Some Good Virtual Card Providers to Check Out
There are quite a few companies offering virtual cards now. Some are great if you just want an extra layer of security for online shopping. Others are better suited if youāre traveling a lot or running a small business. Honestly, thereās no perfect āone size fits allā hereāit really depends on what you need.
Here are a few I think are worth looking into:
Privacy.com
If you mostly shop online and want to protect your real card details, Privacy.com is a strong choice.
You can create a virtual card for each merchant, which means even if one store gets hacked, the damage stops there.
Also, you can set spending limitsālike if you only want Netflix taking $15 a month and not a penny more, you can make that happen.
Itās free for basic users, which… feels pretty fair.
Small catch: right now, itās mostly available in the U.S. Maybe they’ll expand, but no guarantees.
Revolut
If youāre the type whoās always booking flights, shopping on foreign sites, or just generally globe-trotting (or wish you were), Revolutās virtual cards are awesome.
You can hold multiple currencies in one place, and the app is one of the smoother ones out there.
They even offer disposable virtual cards that regenerate after each purchaseābasically like shredding your card number after every use.
You do need a Revolut account though.
And while thereās a free version, some of the fancier features are locked behind paid plans.
Wise (formerly TransferWise)
Wise is all about transparency with fees.
If youāve ever been burned by terrible exchange rates (and who hasnāt?), Wise gives you the real onesāthe ones you actually see on Google.
Their virtual debit card is super handy for freelancers, remote workers, or honestly anyone tired of paying hidden fees.
One small thing: even though the fees are low, theyāre not zero. So itās great for frequent use, maybe less so for tiny occasional purchases.
Capital One Eno
If you already have a Capital One credit card, good news: you can use Eno to create virtual cards easily.
Itās pretty neatāEno automatically generates a new card number for each store you buy from. That way, if one merchant gets hacked, your real card info stays safe.
No extra fees either, which is nice.
But again, this only works if youāre already a Capital One customer.
Payoneer
Payoneer is kind of the go-to for freelancers and small businesses.
You can create virtual prepaid cards in different currencies, making it super easy to get paid from clients around the worldāor spend online without getting slammed by conversion fees.
The fee structure isnāt the simplest (you’ll want to read the fine print), but if youāre handling international payments, itās a pretty solid option.
Quick Thought
If you just want simple protection for random online shopping, Iād start with Privacy.com.
If you travel a lot or work internationally, Wise or Revolut are probably better bets.
And if you already have a Capital One credit card, honestly, Eno is a no-brainer.
Itās really just about picking the one that fits the way you spend.
