How Do Virtual Credit Cards Work?
A virtual card works just like a standard bank or credit card, except it has no physical counterpart.
Think of them as the credit card equivalent of a burner phone or anemail alias service.
This gives you a large amount of control over payments online.
Most of us shop online using the same handful of payment cards.
These details are shared between the different services and retailers we frequent.
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Virtual cards can also help you avoid nasty surprises, like a subscription you have forgotten about.
Simply cancel the card (or freeze it), and the monthly charge will fail.
The same is true of “free trials” that demand your credit card information.
Payment limits can help avoid cost blowouts, especially handy in the event that your account is compromised.
Virtual cards can even be helpful if you struggle with self-control.
Perhaps you want a safeguard to help reign in your spending.
Depending on the service you use, you may encounter some hidden and not-so-hidden costs.
This is often a percentage of the card value, a flat fee per card, and sometimes both.
Which Companies Offer Virtual Credit Cards?
Fortunately, there are a good number of services geared toward personal use too.
Upgrade to Pro for $10/month to get 36 new cards each month.
IronVestis an alternative service that offers a range of services aimed at online privacy.
This includes masked email, virtual phone numbers, and virtual cards.
The service allows you to generate digital cards that it’s possible for you to freeze as you need.
Still, it certainly doesn’t hurt to check.
Credit cards usually offer another layer of protection when shopping online sincemost offer additional protections that debit cards lack.
Additionally, you might also want toremove credit cards from AmazonorGoogle Payand other accounts you aren’t actively using.
