Lyft Takes Prepaid Cards: How To Use Them [Step-By-Step]

Does Lyft Take Prepaid Cards?

Lyft accepts prepaid cards as a payment option, offering a convenient method for users to pay for rides. These include Chime, Metabank, and Green Dot, just to name a few.

These cards, functioning like debit or credit cards, must be pre-loaded with funds and free from provider restrictions on online transactions. It’s essential to ensure the card has enough funds for the ride.

Besides prepaid cards, Lyft also accepts various other payment methods, including credit and debit cards, digital wallets like Apple Pay and Google Pay, and cash through the Lyft Cash feature.

Advantages of Using Prepaid Cards With Lyft

Using prepaid cards as a payment method for Lyft rides offers several advantages, including:

• Budgeting and Expense Tracking: Since prepaid cards allow you to load a specific amount of money, they make it easier to budget and track your transportation expenses.
• Convenience: Prepaid cards are easy to use and reload. They’re also a convenient option for riders who don’t have a bank account.
• Safety and Security: Carrying prepaid cards is safer than carrying cash, as they can easily be replaced if lost or stolen. Lost cash, on the other hand, is often lost for good.

How to Add a Prepaid Card to Your Lyft Account

To add a prepaid card to your Lyft account, follow these steps:

1. Launch the Lyft app on your smartphone.
2. Tap the three parallel lines at the top left corner.
3. Select ‘Payment’ from the menu.
4. Select ‘Add payment method.’
5. Enter the required prepaid card information.
6. Tap ‘Save’ to store the card for future use.

Once you’ve successfully added your prepaid card, it’ll be available as a payment option for future Lyft rides, as long as your provider isn’t imposing any restrictions on online transactions.

Don’t forget to make sure your card has sufficient funds to cover the cost of the ride, including potential surge pricing or additional fees.

Troubleshooting: Lyft Is Rejecting My Card

If Lyft is rejecting your prepaid card, don’t worry. Usually, some quick fixes will allow you to use your card again. Here are the most common reasons Lyft rejects cards:

• The card is expired.
• You entered some details, such as the CVV code, incorrectly.
• The card was reported lost or stolen.
• Your bank or prepaid card provider froze your card due to suspicious transactions or suspected fraud. For example, Netspend might freeze your account if you enter your PIN incorrectly three times in a row.
• You do not have enough funds on your prepaid card or in your bank account to cover the cost of your ride.
• You have a foreign card and your foreign bank flagged the transaction.

Usually, by calling your bank or card provider, you will be able to fix the issue. You may have to add money to your card to make sure it covers the cost of your Lyft ride in full.

Why is Lyft Asking for a Second Card?

Lyft might ask for a second card to verify your identity. Furthermore, it might ask for a second card if the first card you entered doesn’t have enough funds, is expired, or doesn’t work for some other reason.

If you get an error while trying to pay for Lyft, here are some quick fixes to try:

• Delete your prepaid card and add it again.
• Use another payment method.
• Make sure you have selected the right payment method when ordering a ride.
• Call your bank or card provider.
• Add money to your card. Make sure you have more than enough to cover your Lyft ride.
• Contact Lyft support by clicking on “Help” in the main menu.
• Make sure your phone’s location services are turned on and that Lyft has access to your location.

Other Payment Methods Accepted by Lyft

In addition to prepaid cards, the following payment methods are accepted by Lyft:

• Credit cards
• Debit cards
• Bank checking account
• Apple Pay
• Google Pay
• Venmo
• PayPal

Lyft also accepts cash as a payment method, but you’ll have to load it to your Lyft Cash balance. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Open the Lyft app’s main menu.
2. Select ‘Payment.’
3. Select ‘Find a store.’
4. Choose a nearby store.
5. Select ‘See barcode’ or ‘Show ID number.’
6. Head to the store and follow cash-loading instructions.
7. Show the cashier your barcode or ID number and tell them how much cash you’re looking to load.

The money you load to your Lyft Cash balance will be available for use in just a few minutes, though some transactions may take up to 24 hours to appear. To confirm, head to the ‘Payment’ tab where you should see your current Lyft Cash balance.

Note: $30 is the minimum for Lyft’s cash load transactions.

How to Delete a Payment Method From Lyft

To delete a payment method from Lyft, follow these steps:

1. Open Lyft’s menu.
2. Select ‘Payment.’
3. Tap the payment method you wish to remove.
4. Tap the ‘Delete’ button.

Keep in mind that you’ll need to add at least one other payment method to serve as your default before removing your current one—if it’s your only method, of course.

It’s also worth noting the payment method associated with Lyft Cash cannot be deleted.

Wrapping Up

To summarize, Lyft does accept prepaid cards as a valid payment method. It also accepts several other payment options, including Venmo and Apple Pay, so you’re guaranteed a ride regardless of your preferred payment method.

Follow the above-listed steps to add your prepaid card to your Lyft account and enjoy your ride!