing there is one phone # and a useless address by which to contact them. The number will put you in queue for an average 20-30min wait time if they answer at all, and then be prepared to deal with the rudest and most unhelpful creatures. Most importantly though, don't do as I did and mention they are rude for this leads to being hung up on and in my case the rep flat out lied and reported that I didn't properly identify myself therefore warranting a suspension of all funds. It has been nearly 48hrs since I went through the process I was told I had to take to remedy this, meanwhile bills can't get paid, I've incurred late fees as a result, I'm unable to refill my prescription for life providing medication and upon calling back and asking for any update or information, was told I just had to wait and that they could not even confirm if it was in process. When I mentioned the impact it was having on me, this rep said "she didn't appreciate my making her feel guilty" and hung up as well. You might think this is an isolated incident as I first did, then with a bit of searching the internet, found thousands upon thousands of other Veterans, Seniors and Disabled Americans all whom have been victimized by this outrageous scam of an entity and who have no right to be entrusted with handling the benefits of American Citizens most in need. They are a disgrace to this nation and a violation to basic human decency. Feel free to sign up with them any way and may God protect you!

Be aware, this is not a traditional bank card. It is not tied to your bank account; rather it is a re-loadable card, much like a gift card that is controlled by an external bank. If you have no other option on the matter (I’m not one to judge) then the Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card is an option for you to consider. With all financial actions, it is in your best interest to thoroughly investigate your options. That all being said, the terms of this card as posted above are correct. Be aware of the ATM withdrawal fee following your one free monthly withdrawal is 90 cents per transaction. With some foresight you can avoid this fee by being aware of your cash needs for the month, but the main use of this card is for being used similar to a debit card. That means you load the card and deplete through your typical debit charges. Bottom line, always thoroughly investigate your financial options. There is no card that can fix poor planning.

The Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card is a pretty standard prepaid credit card. No monthly fees or interest of any kind but you only have the money you put on it yourself. Be careful not to lose your card though, without that you can't access any of the money you put on the card until you receive a replacement, it's not like a normal bank account. Good way to build credit, good terms, go for it.

Like a lot of things it works well, until it does not. Had an issues with some online fraud on 10/14/2014. I reported it a couple hours after it happened and was told it should be refunded in 5 days. 7 days later I called back was on hold for long time talked to CS then was transferred, on hold a very long time, almost 30 minutes. I was helped by Anthony who was not just unemphatic but rushed and rude. He canceled my card before consulting me, leaving me in bind. With no cash on me I could not wait for USPS and was forced to pay for express shipping. After being online for nearly an hour Anthony told me he could not wait for 2 minutes while I did some research. OH! and DAMN is profanity according to him and he will terminate the call if it happens again. Anywho... I still did not get money back and will have to wait maybe 90 days for an answer.

This is the weirdest setup one can imagine. Uncle Sam has made a sweet deal with Comerica Bank who offers this card. First of all, this isn't a conventional Bank Account where you can walk into a bank and make a withdrawal. This is a Card Account which is your one and only access to your funds. You are not even provided with an account number & routing number although both are available at a local Social Security office upon request. The routing number by the way is 041000124. You may find it hard to believe, but monthly statements are NOT available on their website. Like I said, it's really weird. If Comerica Bank closes your card for no reason, you have no recourse but to sit tight and wait until a new one arrives in mail. You are allowed only ONE free card replacement and will be charged a fee for the subsequent replacements. Multiply the $$ fee by a vast number of users = a nice boost to the bank's revenue. According to the text I had to listen to while being on hold calling a local SSA office, there are 50 million SSA recipients. Even if you assume that may be 50% of them are smarter than using this card, this still leaves us with roughly 25 million. Now, multiply 25 million by $4 = $100 million bucks of incoming dough to the bank, for virtually doing nothing. Their rather vague explanation for closing your card is "compromised". Yea right. This can be done at the time you need it most, such as the end of the month, when your rent is about due. You are likely facing an eviction for the non-payment of rent while you're sitting tight and waiting for the new card to arrive within hopefully ten days or so. The US Direct Express website doesn't have a way for you to change or even look up your personal info. The Cardholder button will bring you to a place where you can change your password and security question and nothing else. So if they have an incorrect or an old address, you're on your own. I've found out that my card was closed while doing grocery shopping. Everyone standing in line must've been thinking that I don't pay my bills when the cashier announced 'Denied'. Very embarrassing. There was nothing wrong with my card; it had enough of a balance to cover my grocery purchase. Now I am forced to use my credit cards and rack up some bills. You know how much interest the credit cards charge, right? FYI: if they close your card, immediately start complaining to the Texas BBB, and nowhere else. This produces almost instant results, the bank starts calling YOU, and even asks if they're calling at a wrong time, imagine that!! Of course, they'd tell you that they call each and every SSA recipient prior to the card closing. They must have lost my number then. Oh and they will EXPEDITE my new card to my new address within 2 days for free (while charging everyone else for it; I believe $13.50). Amazing what opening your mouth will do. Open yours!! BOTTOM LINE: Pack your bags, cancel the darn card and open an account at the PNC bank. You can have a debit card in this place just the same. This one offers a traditional bank account where you'd have access to your money either with a debit card or without. They offer a standard checking without a minimum balance requirements if you are over 62. Good luck!!

