Best prepaid business cards in the UK for 2024

A prepaid business card, also known as a business expense card, can be used to spend money with any retailer that accepts debit or credit cards.

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Prepaid business cards can be a good alternative to company credit cards if you’re a business owner looking for the best way to allow your employees to pay for expenses as part of their work. They help you to limit spending and stick to a budget as cardholders can only spend the money that has been loaded onto the card. Find the best one for your business in our comparison table below.

Compare prepaid business cards

1 - 16 of 16
Name Product Account fee Non-Sterling transactions Overdraft Accounting integrations Account management Key benefits
Revolut Free
Free
A flat 0.4% FX fee
Clear Books, FreeAgent, FreshBooks, QuickBooks, QuickFile, Sage, Xero, Zoho
App
Unlock 1 month of a paid plan without subscription
Tide
Free
Mastercard exchange rate applies
Clear Books, FreeAgent, KashFlow, QuickBooks, Reckon One, Sage, Xero
App, Online
Free Tide Accounting.
ANNA
Free
Free up to a max. balance of £5,000 (or up to £500 paid in per month)
Free
Xero
App
Earn 1% cashback for paying with your ANNA card in selected categories.
Cashplus Business Go Bank Account
Free
2.99%

On invitation
Clear Books, FreeAgent, KashFlow, QuickBooks, Sage, Xero
App, Online
Soldo Pro
£6 per month
Min. of 3 users
£2 fee for ATM withdrawals in non-GBP currencies. Foreign transaction card fee of 1%.
Exact Online, QuickBooks, Sage, Xero
App, Online
Free 30-day trial
CardOneMoney
£12.50
2.75%
FreeAgent, Sage, Wave, Xero
App, Online, Telephone
No monthly fee for the first 3 months. 3.5% cashback available.
Equals Money Card
£50
+ VAT per year
Free in 20 major currencies. If any other currency, a 1.5% fee applies.
Xero
App, Online, Telephone
Soldo Premium
£10 per month
Min. of 3 users
£2 fee for ATM withdrawals in non-GBP currencies. Cards have a foreign transaction fee of 1%
Exact Online, QuickBooks, Sage, Xero
App, Online
Free 30-day trial
Pleo
Free
2.49%
Fortnox, Sage, Xero
App, Online
Wallester Business
Free
Free package with 300 virtual cards
No fees for Euro, USD, SEK, CZK, NOK, HUF, RON
QuickBooks, Xero
App, Online
Expend essentials card
Expend essentials card
£9.99
1.50%
FreeAgent, QuickBooks, Sage, Xero
App, Online
Free 30 day trial
Moss Corporate card
Moss Corporate card

N/A
mastercard exchange rate
Exact Online, QuickBooks, Sage, Xero
Online
0.4% cashback available
Caxton multi-currency card
Caxton multi-currency card
Free
2.49%

Subject to plan
QuickBooks, Xero
App, Online
Free 30 day trial
Caxton Sterling card
Caxton Sterling card
£4
4 but varies
2.49%

Subject to plan
QuickBooks, Xero
App, Online
Free 30 day trial
Jeeves business card
Jeeves business card

N/A
Free

Subject to plan
Xero
App, Online
Wise business debit card
Wise business debit card
Free
0.43%
FreeAgent, QuickBooks, Xero
N/A
0.5% cashback available
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Latest prepaid card reviews

Revolut Free

Revolut Free

★★★★★

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Unlock 1 month of a paid plan without subscription
With the Revolut Business, you can get physical and virtual debit cards for your team and remain in control at all times. Spending controls mean you can set limits, block and freeze cards and decide where the cards can be used. You’ll also benefit from automatic expense reminders to prompt staff to submit receipts and be able to track which expenses need reviewing. Its top feature is the ability to hold different currencies and exchange them for no fees. Its standard account is free, but if you’re after its more innovative features you’ll need to pay a monthly fee.
  • Physical and virtual cards
  • Spending controls
  • Automated expenses
  • Competitive exchange rates on multiple currencies
  • Easy and quick to apply and set up
  • The free account doesn’t include many free transactions
  • You can’t deposit cash or cheques
  • Charges for all ATM withdrawals
  • Not FSCS protected
Account fee £0
Account software integration platforms Clear Books
FreeAgent
FreshBooks
QuickBooks
QuickFile
Sage
Xero
Zoho

