Last Updated: 04/18/2025
American Express Bluebird
Claimed
Last Updated: 04/18/2025
SuperMoney User Recommendation Score -69
Strongly not recommended148 total votes
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Highlights
Community Rating
Strongly not recommended
Monthly Service Fee
$0(Verified 06/21/2024)
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Card Reload Fee
$0 - $3.95
Number of Reviews
American Express Bluebird Review
The American Express Bluebird is designed for consumers who want the convenience of paying with plastic but don’t want (or don’t qualify) for a regular credit card. American Express Bluebird only allows you to spend money already in your account. So you can avoid interest payments, bounced checks, or overdraft fees.
American Express Bluebird Pros & Cons
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American Express Bluebird FAQ
Who issues American Express Bluebird?
American Express Bluebird is issued by American Express® National Bank, which is based in New York, NY and was founded in 1850.
What fees does American Express Bluebird charge?
American Express Bluebird does not charge a monthly service fee.| Description | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Free In-Network ATM Withdrawal? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No Signature Purchase Transaction Fee? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| No PIN Purchase Transaction Fee? | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Activation Fee | $0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Card Reload Fee | $0 - $3.95 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
How Much Does American Express Bluebird Cost?
There is no activation fee.
A great thing about this card is it doesn't charge a monthly maintenance fee, which can save you a lot of money over time.
There is a reload fee of up to $3.95 fee every time you reload the card.
Does American Express Bluebird charge an activation fee?
American Express Bluebird does not charge an activation fee .What is the daily ATM withdrawal for American Express Bluebird?
American Express Bluebird has a daily ATM withdrawal limit of $750.
What is daily direct deposit limit for American Express Bluebird?
It looks like American Express Bluebird does not have a set daily direct deposit limit.
What is the Card Replacement Fee for American Express Bluebird?
It looks like American Express Bluebird does not charge a card replacement fee.
What is the Maximum Balance for American Express Bluebird?
The maximum balance you can have on American Express Bluebird is $100,000. If you are often close to the maximum balance, it may be time to put your money to work and deposit it in an account that yields interest, such as a savings account, a CD, or a money market account.
How to apply for American Express Bluebird
- Visit the American Express® National Bank website.
- Fill in the application form. Some prepaid cards require you to provide some personal information, such as your full name, address, date of birth, email, and SSN.
- Check the information is accurate and submit your application.
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Message from American Express Bluebird
Message from our editor
What we love about American Express Bluebird
Through Bluebird, American Express offers a prepaid debit card that skips a lot of the fees that other prepaid cards usually charge. If you have trouble qualifying for a checking account, Bluebird can serve as a substitute.
What could American Express Bluebird do better?
American Express Bluebird isn’t perfect. It still charges a fee for some services that you could get for free at a bank. For example, you have to pay a fee to set up your account if you want to get the card in-person. You also have to pay to make cash deposits to your account though direct deposit and online transfers are free.
American Express also doesn’t offer any fee rebates for using an out-of-network ATM and will charge you a fee if you use another bank’s ATM. Essentially, any cash-based interactions with the card will come at a cost.
American Express also isn’t accepted as widely as Visa and Mastercard, so you may find yourself unable to use the card at certain stores.
American Express Bluebird‘s backstory
American Express, founded in 1850, is one of the four largest card issuers in the United States. The company is likely best-known for its charge cards before branching out to offer credit cards and the Bluebird prepaid debit card. The company launched Bluebird, in partnership with Walmart, in 2012.
American Express has a reputation for strong customer service and offering perks to the people who use its cards. This is true even for the Bluebird card as customers can access 24/7 customer support and take advantage of cardmember services like roadside assistance.
The Verdict
If you’re struggling to open a checking account, American Express Bluebird can be a reasonable substitute. If you set up direct deposit and don’t use cash much, the account will be mostly fee-free. However, cash transactions such as adding funds or making ATM withdrawals can get expensive.
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Sunday
7:00AM - 12:00AM
Monday
7:00AM - 12:00AM
Tuesday
7:00AM - 12:00AM
Wednesday
7:00AM - 12:00AM
Thursday
7:00AM - 12:00AM
Friday
7:00AM - 12:00AM
Saturday
7:00AM - 12:00AM