Netspend® All-Access® Account review
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- Monthly maintenance fee
- $5
- Signature transaction fee
- $0
- PIN transaction fee
- $0
Our verdict
Combines the benefits of a prepaid card with a traditional bank account — but watch out for fees.
The Netspend® All-Access® Account marries all the best features of a prepaid card and a checking account. It won’t check your credit and you’ll get access to early direct deposits, an optional high-yield savings account and an optional overdraft protection. These features make it a great choice for anyone who has bad credit, no credit or a negative banking history.
But as with most prepaid cards, there are a few fees to watch out for. The biggest is an unavoidable $5 monthly fee, which can eat into your account balance each month.
Pros
-
Earn cash back on everyday purchases
-
Earn up to 6% APY with an optional Savings Account
-
Receive your paycheck up to 2 days earlier with Direct Deposit
Cons
-
Unavoidable monthly fee
-
No wire transfers
-
Spending limits
-
Miscellaneous fees
How do I open a Netspend® All-Access® Account account?
Follow these steps to sign up for your free account online:
- Go to the provider’s site and follow the steps to apply.
- From the official Netspend website, click Sign Up Now.
- Enter your personal information, select your direct deposit methods, choose your card design and click Sign Up.
You should know instantly if you’re approved, and your All-Access debit card should arrive in the mail seven to 10 business days after you apply.
Required information
You’ll need to give the following information when you apply online:
- Name, address and date of birth
- Social Security number
- Government-issued photo ID number
What are the benefits of a Netspend® All-Access® Account?
The Netspend account doesn’t require a credit check. It’s a good option for those with bad credit or a negative banking history, as well as anyone looking for these features:
- Early direct deposits. Get your paycheck and government benefits up to two days earlier than you would with a traditional bank account.
- Payback Rewards. Earn cash back when you use your debit card on qualifying purchases.
- Optional overdraft protection. Unlike other prepaid card accounts, you can enable an overdraft protection feature. But you’ll pay $20 every time you overdraft by more than $10, instead of declining the transaction.
- Purchase cushion. This feature is available to those with a qualifying direct deposit. It covers you for free if you overdraw on your account by less than $10.
- Large ATM network. Use over 32,000 ATMs in the MoneyPass network for free.
- Bonus savings account. If you choose to open Netspend’s optional savings account, you’ll earn 6% APY on the first $2,000 and 0.5% on any amount over this limit.
- Virtual cards. If you don’t feel comfortable giving your card information out online or by phone, you can request up to six active Virtual Cards that expire at the end of the month.
What should I look out for?
The Netspend® All-Access® Account has a few drawbacks worth mentioning:
- Unavoidable monthly fee. Expect to pay $5 a month to maintain this account. Unlike other accounts, you can’t avoid the fee.
- No wire transfers. Netspend doesn’t accept any inbound wire transfers. If you regularly receive wire transfers, consider a traditional checking account or a second-chance checking account if you have a negative banking history.
- Spending limits. You can’t spend more than $5,000 per transaction at point-of-sale locations and you can’t withdraw more than $400 per transaction or $1,000 a day at ATMs.
- Miscellaneous fees. Along with the $5 monthly fee, expect to pay these fees for using your card:
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
Non-network ATM withdrawal, domestic | $3 |
Non-network ATM withdrawal, international | $4.95 |
Balance inquiry fee | $1.50 |
Foreign transaction fee | 4% |
Overdraft fee | $20 |
Replacement card fee | $3 |
Additional card fee | $3 |
Paper statement fee | $5 |
Custom card fee | Included as an Account Feature |
If you’re looking for an account with fewer fees and an avoidable monthly fee, shop around until you find one that’s right for you.
Compare with other debit cards
Compare other products
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How we picked theseHow do I deposit or withdraw my money?
There are a handful of ways to add money to your Netspend® All-Access® Account:
Deposits
- Direct deposit
- Cash at a NetSpend retail location
- Bank transfer
- Transfer between Netspend accounts
- Tax refund deposit
Withdrawals
- Withdrawal at an ATM
- Bank transfer
- Transfer to another NetSpend account
- Cash back at retailer
Why did Netspend® All-Access® Account send me a card?
According to users on Reddit, it’s a marketing tactic Netspend uses. The card shouldn’t have any funds and won’t work unless you decide to activate it. If you want to make sure you don’t have an active account, you can contact Netspend at customerservice@netspendallaccess.com.
Frequently asked questions
How do I close my Netspend® All-Access® Account?
Start the account close-out process by calling the toll-free number on the back of your debit card. But before you do, make sure you’ve transferred or withdrawn any of your remaining funds. Netspend charges a $15 fee if they have to send you a check with the remaining balance.
