How to Get Direct Deposit Without a Bank Account

Short Answer: Prepaid debit cards, PayPal Cash Plus accounts, and Venmo accounts linked to a Venmo debit card each offer direct deposits without a bank account. For more details about how to get direct deposits without a bank account, see below.

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How to Get Direct Deposit Without a Bank Account

If you don’t have a bank account, prepaid debit cards, PayPal, and Venmo all offer direct deposit options for payroll checks, government benefits, and tax refunds. In some cases, early direct deposit is available, which means you will receive your direct deposit up to several days earlier than usual.

We provide more details about each of these options below. We compiled this information by researching prepaid debit card policies and contacting customer service representatives for PayPal, Venmo, and several prepaid debit issuers.

If you are dissatisfied with these options and want to consider a traditional bank account, see our guide to opening a bank account.

Prepaid Debit Cards

Many prepaid debit cards include routing and account numbers, just like traditional bank accounts. You can provide these numbers to the payor to receive direct deposits.

Be sure to check the account terms of the card you choose before purchase to confirm that it accepts direct deposits. Representatives for the following prepaid cards confirm that their cards allow direct deposit:

AccountNow Visa
Akimbo Prepaid Mastercard
American Express Serve
Bluebird by American Express
Emerald Card
Green Dot 5% Cash Back Visa Debit Card
Green Dot Prepaid Mastercard or Visa Card
Netspend Prepaid Mastercard or Visa Card
RushCard Prepaid Visa
Walmart MoneyCard

Our previous research also features direct deposit information for Emerald Card, Green Dot, RushCard, and the Walmart MoneyCard.

Prepaid cards don’t require credit or banking history checks for approval. Additionally, since you fund the prepaid card and do not receive a line of credit, a prepaid card will not affect your credit score.

PayPal

PayPal accepts direct deposits if you have a PayPal Cash Plus account or PayPal Prepaid Mastercard, customer service representatives told us. Our related research has the details on how to get a direct deposit to your PayPal Cash Plus account.

Venmo

While the Venmo app is owned by PayPal, it does not have direct deposit capabilities unless you link your account to a Venmo Mastercard debit card. If you apply and are approved, you will be able to set up a direct deposit when you receive your Venmo debit card.