Soldo

Spending limits, real time notifications, company cards
Soldo Pro has a monthly fee and comes with just one virtual or plastic prepaid Mastercard. The card is linked to the mobile app and allows you to set spending controls, including limits, rules and budgets. It also allows you to export transaction data to all major accounting software including Sage, and send expenses to Xero and QuickBooks Online. Further benefits include on-the-spot receipt capture, enabling you to document receipts by simply taking a photo. There are no fees for using your card in the UK, but you will pay a 1% fee for foreign transactions. You’ll also be able to add funds to your account whenever you need, free of charge, and funds will be available instantly. Should you need any help with using your card, the customer service team will be on hand to offer support via email or chat.
  • Useful tracking features
  • Data can be exported into your accounting software
  • It comes with both an app and a web interface
  • Foreign transaction charges apply
  • Comes with only one card
  • £5 card issuance fee
Account fee £5
UK ATM Charge £1
Account software integration platforms QuickBooks
Xero
Additional cards 20 additional cards
Additional card fee Plastic = £5 Virtual = £1

Tide

Tide

★★★★★

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Free Tide Accounting.
All of Tide's business accounts enable you to apply for expense cards for your team, but the number you can get for free will depend on the plan you choose. These expense cards let you manage your company expenses in one place and sync transactions with your accounting software. Employees can scan and upload their own receipts, making it easy for you to track business spend in the Tide app. You'll also be able to set individual spend limits for each card to help you manage costs, as well as freeze and cancel cards if needed and view and manage PINs in the app.
  • 24/7 customer support
  • Categorised spending
  • FCA regulated
  • Quick set-up
  • No monthly fees
  • Easy to manage accounts and track payments within the app
  • Ability to set up direct debits and standing orders
  • Can receive online bank statements
  • No branches - all done via the web
  • Doesn't accept cheque deposits
  • No personal accounts
  • No international
  • Transfers or interest offered
Account fee £0
UK ATM Charge £1
Account software integration platforms Clear Books
FreeAgent
KashFlow
QuickBooks
Reckon One
Sage
Xero
UK transfer charge £0.20
Additional cards 35 additional cards
Additional card fee Free
Credit check No - Tide performs an electronic check but no credit check

CardOneMoney

CardOneMoney

★★★★★

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No monthly fee for the first 3 months. 3.5% cashback available.
With the Card One Money business account, you can order up to 4 additional cards for business use. You can add money to these cards directly from your account so that employees can use them to cover business expenses. You'll also be able to assign different levels of access to each team member, based on their roles and responsibilities. Employees can only spend what's been loaded onto the card, making them ideal for managing budgets. However, fees will apply for transfers, as well as cash withdrawals in the UK and abroad.
  • Quick application process
  • No credit check required
  • Cashback rewards available on the associated Mastercard
  • No failed payment fees
  • Quite a few charges involved compared to some other business accounts, including the £55 application fee, £12.50 monthly account fee and various other transaction fees
  • No credit or overdrafts available
Account fee £12.50
UK ATM Charge £1.50
Account software integration platforms FreeAgent
Sage
Wave
Xero
Additional cards 4
Additional card fee £5
Credit check No credit check

ANNA

ANNA Pay As You Go
Finder rating
★★★★★
Go to site Read review
Earn 1% cashback for paying with your ANNA card in selected categories.
With ANNA, every partner or employee can have their own card and make payments directly from your ANNA business account without the need to ask permission. Every time an employee makes a payment, they will be prompted to take a photo of the receipt so that it's stored digitally. The ANNA app also scans receipts, identifies the merchant and automatically assigns it to an expense category, so that you can keep track of what has been spent where, ready for your tax return. What's more, you'll be able to set individual spending limits on your team's cards, and freeze cards whenever required. Additional benefits include the opportunity to earn cashback on selected business expenses, plus the option to give team members access to your account so that they can pay bills, create invoices, and view statements to lighten your load. There are three pricing plans to choose from, including a free option.
  • 24/7 support
  • Fast set-up
  • Invoice and expense services within the app
  • Ability to connect other provider accounts to the ANNA app through Open banking
  • No credit or overdrafts available
  • Still require a traditional bank account for majority of your business financial needs
  • No cash and cheque deposits
  • Cannot be used in web browser
Account fee N/A
Bank transfers N/A
Accounting integrations Clear Books
FreeAgent
QuickBooks
Sage
Xero
Requires credit check N/A
Overdraft N/A

Cashplus Business Bank Account

Cashplus Business Go Bank Account
Finder rating
★★★★★
Go to site Read review
No annual or monthly fee when you apply using the Finder link.
The Cashplus Expense Card offers a wide range of benefits and features for your business. For a start, you'll be able to order up to 20 additional cards and set individual spend limits for each one. There are no monthly account fees for each card, just one low annual fee on the primary account. You can deposit your own money by electronic transfer and see real time data for each card. All transactions can be monitored with a single online account view for the primary account holder, with the ability to see the primary account and all additional card accounts. What's more, Cashplus is integrated with most major accountancy software providers, including Clear Books, FreeAgent, QuickBooks, Sage and Xero, to make your life a little easier. You can open an account online in just four minutes.
  • Open an account in 5 mins
  • "Cashplus iDraft" once eligible
  • Currency cards for travel
  • Online services in addition to the mobile app
  • Charge to have your bank card issued
  • Traditional bank still needed for majority of your business finance needs
Account fee N/A
Bank transfers N/A
Accounting integrations Clear Books
FreeAgent
KashFlow
QuickBooks
Sage
Xero
Requires credit check N/A
Overdraft N/A

