The Truth About Prepaid Debit Cards for People With Disabilities

If you get SSI or SSDI, chances are someone has told you to use a prepaid card — maybe Direct Express, maybe True Link. They’re common. They’re simple. But are they actually the best option?

For many people with disabilities, prepaid debit cards are marketed as the only safe choice. But the truth is, they come with major limitations — and there are better alternatives.

What Is a Prepaid Card?

A prepaid card works like a debit card, but it isn’t tied to a full-featured checking account. You load money onto the card and spend from that balance.

Some of the most common prepaid options for disability benefits include:

• Direct Express, used for government benefit deposits

• True Link, often marketed for people with disabilities or aging adults

• General reloadable cards from places like Netspend or Green Dot

They’re often used when someone can’t open a traditional bank account — or when a family member or trustee wants more control.

The Problems With Prepaid Cards

While prepaid cards can seem convenient, they come with serious drawbacks:

• Limited features — No bill pay, no mobile check deposit, no account-to-account transfers

• Hidden fees — Some cards charge for inactivity, customer service calls, or ATM usage

• Lack of control — You may not be able to customize spending or automate savings

• Hard to track — Most prepaid cards don’t offer good tools for budgeting, income tracking, or SSA reporting

• Inaccessible for ABLE accounts — You can’t link most prepaid cards to ABLE accounts or other savings tools

Most importantly, they weren’t designed for people navigating complex benefit rules.

What Makes a Checking Account Better?

A real checking account gives you more flexibility and tools:

• Direct deposit and early access to benefits

• Better fraud protections

• Ability to automate savings or set up recurring payments

• Integration with budgeting tools, income tracking, and SSA-related features

  
  

And when that account is actually built for people with disabilities — it’s a whole different experience.

How Purple Is Different

Purple is more than just a checking account. It’s a financial platform designed for the realities of living on disability benefits.

With Purple, you can:

• Link your SSI, SSDI, or paycheck to one central account

• Set spending controls by category

• Track your balance and income in real time

• Monitor SSA-related thresholds like the $2,000 SSI limit or SSDI SGA rules

• Receive Social Security disability benefits, which may arrive up to 4 days early¹

• Get other direct deposits, like paychecks, which may arrive up to 2 days early¹

Get started today at withpurple.com

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, depends on payer timing, and standard processing times may apply. 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.