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I am currently unable to get a credit card¹, but I wish to be able to buy goods from web stores, to buy airline tickets, to rent cars, hotel rooms, etc. Through my bank I only have a Member Card, which is part of the Cirrus®, Interac®, TheExchange®, and Accel® networks, but which cannot be used for any of the aforementioned tasks². I am considering to get a prepaid payment card, but this post states that those are not credit but debit cards. With my current debit card (perhaps the correct term is ATM card), I can not do online purchases, I can not buy airline tickets, I can not rent cars, I can not reserve hotel rooms. I can use it worldwide to pay in-store or take out money at ATMs.

What limitations does a prepaid payment card have compared to a full credit card? For example, can it be used to buy goods from webstores? To buy airline tickets? To rent cars? To reserve hotel rooms?

¹ ^{My financial institution requires an Ontario photo identification. The accept either an Ontario Driving License or an Ontario Photo ID. To transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, I need to go through some bureaucracy and then do the G2 test. The Ontario Photo ID is only available to non-drivers, and if I apply for one, I relinquish any opportunity to transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, and would need to go through the full graduated driving license system, meaning it takes at least 2 years to get a license.}

² ^{I went to the airport in the hope I could buy an airline ticket there, but this turned out to be not possible. I could try a travel agency — the booking fees there might or might not be lower than the fees associated with a prepaid payment card.}

I am currently unable to get a credit card¹, but I wish to be able to buy goods from web stores, to buy airline tickets, to rent cars, hotel rooms, etc. Through my bank I only have a Member Card, which is part of the Cirrus®, Interac®, TheExchange®, and Accel® networks, but which cannot be used for any of the aforementioned tasks². I am considering to get a prepaid payment card, but this post states that those are not credit but debit cards. With my current debit card (perhaps the correct term is ATM card), I can not do online purchases, I can not buy airline tickets, I can not rent cars, I can not reserve hotel rooms. I can use it worldwide to pay in-store or take out money at ATMs.

What limitations does a prepaid payment card have compared to a full credit card? For example, can it be used to buy goods from webstores? To buy airline tickets? To rent cars? To reserve hotel rooms?

¹ ^{My financial institution requires an Ontario photo identification. The accept either an Ontario Driving License or an Ontario Photo ID. To transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, I need to go through some bureaucracy and then do the G2 test. The Ontario Photo ID is only available to non-drivers, and if I apply for one, I relinquish any opportunity to transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, and would need to go through the full graduated driving license system, meaning it takes at least 2 years to get a license.}

² ^{I went to the airport in the hope I could buy an airline ticket there, but this turned out to be not possible. I could try a travel agency — the booking fees there might or might not be lower than the fees associated with a prepaid payment card.}

I am currently unable to get a credit card¹, but I wish to be able to buy goods from web stores, to buy airline tickets, to rent cars, hotel rooms, etc. Through my bank I only have a Member Card, which is part of the CirrusⓇ, InteracⓇ, TheExchangeⓇ, and AccelⓇ networks, but which cannot be used for any of the aforementioned tasks². I am considering to get a prepaid payment card, but this post states that those are not credit but debit cards. With my current debit card (perhaps the correct term is ATM card), I can not do online purchases, I can not buy airline tickets, I can not rent cars, I can not reserve hotel rooms. I can use it worldwide to pay in-store or take out money at ATMs.

What limitations does a prepaid payment card have compared to a full credit card? For example, can it be used to buy goods from webstores? To buy airline tickets? To rent cars? To reserve hotel rooms?