Pleo

Pleo aims to make it easier for businesses to control their spending and see where their money is going. Pleo’s smart company cards can be issued to employees and individual spending limits can be set for each. Pleo works from an app from your smartphone which keeps track of your cards, your business’ budget and where it is being spent, helping you to make better business decisions. You can also integrate your accounting system with Pleo, freeze cards whenever needed, and manage and pay bills with ease. There are three different pricing structures with Pleo, with the most expensive plans offering the biggest benefits, including a dedicated account manager and dedicated training. The free plan could be more suitable for those looking for a simple option for their small business.
  • Range of pricing structures
  • Multiple cards can be used on the same account
  • Easy to document expenses and manage business finances
  • Fee applies to some plans
  • Additional fees on withdrawals and transactions
  • Extra fees for using your card abroad
Account fee £0
UK ATM Charge £4
Account software integration platforms Fortnox
Sage
Xero
Additional cards Up to 5 users / cards
Additional card fee £10

Equals Money Card

Equals Spend cards can be used in more than 190 countries, with competitive fees and rates. By linking them to Equals Money’s expense management system, you’ll have control over what your team is spending, helping you to stay on top of budgets. There’s no limit on the number of users you can give to your team, and you can simply add money, manage top-ups or pause or resume cards from the app. Users can also review transactions with receipts and categories, as well as customise access permissions for individual users depending on their role and responsibilities. There’s also the opportunity to earn cashback at certain high street brands. However, costs are relatively high - there is an annual platform fee of £50 +VAT (which is waived for non-profit organisations), plus a card issue fee of £10 +VAT. Foreign purchases are free in certain countries, but not in others, while a £1.50 ATM fee also applies.
  • Unlimited users
  • Can be used across the world
  • Opportunity to earn cashback
  • Useful tracking features
  • High annual platform fee
  • Fees apply for some foreign transactions
  • Card issue fee
Account fee £50
UK ATM Charge £1.50
Account software integration platforms Xero
UK transfer charge £10
Additional cards Unlimited
Additional card fee £10 + VAT

Expert analysis: Prepaid business card options compared

Cathy Hudson profile pic
Cathy Hudson

Money expert

Many business accounts let you issue extra debit cards to employees and set spending limits for each of them, including Revolut Business, ANNA, Cashplus Bank and Tide, which have accounts with no monthly fees. Prepaid business cards work differently though, as they're not used for spending money in a bank account but need to have funds added to them.

While you might start by looking at the initial cost of the card or set-up fee when choosing one, it's important to look at the other costs and features to find the one that will suit you best.

For example, while the Equals Money prepaid business card costs £50 plus VAT a year and £10 plus VAT for each physical card issued, it doesn't charge a fee for non-sterling transactions on 15 major currencies. On the other hand, while Soldo costs £6 per user per month with its Pro plan, which includes one card for each, it charges an exchange fee of 1% for non-sterling transactions.

Like business accounts, prepaid card services can integrate with accounting software, such as QuickBooks, Sage and Xero, to make your transactions easier to monitor and manage, keep track of employee expenses and create and export reports.

What is a prepaid card for business?

A prepaid card can help business owners provide employees with access to money so they can pay for expenses.

It can be linked to your bank account and quickly loaded with funds online, or using a mobile app. Some cards will also allow you to load funds with cash at PayPoints, a banking branch or other locations, such as the Post Office.

However, you can’t set up direct debits or standing orders, like you would be able to do with a traditional bank account. You are unable to go overdrawn either.

Business owners might choose to use a prepaid card if they’re unable to apply for a traditional business bank account or a business credit card.

How do prepaid business cards work?

You will usually have to apply for a prepaid card online, as a lot of providers don’t have branches. In many cases, you can complete the application by downloading the associated app onto your smartphone and entering a few basic personal and financial details. The application usually only takes a few minutes and you won’t need to pass a credit check to be eligible for a card.

Once you’ve successfully applied for a card(s), you’ll have to wait a few days for it to be delivered to you. However, most providers will give you a “virtual card” with all the details you need to make online purchases in the meantime. You could also link a virtual card with mobile payment services like Apple Pay or Google Pay.

