Purple vs. Direct Express — Which Disability Debit Card Is Right for You?

Comparing two popular options for people receiving Social Security benefits

Introduction: Choosing the Right Card for Your Disability Benefits

If you receive SSI, SSDI, or another type of federal disability benefit, one of the most important decisions you’ll make is how to receive and manage your money.

For many, that comes down to two options:

Direct Express®, the default prepaid debit card offered by the U.S. Treasury
Purple, a modern debit card and checking account designed specifically for people living on disability

Both let you receive your benefits via direct deposit. But beyond that, the differences are significant.

In this post, we’ll compare Purple vs. Direct Express on:

✅ How benefits are deposited

✅ Spending control features

✅ EBT and resource tracking

✅ Document storage and SSA support

✅ Fees, flexibility, and accessibility

1. What Are These Cards, and Who Are They For?

✅ Direct Express®

Offered by Comerica Bank through the U.S. Treasury
Used by over 4 million people receiving federal benefits
Designed to reduce paper checks and simplify payments
Comes automatically unless you opt for another deposit method

📌 Works for:

SSI
SSDI
VA benefits
Railroad Retirement, OPM, and more

💜 Purple

A modern Visa debit card built specifically for people receiving disability benefits
Offers tools to manage SSI and SSDI rules, EBT, savings limits, and more
Developed by disability advocates and fintech veterans

📌 Works for:

SSI
SSDI
VA benefits
Work-related income
Can also connect to EBT and ABLE accounts

2. Feature Comparison: Purple vs. Direct Express

Feature	Purple	Direct Express®
FDIC-Insured	✅	✅
Direct Deposit Support	✅	✅
EBT Account Linking	✅	❌
Built-In Income & Balance Alerts	✅	⚠️ Limited
Spending Controls & Category Budgets	✅	❌
AI Assistant for Benefit Questions	✅	❌
Document Storage for SSA Reviews	✅	❌
ABLE Account Support	✅	❌
Overdraft Fees	❌ None	✅ Can apply
Mobile App Support	✅ Full-featured	✅ Basic
Monthly Fee	❌ None	❌ None (but usage fees may apply)
Fee Transparency	✅ Clear, upfront	⚠️ Mixed; some ATM and balance inquiry fees apply

3. Tracking SSI/SSDI and Staying Under Limits

If you're on SSI, you know how important it is to stay under the $2,000 monthly resource limit. If you’re on SSDI, you need to watch income thresholds like:

$1,620/month (non-blind, 2025)
$2,700/month (blind, 2025)

Purple was built with these thresholds in mind. It alerts you when:

You’re close to the SSI asset limit
A deposit or payment might put your benefits at risk
You need to track income for SSA reporting

🔒 Direct Express doesn’t offer any of these protections.

4. Managing EBT, Housing, and Other Support

Many disability recipients rely on SNAP (food stamps), Section 8 housing, or utility assistance programs. With Purple, you can:

Link your EBT card and track both cash and food balances
Upload rent receipts, benefit letters, and other documents
Export a timeline of deposits and expenses for SSA or housing reviews

📁 Purple helps you stay organized for SSI redeterminations, PHA inspections, or audits—Direct Express doesn’t.

5. Accessibility and Customer Support

Both cards offer mobile apps and basic customer support, but:

Purple’s app includes a built-in AI Companion, designed to answer common benefit questions (like “Will this purchase affect my SSI?”).
Direct Express’s app provides basic account management only, and support may be harder to reach—many users report long hold times and difficulty resolving disputes.

💡 With Purple, you can chat with a human or AI—and we’re building support with accessibility in mind.

6. Fees and Hidden Costs

💳 Direct Express® Fees

No monthly fee
Free one ATM withdrawal per month
Fees for balance inquiries, additional withdrawals, card replacements, etc.

📌 Fee schedule varies by state and ATM network—some users get caught off guard

💜 Purple Fees

No monthly fees
No overdraft fees
No minimum balance
Transparent ATM network with in-app locator

📌 Purple was built to minimize surprise costs, especially for users with fixed incomes.

7. ABLE Account and Savings Support

Purple will soon offer an ABLE Savings account, so you can save above the SSI limit without losing eligibility.

In 2025, that includes:

$19,000 in standard ABLE contributions
Up to $15,060 more via ABLE to Work (continental U.S.)

Direct Express offers no savings integration or resource tracking.

8. Conclusion: Which Card Is Right for You?

Choose Direct Express if...	Choose Purple if...
You want a simple, no-frills way to receive benefits	You want tools to protect your benefits and plan ahead
You don’t need help with SSA rules or resource tracking	You want alerts, spending controls, and benefit-safe saving options
You’re okay with limited support and manual organization	You’d benefit from AI support, EBT tracking, and SSA-friendly tools

✅ Direct Express is a starting point.

💜 Purple is a smarter tool for people who want to stay eligible, stay organized, and stay in control.

Ready to Switch to Purple?

💜 Sign up for Purple today and get a debit card built for your life on disability benefits.