Can You Use a Prepaid Card for Uber? Answered

Can You Use a Prepaid Card for Uber?

Prepaid debit cards typically do not work with Uber because most are not compatible with Uber’s billing system. However, some prepaid debit cards and reloadable gift cards backed by major issuers like Visa and Mastercard — not gift cards containing a set amount of funds — may work, Uber customer service representatives said.

One Uber representative told us that prepaid cards have a better chance of working if there is a high available balance and the card is eligible for use on other online transactions. However, during our research, we found that customers reported errors even with cards that have available balances of $1,000 or more.

The representatives were unable to provide a list of prepaid cards that work with Uber’s billing system. Instead, the representatives said you can try adding the card in the Uber app to find out whether or not it’s compatible.

How to Add a Card to Uber

To add a card to your Uber account, you’ll need to input the card number, expiration date, CVV, and your country and billing ZIP code. If the prepaid card is incompatible, you’ll see an error message when you add the card or when you request a ride.

Cards That May Not Work With Uber

By evaluating consumer reports, we were able to compile a list of prepaid cards that typically do not work with Uber. Keep in mind, if you have one of the following types of cards, you can still try adding it to your account to see if it might work for you.

Customers have reported payment issues when attempting to use the following prepaid cards in the Uber app:

• American Express Serve
• Bluebird by American Express
• Borderless Prepaid Card
• Cash App Cash Card
• Direct Express Debit Mastercard
• Global Cash Card
• Green Dot Prepaid Visa
• H&R Block Emerald Prepaid Mastercard
• Kroger REWARDS Prepaid Mastercard
• Kroger REWARDS Prepaid Visa
• Money Network Card
• MyVanilla Visa
• Netspend Prepaid Mastercard
• Netspend Prepaid Visa
• PayPal Prepaid Mastercard
• RushCard
• Western Union Netspend Mastercard
• Xpectations Visa Prepaid Card
• Walmart MoneyCard

Accepted Payment Methods

Even if you’re able to add a card to your account, you’ll want to have a backup payment method ready in case you need an alternate way to pay for your ride.

Uber accepts checking accounts, credit cards, debit cards, Android Pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, Samsung Pay, Venmo, and Uber gift cards, customer service representatives said.