FutureCard Visa® Debit Card review 2024: A rewarding card for climate-conscious spenders

The FutureCard Visa® Debit Card * The information for the FutureCard Visa® Debit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. isn’t a credit card, so it won’t help you build credit. But for green-minded consumers, the card offers a great way to earn rewards on purchases that align with your values. 

In this FutureCard Visa Debit Card review, you’ll learn about how the card works, its benefits and drawbacks and whether it’s a good fit for you.

FutureCard Visa Debit Card basics

• Annual fee: $0.
• Welcome bonus: None.
• Rewards: 6% cash back on select partner brands, 5% cash back on the first $25,000 of purchases spent on public transport, electric charging, bikes and scooters, secondhand clothes and furniture and plant-based meat, dairy and eggs and 1% cash back on other purchases.
• APR: None.
• Recommended credit score: No credit check required.
• Other benefits: 2.72% annual percentage yield (APY) on your balance, earn additional rewards for reducing your carbon footprint. Note: The APY is accurate as of May 24, 2024.

FutureCard Visa Debit Card review

The FutureCard Visa Debit Card is a spending card designed for environmentally-conscious consumers. While it doesn’t offer the credit-building benefits of a credit card, it does offer impressive rewards, giving you elevated cash back on purchases with select FuturePartners like Arcadia, Nuuly, Krave Beauty and EarthHero. 

You’ll also earn elevated cash back on utilities, public transit, thrift stores, resale marketplaces, bike shops, bike shares and scooters and EV charging stations. Plus, cash back on other purchases. 

You can also earn FutureCoins when you complete certain “missions” that reduce your carbon footprint, which you can sell for cash.

Because the FutureCard is a deposit account, you’ll also earn 2.72% APY on your balance, which is high for a debit card but doesn’t compare to the best high-yield savings accounts. The FutureCard doesn’t charge a monthly fee or have a minimum balance requirement. 

For climate-conscious spenders, you’ll be hard-pressed to find a credit card with comparable benefits. But with no ability to build credit and a low base rewards rate, it could make sense to use the FutureCard in tandem with a more environmentally-friendly rewards credit card to get the best of both worlds.

Pros

• Great rewards on climate-friendly spending: The card offers a high rewards rate on spending categories that help contribute to reducing your carbon footprint.
• No credit check to apply: If your credit needs some work, you don’t have to worry about getting denied. As a debit card, the FutureCard doesn’t require a credit check when you apply.
• No fees: The card doesn’t charge a monthly or annual fee, foreign transaction fees or any other fee for that matter.

Cons

• Won’t help you build credit: If you’re looking for a card to help you build credit, you’re better off with a credit card than a debit card.
• Low base rewards rate: While the card offers standout rewards rates on certain spending categories, its base rate — which will likely apply to most of your spending — is minimal.
• No welcome bonus: The FutureCard doesn’t offer an incentive for opening an account beyond its rewards on everyday spending.

FutureCard Visa Debit Card rewards

As a new cardholder, you won’t earn a welcome bonus. Comparatively, many rewards credit cards offer welcome bonuses — often $200 or more — after you meet a minimum spending requirement in the first few months.

On an ongoing basis, however, the card offers high rewards rates on environmentally-friendly spending. Cardholders will earn 6% cash back on select partner brands, 5% cash back on the first $25,000 of purchases spent on public transport, electric charging, bikes and scooters, secondhand clothes and furniture and plant-based meat, dairy and eggs and 1% cash back on other purchases. The 5% cash back categories include: 

• Utilities.
• Public transit.
• Thrift stores.
• Resale marketplaces.
• Bike shops.
• Bikeshares and scooters.
• EV charging stations.

If you live in New York City, you can take advantage of additional limited-time reward offers specific to the city’s residents.

Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has around $29,575 in annual expenses that can be charged to a credit card. 

Unfortunately, it’s challenging to find data that breaks out most climate-friendly spending. But based on what we could find, here’s a minimum potential rewards value based on the average household spending:

SPENDING CATEGORY	SPENDING AMOUNT	POINTS PER DOLLAR (OR CASH-BACK RATE)	POINTS (OR CASH-BACK) EARNED
Public transit	$781	5%	$39.05
Clothing (thrift stores only)	$1,300	5%	$65
All other spending	$27,494	1%	$274.94
TOTAL	$29,575		$378.99

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In this example, our sample cardholder earns $378.99 in cash-back. When you’re ready to redeem your rewards, you can request a deposit into your FutureCard account, or you can buy goods and services through the Future app.

FutureCard Visa Debit Card perks

Interest on your balance: The card offers a 2.72% APY on your balance.

Additional rewards for reducing your carbon footprint: On top of everyday rewards, the FutureCard also offers the chance to earn FutureCoins when you complete certain missions that reduce your carbon footprint. 

Examples include saving on energy bills, buying refurbished tech, thrifting and switching to electric rideshares. Coins are earned based on how many metric tons of carbon emissions you save and can be redeemed for cash.

How the FutureCard Visa Debit Card compares to other green cards 

FutureCard Visa Debit Card vs. Capital One Platinum Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Platinum Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The Capital One Platinum Credit Card doesn’t have any specific environmentally-friendly qualities, though Capital One has committed to several sustainability goals, such as reducing its emissions, water consumption and landfill use and supporting renewable energy. 

However, if you’re looking to build credit from scratch or rebuild a less-than-stellar credit history, the Capital One Platinum can help you do that. The card has no annual fee and also automatically reviews your account for potential credit line increases after as little as six months. That said, it doesn’t offer rewards of any kind, unlike the FutureCard.

FutureCard Visa Debit Card vs. U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card * The information for the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

If you want to earn rewards on more than just climate-friendly purchases, consider the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card * The information for the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . The card offers 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center, 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories of choice, 2% cash back on one everyday category (like gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants) and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

On top of that, the card also offers a $200 rewards bonus after spending $1,000 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening. Plus, get 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 billing cycles, then a variable APR of 19.49% to 29.74%. A balance transfer fee of 3% ($5 minimum) applies and balances transferred must be completed within 60 days. These perks might be more appealing to you then what the FutureCard offers, but if you don’t think you’ll qualify for the U.S. Bank Cash+ or you don’t want to be tempted to overspend, the FutureCard is the better choice.

FutureCard Visa Debit Card vs. American Express® Green Card * The information for the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

The American Express® Green Card * The information for the American Express® Green Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. (terms apply) is made from 70% reclaimed plastic and also allows you to use your points to donate to a variety of environmentally-friendly causes through JustGiving. 

The card earns 3 points per $1 at restaurants, 3 points per $1 on travel including flights, hotels, transit, taxis, tours, and ridesharing services and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. It also comes with a 40,000 Membership Rewards points after spending $3,000 in purchases in the first six months of card membership. Other perks include an annual $189 credit when you use your card to pay for a CLEAR® Plus membership and up to $100 in annual statement credits when you use the card to purchase lounge access through LoungeBuddy (enrollment is required for select benefits). However, the card charges a $150 annual fee. The Amex Green Card earns less than the FutureCard on transit but more on other types of travel. The right fit for you will depend on your spending habits.

FutureCard Visa Debit Card is right for you if:

• You’re environmentally conscious and want to earn rewards on spending and actions that align with your values.
• You already have another credit card to earn rewards on other everyday spending, or you want to avoid using credit. 
• Your credit is in poor shape, and you want to earn rewards on your spending without undergoing a credit check.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)