Privacy.com vs YEX
Two virtual cards people weigh up side by side. We put Privacy.com and YEX on the same rows so the difference is easy to see.
Privacy.com issues on Visa · Mastercard and YEX on Visa; verification is ID only at Privacy.com versus ID + proof at YEX; only YEX takes crypto top-ups.
Privacy.com is the more cost-effective option for everyday spending and travel thanks to its free virtual cards, no monthly fee. YEX is the better fit for power users who need crypto funding.
The short version of the matchup
| Field | Privacy.com | YEX |
|---|---|---|
| Card network | Visa, Mastercard | Visa |
| Card type | Fintech Wallet | Crypto Card |
| KYC | ID only | ID + proof |
| Card issuance fee | Free | Free |
| Monthly fee | Free (Personal free; Plus $5 / Pro $10 / Premium $25 per mo) | Free |
| Top-up fee | — | — |
| FX fee | 3% foreign (min $0.50); $0 on Pro/Premium | 0% |
| Crypto funding | No | Yes |
| AI tool support | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney | ChatGPT / Claude / Midjourney |
| Risk level | Low | Medium |
| Our rating | 9.2 | 8.4 |
| User reviews | 74 | 274 |
| Best for | All-rounder · Ad spend | All-rounder · AI subscriptions |
A green left edge marks the side that holds the advantage on that row, where the data gives one.
Two cards, one decision
- Privacy.com shows up in more of our test scenarios, so it is the safer pick when you juggle several subscriptions.
- Prefer a short sign-up? Privacy.com is the lower-friction option here.
- YEX can sit on a crypto balance; Privacy.com cannot, so the call depends on how you fund it.
- In our scoring, Privacy.com finished ahead of YEX — not by a mile, but enough to tilt a tiebreak.
- If risk rating weights your choice, Privacy.com is the calmer of the two.
Side by side
Both cards clear the same checkouts in our tests, so the call comes down to cost. Privacy.com is cheaper on issuance (free) and top-ups (no top-up fee), while YEX is worth the premium only for crypto funding.
Questions people ask
That depends on what you spend on. Privacy.com scores 9.2/10 against YEX's 8.4/10 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.
Privacy.com is the cheaper card to run. Both Privacy.com and YEX issue virtual cards for free; Privacy.com converts currency at 3% versus 0%.
Privacy.com asks for ID only at signup; YEX 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 14 of the same test scenarios, including OpenAI API, Anthropic API, Udio 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
Privacy.com and YEX both landed in our top picks for 14 checkouts. Grouped by category so you can jump straight to the one you actually pay for:
🤖 AI Tools & Developer Tools 5
📺 Streaming & Entertainment 3
🎮 Gaming 3
🌐 Cloud & VPS 2
🧳 Travel & Productivity 1
Their BIN ranges
Cards issued in 🇺🇸 US · 🇨🇦 Canada — 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: