PayPal Key vs Solid Card
Torn between PayPal Key and Solid Card? The comparison below is built from the same test data we use across the rest of the site.
Both issue on Visa; both ask for ID + proof.
PayPal Key is the more cost-effective option for everyday spending and travel thanks to its free virtual cards, no monthly fee. Solid Card still clears the same checkouts in our tests, so match the table to the services you actually pay for.
The two, compared
| Field | PayPal Key | Solid Card |
|---|---|---|
| Card network | Visa | Visa |
| Card type | Fintech Wallet | Crypto Card |
| KYC | ID + proof | ID + proof |
| Card issuance fee | Free | Free |
| Monthly fee | Free | Free |
| Top-up fee | — | — |
| FX fee | — | — |
| Crypto funding | Yes (PayPal supports crypto) | Yes (USDC) |
| AI tool support | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney |
| Risk level | Low | Low |
| Our rating | 8.8 | 8.5 |
| User reviews | 322 | 847 |
| Best for | All-rounder · Ad spend | All-rounder · Ad spend |
A green left edge marks the side that holds the advantage on that row, where the data gives one.
The head to head
- In our scoring, PayPal Key finished ahead of Solid Card — not by a mile, but enough to tilt a tiebreak.
- Neither card dominates every row; the right one depends on which column you care about most.
Side by side
PayPal Key is the cheaper card to hold: free to create and no top-up fee, against free and no top-up fee at Solid Card. Solid Card earns its keep only if you need the rows where it leads in the table.
Questions people ask
That depends on what you spend on. PayPal Key scores 8.8/10 against Solid 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.
PayPal Key is the cheaper card to run. Both PayPal Key and Solid Card issue virtual cards for free.
PayPal Key asks for ID + proof at signup; Solid 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 9 of the same test scenarios, including Claude.ai, ElevenLabs, Leonardo.ai. 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
PayPal Key and Solid Card both landed in our top picks for 9 checkouts. Grouped by category so you can jump straight to the one you actually pay for:
📈 Ad Platforms 4
🤖 AI Tools & Developer Tools 3
📺 Streaming & Entertainment 1
🌐 Cloud & VPS 1
Their BIN ranges
Cards issued in 🇺🇸 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: