| Last updated on February 13th, 2024
Walmart MoneyCard®
Walmart MoneyCard®
Walmart MoneyCard®
At a Glance
The Walmart MoneyCard® is a debit card from Walmart that offers cash back rewards on select purchases, access to a full selection of checking and savings features, and more.
- Best Benefits
- Rates & Fees
- Why Should You Apply?
- Waive your monthly fee when you direct deposit $500+ in previous monthly period. Otherwise, $5.94 a month.*
- Earn 3% cash back at Walmart.com, 2% cash back at Walmart fuel stations, & 1% cash back at Walmart stores, up to $75 each year.*
- Earn 2% interest rate on up to $1,000 balance in your savings account. Plus, get chances to win cash prizes each month!*
- Get peace of mind with three coverage levels, up to $200, for purchase transactions with opt-in & eligible direct deposit.*
- *Please see site for full terms and conditions.
- Annual Fee: None. $5.94 monthly fee
- Foreign Transaction Fee: 3% of the transaction amount in U.S. dollars
- Minimum Deposit Required: See Terms
- You frequently shop at Walmart
- You frequently purchase gasoline at eligible Walmart stores
- You get your groceries delivered from Walmart
- You want a small savings account that earns up to 2% APY
- You plan to add accounts for family members
In-Depth Review: Walmart MoneyCard®
The Walmart MoneyCard® is an innovative checking and debit program from Walmart – one of nation’s largest retailers. The card program offers a full suite of banking features, including overdraft protection, up to 2% APY on savings of up to a $1,000 balance, and cash back rewards – all for no monthly fees when meeting direct deposit requirements.
The card is issued by Green Dot Bank, one of the premier debit card issuers in the United States. Green Dot also issues the GO2bank™ Visa® Debit Card.
How to Get the Walmart MoneyCard
Getting your hands on a Walmart MoneyCard® is fairly easy. The card is available both online and in-store at Walmart locations nationwide. Purchasing the card in-store at Walmart involves going to the customer service desk, buying a card (with a one-time $1 purchase price), and loading the card with at least $20 in cash.
Ordering a card online is even easier. Simply click the “apply now” button on this page, provide your identifying information, and open an account. The application requires the following information:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Address
- Contact information (phone number, email)
- Social Security Number (SNN)
- IRS tax form W-9 (for finance verification)
Prepaid Vs. Debit: What’s the Difference?
| Prepaid Card | Debit Card |
|---|---|
| Preloaded with funds | Connected to checking account |
| Must be reloaded | Funds replenish with direct deposits |
| No overdraft | Overdraft available |
A prepaid card is a type of payment card that you load with funds and can use to make purchases, pay bills, and withdraw cash from ATMs. Either you can add funds to the card, or the funds can be added by a third party, like an employer or the IRS. On the other hand, a debit card is linked to a checking account and can be used to make purchases and withdraw cash from ATMs.
The funds for your transactions are taken directly from the connected account. The main difference between the two is that with a prepaid card, the cardholder is spending money they have already loaded onto the card. In contrast, the cardholder spends money in their linked account with a debit card.
Earn Cash Back at Walmart
One of the great features of the Walmart MoneyCard® is the ability to earn up to 3% cash back rewards on purchases. Cardholders earn the rewards for the following purchases made at Walmart locations:
- 3% back at Walmart.com
- 2% back at Walmart fuel stations
- 1% back in-store at Walmart locations
Even though Walmart caps the cash back rewards to $75 per year, the Walmart MoneyCard® compares favorably to the Capital One® Walmart Rewards™ credit card from Capital One. That card earns an unlimited 5% back at Walmart.com, 2% in-store at Walmart, plus at Murphy USA fuel stations and Walmart fuel stations, and 2% back on dining and travel.
Capital One’s Walmart credit card also comes with a hard inquiry and might be out of reach for many, making the Walmart MoneyCard® a great option for the frequent Walmart shopper that wants to save on grocery deliveries, in-store purchases, and even gas – but doesn’t want the hassle of a credit card.
Moneycard Benefits
Early Direct Deposits
The card also offers access to Early Direct Deposit. This feature allows account holders receive their paychecks up to two days early and benefits up to four days early. This feature isn’t unique to the card, but it is a nice feature for those who like the flexibility to get paid early.
Overdraft Protection
The card also offers overdraft protection of up to $200, an excellent feature for a debit account. Note, though, the overdraft protection applies to purchases, not other transactions. This overdraft is especially entising because of the overdraft fee with the program: $15.
High-Yield Savings Account
As mentioned, the Walmart MoneyCard® is more than just a debit card. The card offers a full suite of banking options – including a high-yield savings account. Cardholders can use the savings account in the Walmart MoneyCard® mobile app to stash cash for safekeeping, emergencies, or future purchases.
Cardholders can also earn 2% APY on up to $1,000 in their savings account. This savings rate is exceptional – with the average APY on a savings account currently 0.06% APY. If the limit of $1,000 seems frustrating, keep in mind that this might be a great way to save a small emergency fund for unforeseen circumstances.
Fees
Prepaid debit and banking accounts typically feature some form of fees, but with the Walmart MoneyCard® there are no monthly maintenance or service fees when meeting minimum requirements. With the MoneyCard® , those requirements are direct depositing at least $500 to the account in the previous month.
That $500 deposit requirement is very modest – and can easily be accomplished by having at least one paycheck or benefits payment made to the account. This, in turn, provides access to the high-yield savings account, cash back rewards, and more.
The monthly service fee for the Walmart MoneyCard® is $5.94 for those not meeting deposit requirements. This fee, however, is pretty reasonable – especially when considering that the card provides additional accounts for up to four approved members ages 13+, in the app, with the activated, personalized card.
