The Capital One prepaid debit card has great features, including iPhone and Android mobile banking apps that connect you to your prepaid card account. Even if you don't have a smartphone, you can still receive text alerts concerning account balances and recent purchases. Overall, we think this prepaid debit card is a great option for those who do not qualify for a regular credit card.

The majority of prepaid credit or debit cards charge a purchase or activation fee and a monthly maintenance fee. Capital One does not charge an activation fee. However, you will pay a maintenance fee of $4.95 if you do not load at least $500 onto your prepaid card every transaction cycle. According to the Capital One website, "Your transaction cycle begins on the date you first activate your card and continues until that date the following month." For example, if you activate your debit card on March 15, your first transaction cycle will end April 14.

This prepaid debit card has some features that are free, but only after a few conditions are met. You are allotted one free ATM withdrawal per transaction cycle, for example. Every ATM withdrawal after that will cost you $1.95. If you want to look at your transaction history, you can do that online, but if you want a hard copy, you can buy a paper statement for $1.95 per request.

Like card activation, direct deposit and customer service are free. You also have unlimited free Signature and PIN transactions. Unlike many other prepaid cards, Capital One does not charge you to check your account balance, which you can do online or by calling the customer-service number on the back of your card, 24 hours a day.

If you are traveling out of the U.S. for business or pleasure, you can still use your prepaid debit card, but be aware that you will be charged one percent of the total amount for every transaction, in addition to all other charges.

If you have a son or daughter in college (who is 18 years or older) the Capital One prepaid credit card may be a good option for you and your adult child. You can get a secondary card, although Capital One must approve it first. Your card and the secondary card are linked to the same account, and both cardholders can access any money that you add to the account. Note: any transactions made by the secondary cardholder count towards your monthly transaction limits.

You are able to sign up for free automatic text and email alerts for both cards. You will receive automatic purchase and load alerts, as well as daily balance alerts.

We appreciate the mobile connection that Capital One provides its customers. The text alerts can occur on any phone that has texting options. If you have an iPhone or Android, however, you will also have access to the company's free apps and the Capital One mobile banking site. With your smartphone, you can pay your bills online, view account balances and see the latest transactions, transfer funds to and from your Capital One accounts and locate the nearest participating funds-load location or ATM. All of your account information is protected by 128-bit encryption.

The Capital One prepaid debit card is a great option for traveling because it is safer to carry around than cash. If your prepaid credit or debit card is stolen, the MasterCard Zero Liability feature can protect you. There are, of course, terms and conditions that apply to this Zero Liability feature, so make sure you read your user agreement closely.

When you purchase something with your regular credit card, those charges are usually labeled "pending" for several days. The money from those transactions is not subtracted from your account until they are approved. With this card, the pending process occurs for a few transactions, but for the majority of your purchases, the money is immediately subtracted from your prepaid debit card, so be aware of this.

Just for your information, according to the user agreement, you cannot, under any circumstance, use your card for online gambling or illegal transactions.

According to the Capital One cardholder agreement, "You may buy goods or services and withdraw cash up to a combined total of $2,500 per day at retail locations and ATM terminals." To spend money with your debit card, you must, of course, load money first. You can load money to your card up to 10 times every 30 days with these three options:

Direct deposit – When you sign up for your Capital One prepaid debit card, you will also receive a personalized form. Simply fill out the form and give to your employer. Then, every paycheck, your money will be automatically deposit into your prepaid card account.

Western Union – This is a cash option. You will need to fill out a form, like a deposit slip at a bank, and give your money to an agent. Make sure the Western Union you go to is a participating location. You can go to the Capital One website to see a list of authorized locations.

Bank Account – Besides direct deposit, this may be one of the easiest ways to load money onto your prepaid debit card. You will receive an account and routing number for your debit card. Submit this information to your bank for simple money transfers.

While these three options are accessible and acceptable, we are disappointed that there are not more ways to load money onto your card, including PayPal, MoneyPak or even a card-to-card transfer.

You can speak to a live agent between 7 a.m. to 1 a.m. check with AP on this EST Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST Saturday and Sunday, not including holidays.

You can send requests and inquiries to a support email, or visit a FAQs page for answers to your most basic questions. Although the FAQs section is quite pitiful because it only includes five questions and answers, those answers do provide detailed information.