Can You Buy a Money Order With a Credit Card?

John S Kiernan, Managing EditorJan 14, 2022

John S Kiernan, Managing Editor
Jan 14, 2022

Yes. You can buy a money order with a credit card as well as with a debit card, check or bank transfer. Western Union and 7-11 are two notable examples of merchants that allow you to buy a money order with a credit card.

Unless credit is your only option and sending money is a necessity, however, buying a money order with a credit card is probably not going to be the best move for your wallet. Credit card companies consider the purchase of a money order to be the equivalent of a cash advance, so the transaction will trigger an expensive fee as well as the immediate accrual of a high interest rate.

Where You Can Buy a Money Order With a Credit Card

Company	Accepts Credit Cards?	Accepts Debit Cards?
WesternUnion**	YES	YES
K-Mart (uses WesternUnion)	YES	YES
Walmart	NO	YES
MoneyGram*	NO	NO
CVS (uses MoneyGram)	NO	NO
USPS	NO	YES
7-Eleven**	YES	YES
Moneytree	NO	NO
Kroger	NO	YES
Publix	NO	YES

*Policies may vary at MoneyGram locations within stores like Walmart.
**Varies by location.

As you can see, a few money order providers accept credit cards. However, credit card issuer rules dictate that all process this type of transaction as a cash advance. As a result, you’ll trigger an expensive fee (3.7% on average), and a high interest rate (20.79% on average) will immediately apply to the amount of the cash advance. Fees and APRs differ by credit card issuer, but are almost always expensive, so we do not recommend funding a money order with a credit card if you can avoid it.

It’s also good to note that you will likely need to pay a fee to the company you buy the money order from, no matter how you pay for it. These fees range from less than a dollar to a few dollars, depending on the company and the size of the money order. With that in mind, you may be in the market for a way to send money without using a money order. Below, we’ll highlight some options for a handful of scenarios in which money orders are commonly used.

Credit-Card Friendly Money Order Alternatives

Utility Bills

Third-party services, such as Plastiq, allow you to pay utility bills with a credit card. However, you will likely need to pay a fee. Some utility companies accept online bill pay from a credit card account, too.

Credit Card Bills

You can use a third-party service like Plastiq to pay one credit card’s bill with another credit card. Watch out for fees, though.

Opening a 0% balance transfer credit card would enable you to pay off your existing obligation and reduce your finance charges.

You could also tap into your credit line with a cash advance and then use the cash to pay your other card’s bill. Credit card cash advances are very expensive, so avoid this option whenever possible.

Rent Payments

There are a number of third-party services that allow people to pay their rent with a credit card when their landlord does not accept credit directly. Some of the most popular are RentPayment, PlacePay, RentTrack and ClickPay. Be sure to familiarize yourself with any fees before using these services.

If your landlord will go for it, you could also pay rent with a credit card through a money-transfer service like PayPal or Venmo, if you know their email address.

Sending Cash to Friends & Family

If both you and your intended recipient have Visa debit or prepaid cards, you can take advantage of Visa Direct to electronically deposit money into their account.

Other money-transfer services like Google Wallet, Venmo and PayPal allow you to transfer money with a credit card using the recipient’s email address. Those transactions will likely be treated as cash advances, though.

Shopping on eBay & Etsy

Another common use of money orders is buying items in certain categories on eBay and Etsy. However, most of these sellers will also accept third-party payment services like PayPal, Venmo and Google Wallet.

PayPal is the easiest way to pay for things on these online marketplaces, especially eBay, as the two used to be part of the same company, so the functionality is thoroughly integrated.

For more information about credit substitutes, check out our Credit Card Alternatives Guide.

Buying a Money Order With a Credit Card FAQ(3 questions)

What is a money order?

Upvotes

Ryan D Neely, Personal Finance Geek

A money order is exactly what it is named. It is money that is ordered and therefore printed onto a paper document to be given to the receiver. It is more guaranteed and respected when compared to a personal check but not as respected or guaranteed as a cashier's check. On this note, here are some reasons why:

Money Order vs Personal Check

In order to get a money order it has to be paid for with cash money. The amount of the money order is then digitally typed or printed onto a paper note as proof of its purchase letting the receiver know that real money was involved in its publishing. A personal check is handwritten and given to the receiver and the receiver. From that point on, the receiver is at the mercy of the account connected to the check trusting that there is enough money in the account for the check to be covered and not bounce upon being placed in the receiver's account.

Money Order vs Cashier's Check

A money order can only be issued at a height of $1,000. If you wanted to send somebody $2,500 through a money order payment method, you would have to get two $1,000 money orders and one $500 money order. Cashier's checks can be issued at heights way above $1,000. This is why they are a commonly requested form of payment when making a down payment on a home.

Where Money Orders Are More Convenient

Money orders can be purchased at banks, credit unions, post offices, cash advance or check cashing businesses, select gas stations and convenient stores, and even retail stores such as Walmart, Kroger, Kmart and more. Personal and cashier's checks can only be issued to consumers and their receivers by banks.

How can I get cash with a cpn

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I have google pay can I buy a money order money gram at vons

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