Updated September 29, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
Current Build Card vs Varo Visa® Debit Card
Current Build Card
Higher score in this comparison
Varo Visa® Debit Card
Current Build Card vs Varo Visa® Debit Card: the differences
| Compare | Current Build CardReviewVisitVisit | Varo Visa® Debit CardReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Currency conversion fee | 3% | 0%Lower |
| Rewards type | Points | Cashback |
| Rewards rate | 1x points per $1 on eligible purchases, redeemable as cash back | Offer-based, varies by merchant offer; up to $750 per calendar month |
| Perks | Paycheck advance up to $750 with qualifying direct deposit, Paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit, Fee free overdraft, 40,000 fee free in network ATMs, Savings Pods with annual boosts up to 4.00%, Buy and sell crypto with no trading fees, Cash deposits at 60,000 retail locations, Credit reporting to Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, Teen and custodial accounts | Reports to all three credit bureaus, Free credit score tracking in the Varo app, No credit check to apply, No minimum security deposit; cardholder sets own spending limit, Cashback offers at select merchants with the card, Free out of network free Allpoint ATM access |
| Card kind | Charge | Credit |
Same on both: Annual fee ($0), APR (0%), Credit needed (Poor).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Current Build Card scores higher overall: 9.4 vs 9.2.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Varo Visa® Debit Card: 0% vs 3%.
- Perks: only Current Build Card offers Paycheck advance up to $750 with qualifying direct deposit, Paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit, Fee free overdraft.
- Perks: only Varo Visa® Debit Card offers Reports to all three credit bureaus, Free credit score tracking in the Varo app, No credit check to apply.
- Support channels: only Varo Visa® Debit Card offers Phone.
- Features: only Current Build Card offers Rewards, Secured.
- Features: only Varo Visa® Debit Card offers Virtual card.
Our verdict on each
Current Build Card
The Current Build Card suits US adults with poor credit who want a secured charge card with an annual fee of $0 and an APR of 0%. Foreign spend is the trade-off, since a currency conversion fee of 3% applies where the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card charges 0%. Overall 5.9.
Varo Visa® Debit Card
The Varo Visa Debit Card is a US account for people whose credit is poor who still want cashback and a virtual card, and it charges a monthly fee of $0. Wise and Starling sit on the same monthly fee, so the deciding points are the credit building and the card network.
Score breakdown
| Area | Current Build Card | Varo Visa® Debit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.2Annual fee of $0 and APR of 0% sit at the value end, while a currency conversion fee of 3% lifts the cost abroad. | 9.4HigherMonthly fee $0 and annual fee $0 sit at the foot of the debit table; conversion fee 0% beats the site median of 1%. |
| Offer | 9.7 | 9.9Higher |
| Trust | Not confirmed | 8.6 |
Availability and regulation
| Country | Current Build Card | Varo Visa® Debit Card |
|---|---|---|
| United States | NMLS (Finco Advance LLC) 2670557 NMLS (FinCo Licensing LLC) 2533115 Kansas Office of the State Bank Commissioner EWA.0000025 State of Missouri Division of Finance EWA-25-9579 Utah Division of Consumer Protection 14246805-EWAS | FDIC FDIC cert 59190 |
Available in 1 country for both.
What we checked
Current Build Card
- current.com: 13 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Varo Visa® Debit Card
- varomoney.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- banks.data.fdic.gov: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- support.varomoney.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | Current Build Card | Varo Visa® Debit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 14 of 1020 | 141 of 1020 |
| Bad credit and credit builder cards | 1 of 23 | 9 of 23 |
| Secured credit cards | 1 of 27 | 8 of 27 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | Current Build Card | Varo Visa® Debit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Rewards, Secured | Virtual card |
| Legal entity | Finco Services, Inc. | Varo Bank, National Association |
| Headquarters | United States | United States |
| Founded | Not confirmed | 2015 |
| Support channels | Email, Chat, Help centre | Chat, Phone, Email, Help centreCovers more |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | Current Build Card | Varo Visa® Debit Card | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0at the median | $0at the median | $0 |
| APR | 0%lowest quarter | 0%lowest quarter | 19.39% |
| Currency conversion fee | 3%highest quarter | 0%below the median | 1% |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
Current Build Card
Pros
- Annual fee of $0 and APR of 0%, which places the card at 1 on annual fee out of 301 and at 1 on APR out of 133
- Opened for poor credit, poor, with a secured structure alongside rewards in rewards and secured
- Fee-free overdraft, a wide in-network ATM allowance and cash deposits at retail locations sit in Paycheck advance up to $750 with qualifying direct deposit, Paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit and Fee free overdraft
Cons
- A currency conversion fee of 3% applies abroad, against 0% on the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card and 0% on the Chime Card
- Support runs on email, chat and help centre, which leaves no phone line for an urgent dispute
- Rewards are points redeemable as cash back, so a reader after a richer scheme gets less from spending here
Varo Visa® Debit Card
Pros
- Rewards are cashback at select merchants, and the rate moves with each offer, so the card pays back at shops you already visit.
