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Brinks Prepaid Mastercard® Review


ConsumersAdvocate.org Rating: 4.8 / 5 (Excellent)
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Founded in 1859, Brink's is one of the world's leading banking security and protection companies. The Brink's Prepaid MasterCard® is a result of its partnership with Netspend, which provides prepaid debit cards for multiple uses.

How is Brinks rated?

Breakdown

4.9/5
Card Characteristics
4.8/5
Additional Services
4.7/5
Customer Experience

Overall Rating: 4.8 / 5 (Excellent)

With its relative ease of use and range of features, the Brinks Prepaid MasterCard is a tempting option for people who don't want the hassle of opening a traditional checking account. The early direct deposit feature is useful, as is the associated savings account which can help some take more control of their finances. However, the card is associated with a great number of fees, so customers should be well-informed about the risks and obligations associated with this card to get the most out of it.

Brinks Card Characteristics

Card Characteristics - 4.9 / 5

With the Brinks Prepaid MasterCard, customers are able to have the convenience of a debit card without a bank account. The card has 3 plan options: the Pay-As-You-Go plan has no plan fee but purchase transactions have a fee. The Monthly Fee and Preferred Fee plans have a monthly fee ($9.95 and $5 respectively) but paying the fee means no transaction fees will be charged when you use the card to purchase something. Customers can reload the card through direct deposits, by visiting a NetSpend reload location, or by transferring money from an existing bank account, a PayPal account, or another Brinks card. To upgrade to the Preferred Fee plan, customers must direct deposit more than $500 (its unclear whether this is a monthly requirement). Fees and restrictions apply. Visit the website linked below to see the full schedule of fees associated with the Brinks Prepaid MasterCard.

Card Balance

Minimum Balance
$%

Other

Smart Chip
No

Fees & Penalties

  • Decline Fee
  • Withdrawal Fee
  • Monthly Fee
  • Balance Inquiry Fee
  • Maintenance Fee
  • Dormancy Fee
  • Pin Debit Purchase/Transaction Fee
  • Cash Withdrawal Fee
  • Overdraft Penalty
  • Over the Counter Cash Withdrawal Fee

Fees Link


Brinks Additional Services

Additional Services - 4.8 / 5

The Brinks Prepaid MasterCard comes with additional features. For one, setting up direct deposits with the Brinks card means funds are available up to 2 days earlier than with a bank. Another feature is the $10 Purchase Cushion: Brinks will create a $10 negative balance on the account to cover any overdrafts. The card comes with a mobile app that allows you to manage your account and your budget wherever you are and mobile alerts to notify you of any activity. The card also comes with a PayBack Rewards program—when you use the card, eligible offers from merchants are sent to you so the next time you use the card at the same retail location, Brinks will credit money into your account. The Brinks card is customizable so you can put your favorite photo on it. Additionally, you are able to transfer money to friends and family who have a NetSpend account at no cost. Finally, the Preferred Fee plan includes an optional high-yield savings account with a 5.00% APY through BofI Federal Bank.

Features

  • Text Alerts
  • Online Account Management
  • Mobile App
  • Budgeting Features
  • Instant Transfer
  • Savings Account
  • Online Bill Pay
  • Early Tax Refund

Rewards

  • Cashback

Brinks Customer Experience

Customer Experience - 4.7 / 5

Brinks Prepaid MasterCard users may contact customer service through their secure inbox in the account management center, by email, or by phone. Representatives are available weekdays 8am–10pm CST and weekends 8am–8pm CST. There's not much by way of customer reviews of the Brinks card. Therefore, customers are advised to thoroughly read the terms and conditions of the card in order to avoid confusion in the future.

Help & Support

  • Phone
  • Email
  • FAQs

Reviews and Complaints

Date Collected
2018-09-05

Company Profile

Full Name
Brinks Prepaid Mastercard®
Company Website
Headquarters
PO Box 2136, Austin, TX, 78768


Top Rated
Our Partner
  • Faster payments than paper checks with direct deposit 
  • No late fees because this is not a credit card
  • Usable anywhere Mastercard debit is accepted