Does Uber Take Prepaid Cards?

One of the things that makes Uber so convenient is that you can go cashless and get around town without carrying any cash on you, paying for your rides with your card.

However, at first glance, it’s not entirely clear if Uber accepts prepaid debit cards.

Which payment method can you use with Uber, and which credit and debit cards does it accept?

Does Uber accept debit cards, including major debit cards?

In this post, we’re going to discuss this topic in detail.

Does Uber Take Prepaid Cards?

Uber takes many prepaid cards, but not all.

If you have a prepaid Visa card or a Visa gift card, it will probably work on the Uber app or any of the other Uber services you might be using.

The same goes for any card with the Visa or Mastercard logo.

However, you need to make sure that your balance on the prepaid debit card can cover the cost of the ride.

Also, Uber does not accept some prepaid cards, but there are workarounds.

Does Uber Eats Take Prepaid Cards?

Similar to Uber, Uber Eats accepts most prepaid cards.

If it has the Mastercard or Visa logo, you can usually use it on Uber Eats.

Nevertheless, some cards may not work.

What Types of Prepaid Cards Does Uber Take?

Uber accepts payment with most prepaid cards.

According to Uber, the Satoshi, Tango, and Xapo cards are compatible with Uber, as are EntroPay cards.

Not all of those cards may be available to users in the United States, but you should still be able to use most prepaid cards to pay for your Uber trips.

How to Tell if Your Prepaid Card Will Work With Uber

It isn’t always possible to tell if Uber will allow your prepaid card as a payment option until you add it as your selected payment method.

To see if your prepaid card will work, add your prepaid card as you would add a debit card.

The prepaid card should work if it gets added to your payment methods, and Uber lets you order a ride.

If your prepaid card can be used for online transactions, it will probably work on Uber.

What Cards Does Uber Not Accept?

Uber does not accept some prepaid cards, especially cards bearing logos from payment processors other than Visa and Mastercard.

Also, Uber won’t accept a Lyft gift card.

Nevertheless, some workarounds allow you to use all prepaid cards as a payment method for Uber, as you will see later on.

Other Forms of Payment That Uber Takes

Uber accepts a wide range of payment methods.

Here are the accepted payment methods you can use to pay for all your Uber trips.

Keep in mind that accepted payment methods vary from one location to another.

• Credit or debit card: Uber lets you use all major credit cards as a payment method.
• Apple Pay: On iOS, you can use Apple Pay to pay all your Uber rides.
• Google Pay: On Android, you may use Google Pay to make your online transactions on Uber.
• Venmo: In the United States, you may use Venmo to pay for an Uber ride.
• PayPal: You can connect PayPal to your bank accounts and use it to pay for an Uber ride.
• Uber Cash: You can use Uber’s built-in wallet, Uber Cash, to pay for your rides. Just add money from any other payment method to your wallet. Think of it like your other digital wallets, like Google Pay.
• Uber Gift Cards: You can purchase Uber gift cards in select retail stores and use them to pay for an Uber ride.
• Cash: In some countries, Uber lets you pay with cash. However, in the United States and Canada, Uber aims to provide a cashless experience, so you may not be able to pay in cash. You may still tip the driver in cash.

For example, you can buy Uber gift cards at select retailers with your cash.

You may be able to buy gift cards for Apply Pay or Google Pay.

Or, you can load your PayPal or Venmo account with your cash at 7-11 and other retailers and then use PayPal as your payment method.

In Brazil, you can load your Uber Cash balance at over 280,000 locations.

How to Add a Prepaid Card on Uber

Follow these steps to add a prepaid card to Uber:

• Open the app.
• Click the three-line menu in the upper-left corner.
• Click on “Wallet.”
• Click on “Add Payment Method.”
• Select “Credit or Debit Card.”
• Enter your card number, expiration date, CVV, and any other details the app asks of you.
• You may also be able to scan your card.
• Make sure your card is the selected payment method when ordering a ride.

You can add payment methods or remove them at any time.

Troubleshooting: Uber Is Rejecting My Card

Sometimes, Uber may not accept your card.

Here’s what to do if that happens.

Why Is Uber Rejecting My Card?

Uber might reject your card if it is an unsupported card.

In that case, there are some workarounds.

You can use your prepaid card to purchase Uber gift cards.

iOS and Android users may be able to add their prepaid cards to their Google Pay or Apple Pay accounts.

You may also be able to add it to your PayPal accounts.

Uber may also reject your card if there are not enough funds.

In that case, you need to add funds to your account.

Finally, Uber may reject your card if it is expired, canceled, blocked, or invalid.

That might happen if you reported your card as lost or stolen.

In that case, you need to contact your bank or prepaid card support.

You may also have entered your debit card number incorrectly.

Why Is Uber Asking for a Second Card?

Uber may ask for a second card if it cannot verify your first card.

If Uber tried charging your first card, but the transaction didn’t go through, you may need to add a second card.

Also, it may ask for a second card to verify your identity.

How to Fix Uber This Error

If Uber is declining your payment method, first try to update your app version or uninstall and reinstall it.

It would be best if you also tried using a different payment method.

Contacting your bank and finding out if your card is valid might be a good idea.

For example, your bank might have put a hold on your card due to a suspicious transaction.

If there is no problem with your card, make sure you have enough funds on it to cover your Uber rides.

You may also contact Uber support in your Uber account help section or on the customer service page.

Can You Use Uber Without a Credit Card?

Yes, you don’t need a credit card to use Uber.

In some places, you may pay cash for Uber.

Even if cash is not available in your area, you can use cash to purchase a gift card for Uber at retailers like Target.

Or, you can use your Venmo, PayPal, Apple Pay, or Google Pay (for Android users) accounts.

You can top up your PayPal or Venmo account in retail stores with cash or add cash to PayPal with the debit cards tied to your account.

Furthermore, you can use a debit or prepaid card instead of a credit card.

You may also use an Uber gift card you received from a friend (by entering your gift code in the app).

You can use a prepaid card you received as a reward, too.

Just make sure it is selected as your preferred payment method in the app.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are a lot of misconceptions about paying for Uber rides.

Here are answers to the most commonly asked questions about Uber.

Does Uber Charge Before or After a Ride?

Uber charges after the ride is complete.

Depending on the payment method, Uber may place a temporary authorization hold on your account to verify that you have enough funds to order a ride.

However, you will only be charged after the ride is complete.

Can You Delete a Payment Method on Uber?

Yes, you can always delete payment methods on Uber.

Simple go to your wallet, click on one of your cards, and select “Remove Payment Method.”

You may also update your payment method details.

Final Thoughts

If you have some prepaid cards you would like to use, Uber is a great way to spend them.

If they don’t work on the app, just use them to buy some Uber gift cards.

There are many other ways to pay for Uber, too, including Venmo and PayPal.