Are you looking for a flexible and straightforward gig that can get you some extra cash?
If so, then you might want to consider the plethora of food delivery service options available in today’s gig economy.
For instance, you may want to become a Postmates driver and deliver either groceries or restaurant orders to customers.
When you first sign up to become a Postmates food delivery driver, you’ll have a Postmates prepaid card sent to you.
But what is a Postmates prepaid card?
We will answer that question below and help explain what it does, how to get one, and how to activate it.
Keep reading to learn all about Postmates prepaid cards and how to use them.
What Is a Postmates Prepaid Card?
While you won’t need any special equipment to deliver with the Postmates Fleet, you will have a Postmates prepaid card sent to you in a welcome kit when you apply to become a delivery driver.
Since several Postmates orders mandate that the driver pays for the order when picking it up at the restaurant or shop, the prepaid card is essential.
The card will cover the purchase cost, and the payment will come from Postmates.
How Does a Postmates Prepaid Card Work?
When a customer places his or her order through the Postmates delivery app, the customers’ payment goes directly to the prepaid card.
To get this card, you will need to complete the application.
Then, you’ll get a welcome kit with the Postmates prepaid card.
When you accept a delivery order, you’ll get to use the card to pay for the order, and then you’ll need to deliver it to the customer.
Once your delivery is complete, you will get full payment and any tips the customer gave.
Remember that you will not be paying for the item with your own money but with money stored on the prepaid card.
Can I Do Postmates Without the Prepaid Card?
Technically, you can work for Postmates without using a prepaid card.
Suppose you have lost the prepaid card and are waiting for a replacement.
In that case, you can still deliver orders and work as a Postmates delivery driver as long as you only accept already prepaid orders from merchants and restaurants.
If you avoid the orders required to use the prepaid card, you can still deliver multiple orders for more cash in your pocket.
However, Postmates does have a rating system checking your acceptance rate.
If you cancel too many orders because you lost the card, Postmates could log you out of their system and make it hard to get back onto your account.
How to Get a Postmates Prepaid Card
First, you will need to apply to work with the Postmates Fleet as a Postmates courier.
The company will conduct a background check on you before sending out a welcome kit with the Postmates prepaid card.
If the card doesn’t arrive for some reason, you can contact customer service to have another prepaid card sent to you.
There are also certain qualifications you’ll need to meet before having the card sent to you.
Postmates Prepaid Card Qualifications
Before you can get the prepaid card sent to you and start working as a Postmates courier, you will need to be at least 18 years of age and pass a background check as well.
The background check will include a criminal background check as well as information from the Department of Motor Vehicles.
You will also need some type of vehicle to deliver the items to the customers.
This vehicle can be:
- Truck
- Van
- Car
- Motorcycle
- Scooter
- bicycle
To learn about the status of your background check, you can take a look at the Checkr applicant portal.
Applying for a Postmates Prepaid Card
If you are at least 18 years of age, have a valid driver’s license with a vehicle or at least a bicycle, and can pass a background check, then you can apply.
Start an application on an iPhone or Android smartphone.
You’ll need to go to the Postmates.com website or the Postmates Fleet app.
On the website, click on the uppermost link on the left side and then choose “Sign up to deliver.”
You’ll need to enter your email address and pick a password.
Then, there will be standard information to fill out, including your full legal name and phone number.
You will also need to upload a photo of yourself so that customers will be able to identify you.
For the payment method to work, you’ll need to enter your bank account information so that you can get paid via direct deposit.
How Long Will It Take to Get the Card?
It should take a week or a little longer for your background check to complete and for you to get the prepaid card delivered.
If you do have something wrong with your background check, Postmates will have to discuss it with you and decide whether they will hire you.
If you’ve already worked as a Postmates delivery driver and lost the prepaid card, you can request a new one.
New cards can be requested and will take about two or three business days to arrive.
Sometimes, it may take up to a week to arrive.
Can I Track my Postmates Prepaid Card?
Currently, Postmates does not offer any tracking information or tracking numbers for their prepaid cards.
You should receive the card relatively quickly despite not having tracking data.
If the card has not arrived within a week, be sure to contact customer service.
How to Activate a Postmates Prepaid Card
You will need to link your Postmates credit card to your account.
You can activate the prepaid card on your Fleet app or through your Postmates delivery driver account using any device or browser.
Or, you can activate your card through the Postmates Partner Dashboard.
You will need an Internet connection to activate your card.
Activate Using the Postmates Partner Dashboard
Using the Postmates Partner Dashboard to activate your card is a rather simple process.
It consists of only four steps.
Follow these steps below.
- Enter fleet.postmates.com/settings/card in your browser
- Type in your prepaid card’s identifier
- Type in the last four digits
- Follow what the prompt asks
That’s all there is to it!
You can also use the Postmates Fleet app to activate the card.
Activate Using the Postmates Fleet App
To activate your prepaid card using the Postmates Fleet app, follow the steps below.
- Open the app
- Click on the menu in the top-left corner
- Pick on your photo
- Click on the “Prepaid Card” link
- Enter “Activate New Card”
- Type in your card’s identifier
- Write in the last four digits
- Follow the prompt
How to Check the Balance on a Postmates Prepaid Card
The Postmates prepaid card only receives a certain amount of money when a customer has placed an order and you have chosen to fulfill that order.
Therefore, there is little reason to worry about the balance on a Postmates card.
There is no clear way to check the balance on a Postmates prepaid card.
You’ll need the card when a merchant or restaurant requires you to pay for the order, and then the balance will drop to zero once you’ve completed the payment.
Frequently Asked Questions
If you still have some concerns, check out our answers to common questions about the Postmates prepaid cards below.
Can I use my Postmates prepaid card for myself?
You will not be able to use the Postmates prepaid card on yourself or your personal purchases.
You can only use the Postmates prepaid card when you need to pay for a customer’s order.
The card is exclusively for use at the customer’s selected store or restaurant.
Plus, you can only use it when the customer places the order – you can’t return and continue shopping once the customer’s order is complete.
The card will only have the balance required to pay for the specific customer order you chose to fulfill at any one time.
You cannot use it quite like a credit card for your own personal use.
I lost my Postmates prepaid card. Can I still work?
You can still work with Postmates if you lost the prepaid card.
You will, however, need to accept deliveries only from places where the order was already prepaid ahead of time.
You’ll want to avoid deliveries from ice cream places and fast-food restaurants, as they rarely have prepaid capabilities.
Wrapping Up
We hope this guide has given you the background you need to understand how to use Postmates prepaid cards to cover the charges at restaurants or shops.
Now that you know how to apply for the job, activate the card, and use it during the food delivery process, you’ll have a great way to make some extra cash.
