Cardholders often ask whether they can use their Visa® Prepaid Card with a phone: tapping to pay at checkout with a mobile wallet, or paying through an app like Venmo or PayPal.
In this article, you'll learn which mobile wallets work with the Card, how the Card works with mobile payment apps, and why money can't be sent from those apps onto the Card.
Mobile wallets – Apple Pay and Google Pay
Cardholders can add the Card to Apple Wallet or Google Wallet and pay with a tap of their phone or smartwatch wherever contactless payments are accepted. Purchases made this way come out of the same Card balance and follow the same Spending Settings as purchases made with the physical card.
For setup steps and troubleshooting, see Use the Visa® Prepaid Card with Apple Pay and Google Pay.
If you have a question about a different mobile wallet, please contact our Customer Support team.
Mobile payment apps – Venmo and PayPal
- Paying out may be possible. The Card can generally be used to make outgoing payments through services like Venmo and PayPal, as long as the Card's Spending Settings allow it. For example, if the Card's Spending Settings block money transfers, these payments may be declined.
- Receiving money onto the Card isn't possible. Cardholders can't move money from Venmo, PayPal, or similar services onto the Card. If a cardholder tries, the transfer will be declined.
How money gets onto the Card
The only way to add money to the Card is a withdrawal started in the Vestwell platform. Log in at signin.vestwell.com, go to the Withdrawals page, and select the Prepaid Card option. Withdrawals are processed by Vestwell, and timing can vary. For the full steps, see Transferring Funds to the Card.
For questions about a Vestwell withdrawal, including its status, please contact Vestwell. After opening the link, click either College Savings (529) or ABLE at the top of the page to find your plan.
Please be aware
- Spending Settings apply everywhere. Whether the cardholder taps a phone, uses a payment app, or swipes the physical card, every purchase is checked against the Card's Spending Settings.
- Keep records of what a payment was for. Payments sent through an app may show up in the Card's transaction history under the app's name rather than the person or business that was paid. Adding a note or receipt to the transaction can help you remember what it was for later. See Requesting a Detailed Transaction Report.
- Payments you don't recognize. If you see a transaction you don't recognize or believe is incorrect, contact our Customer Support team right away — we can help you review it and file a dispute. See Disputing Fraudulent Transactions or Merchant Errors.
If you have any questions about using the Card with mobile wallets or payment apps, please don't hesitate to contact our Customer Support team.
Apple Wallet, Apple Pay, and Apple Watch are trademarks of Apple Inc. Google Wallet and Google Pay are trademarks of Google LLC.