Prepaid cards like the Joker Prepaid Mastercard provide easy access to payment cards you can use wherever Mastercard is accepted.
They don’t require credit checks to qualify like credit cards, and there’s no concern about racking up a debt balance since you can only spend cash you have loaded on the card.
This Joker Prepaid Mastercard review covers how it works, its benefits, downsides, fees, limits, and alternatives.
What is the Joker Prepaid Mastercard?
The Joker Prepaid Mastercard is a prepaid card you can use to make payments online and in-store where Mastercard is accepted.
It is non-reloadable, which means after you buy and load the card, you can only spend that amount before it is no longer useful as a means of payment.
This differs from reloadable prepaid cards like the Neo Money card ($20 bonus), which can be reloaded with funds as often as needed.
The Joker Prepaid Mastercard is available in denominations ranging from $25 to $500. It is offered in two formats:
- Physical Joker Prepaid Mastercard
- Virtual Joker Prepaid Mastercard
Issued by Peoples Trust Company, you can purchase Joker Mastercard prepaid cards at several retail stores in Canada.
Related: Best Visa Prepaid Cards.
How The Joker Prepaid Mastercard Works
The Joker Prepaid Mastercard works like any standard credit card when making payments.
Simply swipe the physical card at a point-of-sale (POS) terminal to pay. For online orders, you can enter your details as usual and make payments at checkout.
The information required includes the 16-digit card number, 4-digit expiry date, and 4-digit CVV2 number displayed on the front of the virtual Joker Mastercard.
Note that you must register your card at jokercard.ca to facilitate online and telephone payments.
When buying gas at an automated fuel pump, you may need to pay for your purchase at the cashier, as a prepaid card may not work at the pump.
Where To Buy a Joker Prepaid Mastercard in Canada
You can buy a physical Joker Prepaid Mastercard at:
- Canadian Tire
- Co-Op
- Loblaws
- Rexall
- Pharmaprix
- Sobeys
- Staples
- Shoppers Drug Mart
- Save on Foods
- Safeway
- Country Grocer
- Home Depot
- Thrift Foods
You can also get a virtual Joker Prepaid Mastercard by scanning a QR code at these retailers:
- Canadian Tire
- Rexall
- Loblaws
- Sobeys
For “SCANIT” purchases, scan the QR code at the retailer using the camera on your smartphone. Present the barcode to a cashier, and you can load $25 to $500 to the virtual card on your phone.
While Joker Prepaid Mastercards do expire, your funds do not. You can request a new card by calling 1-855-288-0926.
Joker Prepaid Mastercard Fees
The following activation fees apply when you buy a Joker Prepaid Mastercard, and they vary with your load amount:
| Load Amount | Activation Fee |
| $25-$200 | $7.95 |
| $200-$500 | $9.95 |
| $250 | $7.50 |
| $500 | $9.95 |
There is a $3.00 monthly maintenance fee, and you pay a standard 2.50% foreign exchange fee when you make payments in a foreign currency.
Joker Prepaid Mastercard Limits
To start, the maximum amount you can load on this card is $500, and the minimum is $50.
When making payments in the European Economic Area, the maximum spend per single transaction is $75 CAD.
There is also a maximum lifetime spend of $225 CAD when using the Joker Prepaid Mastercard in this region.
Pros and Cons of the Joker Prepaid Mastercard
The benefits and downsides of the Joker Prepaid Mastercard are:
Pros:
- Easy to purchase at hundreds of locations in Canada
- Does not require a credit score check
- Can be used at millions of locations where Mastercard is accepted
- Offers a physical and virtual card
- Your funds do not expire
Cons:
- There is an activation fee ranging from $7.50 to $9.95
- It does not offer cash back rewards
- The card is not reloadable
- Funds loaded on the card are not insured by CDIC
- Has a monthly maintenance fee of $3
Joker Prepaid Mastercard Alternatives
If you are looking for a convenient reloadable prepaid card or want to avoid paying activation and maintenance fees, these alternatives can help:
- Neo Money card
- Neo Secured Mastercard
- Wealthsimple Cash Card
- KOHO Prepaid Mastercard
- CIBC AC Conversion Card
Neo Money card
This free prepaid Mastercard from Neo Financial is the best prepaid credit card in Canada. It does not require a credit check and is guaranteed approval.
The Neo Money card offers an average of 5% cash back at over 12,000 retail locations in Canada. Cash back earned is available to spend almost immediately. It also pays savings interest on your balance.
When you sign up and fund your account with $50 or more, you receive a $20 welcome bonus.
Neo Secured Mastercard
If you need a prepaid card because of a poor credit score, the Neo Secured Mastercard offers guaranteed approval regardless of your credit rating.
It requires a low minimum security deposit of $50, and you earn an average of 5% cash back on your purchases at thousands of Canadian stores.
