STACK Mastercard Review (Plus a $5 Bonus)

STACK is one of the few (and best) prepaid cards available to Canadians. With the reloadable STACK Mastercard and app, you can “spend, save and share (money) with zero fees” anywhere in the world.

The STACK card and app are a continuation of the current trend to uncouple bank clients from having to pay ridiculous fees at every turn as is evident in today’s traditional banking system. Another great reloadable prepaid card and app that functions similar to STACK is KOHO.

This STACK Mastercard review covers everything you need to know about how it works, its numerous benefits, rewards, how to get your free card and how you can get a free $5 referral bonus when you sign up.

Review Rating Summary: 4.9/5

The STACK app makes it easier to manage your everyday spending and saving. Above all, you can now forget about paying fees on your money!

DOWNLOAD THE APP HERE using this link (mobile phone only) and receive a $5 welcome bonus.

Who is STACK?

STACK is a fin-tech company based in Toronto and founded in 2017. The STACK Mastercard is not a credit card, rather it is a reloadable prepaid card that makes it easy for you to spend money at home and abroad without paying any fees.

The company has a partnership with People’s Trust which is a CDIC-insured financial institution with more than $6.9 billion in assets under management.

STACK Mastercard Benefits

**At a Glance**

• No monthly or annual account fees
• No foreign exchange fees
• No ATM withdrawal fees
• $5 sign-up bonus
• Free and fast STACK-to-STACK transfers
• Automated savings plan
• Free replacement card
• Free budgeting tool in-app
• Worldwide acceptability of Mastercard and Zero Liability Protection
• Everyday rewards

How Does The STACK Mastercard Work?

Opening a new STACK account is easy…it took me only about 3 minutes total.

You will need your phone to download the STACK app and create an account after entering your basic personal details (No SIN is required).

After you receive your card in the mail, you can activate it and load funds using either Interac e-Transfer, Visa Debit, direct payroll deposit, or free STACK-to-STACK transfers. Additionally, you can choose to load cash up at a participating Canada Post or retailer with your STACK QR code. 

Since the STACK Mastercard is not a credit card, you do not need a good credit score to sign up.

There are many reasons why Canadians choose to add the STACK Mastercard to their wallet, from zero foreign transaction fees when travelling abroad to meaningful rewards on everyday purchases.

1. Zero Monthly Fees: On this blog, I always look for an opportunity to highlight how Canadians lose money every year through exorbitant banking and investment fees. Not to worry, unlike your bank, STACK does not charge monthly maintenance fees.

2. No Foreign Exchange Fees: Banks make a lot of money from foreign currency transactions. In addition to the poor FX rate you get abroad, they also slap on a 2.5% – 3.5% foreign currency conversion fee. While there are options to avoid FX conversion fees when you use a no foreign transaction fee credit card, there are no debit or prepaid cards in Canada that waive this fee.

Not so with STACK! When you pay with your STACK Mastercard, you pay ZERO (Nada!) foreign exchange fees. In addition to this, STACK uses the base Mastercard exchange rate which is very close to the mid-market rate and gives you the best bang for your money.

3. No ATM Withdrawal Fees: You can withdraw cash at any ATM worldwide without paying fees to STACK. Note that the ATM provider may independently charge a fee.

4. Automated Savings: The STACK app makes it easy to set a savings goal and it can automatically round up your purchases to the next $1, $2, $5, or $10 and save the difference. You can cash out your savings at any time.

5. Financial IQ: The STACK app has a financial IQ feature which analyzes your weekly and monthly spending and provides useful insight on how your money is being spent.

6. Everyday Rewards: STACK does not offer a points or cash back loyalty program. Instead, members receive offers they can easily redeem such as free membership to Amazon Prime, discounts on coffee, groceries, and gas.

Get STACK by using my referral link to download the app to your smartphone and get a $5 welcome gift.

Is STACK Right For You?

If you are looking at cutting your transaction fees within and outside of Canada, the STACK prepaid Mastercard comes in very handy. When abroad, it saves you the 2.5% foreign transaction fee and ATM withdrawal fees. You also get a fair currency exchange rate.

The app makes it easy to reach your savings goals through an automatic savings plan and the ability to round up your purchases. It is also great for getting a snapshot of your spending habits.

Wondering where all your money is going? The STACK app tells you where and when.

I find their rewards to be practical. Save on your morning coffee, weekly groceries, gas, entertainment and more. They offer great customer service and you can chat with them via the app or call them at 1-877-STACK-01.

Lastly, you get cash bonuses when friends sign up using your referral link. What’s not to like?

Downsides

The only downsides I see with the STACK Card are:

• It is not currently available in Quebec.
• It is not a credit card, so if you were hoping to use the card to build a credit rating, that is not possible.

Overall, I like the STACK Mastercard, find it practical, and an excellent addition to my suite of money-saving cards, which includes the KOHO Prepaid Visa Card. Check out my review of KOHO vs. STACK here.