Mascom review
Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Mascom's MyZaka Visa is a prepaid card built for people in Botswana who want one card for everyday spending and trips abroad. The monthly fee is BWP 10, loading the card is free, and it runs on the Visa network with travel as the featured use.
Key facts
- Best for
- A prepaid Visa for spending at home and abroad without a current account, with a monthly fee of BWP 10.
- Monthly fee
- BWP 10 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Free ATM withdrawals
- BWP 0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card type
- Prepaid (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Top-up fee
- Free (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card network
- Visa (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Legal entity
- Mascom (Pty) Ltd (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Headquarters
- Botswana (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Founded
- 1998 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Support channels
- Email, Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Travel
- Official website
- mascom.bw
Pros and cons
Pros
- Loading the card is free, so you can top up without a charge.
- It is a prepaid card, so spending stops when the balance runs out.
- It runs on the Visa network, which covers 58.6% of the cards compared here.
- You can reach support by email, phone and help centre.
Cons
- A monthly fee of BWP 10 to hold the card, while the median monthly fee across the cards compared here is €0.
- The free ATM allowance is BWP 0, so plan to pay for cash or pay by card.
- Support runs on email, phone and help centre only, with no live chat or branch counter listed.
Who it suits
- People in Botswana who want a prepaid card for everyday spending and can load it as they need it.
- Travellers who want a Visa for spending abroad, since travel is the featured use.
- Anyone who wants to add money without a charge, since loading is free.
Who should look elsewhere
- People who want a prepaid Visa with no monthly charge, such as the JMMB Moneyline and JMMB Money Transfer prepaid card at JMD 0 or the CrediMax Cardy EX prepaid Visa at BHD 0.
- People who plan to take cash out often, since the free ATM allowance is BWP 0.
Fees and FX
Keeping the card costs BWP 10 a month, and that figure covers the account. Adding money to it is free, so loading is not the part that adds to your cost. Together the two make the running cost easy to work out: one flat monthly figure, and nothing spent on top-ups. Budget for the monthly fee and treat loading as a free step.
How Mascom compares
9.4 vs 9.4
9.4 vs 9.0
9.4 vs 8.9
9.4 vs 9.2
9.4 vs 8.8
9.4 vs 8.5
9.4 vs 8.5
9.4 vs 9.0
9.4 vs 8.8
9.4 vs 8.8
9.4 vs 8.7
9.4 vs 9.2
9.4 vs 9.0
9.4 vs 8.9
9.4 vs 8.8
9.4 vs 9.6
9.4 vs 9.2
9.4 vs 9.1
9.4 vs 9.1
9.4 vs 9.1
9.4 vs 8.9
9.4 vs 8.8
9.4 vs 8.8- 9.4 vs 8.8
- 9.4 vs 8.8
9.4 vs 8.8
9.4 vs 8.5
9.4 vs 8.5
9.4 vs 8.5
9.4 vs 8.3
9.4 vs 8.2
9.4 vs 8.0
9.4 vs 8.0
Where Mascom is available
- Available
- Botswana
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does the MyZaka Visa cost each month?+
The prepaid card carries a monthly fee of BWP 10. That is the regular running cost of keeping it open, and it sits above the prepaid options in this comparison such as the JMMB Moneyline and JMMB Money Transfer prepaid card at JMD 0. Budget for the monthly figure if you plan to keep the card for trips.
Does it cost anything to load money onto the card?+
Loading is free, so adding money does not carry a charge. That makes the card easy to top up in small amounts as you spend it, and it keeps the cost easy to forecast: one monthly figure and the rest of your own spending.
Can I withdraw cash for free?+
The free ATM allowance is BWP 0, so you should not count on taking out cash without paying for it. Paying by card is the cheaper habit here, and the allowance sits well below the €118.23 that some cards further up this comparison offer.
What kind of card is it, and what network does it use?+
The MyZaka Visa is a prepaid card, so the money on it is what you loaded and nothing more. It runs on the Visa network, which is the network on 58.6% of the cards compared here, and that matters most if you are spending outside Botswana.
Is this card meant for travel?+
It is listed with travel as a featured use, and that makes sense: the card runs on Visa, so you can pay where Visa is taken abroad. If your trips are short and local, the BWP 10 monthly fee is the number to weigh against how often you actually use the card.
How do I get help if something goes wrong?+
Support runs on email, phone and help centre, so you can reach the team by email, by phone or through the help centre. There is no live chat in that list, which matters if you need a quick answer while you are away from home.
Who runs the card, and how long have they been around?+
The card comes from Mascom (Pty) Ltd, a Botswana company trading since 1998. Because it is a prepaid card, it works from money you have loaded rather than a credit line, so the account stands on its own rather than on your credit history.
Sources
- mascom.bw/about-mascom-myzaka checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Top-up fee, Monthly fee
“Loading of Mobile Money into MyZaka Account is FREE to registered customers”
- mascom.bw/about-mascom-wirelesss checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Founded, Headquarters
“Established in 1998, Mascom Wireless is Botswana's leading telecommunications provider”
- mascom.bw/contact-us checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Support channels
“customerservice@mascom.bw; Prepaid 124 and Postpaid 129; Through our service centres you are able to receive the following type of assistance”
- mascom.bw/myzaka-visa-card checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Free ATM withdrawals, Card type, Features, Card network
“CASH WITHDRAWALS Local Banks 7.00 (flat fee per withdrawal, no free allowance listed)”
- mascom.bw/terms-conditions checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Legal entity
“the terms & conditions under which Mascom (Pty) Ltd (hereinafter referred to as "Mascom") will provide you with access to the products & services”
Compiled from 5 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Currency conversion fee, Protection.
Related by the facts
Mascom
A prepaid Visa for spending at home and abroad without a current account, with a monthly fee of BWP 10.