- There is no credit check to apply and the credit level asked for is poor, so the account opens for a thin credit file.
- A virtual card is included, listed as virtual card, which keeps online spending and subscriptions away from the physical card.
Cons
- Rewards are cashback, but the rate is offer based and moves with each merchant offer, so everyday spending earns whatever the offer happens to be.
- Every card compared here charges a monthly fee too, at £0, €0 and £0, so the free monthly account is not by itself a reason to move.
- The cardholder sets their own spending limit, as listed in Reports to all three credit bureaus, Free credit score tracking in the Varo app and No credit check to apply, so the ceiling stays where you put it instead of rising on its own.
Who each suits
Current Build Card
Who it suits
- Adults in the US with poor credit who are turned down elsewhere, since the card is aimed at poor credit
- US residents paid by direct deposit who can use the early paycheck and savings features in Paycheck advance up to $750 with qualifying direct deposit, Paycheck up to 2 days early with direct deposit and Fee free overdraft
- Households wanting a single account covering a card, a savings pot and a teen account under the same provider
Who should look elsewhere
- Anyone spending heavily abroad, because the 3% conversion charge applies where the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card charges 0%
- Card users who want to talk to someone on the phone, since help runs on email, chat and help centre only
- People who want miles or a transferable points scheme, as this card pays points redeemable as cash back
Varo Visa® Debit Card
Who it suits
- People whose credit is poor and who want a card that opens without a credit check, with cashback at select merchants rather than a travel account such as Wise.
- US residents who want a virtual card alongside a physical one and free Allpoint cash withdrawals, where Starling is the alternative to compare.
- Spenders who want rewards paid as cashback at merchants they already use, and who are happy setting their own spending limit.
Who should look elsewhere
- Not for people whose main need is holding and spending in several currencies: Wise is the alternative to compare, while this is a US debit account.
- Not for people who need cash machines in many countries: the ATM access listed in Reports to all three credit bureaus, Free credit score tracking in the Varo app and No credit check to apply is Allpoint, and Starling is the alternative to compare for a different debit setup.
- Not for anyone who wants a card that sets its own ceiling: the cardholder sets their own spending limit, as listed in Reports to all three credit bureaus, Free credit score tracking in the Varo app and No credit check to apply, so Bitpanda is worth a look for a different spending arrangement.
Country by country
| Country | Current Build Card | Varo Visa® Debit Card |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Yes | Yes |
Questions about each
Current Build Card
Is there an annual fee on the Current Build Card?+
The annual fee is $0, so the card costs nothing to keep open. That puts it at 1 on this measure out of 301 brands, and at the €0 site median. A reader who worries only about holding a card open finds nothing to pay here.
Will I pay interest on a balance?+
The APR is 0%, so a balance carried does not grow through interest on this card. It ranks at 1 on APR out of 133 brands, and the site median APR is 20.97%. The card is listed as a charge card in charge terms, so payment terms still matter even without interest.
Varo Visa® Debit Card
What does it cost to hold this account?+
The account charges a monthly fee of $0 and the card an annual fee of $0, so there is no charge for holding it open. The credit building side of the same bank lists the same annual fee and an APR of 0%, and the model is listed as no annual fee, which keeps the cost of holding the card at the bottom of the table.
Is my money protected?+
The bank behind the card is Varo Bank, National Association, based in the United States, and its licence reads FDIC cert 59190. The FDIC is the regulator named for it in the US, and the certificate number is how the bank is identified in that regulator's records. The licence terms set out what the deposit protection covers.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- Current Build Card vs Nexo
- Current Build Card vs Chase Slate®
- Current Build Card vs Petal
- Current Build Card vs Petal
- Current Build Card vs Ocean Finance Card
- Current Build Card vs Capital One UK
- Current Build Card vs Capitec Bank
- Current Build Card vs Chime
- Current Build Card vs Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card)
- Current Build Card vs Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
- Current Build Card vs Aqua Card
- Current Build Card vs Access Bank Cards
- Current Build Card vs U.S. Bank
- Current Build Card vs Mission Lane
- Current Build Card vs Finom
- Current Build Card vs DKB
- Current Build Card vs DKB (Deutsche Kreditbank)
- Current Build Card vs Qonto_AT
- Current Build Card vs Qonto
- Current Build Card vs AXI Card Tarjeta y Credito
- Current Build Card vs Paisa247
- Current Build Card vs Alior
- Current Build Card vs Revolut
- Current Build Card vs Upgrade OneCard™
- Current Build Card vs ICICI Bank
- Current Build Card vs Instarem
- Current Build Card vs KTC credit card
- Current Build Card vs Coinbase
Current Build Card
Varo Visa® Debit Card