'/%3e%3cpath%20d='m711.6%20144%2036-36-36-36a71.9%2071.9%200%200%200-62.3%2036%2071.9%2071.9%200%200%200%2062.3%2036z'%20class='st2'/%3e%3cpath%20d='M44.5%2063c11.3%200%2021.2%205%2026.5%2017.1%205.8-11%2016.9-17.1%2029-17.1%2022%200%2031.9%2015.7%2031.9%2034.7v52.9H115v-47.3c0-13.9-4.1-26.1-18.9-26.1-15.5%200-21.6%2014-21.6%2027.4v46.1H57.4V99.9c0-13.3-4.5-22.7-18-22.7-12.4%200-21.8%2011.2-21.8%2028.1v45.4H.7v-67c0-4.5-.2-12.8-.7-18.4h16c.4%204.3.7%2010.4.7%2014h.5C21.6%2070.4%2031.5%2063%2044.5%2063zM200.7%20153c-26.1%200-45.9-18.9-45.9-45.2S174.6%2063%20200.7%2063c26.1%200%2046.1%2018.5%2046.1%2044.8s-20%2045.2-46.1%2045.2zm0-76c-18.2%200-28.4%2014.6-28.4%2030.8%200%2016.2%2010.3%2031%2028.4%2031%2018.4%200%2028.4-14.8%2028.4-31S219.1%2077%20200.7%2077zM285.5%2065.3c.4%204.3.7%2010.4.7%2014h.5c4.1-9.2%2015.5-16.4%2027.7-16.4%2022%200%2031.9%2015.7%2031.9%2034.7v52.9h-16.9v-47.3c0-13.9-3.8-26.1-19.4-26.1-13.3%200-22.9%2011.2-22.9%2028.1v45.4h-16.9v-67c0-4.5-.2-12.8-.7-18.4h16zM383.6%2045.4c-6.1%200-11.2-4.9-11.2-10.8%200-6.1%205-11%2011.2-11s11.3%204.7%2011.3%2011c0%206.1-5.2%2010.8-11.3%2010.8zm8.4%20105.3h-16.9V65.3H392v85.4zM463.3%2079.2h-22.7v44.5c0%2010.3%203.6%2014.4%2012.1%2014.4%203.1%200%207-.7%209.9-2.2l.5%2013.9c-4%201.4-9.2%202.3-14.4%202.3-16%200-24.8-9-24.8-26.6V79.2h-16.4V65.3h16.4V40.9h16.7v24.5h22.7v13.8zM521.1%20153c-26.1%200-45.9-18.9-45.9-45.2S495%2063%20521.1%2063c26.1%200%2046.1%2018.5%2046.1%2044.8s-20%2045.2-46.1%2045.2zm0-76c-18.2%200-28.4%2014.6-28.4%2030.8%200%2016.2%2010.3%2031%2028.4%2031%2018.4%200%2028.4-14.8%2028.4-31S539.5%2077%20521.1%2077z'%20class='st3'/%3e%3c/svg%3e)
Byron Mühlberg
Guide
Jarrod Suda
Reviewer
Sometimes you need to get yourself a new debit card at short notice — perhaps even the very same day! Unfortunately, finding a same-day debit card isn't always so simple. That's because most banks in the United States will not give debit cards immediately, instead requiring you to wait up to 10 business days for delivery by post.
Fortunately for you, as we'll see in this guide, virtual cards from non-bank fintechs like Chime® offer easy solutions if you're only looking for an instant debit card and you don't need another full bank account. The cards that we list below can be instantly put in your mobile wallet, like Apple Pay or Google Pay, for use at shops or restaurants. Or access your card details in-app for all of your online shopping needs.
Read on to find out which banks will give debit cards immediately and what the best instant issue debit card alternatives are instead!
In a rush? Here are our picks if you're looking for...
With online banking on the rise and fintechs and e-money platforms appealing to a new generation of customers, it should be no surprise that debit cards are rapidly shifting from physical to virtual.
Like their physical counterparts, virtual debit cards are fully-legitimate debit cards (typically issued by Mastercard or VISA) with a 16-digit card number associated with your account, an expiry date, and a three-digit CVV number. You can use your virtual debit card the same as your physical one, the only difference being that you won't be able to swipe or insert it at point-of-sales, so you'll need to tap your device instead or pay online.
However, your bank probably won't offer you a virtual debit card in most cases. Instead, if you'd like to use an instant virtual debit card, you must open an account with an online bank or finance fintech. Below, we've listed our picks for the best instant virtual debit cards in the US.
