SNAP EBT Card vs Cash Benefits: How Do They Work Together?

If you receive public assistance, you might see more than one kind of deposit on your EBT card—SNAP benefits and cash assistance. While they both show up in the same place, they’re not the same thing, and the rules for using them can be very different.

In this post, we’ll break down:

1. What the SNAP EBT card does

2. What cash benefits are (like TANF)

3. How they show up on your card

4. Where you can use each type of benefit

5. How to manage both with confidence

1. What Is the SNAP EBT Card?

The SNAP EBT card is a government-issued debit card used to deliver food assistance (formerly known as “food stamps”). SNAP stands for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, and it helps low-income households buy groceries.

SNAP funds:

• Are deposited once a month

• Can only be used to buy eligible food items (no hot food, alcohol, or household goods)

• Cannot be withdrawn as cash

The EBT card itself looks like a regular debit card, but it only works at approved stores—and only for specific types of purchases.

2. What Are Cash Benefits?

In some states, you may also receive cash assistance through programs like:

• TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families)

• General Assistance or state-specific programs

• Child support pass-through

• Refugee cash assistance

• Emergency grants

These funds are also loaded onto your EBT card, but they’re deposited into a separate “cash” balance from SNAP.

Cash benefits can often be:

• Withdrawn at ATMs

• Used to make purchases at many retailers

• Spent on things SNAP doesn’t cover (like rent, diapers, cleaning supplies, or transportation)

3. How Do They Show Up on Your EBT Card?

Your card will show two separate balances:

• SNAP balance – for groceries and approved food items

• Cash balance – for general spending or ATM withdrawals

Some states list these as “EBT Food” and “EBT Cash” when you check your balance or get a receipt.

Important: Even though the funds are on the same card, stores check the type of transaction to see if it’s food or cash-eligible.

4. Where Can You Use Each?

SNAP (EBT Food) Funds:

• Used at grocery stores, farmers markets, and some online retailers like Amazon and Walmart

• Covers food items like fruits, vegetables, meats, dairy, bread, and pantry staples

• Cannot be used for hot food, alcohol, vitamins, or household items

Cash Assistance Funds:

• Can be used at ATMs to withdraw cash

• Can be used for non-food items or bills

• May be restricted in some states (e.g., can’t be used for gambling, liquor stores, or adult entertainment)

Some stores allow split tender—if your SNAP balance doesn’t cover the full total, the cashier may let you pay the rest with your cash balance or another card.

5. How to Manage Both with Confidence

It’s easy to get confused when you have multiple benefits on one card. Here’s how to keep things simple:

• Check your balance frequently to understand what’s available

• Save receipts so you know which purchases came from which account

• Use cash funds for items SNAP doesn’t cover, like hygiene or cleaning supplies

• Set alerts or reminders around benefit deposit dates

If you’re using a bank account alongside EBT (like Purple), you can transfer leftover cash funds, track your budget, and set aside money for rent or emergencies.

How Purple Supports EBT Households

Purple is building tools designed for people on SSI, SSDI, and public assistance—including EBT users. We support:

• EBT card linking to check balances in-app

• Early direct deposit of SSI and other benefits

• Spending controls to stay on budget

• Document Vault to store benefit letters and receipts

• Future support for SNAP + ABLE account coordination

Whether you’re managing one card or many, Purple helps you keep everything organized and benefit-compliant.

👉 Get started with Purple today

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.