What I don't like: I'm trying to get through to Direct Express about an Fraud Issue posted on my account and you cannot get through, I've been trying for almost 6 hours and I keep getting the same message, heavy call volume call back at later time. I need to know what's going on with my account. What I like: convenience.

The Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card is a great card for seniors or for people on SSI. There are no additional fees unless you use it for ATM withdrawals, and it makes access to your funds very easy. In addition, you get cash back when you use it for purchases! It's very similar to my Citi Preferred Rewards card. This card is pretty much a no-brainer!

The Direct Express MasterCard prepaid card is a wonderful option! The fact that there is no activation fee or Monthly fee is a huge bonus. Also, the available customer service is a massive pro to this card. My only question, is this card strictly meant for those who receive Social Security or Supplemental Security?

It’s hard to beat the cost of the Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card – there are no activation or monthly fees. With this card, any user can spend his or her social security deposits with no fees whatsoever, or even withdraw money at no cost from time to time (I wish this option provided for more frequent withdrawals at no cost, but I guess you can’t have everything). Kudos for providing live customer service too!

The most obvious benefits to obtaining this credit cards is the lack of fees. Having no monthly AND activation fee is delightful. Another huge thing I love about this card is that it is a prepaid card . You can deposit different amounts whenever you want and then spend it through the card. Also, it is reloadable, so you can keep adding money and reusing this. This is a card I can definitely see myself using and I am looking forward to getting one very soon.

This card is really good, it may actually be better than my own card I hold! No activation fee, monthly fee or a PIN transaction fee! And I love the free withdrawal with each deposit, amazing. I think this card really does have alot of great features that many other cards don't have. I would highly rate and recommend the Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card!

I love how this card has live customer support 24/7 - it is very helpful. Also, as long as you make a deposit in between withdrawals, then the withdrawals are free, and if you don't then the fee is low - only .9 percent. Also, there are no monthly or annual fees to worry about. You can load the card via direct deposit, which is really easy to set up. Great card overall!

Wow this Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card is activation free, no monthly fees, pin fee free and one free withdrawal with each deposit to your Card Account that's better than my main card and they offer direct deposit benefits. Credit card companies are trying harder to get and keep your business.

Would be perfect I you could load cash.

This is a wonderful way to control your SSI distributions every month. I like the fact that it will be deposited every month, without worry. Having used the RUSH card in the past, the fees (or lack of) associated with the Direct Express Card are much less and that makes it more desirable. The drawback is you only have 1 free withdrawal a month. In order to manage your money well, 3 free withdrawals would be more realistic. To pay $.90 per withdrawal after that is still a much lower cost, though, than with the RUSH card (which charges $3/per). All in all, the Direct Express Card is the best bet!

Everything looks good about the Direct Express MasterCard Prepaid Card, it looks free to use. But, when you look at the 90 cents it takes to withdraw money on top of what ever the owner of the ATM is charging you, it cost a lot to use this. There are ways around it, but it's a hassle. I have a free checking account with a debit card that I can access my cash for free at any of their ATMs.

The Direct Express Prepaid card is a great tool to help someone like myself out of a deep credit rut. It's great that if you put money on the card you can use it in the same way as a credit card. The only thing that I don't like is that you can do an ATM withdraw once a month after that it is $.90, which isn't to bad if you use it like a credit card only.

