What is a debit card? How it works and your protections
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
- 1Your card appears in your app
- 2Tap it to pay in a shop
- 3See every payment as it happens
A debit card lets you pay with money that is already in your account. When you use it, the amount comes out of your balance, usually within a day or two.
Debit, credit and prepaid
Tap to explore
Tap each one to see what it means.
Debit card
spends money from your own account.
Credit card
spends money you borrow and pay back later.
Prepaid card
spends money you load onto the card first.
Paying in shops and online
Debit cards work in shops, online and abroad wherever the card network (such as Visa or Mastercard) is accepted. In the UK, a single contactless payment can be up to £100; above that you insert the card and enter your PIN.
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Colour
What it does
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Your protection
If something you paid for by debit card doesn't arrive or isn't as described, you can ask your card provider for a chargeback. Section 75 protection, which covers some purchases between £100 and £30,000, applies to credit cards, not debit cards.
Where SendPay fits
SendPay platforms include branded Visa cards for your customers under your own brand, powered by licensed partners. SendPay tells you in writing which licences apply to your platform before you launch.
How it works
Your own money app- 1Name it and pick your colours
- 2Choose what it does
- 3Launch when you are ready
Why sign up
Create your free SendPay account
It's all about creating your own financial platform with ease. Start with a free account today.
- 🪪A free business accountOpen it in about a minute with your business name, email, password and mobile. No card and no documents to start.
- 💳Get paid from day oneTake card payments, and share your own payment link and invoices so customers pay in a click.
- 🌐A free business websiteFree to build, free to publish and free to keep, with unlimited visits.
- 🚀Your own financial platformDesign and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank. Accounts, cards and payments are powered by licensed partners.
Questions people ask
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Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.