How much does it cost to open a Netspend® All-Access® Account?
This account is free to open, but you’ll pay $5 a month to maintain it.
What should I do if I lose my Netspend® All-Access® Account debit card?
Immediately call customer service or log in to your online account to report your card as lost or stolen.
Netspend® All-Access® Account is not currently available on Finder
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Via customer survey commissioned by Finder
I have never had any problems
The customer is never right
The pros and cons well first of all let me tell you there are no probs what I'd like to know is who trains these conduits to lie and to not take responsibility when you call to question whom they're giving your money to and why and to stop they cancel your card claim you've reported it stolen the fees that they charge you triple what they've documented online it's not true they charge you more and more and more and more in Massachusetts there are no ATMs that that don't charge fees and then NetSpend doubles and even on the rare occasion will triple the ATM fees I have been with this NetSpend for approximately 5 years and today when I question you were three dollars and 18 cents worth they decided to freeze my account the conduit reported my card stolen claim that I did knowing that these calls are recorded when I pleaded not once not twice 13 times they're holding my let's say between 2 and $300 in my checking account hostage whoever set up this NetSpend all access I'll be ashamed of themselves or get somebody in there who genuinely cares about the regular Joe and or their little bit of money that they can manage to save or manage to keep from month to month I wouldn't waste my time I'm already looking for another bank or online banking institution
ATM
I tried to take out $200 out of an ATM and I only received 40 I contacted Netspend all access and they told me I had to wait 90 days for say said hello and wait three days now they told me it would be 90 days they are a joke I will be switching my direct deposit as soon as I get my next Social Security I will switch it to a different account they don’t care about their customers….
The Worst Prepaid Card
I traveled out of the country and notified Netspend I would be traveling to avoid restrictions. Of course the rep didn't tell me my card would have restricted use in the country. I could not do any pin transactions, could not withdraw from any ATM or access my account online or through the app while in another country! I could check my balance only by using my international minutes to call and there would be a convenience charge for that! I just decided to transfer my funds to cash app and close this account when I return.
Beware that there is a $5 monthly fee.
You can't transfer money from its account to another bank account. Unlike other banks, they never tell you there is a monthly fee on the website where you sign up. Once I found out, I want to withdrawal and close the account. They told you to go the counter to withdraw, and you will be charge a 1% for that. I was charge $12.40 withdrawal fee plus the $5 monthly fee even I decide not to use it and close it.
You won't find a better prepaid card company!
Its worry free. No problems ever and been my main banking source for almost 4 years. Love Meta bank! Thanks!
Scam
New acc has 5$ fee/month. Also theres a fee to close your account
Definitely avoid
Absolutely avoid. I saw this card in a store and I liked the idea of how a convenient debit card. When I read the fine lines, I noticed there are high fees for lots of common actions, and the account is very inconvenient, it takes time to move money, and it's not compatible with google pay and other more convenient forms of payment. So I researched for better options online and found Chime. So I went ahead and closed my NetSpend account. I was due a $50 refund for my initial deposit. They sent me a check in the mail that took very long to arrive and discounted $6 for "delivery". The check says explicitly "not eligible for mobile deposit", making it extremely inconvenient. When I tried to cash it, it was already expired! Basically, they refuse to return any of my $50 balance. This is, honestly, close to a scam. I wouldn't be surprised if a class action comes out against this company, Overall, I wish stores like Walmart and CVS wouldn't offer them so visibly, knowing now just how bad of a deal they are.
Love my skylight all access card!
I've had my skylight all access card for about 3 years now. I've never been charged a monthly fee; not once. I've never had problems with my money being there when I need it. I've never been charged for anything that I didn't purchase. Every once in a while I receive an interest payment, it's only a few cents, but every little bit helps. I've always received excellent customer service. They can always fix my problems when I call. I just had to replace my old card because it was lost. I didn't ask for an updated newer version, but received one anyway and I absolutely LOVE it! I have a new expiration date and the card is attractive. I pay $3.74 at Walmart to load up to $500. The company has never charged me to load my card. I can get money out at WalMart when I check out and it doesn't cost me anything! I'll never return to a traditional brick and mortar bank again! They're nothing but a bunch of lying thieves! Thank you Skylight for being there for me when I needed you! Love y'all!
ATM
On their website/app, they list "In Network" ATM's that clearly states "No Charge to use In-network ATM's" but you are charged by the ATM for use. I spent 2 hours trying to get a definition of "In-network" and not 1 person could answer my question. I liked All Access, but due to that experience, I will going somewhere else! Netspend, please educate your Account Managers. This guy admitted the ATM I went to was in network, but still insists that there was a charge for my transaction and could not explain why or what "In-network" meant!
Cassidy Finder
Writer
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