The READYdebit prepaid debit card may not be our number one choice, but we still appreciate this card for its flexibility, mobile features and money-loading options. We do think that a $14.95 monthly fee is a bit steep for what you get, though. We reviewed cards that have many more features and cost much less. To its credit, this card has one of the highest maximum card balances – $10,000 – which is a redeeming feature to many people.

Note: All the fees, charges and features mentioned in this review are associated with the Platinum card account.

The Select and Control prepaid cards READYdebit offers also have lists of fees and charges that correlate to their features and benefits. For this review, however, we felt that the Platinum card is the best of the prepaid card options READYdebit offers. The Platinum account gives you access to online bill pay, direct deposit and other great features, but like any upgrade, it comes at a price.

Here is a list of the fees and charges for the Platinum prepaid debit card:

• Card activation fee: $9.95
• Monthly service fee: $14.95
• ATM withdrawal: $2
• Paper statement: $2 per statement
• Replacement card: $10
• Currency conversion: Two percent of the total purchase amount
• Bank teller cash advance: $5

Yes, there are a few fees to consider when deciding on the best prepaid debit card for you, but the READYdebit Platinum card doesn't charge fees for account activities that many other prepaid credit or debit card companies do charge for. READYdebit's free services include:

• Free secondary card
• Free signature transactions
• Free PIN transactions
• No negative balance fee
• Free direct deposit
• No ATM decline fee
• Free balance inquiry
• Free customer service

Consumers using a prepaid debit card are typically not in the position to qualify for a regular credit card due to poor credit history or other factors. A prepaid debit card is a great alternative to help you learn how to handle money successfully. READYdebit offers ScoreTracker for those who have a prepaid card account with direct deposit.

ScoreTracker is an application that enables you to track your credit score over time with online tools, including an interactive simulator that will "help you learn how to anticipate changes in your credit score and make the best choices to protect your credit over time," according to the READYdebit website.

You can now pay your bills, check your card balance and view your account statement wherever and whenever you need to with the READYdebit mobile banking app. This app is available for the iPhone iOS version3.0 and later and the Android OS version 1.5 and up.

Note: You must sign up for online bill pay before you can pay bills using the mobile app.

Text alerts are another mobile feature that keep you informed about your account, even if you don't have an iPhone or Android. You can choose which alerts to sign up for online, including a low balance notification that will alert you when money you have deposited is available.

With the prepaid debit card, you are able to make purchases online and in the store just like you would with a credit card. You are able to use your card at the gas station, but we recommend that you pay for the gas inside instead of at the pump. If you do pay at the pump with your prepaid card, READYdebit will place a $125 hold on your funds until the transaction has been approved, which can take days.

Like a regular credit card, a prepaid card has limits and restrictions. READYdebit is no exception. There is a minimum and maximum dollar amount that you can load, save and spend with your card. For example, for every reload that you perform, you must add a minimum of $20 to the card balance. With that minimum load amount comes a maximum cash load value of $2,500.

You have several options to load money onto your prepaid card, including an in-house bank transfer or a Green Dot MoneyPak card (which will cost you up to $4.95 to obtain). You can also load cash at any Visa ReadyLink location, send money to your prepaid card directly from your checking or savings account and transfer funds from one READYdebit card to another.

Although you can only load up to $2,500 on your card, if you opt to load money electronically via direct deposit, you can max out the reload value at $10,000. This is one of the highest max values for any prepaid debit card. This cushy limit makes READYdebit a popular choice for travelers because the card is safer to carry than cash.

Do keep in mind that even though you can load money onto the card as many as five times per day, you can only spend $2,500 every 24 hours.

The Platinum READYdebit offers free customer support that includes automated phone support and live customer service. You can also contact the company by email. A representative will try to respond to your email within one business day, according to the website.