This card also has no annual fees. Get the Neo Secured Mastercard ($25 welcome bonus) or read our full review.
Wealthsimple Cash Card
The Wealthsimple Prepaid Visa Card comes with a free money transfer app you can use to send or receive money in Canada.
It offers 1% cash back on all purchases. You can learn more about it here.
KOHO Prepaid Mastercard
The free KOHO Prepaid Mastercard is reloadable and has no fees.
It offers up to 1% cash back on grocery and gas purchases and includes a free budgeting app to help you automate your savings.
In addition, you can use your KOHO account to earn high-interest savings rates on your balance and improve your credit score (paid add-on for $10 monthly).
You can also learn more about the card in our KOHO review.
CIBC AC Conversion Card
The CIBC AC Conversion Card is a reloadable prepaid card you can use to load and hold up to 10 currencies, including CAD, USD, EUR, AUD, JPY, MXN, GBP, and more.
This free card can help you avoid the 2.50% FX fee that applies when you spend money abroad. It also offers cash back on purchases.
You can apply for it even if you are not a CIBC client and earn 1% cash back when you fund the card.
Learn more about how it works in this review.
Joker Prepaid Mastercard FAQs
Yes, the Joker Prepaid Mastercard is legit, and it is issued by Peoples Trust, a Canadian financial institution.
Yes, you need to activate your Joker prepaid card to make payments online or by telephone.
Where can I use the Joker Mastercard? The Joker Mastercard can be used to make payments worldwide wherever Mastercard is accepted.
The top prepaid card in Canada is the Neo Money card. It offers a bunch of rewards and does not have a fee for its free version.
I had been given a Joker Visa $100 card as a gift in December 2022. It is now June 1 2023. My card was frauded and they did an investigation regarding this issue. They told me they would return the amount frauded back to me this was over 6 months ago. I have spoken to 50 CSRs and 4 supervisors and I have no resolution. I think they are frauding me also. I have never felt with such poor CS and poor company resolutions. I am a single mother who needed that $100 that was purchased. I don’t know what else to do I have exhausted all available avenues. No one seems to care. I’m starting to wonder if Joker Visa stole my money. I get the run around everytime with false promises and when you email they respond saying we have opened a new ticket this is very unfair!!!! I will NEVER EVER purchase or use any form of visa ever again in my life!!! I recommend no one else ever uses this company. I uploaded my card as asked on the secure website they provide just for the funds to be stolen immediately.
Do not buy the Joker prepaid cards. I was given one as a gift and as soon as I registered it (as you have to do to use it online), the card was hacked and some of the funds were stolen.
Received a Joker Pre Paid Card last fall. I registered it, checked the balance and attempted to use it at several locations with the same result, ”
DECLINED”. Rechecked the balance which was still there and tried the card at another retailer with the same result: DECLINED. Checking the balance again it was zero! I had the card in my possession the full time and nothing was purchased. The last balance check revealed a PayPal purchase for the amount of the card. A dispute was opened and the investigation that took a few months revealed that the card was hacked and the amount was refunded supposedly on a new card. The new card arrived 3 weeks later and as per the directions I attempted to register the card and check the balance prior to using it. The Joker website was contacted, not googled, so I could be sure that I was on the true Joker site. Both the: Register Card, and Check Balance menus resulted in ERROR, FORBIDDEN. These JOKER CARDS should be labeled as pre spent and not prepaid. If you purchase one the JOKE is on you! Totally a scam.
I received two Joker gift cards as gifts worth $1000 together($500 each) in Jan 2023.
I thought to use it later and kept it safe at home.
After a few months, when I wanted to use it, there was card read error at the retailer. I spoke to cardholder services and they said the card was fully used in Feb and March.
One transaction fraud from the first card at Loblows for $499 on Feb 15th.
Two transaction frauds from the second card at Walmart and LCBO for $417 and $418 on March 20th.
This is a very frustrating moment as a loved one gifted $1000 and that was hacked and used.
I blame Joker card dealers and they’re the frauds
I just bought 100.00 joker card and the card was declined by Adobe and NordVPN. Went back to the store and they phoned the customer service for me. Agent said there was nothing she could do and I would have to speak to the stores. I was unwilling to do so, said it is their issue to resolve. She said that card can’t be used for suscription or bills, yet regular MC gift cards allowed that. Asked for the manager, left on hold so I hung up. We decided to try an item at the store and it suddenly did work….suspicious, someone is collecting money.
Visa is also gone to Joker cards, so guess consumers will have to find other options for online shopping. Final word: Joker cards are a Joke!
The worst part about these cards and website you cannot actually talk to anyone. I have a receipt that the card was activated however there is no code on the back of the card. So now I am out 250.00 – there is NO CUSTOMER SERVICE here. This is a definite joke. Customer Service!!!!!!!!!!!Customer service!!!!!!!!!!!CUSTOMER SERVICE!!!!!!!!!!!