¹ ^{My financial institution requires an Ontario photo identification. The accept either an Ontario Driving License or an Ontario Photo ID. To transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, I need to go through some bureaucracy and then do the G2 test. The Ontario Photo ID is only available to non-drivers, and if I apply for one, I relinquish any opportunity to transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, and would need to go through the full graduated driving license system, meaning it takes at least 2 years to get a license.}

² ^{I went to the airport in the hope I could buy an airline ticket there, but this turned out to be not possible. I could try a travel agency — the booking fees there might or might not be lower than the fees associated with a prepaid payment card.}

I am currently unable to get a credit card¹, but I wish to be able to buy goods from web stores, to buy airline tickets, to rent cars, hotel rooms, etc. Through my bank I only have a Member Card, which is part of the Cirrus®, Interac®, TheExchange®, and Accel® networks, but which cannot be used for any of the aforementioned tasks². I am considering to get a prepaid payment card, but this post states that those are not credit but debit cards. With my current debit card (perhaps the correct term is ATM card), I can not do online purchases, I can not buy airline tickets, I can not rent cars, I can not reserve hotel rooms. I can use it worldwide to pay in-store or take out money at ATMs.

What limitations does a prepaid payment card have compared to a full credit card? For example, can it be used to buy goods from webstores? To buy airline tickets? To rent cars? To reserve hotel rooms?

¹ ^{My financial institution requires an Ontario photo identification. The accept either an Ontario Driving License or an Ontario Photo ID. To transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, I need to go through some bureaucracy and then do the G2 test. The Ontario Photo ID is only available to non-drivers, and if I apply for one, I relinquish any opportunity to transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, and would need to go through the full graduated driving license system, meaning it takes at least 2 years to get a license.}

² ^{I went to the airport in the hope I could buy an airline ticket there, but this turned out to be not possible. I could try a travel agency — the booking fees there might or might not be lower than the fees associated with a prepaid payment card.}

I am currently unable to get a credit card¹, but I wish to be able to buy goods from web stores, to buy airline tickets, to rent cars, hotel rooms, etc. Through my bank I only have a Member Card, which is part of the CirrusⓇ, InteracⓇ, TheExchangeⓇ, and AccelⓇ networks, but which cannot be used for any of the aforementioned tasks². I am considering to get a prepaid payment card, but this post states that those are not credit but debit cards. With my current debit card (perhaps the correct term is ATM card), I can not do online purchases, I can not buy airline tickets, I can not rent cars, I can not reserve hotel rooms. I can use it worldwide to pay in-store or take out money at ATMs.

What limitations does a prepaid payment card have compared to a full credit card? For example, can it be used to buy goods from webstores? To buy airline tickets? To rent cars? To reserve hotel rooms?

¹ ^{My financial institution requires an Ontario photo identification. The accept either an Ontario Driving License or an Ontario Photo ID. To transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, I need to go through some bureaucracy and then do the G2 test. The Ontario Photo ID is only available to non-drivers, and if I apply for one, I relinquish any opportunity to transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, and would need to go through the full graduated driving license system, meaning it takes at least 2 years to get a license.}

² ^{I went to the airport in the hope I could buy an airline ticket there, but this turned out to be not possible.}

I am currently unable to get a credit card¹, but I wish to be able to buy goods from web stores, to buy airline tickets, to rent cars, hotel rooms, etc. Through my bank I only have a Member Card, which is part of the CirrusⓇ, InteracⓇ, TheExchangeⓇ, and AccelⓇ networks, but which cannot be used for any of the aforementioned tasks². I am considering to get a prepaid payment card, but this post states that those are not credit but debit cards. With my current debit card (perhaps the correct term is ATM card), I can not do online purchases, I can not buy airline tickets, I can not rent cars, I can not reserve hotel rooms. I can use it worldwide to pay in-store or take out money at ATMs.

What limitations does a prepaid payment card have compared to a full credit card? For example, can it be used to buy goods from webstores? To buy airline tickets? To rent cars? To reserve hotel rooms?

¹ ^{My financial institution requires an Ontario photo identification. The accept either an Ontario Driving License or an Ontario Photo ID. To transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, I need to go through some bureaucracy and then do the G2 test. The Ontario Photo ID is only available to non-drivers, and if I apply for one, I relinquish any opportunity to transfer my Dutch driving license to an Ontario one, and would need to go through the full graduated driving license system, meaning it takes at least 2 years to get a license.}

² ^{I went to the airport in the hope I could buy an airline ticket there, but this turned out to be not possible. I could try a travel agency — the booking fees there might or might not be lower than the fees associated with a prepaid payment card.}