How to Use a Prepaid Card for Online Shopping

A prepaid card is one of the easiest ways to shop online without using a traditional credit card.

You load your own money, then enter the card details at checkout just like you would with a credit card.

KOHO Essential Works So Well for Online Shopping

KOHO Essential Plan is built for everyday spending, including online shopping:

• It has a low monthly plan fee that can be waived when you set up direct deposit or add +$1,000.
• Use a prepaid Mastercard® for groceries, bills, subscriptions, and travel.
• Grow your savings with a 2% interest savings rate on your entire balance.
• Earn 1% cash back on groceries, eating & drinking, and transportation.
• You can add Credit Building for $10/month, it's an affordable way to build your credit history.
• Enjoy unlimited transactions and free e-transfers (never worry about fees when sending money to someone again).

Step-by-Step: Using a Prepaid Card Online

1. Load Your Card First

Before you buy anything, make sure there’s enough money on your prepaid card to cover:

• The item price
• Taxes
• Shipping and any fees

With KOHO, you can load by e-transfer, direct deposit, or bank transfer.

2. Enter Your Card Like a Credit Card

At checkout, choose “Credit” if you’re using KOHO Essential, then enter:

• Card number
• Expiry date
• CVV (the 3-digit code on the back)
• Billing address that matches your profile

The merchant usually can’t tell it’s prepaid—it just processes like any other Mastercard.

3. Watch Subscriptions and Trials

Prepaid cards work well for:

• Streaming services
• App subscriptions
• Monthly boxes and memberships

Just remember:

• Make sure your balance covers recurring charges each month.
• If you cancel a subscription, keep an eye on future statements to confirm you’re not being billed again.

4. Use it for Safer Online Spending

A prepaid card is handy if you want to:

• Keep your main bank account number off the internet
• Limit the damage if there’s ever a fraudulent charge
• Set a hard cap on your online spending by only loading what you’re okay to spend

5. Track and Adjust Your Online Budget

Because everything runs through one card, it’s easy to:

• See how much you spend online each month
• Spot which sites or categories eat most of your budget
• Decide where to cut back or set soft limits