About the AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card

The AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card was a reloadable prepaid debit card designed for consumers who wanted to receive direct deposits, make purchases and pay bills without opening a conventional checking account.

It was not a credit card. Cardholders spent money that had already been deposited into their accounts rather than borrowing against a credit line. The card therefore did not charge a purchase APR or require monthly payments on a revolving balance.

The historical Finance Globe listing identifies MetaBank as the issuing bank. AccountNow was later acquired by Green Dot, and MetaBank subsequently changed its name to Pathward.

AccountNow Gold Visa at a Glance

• Discontinued reloadable prepaid Visa debit card
• Historically issued by MetaBank
• No revolving credit line
• No purchase APR
• Designed to receive payroll and government-benefit direct deposits
• Accepted where eligible Visa debit cards were accepted
• Archived Finance Globe data listed a monthly fee of up to $9.95
• Historical advertising promoted access to qualifying direct deposits up to two days early
• Historical advertising stated that no conventional credit or ChexSystems check was required
• Normal prepaid-card use did not build revolving credit history

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Merrick Bank Secured Credit Card

• Choose your own credit line based on how much money you want to put down as a security deposit.
• Initial deposits can be from $200 to $3,000. You can increase your credit line at any time by adding additional money to your security deposit, up to $3,000.
• After 9 months, we review your account for a credit line increase. No additional deposit required!
• Secured Credit Cards are great for people looking to build or rebuild credit and are available to people with all kinds of credit backgrounds.
• Unlike a debit card or a pre-paid card, it helps build your credit history. We report your payment history to all three major credit-reporting agencies.
• Get your FICO® Credit Score for free each month.
• Fraud coverage if your card is lost or stolen. Access your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Get help staying on track with available Auto Pay and account alerts.
• Card issued by Merrick Bank, Member FDIC.

Credit Target	Type	Annual Fee	BT Intro APR	Purchase Intro APR	Regular APR	Rewards	Reviews
Fair Credit, Average Credit, Poor Credit	Secured	$36 for first year. Billed $3 per month thereafter	N/A	N/A	22.20% Variable	None	Be the first to write one

How the AccountNow Prepaid Card Worked

Cardholders deposited money into an AccountNow account through methods such as payroll direct deposit, government-benefit direct deposit or supported cash-loading services. Purchases and withdrawals were deducted from the available account balance.

Because it was prepaid, the card did not provide a traditional credit limit. If an account contained $300, the cardholder could generally spend only the available funds, subject to transaction limits, holds and applicable fees.

The card could historically be used for everyday purchases, online transactions, bill payments and ATM withdrawals where supported. Availability, limits and fees depended on the cardholder agreement in effect at the time.

Is the AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card Still Available?

No. Finance Globe has not found a current application for the AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card. The old AccountNow website now redirects visitors to GO2bank, Green Dot's current mobile banking brand.

GO2bank is a separate current product with its own application, account agreement, eligibility rules and fees. The website redirect should not be interpreted as confirmation that an old AccountNow account automatically became a GO2bank account.

What Happened to AccountNow?

Green Dot Corporation acquired AccountNow in January 2015. AccountNow had previously operated as a prepaid-card program with cards issued through partner banks, including MetaBank.

The AccountNow brand is no longer being used to accept new card applications. AccountNow.com now redirects to GO2bank, but individual AccountNow accounts may have been closed, replaced or otherwise transitioned at different times.

MetaBank, which appears on the historical AccountNow Gold Visa listing, rebranded as Pathward in 2022. The issuing bank and the company managing a prepaid-card program have separate roles, so former customers should use their most recent account documents to identify the correct company to contact.

Information for Former AccountNow Cardholders

If you previously had an AccountNow card and need help with a balance, transaction, direct deposit or closed account, begin with the telephone number on the back of your most recent card or the contact information on your latest statement or account correspondence.

• Do not send a new direct deposit using routing or account information found on an old website.
• Do not assume that a GO2bank login will provide access to an old AccountNow account.
• Use the routing and account numbers assigned specifically to your account, not a number found in a search result.
• Do not provide your card number, Social Security number or PIN to an unofficial account-recovery website.
• If a card is expired or no longer works, contact the company identified on your most recent account documents before attempting another transaction.

Finance Globe does not issue or service AccountNow cards and cannot access balances, deposits, routing numbers, transaction records or replacement-card information.

Historical Fees and Features

Finance Globe's archived database listed a monthly fee of up to $9.95 for the AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card. Earlier promotional material also listed a $0 activation fee, no required minimum balance and no overdraft fees.

The historical offer promoted several additional features:

• Payroll or government-benefit direct deposit
• Access to qualifying deposits up to two days before the scheduled payment date
• Online account management
• Text-message account alerts
• Online bill payment
• Visa debit-card acceptance
• A promotional $15 bonus with qualifying direct deposit

These were features of an earlier offer. The promotional bonus, monthly fee, deposit timing and other terms should not be treated as current.