The Direct Express Prepaid card is an awesome card . I like the fact that there are no yearly fees or hidden fees. I personally own over 10 credit cards but I don't see the point of paying fees in order to use and pay with credit cards. I think this card will be good for consumers who want to limit the amount of money they spend. Consumers who are on a budget can use the card to stay under budget when making purchases.

The Direct Express Prepaid card seems to be a really great card! I personally do not like using my Bank Account to do a lot of things and this would work out well for me! I love the fact that it has no Monthly Fees! I really like that there are no Fee's for PIN transactions and no fee's for Inactivity! And another thing is the LIVE Customer Support. This card seems like it's an all around great card I will be getting one of these for sure!

This Direct Express Prepaid card seems like it is the way to go if you want to give money. It has a no strings attached feel that is desirable for a majority of people these days. Unlike most prepaid cards, you ARE able to use it at an ATM for a small fee. And you can get cash back on your purchases. I think that this card would definitely be great for a college student who is just starting out. It has the look and feel of a credit card, without the credit card damage.

I love the simplicity of the Direct Express Prepaid card. It's perfect for giving money to my college age kids. The transaction fees are zero and I get good customer support so all my questions are answered quickly. There is no inactivity fee unlike other prepaid cards I have loaded in the past.

The Direct Express Mastercard Prepaid Card looks like a great option for someone who doesn't have a lot of credit experience. Many prepaid cards charge extraneous fees, but this card has no activation or monthly fee. This is fantastic. When I was 15, I used a prepaid credit card through my bank, and felt like I spent just as much on fees as I saved! This card is perfect for someone who either wants to practice with a credit card that has no risks, or someone who just doesn't want to use a bank account. This card has no negative aspects that I can see.

Prepaid cards such as this Direct Express MasterCard are great for people who don’t necessarily have a bank account. They’re also good if you want to make purchases online and are concerned with someone stealing your account info. Using this kind of card won’t give people access to your money, rather you make your purchase and leave the card empty after wards. For those that will use this as a regular method of payment it’s nice that they allow 1 free withdrawal per month if you need cash, the rest of your purchases can be made just as if you had a regular credit card. There really are no downsides to having a card like this.

The Direct Express Prepaid Card is a perfect supplement to those who are unable to obtain a traditional debit card. The Direct Express offers the same perks as a debit card though. You can use it pay your bills and for online or in store purchases. I like how there are no activation or monthly fees for this card. I do not like that there is a $0.09 cent fee if you withdraw cash from an ATM. The only way to prevent this fee is to have as many deposits as you have withdraws. Other than that, this card is pretty much perfect.

If you want to go the prepaid route then this really is the best card for it. It provides all the convenience of a credit card and doesn't require you to pay a fee to use it. Its a good deal for people who need a credit card and have bad credit. The Direct Express MasterCard offers the power of credit without an activation fee (very rare for a prepaid card) and a monthly fee (even rarer!) There is a fee on cash withdrawal but that is not a deal-breaker so I'll live with it. Its not good for kids because it doesn't let you load cash on to the card, it needs to come from income so this should be used exclusively by people who plan on loading income and not by those who need to load cash.

The Direct Express Prepaid Card is great for someone who doesn't have good credit. There isn't an activation fee or a monthly fee, when compared to other cards that at least charge a monthly fee, this one is well above the rest! There isn't a transaction fee and you'll also receive your pin number. I would like to see free withdrawals for this card, since it is prepaid and it's already your money! I have noticed that a lot of prepaid cards will charge you an inactivity fee and this one doesn't. They have free live customer support, which I think should be standard. I've had issues in the past with not being able to get a live person on the line for customer support and I believe it's a must! I generally like this card and would recommend it to someone who wouldn't qualify for a regular credit card.

I'm amazed at what this prepaid card has to offer. Unlike some other prepaid cards I have encountered, the MasterCard Prepaid Card isn't bogged by activation, cancellation, and upkeep fees like so many other cards. (Seriously, I've come across a number of cards that have monthly fees over $10.00--$5.00 seems awfully steep as it is.) Not being able to deposit funds aside from your working wages/supplemental income is probably the largest drawback of this card. (So, nope, you can't deposit that $50.00 your grandma gave to you for your birthday onto this card.) I'm also not too fond of the fact that this prepaid card doesn't have unlimited free withdrawals at ATMs, but at least in-store transactions--both ran as credit and debit--have no additional charges. Overall, this is a decent little card.