As of May 6, 2015, Target no longer accepts credit cards for in-store REDbird reloads. For more information, please see “REDbird Post Memo Answers“, and “REDbird grounded. Now what?“

Thanks to a reader tip, I just learned that American Express is launching a new product similar to Bluebird and Serve. This one is Target branded and is called the Prepaid REDcard. I’ll do a full write-up soon, but here is what I know so far:

Each person can only have one : Bluebird or Serve or REDcard.

: Bluebird or Serve or REDcard. Like Bluebird, you may link a debit card to the account for online funding. Like Bluebird and Serve (without SoftCard) you are limited to $200 per day and $1000 per month.

to the account for online funding. Like Bluebird and Serve (without SoftCard) you are limited to $200 per day and $1000 per month. 5% discount at Target when you pay with this card (but there are exclusions such as gift cards)

at Target when you pay with this card (but there are exclusions such as gift cards) No fees for just about anything . Like Bluebird, no foreign transaction fees. No fees for in-Target ATMs or for Allpoint Network ATMs.

. Like Bluebird, no foreign transaction fees. No fees for in-Target ATMs or for Allpoint Network ATMs. “Cash loads” limited to $2500 per day / $5000 per month. “Cash loads” is the name for loading at the register at Target. There are no fees for loading at the register.

There are no fees for loading at the register. The Target REDcard offers Bill Pay which sounds identical to Bluebird and Serve’s bill pay functions.

Unlike Bluebird and Serve, this card does not appear to allow loading via Vanilla Reload cards .

. Target offers other REDcards that are not affiliated with this one. Besides this one there is a debit REDcard and a credit REDcard. This one is the “prepaid” REDcard.

that are not affiliated with this one. Besides this one there is a debit REDcard and a credit REDcard. This one is the “prepaid” REDcard. It appears that the only way to get one of these is to buy a temporary card at Target. Details here.

Quick take

I’m still absorbing this info, but my first reaction is:

This will be really awesome if Target allows “cash loads” via credit card (to be determined).

(to be determined). If Target does not allow cash loads via credit card, then it looks like it falls short of the capabilities of Serve in a few ways. For example, it does not allow online credit card loads like Serve does .

. On the other hand, if you frequent Target, but not Walmart, this might still be an attractive option.

I’m bummed that you can’t have both Serve and REDcard!

Developing….

Adding “cash”

This doesn’t give much more info, but thought I’d add it…

How do I add cash to my Account? Free Cash Reloads at the Target Register: Add cash FREE at all Target store locations in the US. You can add as much as $1,000 or as little as $0.01 for FREE. Just give your Prepaid REDcard and cash to the cashier and your money is immediately added to your Card. It’s that easy!

Found here.

UPDATE 1:13 PM EST: Just got back from buying one of these at Target. Had to enter in drivers license info like when buying old Amex for Target card. The temporary REDcard can be bought with a credit card, of course. However, I spoke to a manager who seemed to be well informed and he claimed that reloads will not allow credit cards. Debit cards will be allowed.