Additional fees may also have applied for ATM withdrawals, cash reloads, replacement cards, expedited service or other transactions. Former cardholders should rely on the agreement that accompanied their particular account.

Early Direct Deposit

The AccountNow Gold Visa was promoted as allowing qualifying payroll or government-benefit deposits to become available up to two days early.

Early deposit was not a loan or an advance from AccountNow. Funds could become available after the payment provider transmitted the deposit instructions. The actual timing depended on when the employer or government agency submitted the payment.

Former customers should not direct new payments to an old AccountNow account unless the current account servicer has confirmed that the account and its routing information remain active.

Did AccountNow Require a Credit Check?

The historical offer stated that no conventional credit check or ChexSystems check was required to obtain the prepaid card. That was possible because the cardholder was not applying to borrow money.

Prepaid-card providers can still require identity verification and personal information to comply with banking and anti-fraud requirements. No credit check does not mean that an account can be opened anonymously or without verification.

The old Finance Globe statement recommending a FICO score of 575 should be removed. A recommended credit score and higher-chance-of-approval calculation are not appropriate for this prepaid debit product.

Did the AccountNow Card Build Credit?

The AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card was not a credit-building account. Spending money already deposited into a prepaid account does not create the same payment history as borrowing and repaying money through a credit card or loan.

Consumers looking to establish credit should consider a current secured credit card or another product that specifically reports account activity to the major credit bureaus. Always confirm the reporting policy before applying.

Who the AccountNow Card Was Designed For

The AccountNow Gold Visa was designed primarily for consumers who wanted debit-card and direct-deposit access without relying on a traditional checking account. It may have appealed to people who had difficulty opening a bank account, wanted an alternative way to receive payroll or benefits, or preferred to limit spending to deposited funds.

The tradeoff was its fee structure. A recurring monthly fee and possible transaction charges could make the account more expensive than a low-fee checking account or newer mobile banking option.

Important Things to Consider

• The AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card is no longer open to new applicants.
• It was a prepaid debit card, not a credit card.
• Its historical fees and promotions are not current offers.
• The old AccountNow website now redirects to GO2bank.
• A website redirect does not prove that a former AccountNow account is accessible through GO2bank.
• Prepaid-card activity generally does not build revolving credit history.
• Former cardholders should obtain routing and account information only from verified account documents or the current servicer.
• Unresolved prepaid-account problems may be submitted to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau after attempting to work with the account provider.

AccountNow Reviews and Community Information

Finance Globe does not currently have cardholder reviews attached to this exact AccountNow Gold Visa listing.

When reading older AccountNow reviews elsewhere, check the review date and exact card program. AccountNow offered more than one prepaid product, and fees, issuing banks and account features could differ over time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I still apply for the AccountNow Gold Visa Prepaid Card?

No. Finance Globe has not found a current application for this discontinued AccountNow product.

Is AccountNow the same as GO2bank?

No. Green Dot acquired AccountNow, and AccountNow.com now redirects to GO2bank. However, GO2bank is a separate current product with its own terms. Former AccountNow customers should not assume that they already have a GO2bank account.

Was AccountNow a credit card?

No. The AccountNow Gold Visa was a prepaid debit card. Cardholders generally spent money that had previously been deposited into their accounts.

Who issued the AccountNow Gold Visa?

The historical Finance Globe listing identifies MetaBank as the issuer. MetaBank rebranded as Pathward in 2022. Green Dot acquired the AccountNow business in 2015.

What credit score was needed for AccountNow?

A conventional credit score was not required because this was a prepaid debit product rather than an application for credit. The old Finance Globe FICO recommendation should not be used.

Did the AccountNow prepaid card build credit?

No. Ordinary prepaid-card activity does not establish the revolving payment history associated with a credit card.

What was the AccountNow monthly fee?

Finance Globe's historical database listed a fee of up to $9.95 per month. Other fees and promotions may have varied according to the account agreement.

Could AccountNow receive direct deposits?

Yes. The historical product supported qualifying payroll and government-benefit direct deposits. Former cardholders should not send new deposits to an old account without confirming that the account remains active.

What was the AccountNow routing number?

Routing and account numbers were tied to the issuing bank and individual account arrangement. Consumers should not rely on a generic routing number found online. Use verified information from the current account servicer or recent account documents.

Where can former AccountNow customers log in?

The old AccountNow website now redirects to GO2bank. Former customers should use the instructions on their most recent card, statement or correspondence rather than assuming the GO2bank login will access an AccountNow account.

Can Finance Globe recover an AccountNow balance?

No. Finance Globe is an independent information website and cannot access or recover prepaid-card balances, deposits or account records.