Metal credit cards have become fairly common, especially among higher-end (high fee) credit card products. However, metal debit cards aren't nearly as prevalent.
There are some good reasons for this, most notably because metal cards cost a lot of money to produce, relative to standard plastic cards. And unlike credit cards, where the user often pays an interest rate of 20% or more on balances, debit card spending generally isn't a major profit center for banks.
Even so, there are a few checking and savings accounts, mainly offered by investment and personal finance apps, that offer metal debit cards. These typically require a one-time fee or a certain monthly subscription fee, but if you're looking for a metal debit card, here's where you can find one.
A metal debit card is a payment card made of one or more different metals that is linked to the user's checking or savings account.
Metal debit cards generally have the same functionality of standard plastic debit cards, but they can be more aesthetically pleasing, are far more durable, and often come with account types and membership plans that have higher interest rates and more perks.
Metal debit cards are relatively expensive to produce, so most banks don't offer them. And those that do often recoup the cost by either charging a one-time fee for the card itself, or a subscription to a certain membership plan.
Banks with metal debit cards
Ratings Methodology
Rates asof Sep 13, 2024
Revolut
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. = Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor
- Get your paycheck up to two days early
- Variety of travel perks included
- Cash back on debit card purchases
- Some features require a paid plan
Revolut offers an impressive suite of banking features, including several geared specifically at travelers. This includes currency exchange and travel insurance. Customers can also earn cash back on debit card purchases and enjoy no foreign transaction fees abroad. But those who want access to all these features have to get comfortable paying a monthly fee.
1. Revolut
Revolut is a money management app that has a ton of features, and one of those is a high-yield savings account that offers a metal debit card. The account offers no-surcharge ATM withdrawals, early paycheck access, and several unique travel-related perks like currency exchange capabilities and baggage insurance.
Not only is the Revolut debit card made of metal, but it has an excellent cash back rewards program that is rather unique among debit cards. The biggest drawback is that the metal card is only available at the top-tier $16.99 monthly subscription level. However, this level does unlock some additional perks.
2. Cash App
Cash App isn't technically a bank, as its debit cards are issued by a third party. But for a fee of $50, users can choose to get a metal Cash App Card linked to their account, known as the Chameleon Card.
Cash App allows users to send and receive money from friends and family, pay for purchases, directly deposit paychecks, and more.
Cash App's savings account offers an interest rate, and for customers who directly deposit their paychecks, the rate is competitive with the top high-yield savings accounts.
3. Acorns
Popular investment app Acorns offers the Mighty Oak Card, which is a debit card that is not only made of matte black tungsten, but is engraved with the customer's actual signature. It links to both checking and savings account products, and has excellent APYs that rival our top online banks.
Acorns is an investment-centered app, so it has unique features such as the ability to automatically invest a piece of each paycheck, and to round up debit transactions to the next dollar to invest your spare change. There is no separate cost for the Mighty Oak Card, but it is only available at Acorns' $6 and $12 subscription tiers.
Compare savings rates
Make sure you're getting the best account for you by comparing savings rates and promotions. Here are some of our favorite high-yield savings accounts to consider.
| Account | APY | Promotion | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings OnSoFi'sSecure Website. Member FDIC. Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars. 4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | up to 4.50%² Rate infoYou can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.Min. to earn: $0 | New customers can earn up to a $300 bonus with qualifying direct deposits!¹ | Open Account for SoFi Checking and Savings OnSoFi'sSecure Website. |
Open Account for CIT Platinum Savings OnCIT'sSecure Website. Member FDIC. Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars. 4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | 4.85% APY for balances of $5,000 or more Rate info4.85% APY for balances of $5,000 or more; otherwise, 0.25% APYMin. to earn: $100 to open account, $5,000 for max APY | N/A | Open Account for CIT Platinum Savings OnCIT'sSecure Website. |
Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings OnCapital One'sSecure Website. Member FDIC. Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars. 4.50/5Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.5 stars equals Best.4 stars equals Excellent.3 stars equals Good.2 stars equals Fair.1 star equals Poor.We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs. | 4.25% Rate infoSee Capital One website for most up-to-date rates. Advertised Annual Percentage Yield (APY)is variable and accurate as of April 11, 2024. Rates are subject to change at any time before or after account opening.Min. to earn: $0 | N/A | Open Account for Capital One 360 Performance Savings OnCapital One'sSecure Website. |
The obvious answer is that metal debit and credit cards have somewhat of a "wow factor," as they are noticeably heavier and more luxurious-looking than standard plastic cards. But it's important to note that there are some practical reasons people want a metal debit card as well, like durability.
Beyond the card itself, many metal cards come with exclusive benefits, so this can also be a motivating factor.. As mentioned, metal debit cards typically require a one-time fee or a monthly subscription plan, but these costs may also unlock certain perks and benefits that aren't available to the bank's general customers.
It's also worth noting that choosing the right checking account for you is about more than just getting a certain type of debit card, so it's not necessarily a good idea to confine your search to only banks that offer them. There are some excellent checking account deals and bonuses in the industry right now, so that could be a good place to start your search.
What are the typical qualifications to get a metal debit card?
With the metal debit cards on this list, there aren't really any special qualifications. This is in contrast to credit cards, where metal credit cards are typically reserved for credit card types that have high annual fees, strict credit requirements, or both.
On the other hand, metal debit cards are usually designed to make a certain bank or checking/savings account more attractive to prospective customers. There may be specific requirements when it comes to a metal debit card, including paying an additional fee or agreeing to a higher-priced subscription plan.
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FAQs
Yes, metal debit cards are designed to work in ATMs, and if they have a major payment network's logo on them (such as Visa or Mastercard), they are also designed to work at point-of-sale terminals just like standard plastic cards. Having said that, there are some payment terminals that aren't compatible with metal cards, and these are usually clearly labeled.
Metal debit cards are significantly less common than metal credit cards. Only a few banks offer them, and none of the major U.S. financial institutions offer them at this time. There are some banks that pair metal cards with checking or savings accounts, but it's important to note that this isn't common.
Metal cards can be made of a variety of materials, including stainless steel, titanium, brass, copper, tungsten, or palladium. Some "metal cards" are actually a combination of plastic and metal. The point is that there is no standard metal that is used to make metal payment cards, and there are several different types that make good candidates. Some are chosen to achieve a specific look, or to attain a desired weight of the card itself.
