ACE Elite Visa Prepaid Card (Annual)

How We Rated the

Card Features Fees Disclosure Clarity BBB Rating Load Options Overall Rating

Rating Explanation 4 GetDebit.com Editor The ACE Express Elite line of prepaid cards receives good scores from us for their variety of features, multiple load options (you can load funds on these card in a lot of different ways). One of the companies behind the cards (NetSpend) is very highly rated by the Better Business Bureau. This shows that they are serious about dealing with consumer issues. ACE Express is rated very low. For that, we have given the card a less than high rating. The lower monthly fees and lower transaction fees still make this a great card along with the many features. Be aware that a monthly direct deposit is NOT required for this card. However, if you are a heavy user of your card (and have a lot of ATM transactions, card replacements or need paper statements) then it can be very expensive. If you have a need for lighter use, we recommend the "Pay as You Go" plan as it has no monthly fee and the comparably low activation fee. The ACE Express Elite line of prepaid cards receives good scores from us for their variety of features, multiple load options (you can load funds on these card in a lot of different ways). One of the companies behind the cards (NetSpend) is very highly rated by the Better Business Bureau. This shows that they are serious about dealing with consumer issues. ACE Express is rated very low. For that, we have given the card a less than high rating. The lower monthly fees and lower transaction fees still make this a great card along with the many features. Be aware that a monthly direct deposit is NOT required for this card. However, if you are a heavy user of your card (and have a lot of ATM transactions, card replacements or need paper statements) then it can be very expensive. If you have a need for lighter use, we recommend the "Pay as You Go" plan as it has no monthly fee and the comparably low activation fee.

Fee Examples

Want to know how much the might cost you to use in a typical month? We have crunched the numbers for you! We also show how stacks up against some common alternatives so you can see if you would save money using this card. Please remember -- cost should NOT be the only reason why you pick a card -- make sure to consider the card's features (some cards have more features than a typical bank account).

To see different scenarios, change the following variables.

	Number of transactions each month		Bank of America "Regular" Checking	Check Cashing Store
Monthly Fee	Once per month	$	$	$
Cash paycheck (per month)	$	$	$	$*
ATM Withdrawals	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	$	$	$
Bill Payments	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	$	$	$
Online Purchases	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	$	$	N/A
In-Store Purchases***	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20	$	$	N/A
Overdrafts:****	0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20		$	$
Total		$	$	$

Note: * Based on a U.S. Average check cashing rate of 4.54% (per the Brookings Institution),
**Using the Money Order fees from the U.S. Post Office (Some of the lowest available),
*** We assume that 1/2 of your in-store purchases will be made using your PIN,
****A LARGE portion of Americans experience at least 1 overdraft each Month. Also note that the Check Casher CANNOT buy items online, and must use cash for all purchases.

Fees Associated With The *

Activation Fee:	$3.95	Card Limit:	$5000
Monthly Fee:	$5.83	ATM Withdrawal:**	$2.50
Signature Transactions:***	$0.00	ATM Balance Inquiry:	$0.50
PIN Transactions:***	$0.00	Bill Payments:	$0.00

The ACE Express Elite prepaid Visa with the "Fee Advantage Annual Plan WITHOUT Direct Deposit" has a simple fee structure. Typically, you would pay $69.95 as an Annual Fee - we have broken that out here into a monthly fee of $5.83 for the sake of comparison. You will pay this fee and all ATM transactions. Point of sale PIN and signature debit transactions are FREE.

Notes:
* Fees verified as of 01/27/2011. Check the Current Terms & Conditions for a list of all the fees.
** Some ATM operators may charge a fee for use of their ATMs in addition to this fee.
*** To use your in a "signature" transaction, select "Credit" when checking out at a brick and mortar merchant. Most internet transactions are automatically processed as "signature" transactions.

Card Options

The ACE Express Elite Visa card line comes in various options, including the "Pay as You Go" plan, the "Fee Advantage with Direct Deposit" plan, the "Fee Advantage" monthly plan and the "Fee Advantage" annual plan. The cards are available in Silver and Pink.

Here are GetDebit’s “Low Fee Tips” for this Card

Many prepaid debit cards, including the ACE Elite "Fee Advantage" Visa card annual plan without direct deposit, have fees that can be avoided with careful use.

Tips for Using The ACE Elite Visa Prepaid Card (Annual)

• How to Refill Visa Prepaid Cards
• How to Load Money on a PayPower Prepaid Card
• Using a Prepaid Visa Card — A Few Tips
• How to Set up Direct Deposit on a NetSpend Prepaid MasterCard
• How to Dispute a Debit Card Charge