Review of Western Union’s MoneyWise prepaid Mastercard | check out our review of the MoneyWise MasterCard by Western Union

Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid Mastercard

The Western Union MoneyWise prepaid MasterCard offers one of the lowest fee values found in the prepaid card realm. If you desire a low fee card that is straight forward and simple to use, then check out the MoneyWise Mastercard. The MoneWise prepaid card is really a great way to pay for your everyday expenses.

Review of the Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid Mastercard

Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid Mastercard

Besides offering FREE Activation, FREE Monthly Maintenance, FREE Customer Service, FREE Purchase Transaction Fees — Western Union currently has a $10 bonus offer to customers with their first qualifying direct deposit within 60 days of sign up. Did we mention that Direct Deposit was also FREE along with a fantastic online and mobile account management system including electronic bill pay. So, not only can you enjoy low fees, but also a powerful financial tool loaded with lots of great features. We think you might really like these great Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard Features:

  • No monthly maintenance fees.
  • No purchase transaction fees.
  • No overdraft or late payment fees.
  • No bank account or credit check required.
  • Free to activate your card online.
  • Free payroll direct deposit.
  • Receive a Western Union Money Transfer transaction onto your card.
  • Use anywhere Debit MasterCard is accepted, including online and at ATMs.Apply Now!


How We Rated the Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card

Card FeaturesWestern Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card Features
FeesWestern Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card Fees
Disclosure ClarityWestern Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card Disclosure
BBB RatingWestern Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card BBB Rating
Load OptionsWestern Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card Reload Options
Overall RatingWestern Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card Rating
Rating Explanation
Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card 5 GetDebit.com Editor The MoneWise MasterCard is an excellent product. The card is designed for people who like the power of many features with very competitive fees. This card receives our highest ratings although there are some fees to be aware of in the terms and conditions of the cardholder agreement found on the website. FREE Activation Fees, Monthly Maintenance Fees and Online Bill Pay Fees make this a great card as these are where many prepaid cards make a majority of their profit. The card limits are also competitive as are the other features including - worldwide acceptance, fraud protection, online account management, mobile text alerts and multiple loading options including direct deposit. Many other cards offer FREE fees only when direct deposit is utilized. This card offers FREE fees regardless. Western Union and MetaBank have good ratings with the Better Business Bureau which means they really make an effort when it comes to customer service.
The MoneWise MasterCard is an excellent product. The card is designed for people who like the power of many features with very competitive fees. This card receives our highest ratings although there are some fees to be aware of in the terms and conditions of the cardholder agreement found on the website. FREE Activation Fees, Monthly Maintenance Fees and Online Bill Pay Fees make this a great card as these are where many prepaid cards make a majority of their profit. The card limits are also competitive as are the other features including - worldwide acceptance, fraud protection, online account management, mobile text alerts and multiple loading options including direct deposit. Many other cards offer FREE fees only when direct deposit is utilized. This card offers FREE fees regardless. Western Union and MetaBank have good ratings with the Better Business Bureau which means they really make an effort when it comes to customer service.

Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card Fee Examples

Want to know how much the Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card might cost you to use in a typical month? We have crunched the numbers for you! We also show how Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit cardstacks 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 Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card Bank of America "Regular" Checking Check Cashing Store
Monthly Fee Once per month $ $ $
Cash paycheck (per month) $ $ $ $*
ATM Withdrawals $ $ $
Bill Payments $ $ $
Online Purchases $ $ N/A
In-Store Purchases*** $ $ N/A
Overdrafts:**** $ $
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 Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card*

Activation Fee:$0.00 Card Limit:$10000
Monthly Fee:$0.00 ATM Withdrawal:**$1.95
Signature Transactions:***$0.00 ATM Balance Inquiry:$0.45
PIN Transactions:***$0.00 Bill Payments:$0.00

Western Union's Money Wise card really does have a competitive fee structure. You do have to pay attention to the terms. Some of the typical fees other cards charge for don't exist on this one, which can be a great value to you. $0 Activation Fee, $0 Monthly Fee, $0 Customer Service Fee and $0 Bill Pay Fee.


Notes:
* Fees verified as of 11/22/2011. 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 Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card in a "signature" transaction, select "Credit" when checking out at a brick and mortar merchant. Most internet transactions are automatically processed as "signature" transactions.

Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid MasterCard debit card Card Options

There are no graphic design or "feature" options. You get access to all the great features in one basic card package.

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

Although the MoneyWise MasterCard provides many FREE fees, there are still a couple of fees that can be avoided with careful use. Instead of using ATM's a cardholder can get "cash over" from a merchant with no charge. If you get the card, then use it regularly to avoid the Inactivity Fee (after 13 months). There are other fees associated with loading funds, paper statements, lost cards and check processing fees to be aware of as well.

Tips for Using The Western Union MoneyWise Prepaid Mastercard