The prepaid card will be powered by a payment processor like Visa or Mastercard. You’ll be able to use this card with any retailer that accepts card payments from these processors. You can also withdraw cash at any ATM, although fees may apply.

Either way, the transaction will only go through if you have enough money loaded onto your card. If your balance is too low, the transaction will be rejected.

In what situations would prepaid business cards be used?

Prepaid business cards are a useful tool for splitting your business’s funds between multiple people. If each individual had their own prepaid card, the account holder could easily control and ensure they stick to their budgets.

It’s particularly useful if you want to give employees a means of spending, as you may not trust them with full access to your account via a debit card. Prepaid cards also make it easier to track who is spending your business’s money and where.

If your prepaid card offers better overseas spending rates than your bank account, you may choose to only use this while you’re abroad.

How to compare prepaid cards for business

  • Fees. You may be charged a delivery fee for receiving the card, plus a monthly account fee. Some cards charge ATM withdrawal fees too, so make sure to compare the potential costs of each card.
  • Card limits. Each card will have daily limits on ATM withdrawals. There may also be a daily spending limit, although this tends to be very high.
  • Top-up methods. Some cards may let you top up by cash at PayPoints, or online by linking one of your bank accounts. Other accounts may only support a few of these options.
  • Overseas rates. A key advantage of prepaid cards is that they tend to offer more reasonable rates for overseas spending. If you plan to use your card in different countries, make sure to compare how much it will cost you to do so.

Pros and cons of using prepaid business cards

  • Keeps costs under control. Using prepaid business expense cards can be a great way to prevent your employees overspending on expenses.
  • No credit check needed. Prepaid cards can be an easy alternative for business owners who aren’t eligible for standard business bank accounts.
  • Split expenses between different employees. If each of your employees has their own prepaid expense card you’ll be able to split your business funds between them.
  • No direct debits or standing orders. Prepaid expense cards don’t usually allow you to set up direct debits or standing orders to cover recurring expenses.
  • No overdraft features. If there isn’t enough money on the prepaid card, transactions will be declined.

Alternatives to prepaid business cards

If you have previously found it easier to use prepaid cards but now want to do things like set up standing orders or direct debits for your overheads, you may want to think about going a step further and opening a fully fledged business current account.

While previously business accounts had a reputation for being less customer-friendly than personal current accounts, that has changed. In the same way that banking apps and fintech providers have made managing our personal finances more convenient, there are a range of app-only banks doing the same for our business finances.

Like with prepaid business cards, fees between different bank accounts can vary pretty wildly. Business bank account providers are also increasingly competing with one another to offer their customers perks, like discounted or free access to online accounting platforms.

For full details on how business bank accounts work, and to compare the best product for your firm’s needs, check out our business bank account comparison page.

Differences between prepaid business cards and business credit cards

The table below outlines some of the key differences between prepaid business cards and business credit cards.

Prepaid business cardsBusiness credit cards
Credit checkNo credit check requiredA full credit check will be carried out, with the best deals being reserved for those with good credit
Credit buildingPrepaid cards won’t be linked to your credit file so won’t help you build a business credit scoreProvided you use your credit card sensibly and make repayments on time, you can build a business credit profile
Interest chargesNo interest is charged on prepaid cardsInterest rates can be high if you don’t pay off the balance in full each month
FeesYou might pay a monthly account fee, plus fees for ATM withdrawals, top ups and card deliveryFees will apply if you miss a monthly repayment or exceed your credit limit. Some business credit cards also charge annual fees, as well as fees for use overseas
Potential to overspendLow, as you can only spend what’s been preloaded on to the cardHigh – you can spend up to your credit limit
Rewards and benefitsPrepaid cards don’t tend to come with rewards and benefitsSome business credit cards offer rewards such as cashback or air miles
Expense managementMany prepaid business cards integrate with accounting and expense management softwareSome business credit cards will come with expense tracking tools
Cash flow managementPrepaid cards won’t help you manage cash flow as you’re not borrowing fundsBusiness credit cards let you borrow funds in advance so can help with managing cash flow

Bottom line

If you’d like to have more control over your employees’ business expenses and budget more effectively, prepaid business cards can be a good option to consider rather than issuing company debit or credit cards to your employees. You should compare the various options carefully though, as they have different pricing structures that could affect the overall cost to your business.

Frequently asked questions

We show offers we can track - that's not every product on the market...yet. Unless we've said otherwise, products are in no particular order. The terms "best", "top", "cheap" (and variations of these) aren't ratings, though we always explain what's great about a product when we highlight it. This is subject to our terms of use. When you make major financial decisions, consider getting independent financial advice. Always consider your own circumstances when you compare products so you get what's right for you.

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