--- title: What is the difference between virtual and physical Yordex cards? description: Both types of cards offered by Yordex are prepaid cards that are accepted anywhere that takes VISA. Virtual and physical cards are both topped up from the Yordex master balance, as outlined here. The --- [Skip to content](https://help.yordex.com/what-is-the-difference-between-virtual-and-physical-yordex-cards#main-content) English Show submenu for translations [Raise a support ticket](https://help.yordex.com/kb-tickets/new?hsLang=en) ![New logo-1.svg\]](https://help.yordex.com/hubfs/New%20logo-1.svg) Open main navigation Close main navigation - English Show submenu for translations - [Raise a support ticket](https://help.yordex.com/kb-tickets/new) - [Back to the Yordex app](https://spend.app.yordex.com/spend) [Back to the Yordex app](https://spend.app.yordex.com/spend) Welcome to the Yordex help centre! - There are no suggestions because the search field is empty. 1. [Yordex Help Centre](https://help.yordex.com/?hsLang=en) 2. [Cards](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en) 3. [Cards FAQs](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en#cards-faqs) # What is the difference between virtual and physical Yordex cards? Both types of cards offered by Yordex are prepaid and are accepted anywhere that takes **VISA**. Virtual and physical cards are both topped up from the **Yordex master balance**, as outlined [here](https://help.yordex.com/topping-up-the-master-balance?hsLang=en). The main difference is that **virtual** cards are for **one-off purchases, subscriptions and digital spend** whilst **physical** cards are for frequent **'in-person' expenses**. Although it is up to each customer how to use Yordex, we recommend that employees who regularly have expenses (**for travel, entertainment etc.**) are given **physical** cards whilst all others use virtual cards for infrequent online spend or subscriptions. ### Virtual Cards Virtual cards are not physical cards and are to be used primarily for online purchases. The card's PAN, expiry and CVV number can all be found within your Yordex account. You can find some further information on how to access this information [here](https://help.yordex.com/viewing-your-virtual-card-details?hsLang=en). The card's details will need be entered during checkout for an online purchase, just like if you are making a payment with a bank card.  Yordex cards which hold USD however can be added to Google and Apple Pay Wallets. Therefore, they can be used for in-person contactless transactions.  Whereas, in Yordex there are two types of virtual cards: Multi-use and single-use. Please find a break-down of these card types below.  **Virtual Cards: Multi-Use** - Multi-use virtual cards are **expense virtual cards** and can be generated by **admins** only and are assigned to a **user.** - Like physical cards they can be used anywhere **online** and are only limited by the funds on the card. [Topping up multi-use virtual cards](https://help.yordex.com/top-up-a-card?hsLang=en) is the same process as for **physical cards.** - Each **transaction** is added to the platform as an **expense**. - These are recommended for **frequent online expenses.** **Virtual Cards: Single-Use** - Single-use virtual cards are **pre-approved** and have to be requested as a **purchase**. Once the purchase has been [approved](https://help.yordex.com/knowledge/approving-an-expense?hsLang=en) the card will be generated for the user that requested it. - Virtual cards are **unique** for each transaction, either a **one-off** or a **subscription**. - To request a virtual card for a **one-off** payment follow [these steps](https://help.yordex.com/knowledge/add-a-multi-use-virtual-card?hsLang=en). - To set up a **subscription** follow [the steps outlined here](https://help.yordex.com/knowledge/paying-a-subscription-on-a-virtual-card?hsLang=en). - For **subscriptions**, virtual cards are topped up **monthly, quarterly or annually** by the amount of the subscription **price**. When the subscription period ends, the card is automatically cancelled. This prevents you from being **overcharged**. - For **one-off** purchases, the card will only be topped up **once** by the amount **specified** in the purchase. Once the payment has been made, the card is **cancelled**.  ### Physical Cards These are plastic cards that are sent to your chosen delivery address and are similar to a bank's debit or credit card. It will have the PAN, expiry and CVV numbers printed on both the back and the front of the card. These cards are designed for everyday in-person use, with the PIN and contactless options. This type of card can also be used to make online purchases. - Thephysical Yordex card is topped up by the **account admin** [either manually or automatically](https://help.yordex.com/top-up-a-card?hsLang=en). - Once the physical card has been topped up, users can choose how to spend its balance. The expenses made on the physical Yordex card will **automatically appear in the system** where they will go through [the approval process](https://help.yordex.com/knowledge/approving-an-invoice?hsLang=en).  - After making a payment, the **receipt** and **cost allocation** can be added to the expense either on the **web based app** or **platform**, as [explained here](https://help.yordex.com/knowledge/submitting-a-yordex-card-expense?hsLang=en). - We do not recommend **adding subscriptions to a physical card** as this offers **less control.** - [My Account](https://help.yordex.com/my-account?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Personal Details](https://help.yordex.com/my-account?hsLang=en#personal-details) - [My Cards](https://help.yordex.com/my-account?hsLang=en#my-cards) - [My Expenses](https://help.yordex.com/my-account?hsLang=en#my-expenses) - [Security](https://help.yordex.com/my-account?hsLang=en#security) - [Yordex Mobile](https://help.yordex.com/yordex-mobile?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Using the App](https://help.yordex.com/yordex-mobile?hsLang=en#using-the-app) - [Using the telephone assistant](https://help.yordex.com/yordex-mobile?hsLang=en#using-the-telephone-assistant) - [Yordex Account Setup](https://help.yordex.com/yordex-account-setup?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Account Setup](https://help.yordex.com/yordex-account-setup?hsLang=en#account-setup) - [Users](https://help.yordex.com/yordex-account-setup?hsLang=en#users) - [Credit line](https://help.yordex.com/yordex-account-setup?hsLang=en#credit-line) - [Cards](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Cards FAQs](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en#cards-faqs) - [Physical cards](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en#physical-cards) - [Virtual Cards](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en#virtual-cards) - [Ordering cards](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en#ordering-cards) - [Topping up cards](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en#topping-up-cards) - [Managing your account](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en#managing-your-account) - [Your own company cards](https://help.yordex.com/cards?hsLang=en#your-own-company-cards) - [Expenses](https://help.yordex.com/expenses?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Submitting Expenses](https://help.yordex.com/expenses?hsLang=en#submitting-expenses) - [Approving Expenses](https://help.yordex.com/expenses?hsLang=en#approving-expenses) - [Managing Expenses](https://help.yordex.com/expenses?hsLang=en#managing-expenses) - [Payouts](https://help.yordex.com/payouts?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Managing payees](https://help.yordex.com/payouts?hsLang=en#managing-payees) - [Managing payouts](https://help.yordex.com/payouts?hsLang=en#managing-payouts) - [Other](https://help.yordex.com/payouts?hsLang=en#other) - [Approvals](https://help.yordex.com/approvals?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Approvals](https://help.yordex.com/approvals?hsLang=en#approvals) - [Invoices](https://help.yordex.com/invoices?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Managing Invoices](https://help.yordex.com/invoices?hsLang=en#managing-invoices) - [Submitting Invoices](https://help.yordex.com/invoices?hsLang=en#submitting-invoices) - [Accounting](https://help.yordex.com/accounting?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Xero](https://help.yordex.com/accounting?hsLang=en#xero) - [Sage 50c](https://help.yordex.com/accounting?hsLang=en#sage-50c) - [Exporting Transactions](https://help.yordex.com/accounting?hsLang=en#exporting-transactions) - [Supporting](https://help.yordex.com/supporting?hsLang=en#main-content) - [About Yordex](https://help.yordex.com/supporting?hsLang=en#about-yordex) - [Reference](https://help.yordex.com/supporting?hsLang=en#reference) - [Fields](https://help.yordex.com/supporting?hsLang=en#fields) - [Cost Allocations](https://help.yordex.com/cost-allocations?hsLang=en) - [Suppliers & Purchases](https://help.yordex.com/suppliers-purchases?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Supplier approvals](https://help.yordex.com/suppliers-purchases?hsLang=en#supplier-approvals) - [Purchases](https://help.yordex.com/suppliers-purchases?hsLang=en#purchases) - [Supplier creation](https://help.yordex.com/suppliers-purchases?hsLang=en#supplier-creation) - [Supplier Terms & Quotes](https://help.yordex.com/suppliers-purchases?hsLang=en#supplier-terms-quotes) - [Budgets and Cost Allocations](https://help.yordex.com/budgets-and-cost-allocations?hsLang=en#main-content) - [Cost Allocations](https://help.yordex.com/budgets-and-cost-allocations?hsLang=en#cost-allocations) - [API](https://help.yordex.com/api?hsLang=en) Copyright © 2026, Yordex Limited