Chime® is among the most popular online checking accounts in the United States. When you open a Chime account, you'll get an instant virtual VISA debit card, with a physical version sent to your door (delivery takes 7 to 10 business days and incurs no additional fees). In addition to no minimum balance requirements, no monthly fees¹, and no credit checks, Chime's checking account also comes with an optional savings account and user-friendly mobile features such as mobile check deposits and real-time transaction alerts. Chime also offers an optional credit builder card², which you may issue instantly as a virtual card. However, Chime's virtual cards are temporary: they'll only be available to use virtually until you activate your physical card after it arrives, after which only your physical debit card will be usable.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A., Members FDIC.
A leading fintech, there's a good chance you've heard of Revolut. By signing up, you'll not only get an instant virtual debit card, but you'll also be able to access a broad range of financial services at no fixed monthly cost. However, partly because it's not a bank in the United States, we think Revolut is best used as a spending tool next to a main bank account instead of in place of it.
Current is a popular digital account in the United States that offers an instant virtual account that you can use with a mobile wallet once you sign up. Current offers a high-yield savings account (that usually has APY rates higher than Chime). When you spend with the Current card at participating retailers, you can earn points that can convert into cash back too.
Majority is an all-in-one fintech platform that we recommend to newcomers to the United States and anyone who has friends and family living abroad. You can make free international calls to 20+ countries, access cheap international money transfers, get cash back, and use their Visa debit card that charges no foreign transaction fees.
Under the "Card & Account" section of the Majority app, you’ll be able to view your card details instantly. You can integrate them with Apple Wallet or Google Wallet to make payments directly with your smartphone too. For added security, you can set blocks on your card within the app.
Another added benefit of Majority is that you don’t need a social security number to apply. Non-US citizens will just need to show proof of US residency, and you can use your home country’s government-issued ID when you apply.
Just take note that “Know Your Customer” (KYC) laws require Majority to verify your identity. If you use fraudulent ID cards or social security numbers associated with multiple dates of birth, your application will be rejected. Also refrain from using Voice over IP (VoIP) phone numbers, which are assigned to a user but not to a physical location.
Wise also isn't a bank but a money transfer operator well-known for offering some of the cheapest international transfers globally. However, money transfers aren't Wise's only speciality — they also provide the Wise Account, a low-cost foreign currency spending account (that comes with a virtual debit card) that's best in class for foreign currency spending of all kinds, whether it's holidays overseas, online shopping, or international money transfers.
In 2024, there are real advantages to using a virtual card over a physical one. But as with anything, it's well worth weighing up the benefits against the drawbacks.
Virtual cards are often more convenient, with the multi-channel functionality allowing you to make payments over your mobile phone, tablet, or PC and dodging the need to carry around your wallet. What's more, virtual cards run less risk of being lost or stolen than physical ones, and if they are (for example, if you lose your mobile phone), then you can easily block them online. Virtual cards also almost always let you set spending limits yourself (unlike most physical cards) while still coming with the same top-notch security and anti-fraud protection. Finally, virtual cards are regarded as the more eco-friendly option.
On the other hand, physical debit cards are still more ubiquitous, and many older POS systems don't support contactless payments like tapping. While also true inside the USA, this is especially the case if you're travelling abroad with your debit card, where contactless payments aren't always supported.
Given the benefits and the very low costs associated with each, we generally recommend using both a virtual and a physical debit card and using each in the situation it's most practical for.
Pixabay
Instant-issue debit cards can be thought of as 'over-the-counter' debit cards. They're physical debit cards, just like normal, that you receive in person at a bank branch when you either open a checking account as a new customer or specifically request one as an existing customer. Instant-issue debit cards are then printed and activated at the bank branch on the spot, with the whole process taking just a few minutes.
Unfortunately, as of January 2024, most big American banks like Citi, Wells Fargo, Chase, Capital One, Bank of America and others don't yet offer instant-issue debit cards. This means that unless you already have an account with one of the banks below, you'll need to open a new account altogether to receive an instant-issue debit card.
Operating on the East Coast only, TD Bank is America's seventh-largest bank by deposits and offers all checking accounts customers a free VISA debit card that you can choose either to pick up same-day in the branch when you open an account or have delivered straight to your door for no additional cost.
We especially like this card because, unlike many bank debit cards, it charges no foreign transaction fees and gives you free access to thousands of TD ATMs in the US and Canada. You can learn more about TD's instant-issue debit card here (opens in a new tab).
A bank with a large footprint across the Northeast and Midwest, Citizens Bank offers One Deposit Checking that comes with a VISA debit card on the spot; all you need to do is collect it same-day in-branch as an existing customer, or open a new account, which you can start online and complete in-branch before you collect your card. Learn more at this link (opens in a new tab).
Note that Citizens Bank only operates in Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, DC.
With 29 branches in the states of Oklahoma, Arizona, and Colorado, First Fidelity Bank is a small but historic bank that offers instant-issue debit cards at most of its branches. These cards are well-known for their aesthetics, allowing you to choose a card you like from among 26 unique designs, including cards printed with a US flag, a bald eagle, a battleship, a puppy, several clean, neutral designs, and many others. You can find out more here (opens in a new tab).
While U.S. Bank does have a service that issues instant virtual cards, this is reserved for their business clients. If you are a client of U.S. Bank commercial banking, then you can instantly issue lines of credit to company colleagues from your company's credit card. You can do so from their "Instant Card" mobile or desktop app. It's an easy and instant way to temporarily provide virtual credit card details to make business purchases without using personal credit.
Other banks offering instant-issue debit cards in the USA include First United Bank & Trust, Huntington Bank, First United Bank, PNC, NBT Bank (operating in New England), Lead Bank (operating in Kansas), and a few others.
Chime is a financial technology company, not a bank. Banking services and debit card provided by The Bancorp Bank, N.A. or Stride Bank, N.A.; Members FDIC. Credit Builder card issued by Stride Bank, N.A.
¹ Out-of-network ATM withdrawal and over-the-counter advance fees may apply. See here for details.
² To apply for Credit Builder, you must have received a single qualifying direct deposit of $200 or more to your Chime Checking Account. The qualifying direct deposit must be from your employer, payroll provider, gig economy payer, or benefits payer by Automated Clearing House (ACH) deposit OR Original Credit Transaction (OCT). Bank ACH transfers, Pay Anyone transfers, verification or trial deposits from financial institutions, peer to peer transfers from services such as PayPal, Cash App, or Venmo, mobile check deposits, cash loads or deposits, one-time direct deposits, such as tax refunds and other similar transactions, and any deposit to which Chime deems to not be a qualifying direct deposit are not qualifying direct deposits.
³ The Annual Percentage Yield ("APY") for the Chime Savings Account is variable and may change anytime. The disclosed APY is effective as of September 20, 2023. No minimum balance is required. Must have $0.01 in savings to earn interest.
⁴ On-time payment history can have a positive impact on your credit score. Late payment may negatively impact your credit score. Results may vary.
⁵ SpotMe® on Credit is an optional, no-interest/no-fee overdraft line of credit tied to the Secured Deposit Account available to qualifying members with an active Chime Credit Builder Account. SpotMe on Debit is an optional, no-fee overdraft service attached to the Chime Checking Account available to qualifying members after Visa debit card activation. Both SpotMe on Credit and SpotMe on Debit are sometimes collectively referred to as "SpotMe" or, if you have signed up to use SpotMe with only one account, "SpotMe" means the elected service. To qualify for SpotMe, you must receive $200 or more in qualifying direct deposits to your Chime Checking Account monthly. Qualifying members will be allowed to overdraw their Chime Checking Account and/or Secured Deposit Account (associated with your Chime Credit Builder credit card) up to $20 but may be later eligible for a higher limit of up to $200 or more based on Chime account history, direct deposit frequency and amount, spending activity and other risk-based factors. The SpotMe limit will be displayed within the Chime mobile app and is subject to change at any time, at Chime’s sole discretion. Although Chime does not charge any overdraft fees for SpotMe, there may be out-of-network or third-party fees associated with ATM transactions. SpotMe Debit Terms and Conditions and SpotMe on Credit Terms and Conditions.
You’re probably all too familiar with the often outrageous cost of sending money abroad. After facing this frustration themselves back in 2013, co-founders François, Laurent, and Pascal launched a real-time comparison engine to compare the best money transfer services across the globe. Today, Monito’s award-winning comparisons, reviews, and guides are trusted by around 8 million people each year and our recommendations are backed by millions of pricing data points and dozens of expert tests — all allowing you to make the savviest decisions with confidence.
Monito is trusted by 15+ million users across the globe.
Monito's experts spend hours researching and testing services so that you don't have to.
Our recommendations are always unbiased and independent.
