If you often pay for international subscriptions or buy from services that don't accept cards from Russia, virtual cards are your bread and butter. Here's an interesting offer from GiftCards.com: a $100 virtual Visa gift card for $90 with promo code LDV10. But there's a catch—a $5.95 activation fee brings the total to $95.95. So you pay $95.95 to get $100 on the card. That's a savings of about $4, not bad if you ignore that the card is virtual and has no physical form.
What Is This Card?
It's a virtual Visa gift card, meaning a prepaid card with a number, CVV, and expiration date. You can use it for online purchases almost anywhere Visa is accepted. But there are important limitations:
- US-only — The card is issued in the US and is likely tied to a US address. For paying international services, it may not work if the service checks the payer's country.
- Activation and registration — You may need to provide a ZIP code and other details. Without a US address, you could run into issues.
- Validity period — Such cards typically have a limited usage period (e.g., 6 months). Don't delay spending it.
Is It Suitable for Subscription Payments?
If you live in the US or have a way to provide a US address, this card could be convenient for one-time purchases or subscriptions that don't require recurring charges. But for services with auto-renewal (streaming, cloud storage), it's not suitable—the balance will quickly run out, and the subscription will be interrupted. Additionally, many services are wary of prepaid cards and may decline them.
Alternative from VirtCardPay
For paying international services and subscriptions, it's often more convenient to use virtual cards issued specifically for this purpose. They support 3DS verification, work with international payments, and offer easy limit management. Unlike gift cards, they are not tied to a specific country and allow you to pay for services worldwide.
Verdict
The offer of a $100 card for $95.95 is a decent discount if you're in the US and looking for a way to pay for something one-off. But for recurring payments and international purchases, it's not the best option. Consider virtual cards that offer more flexibility and control.
This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Terms of virtual cards may change; check the latest information on issuer websites.
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