Purple vs True Link: Which Card Is Better for Disability Spending?
- Purple
- Aug 25
- 3 min read
If you’re managing disability-related expenses—either for yourself or as a representative payee—having the right debit card matters. You need smart controls, transparent limits, and tools that keep you compliant with Social Security rules.
Two cards often come up in this space: True Link and Purple. But while both are designed to help with benefit-related spending, they take very different approaches.
In this post, we’ll break down:
How True Link and Purple handle SSA compliance
What tools each one offers for budgeting and spending
Fees, limitations, and accessibility
How rep payees and families can use each card
Which is better for your situation
1. SSA Compliance and Reporting
True Link: Built for professional fiduciaries. Allows blocking of spending categories and provides SSA-friendly reporting. Often used by rep payees or trusts.
Purple: Also supports SSA compliance, with SSA‑compliant statements, rep payee titling, dedicated backpay accounts, and ABLE savings tools.
Verdict: Both support SSA compliance, but True Link is more specialized for fiduciaries, while Purple is more accessible to everyday families and caregivers.
2. Spending Controls and Insights
True Link: Offers robust controls like merchant category restrictions, daily spending limits, and real-time alerts.
Purple: Includes similar tools—spending categories, daily caps, transaction notes, and even ability to split income between accounts (e.g., checking + backpay).
Verdict: Comparable controls, but Purple makes them easier to manage inside a mobile app built for individuals and families.
3. Fees and Transparency
True Link: Charges a monthly fee, plus extra fees for some services (e.g., check ordering, paper statements). Fee structure is designed for professional oversight.
Purple: No monthly fees.² All pricing is transparent in the app. Built to be friendly to people managing smaller balances on SSI/SSDI.
Verdict: Purple is likely more cost-effective, especially for people on a fixed income.
4. Rep Payee Support and Family Tools
True Link: Great for fiduciaries managing many accounts. Less tailored to individual caregivers or parents.
Purple: Allows parents, guardians, or family members to manage multiple benefit recipients (e.g., two children on SSI), and supports dedicated accounts and spending views in one app.
Verdict: Purple is better for everyday families. True Link shines in more formal, legal trust/fiduciary setups.
5. Disability-Focused Banking Tools
True Link: Card-centric. Does not offer checking accounts, document storage, or ABLE account tools.
Purple: Offers a checking account designed to hold SSI/SSDI funds, plus features like:
Early direct deposit (up to 4 days early for government benefits¹)
Document Vault for SSA letters and receipts
Future ABLE integrations
Smart compliance alerts and organizing tools
Verdict: Purple offers a fuller financial picture, especially if you’re managing SSA interactions or redeterminations.
Bottom Line
If you’re a professional fiduciary managing dozens of beneficiaries, True Link is a strong fit.
But if you’re a parent, rep payee, or person with a disability, Purple gives you more flexibility, no monthly fees, and a banking experience built just for your needs.
✅ Compliant with SSA
✅ Strong spending controls
✅ Built for families—not just professionals
✅ Early pay and document support
Purple is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services are provided by OMB Bank, Member FDIC. The Purple Mastercard® Debit Card is issued by OMB Bank, Member FDIC, pursuant to license from Mastercard.
¹ Early access is not guaranteed and depends on payer timing. We generally make funds available on the day we receive the payment file, which may be up to 4 days early for government benefits like SSI or SSDI, and up to 2 days early for other deposits. Early access is available at no additional cost.
² See our fee schedule for complete details