Privacy.com 2023 Review (and $5 Free)

  • Privacy.com provides unlimited debit cards on the fly to protect your privacy when shopping online.
  • Money comes out of your bank without the merchant knowing your real info.
  • Get a $5 signup bonus when you use your account through the link above.

What Is Privacy.com?

Privacy.com is an anonymous, virtual debit card service. You can use it to buy anything that accepts a Visa card because it connects directly to your bank account. But instead of exposing your real card information, you’re given a disposable card number that you can pause or delete at any time.

The service doubles as an easy way to get free money online since it gives all new users $5. There’s more on that below.

Some more things we like:

  • Each card is tied to the first store it’s used on, so it can never be stolen and used elsewhere.
  • One-time use cards automatically vanish after they’re used.
  • Works from the app, the website, and the Chrome and Firefox extension.
  • It’s built-in to the 1Password password manager.

Visit Privacy.com

Privacy.com account

Why Use It?

This website is a free, virtual debit card service where you can create new debit card numbers whenever you need to. They work just like your normal debit card but with some really awesome extra features.

For example, you can pause your debit card numbers at any time, or even totally cancel them on a whim. A different card can be made for all the different sites you shop at, and none of them will ever know your real debit card number because it’s safe with Privacy.com.

How It Works

  1. Add your bank account to your Privacy.com account.
  2. Create a virtual payment card that has no spending limit or you can set the limit on a per charge, per month, per year, or total basis. You can also make the card a “single-use” card so that after it’s used once, it dissolves and can no longer be used by anyone, even if they steal your card information.
  3. Buy something with your card without ever exposing your bank account information or your real debit card number.

Some other features worth noting is that its supports two-factor authentication, notifications for declines and transactions, runs from a mobile app for easy card creation on the go, lets you add more than one funding source, also works through a Chrome extension and Firefox extension, and can mask transactions from your bank so that nobody outside Privacy.com knows where you’re shopping.

You can make up to 12 virtual cards per month for free. If you want to pay for Privacy Pro or Privacy Teams, you can get some extra features like cash back and the ability to make more cards every month.

How to Make a Card & Get $5 Free

Getting your free money from Privacy.com is surprisingly easy:

Privacy.com home page
  • Enter your email address and choose a secure password for your account. Also check the box that confirms that you’re a US resident and that you agree to the terms.

Tip: If you’re concerned about your privacy (hence why you might be using Privacy.com), you can sign up with a temporary email address from places like Temp Mail and 10 Minute Mail.

  • Choose Get Started at the bottom to continue.
Privacy.com Sign Up page
  • Select Connect Funding Source, and then follow the on-screen steps to confirm who you are and what your banking information is.
Privacy.com Getting Started page
  • Once your account has been verified and you’re logged in and ready to make your first virtual card, select New Card.

Note: You won’t see all these cards like in this screenshot since you’re making your first card right now.

Privacy.com virtual card list
  • Select No Nickname and name the card something recognizable. For example, if you’ll use this card to get a free trial of Hulu or to order something off of a weird website you’re unfamiliar with, name it Hulu or Temp or something along those lines.
Privacy.com virtual card creator
  • Select No Limit and then choose one of those options. Select Add Limit to save.
Privacy.com virtual card spending limit

You can change the spending limits at any time even after you make the virtual card, so don’t get too hung up on that right now if you’re not sure what you’ll want to use this card for.

  • Hit Create Card to make your first virtual debit card.
Privacy.com create card option
  • Select the card number to immediately copy it to your clipboard. Now, you can paste the card anywhere you’re asked for a debit card, and the payment will process through your new virtual card instead of your bank or real debit card.
Privacy.com new virtual card

Remember: You have to use your card somewhere to get the free $5. You can use it anywhere you like, even if it’s not at the place you chose when you named the card above.

  • After receiving your free money, you can spend it by using any of your virtual cards. Money will come out of your free credit before your bank (i.e., if you purchase something for $15, you’ll have it reduced by $5 for signing up with our Privacy.com referral link, and then your bank will be charged $10).

You can check your credit at any time by logging into your account.

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