Choose Visa or Mastercard
The Walmart MoneyCard comes in two versions. The first is the MoneyCard Mastercard, and the second is the MoneyCard Visa. So, what’s the difference?
Some prepaid and debit cards offer a Visa and Mastercard version for purchase because they want to provide their customers with more options and flexibility. Both Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted payment networks, so having either logo on the card ensures that it can be used with most credit card merchants.
Both Visa and Mastercard offer comprehensive security protections for debit and prepaid cards. Here is how the two offers compare:
| Visa | Mastercard |
|---|---|
| Dovly Uplift™ credit score monitoring | Mastercard Global Service |
| ID Navigator Powered by NortonLifeLock | Mastercard ID Theft Protection™ |
| Visa Zero Fraud Liability | Zero Liability Protection |
| Lost/Stolen Card Reporting | Mastercard Airport Concierge™ |
Fees
The fees are the only major concern with the card. Here is the current Walmart MoneyCard fee schedule:
| Charge | Fee | |
|---|---|---|
| Card purchase | $1.00 | |
| Monthly fee | $5.94 (free with $500+ in direct deposits) | |
| Cash deposit | $0 (Walmart app); $3 (Walmart registers); $5.95 (elsewhere) | |
| Walmart check cashing/reload | $0 | |
| ATM | $2.50; $0 (at Walmart MoneyCenters and Customer Service desks) | |
| Teller withdrawal | $2.50 | |
| Overdraft | $15 | |
| ATM inquiry | $0.50 | |
| Foreign transactions | 3% of the transaction cost in U.S. dollars | |
| Checks | $5.95 | |
| Card replacement | $15 (expedited); $3 (regular) | |
Fortunately, these fees can be avoided by conducting much of your banking at Walmart stores or online through the Walmart mobile app. That is a great plus, especially since there are thousands of Walmart locations throughout North America.
What We Love About MoneyCard
Debit and prepaid cards are a bit of a craps shoot, but the Walmart MoneyCard offers plenty to make you smile. For starters, the card is ideal for Walmart shoppers who might not have access to credit but still want a versatile payment card to save them money. The card lets you earn up to $75 in rewards yearly, with 3% back on online purchases, 2% on Walmart fuel stations, and 1% on other purchases.
Even better, the account provides many of the features you expect from a checking account, providing a suite of features for the underbanked. There’s a 2% APY on savings, the usual direct deposit features, and more. You can even set up banking for up to four (4) family members, all from the same account.
Things to Consider
MoneyCard, as with any other card product, does have some downsides – although these can be offset with qualifying direct deposits. That major downside is the $5.94 monthly maintenance fee, about $72 a year. However, that fee is waived if you directly deposit $500 or more in the previous month.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about the Walmart MoneyCard® program, as well as the answers:
- You can get a MoneyCard® account either online or in-store. Ordering online takes two weeks but saves the hassle of purchasing and loading the card at Walmart locations.
- You must be at least 18 years of age to open a Walmart MoneyCard account.
- You can reload or add money to the MoneyCard at the following locations or through the following methods:
- Using the Walmart MoneyCard mobile app
- Walmart Rapid Reload
- MoneyPak
- Walmart cash and load e-checks
- This feature is only available on the Walmart MoneyCard with Cash-Back Rewards program.
Walmart MoneyCard® Ratings
How does the Walmart MoneyCard® stack up? Here are a selection of expert reviews for the card and Green Dot Bank – the card’s issuer:
| BestCards | Better Business Bureau | TrustPilot |
|
5/5 |
5/5 |
3/5 |
Should You Consider Getting the Walmart MoneyCard?
Overall, the Walmart MoneyCard® account has plenty to offer – and comes with no charge for those who plan to take advantage of those features. The card features up to 3% back at Walmart and 2% APY on savings – a one-two punch that is sure to entice applicants. Add to that Mastercard protections, overdraft coverage for up to $200, and more, and you have the versatility to earn – and save – all in one convenient card.
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[1] High yield savings account interest is paid annually on each enrollment anniversary based on the average daily balance of the prior 365 days, up to a maximum balance of $1,000, if the account is in good standing and has a positive balance. 2.00% Annual Percentage Yield may change at any time before or after account is opened. Annual Percentage Yields are accurate as of 7/23/21.
[2] Family Accounts: Activated, personalized card required. Other fees apply to the additional account. Family members age 13 years and over are eligible. Limit 4 cards per account. See Deposit Account Agreement for details.
[3] Cash Back: Cash back, up to $75 per year, is credited to card balance at end of reward year and is subject to successful activation and other eligibility requirements. Redeem rewards using our website or app. You will earn cash back of three percent (3%) on qualifying purchases made at Walmart.com and in the Walmart app using your card or your card number, two percent (2.00%) at Walmart fuel stations, and one percent (1%) on qualifying purchases at Walmart stores in the United States (less returns and credits) posted to your Card during each reward year. Grocery delivery and pickup purchases made on Walmart.com or the Walmart app earn 1%. For the purposes of cash back rewards, a “reward year” is twelve (12) monthly periods in which you have paid your monthly fee or had it waived. See account agreement for details.
[4] Opt-in required. $15 fee may apply to each eligible purchase transaction that brings your account negative. Balance must be brought to at least $0 within 24 hours of authorization of the first transaction that overdraws your account to avoid the fee. We require immediate payment of each overdraft and overdraft fee. Overdrafts paid at our discretion, and we do not guarantee that we will authorize and pay any transaction. Learn more about overdraft protection.
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