Payphone review
Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
Payphone is a prepaid Mastercard with a monthly fee of $0, which makes it a low cost holder for travel spending and for a card set you add before a trip. It ranks 1 of 419 brands on monthly fee, so the recurring charge is not the reason to pass it over.
Key facts
- Best for
- A prepaid Mastercard for travel spending with a monthly fee of $0.
- Monthly fee
- $0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card type
- Prepaid (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card network
- Mastercard (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Travel
- Official website
- livepayphone.com
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App Store
Pros and cons
Pros
- A monthly fee of $0, against €5 for Skrill, so the recurring cost sits with the competitor.
- Runs on mastercard, the network behind 43.8% of the prepaid cards compared.
- Tagged for travel, so it slots into a card set built around a trip rather than everyday spending.
Cons
- It is a prepaid card, prepaid, so spending stops at whatever has been loaded rather than running on a credit line.
- Its features cover travel only, so anyone after a card with more added perks should look wider.
- A cost score of 6 leaves it in the middle, so the monthly fee is not the whole cost story.
Who it suits
- Travellers who want a Mastercard to spend from while away, loaded before departure.
- Readers who weigh the monthly fee heavily, where Payphone ranks 1 of 419 brands compared.
- Anyone who prefers paying from a topped up balance rather than a revolving credit line.
Who should look elsewhere
- Skrill, whose monthly fee is €5, if a recurring charge suits you.
- CrediMax Cardy EX prepaid Visa, if you would rather hold a prepaid Visa, as 58.6% of the cards compared run on Visa.
- The JMMB Moneyline and JMMB Money Transfer prepaid card, whose monthly fee is JMD 0, if you want another prepaid card at the same recurring cost.
How Payphone compares
Where Payphone is available
- Available
- Ecuador
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
How much is the Payphone monthly fee?+
Payphone charges a monthly fee of $0 on its prepaid account, and €0 is the typical monthly fee across the cards compared. Payphone sits at 1 of 419 brands on this measure, while Skrill charges €5 a month.
What type of card is Payphone?+
It is a prepaid card, prepaid, running on mastercard. A prepaid card is loaded with money before it is spent, so it works as a spending holder rather than a source of credit. The card is listed for travel, and 90.7% of the travel cards compared are framed the same way.
Is Payphone a good card for travel?+
Payphone is listed under travel, travel, and runs on mastercard. With a monthly fee of $0, it suits a trip where you load the card first and spend down from it, since there is no recurring charge to remember while away. The card type is prepaid, prepaid, so the balance is spent rather than repaid.
How does Payphone compare with Skrill on cost?+
Skrill's monthly fee is €5, while Payphone's is $0, so the recurring cost sits with Skrill. On the cost measure Payphone scores 6, the same as its overall score of 6.
Which other prepaid cards have no monthly fee?+
The JMMB Moneyline and JMMB Money Transfer prepaid card and the CrediMax Cardy EX prepaid Visa both sit at a monthly fee of JMD 0 and BHD 0, the same as Payphone. Prepaid cards compared come at €0 on this measure, so a charge free monthly fee is normal in this group.
Who is Payphone suited to?+
Payphone suits readers who want a prepaid card for a trip and who weigh the monthly fee heavily. Its features read travel, it runs on mastercard, and it ranks 1 of 419 brands compared on monthly fee. It suits paying from a topped up balance rather than a credit line.
What network does Payphone use?+
Payphone runs on mastercard. Across the cards compared, the Mastercard share is 38.5% and the Visa share is 58.6%, so a Mastercard prepaid card sits in the smaller camp. Among prepaid cards the split is 43.8% on Mastercard against 51.4% on Visa.
Sources
- payphone.app/como-funciona checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Monthly fee
- payphone.app/productos/mastercard-payphone checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Features, Card network
Compiled from 2 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Currency conversion fee, Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.