Paycek vs X1 Card
Two virtual cards people weigh up side by side. We put Paycek and X1 Card on the same rows so the difference is easy to see.
Paycek issues on Visa + Mastercard and X1 Card on Visa; verification is No KYC at Paycek versus ID + proof at X1 Card; only Paycek takes crypto top-ups.
Paycek is the more cost-effective option for everyday spending and travel thanks to its free virtual cards, no monthly fee. X1 Card is the better fit for power users who need bank-transfer funding.
The head to head
| Field | Paycek | X1 Card |
|---|---|---|
| Card network | Visa + Mastercard | Visa |
| Card type | Crypto Card | Fintech Wallet |
| KYC | No KYC | ID + proof |
| Card issuance fee | Free | Free (metal card) |
| Monthly fee | Free | No annual fee |
| Top-up fee | 1.5% | — |
| FX fee | 1.5% | 0% |
| Crypto funding | Yes (20+ currencies) | No |
| AI tool support | — | — |
| Risk level | High | Low |
| Our rating | 8.8 | 8.5 |
| User reviews | 138 | 77 |
| Best for | App Store / Play · No KYC | App Store / Play · Free issuance |
A green left edge marks the side that holds the advantage on that row, where the data gives one.
Where they split
- Paycek has the lighter onboarding; X1 Card will want more documents from you.
- Only Paycek takes crypto top-ups in our data — worth knowing before you decide.
- In our scoring, Paycek finished ahead of X1 Card — not by a mile, but enough to tilt a tiebreak.
- X1 Card carries the lower risk flag in our file, which some users prefer for a primary card.
What sets them apart
Both cards clear the same checkouts in our tests, so the call comes down to cost. Paycek is cheaper on issuance (free) and top-ups (a 1.5% top-up), while X1 Card is worth the premium only for bank-transfer funding.
Questions people ask
That depends on what you spend on. Paycek scores 8.8/10 against X1 Card's 8.5/10 in our tests, but the two split on fees, KYC and crypto funding. Read the table above, then match it to the checkouts you actually run.
Paycek is the cheaper card to run. Both Paycek and X1 Card issue virtual cards for free; Paycek reloads at 1.5%, while X1 Card publishes no top-up percentage.
Paycek asks for No KYC at signup; X1 Card asks for ID + proof. If a light sign-up is the priority, the one with the lower KYC label is the faster route.
Both show up in 4 of the same test scenarios, including Best Buy, PlayStation Network, Twitch Gift Cards. They overlap on a good share of checkouts, so the choice between them matters most on those pages. Where one is accepted and the other is not usually comes down to the billing country and 3-D Secure handling.
Where both show up
Paycek and X1 Card both landed in our top picks for 4 checkouts. Grouped by category so you can jump straight to the one you actually pay for:
🎮 Gaming 2
🛍️ Cross-border Shopping 1
🧳 Travel & Productivity 1
Their BIN ranges
Cards issued in 🇪🇺 Europe (EEA) · 🇺🇸 US — the country guides group every range we track from there.
What our charge log shows
Every count here is a real charge attempt we placed on that range, renewals included, with the gateway response recorded. Weeks tracked is how long the range has been in the programme: