Online payments have made the world accessible, but they also brought plenty of risks. From hidden subscriptions and random charges to exchange rate surprises and fraud. The list is long, but solution is not, its called a virtual credit card.
A virtual credit card can prevent all of the above.
Whether you want to lock spending per site, protect your primary card, or set up safer subscriptions, there’s now a card’s digital version for almost every scenario.
We checked and compared three major players; US Unlocked, Privacy.com, and Ramp, to help you decide which one fits your needs.
Lets not forget people outside the U.S., for them, there’s an added hurdle: many American merchants still expect a U.S. billing address.
So we’ll tackle all these obstacles one at a time. Lets begin with bringing together a list why we need to control spending.
Why Spending Control Matters
Convenience often comes at a price. Online shoppers regularly face:
- Recurring charges they forgot to cancel
- Unauthorized transactions from saved cards
- Foreign transaction fees and failed cross-border payments
- Budget leakage when multiple people use the same account
Virtual credit card tackle all these problems head-on.
They let you decide how much, where, and when your money can be spent, adding a layer of control that traditional debit or credit card simply don’t offer.
Best Virtual Credit Card
US Unlocked
If you’re based outside the U.S. (which almost everyone is…) but want access to American stores and subscriptions, US Unlocked is one of the few services designed specifically for you.
It provides a person with genuine US virtual credit card number, supports global funding methods, and offers several card options that give you the security you want while spending abroad.
Main Features
- Single-use cards: Ideal for one-off purchases or unverified merchants. Each card deactivates after use.
- Merchant-locked cards: Perfect for subscriptions like Netflix or Spotify. The card works only with the chosen vendor.
- Reloadable general cards: Use these for trusted U.S. stores, with spending limits you define.
- Dashboard and alerts: Track all transactions, failed charges, and card activity in real time.
- Global access: Fund your account internationally and pay with a U.S. billing address.
US Unlocked’s biggest advantage is its global accessibility, it bridges the gap between non-U.S. shoppers and U.S. merchants without forcing workarounds.
It’s not a bank, but it’s one of the few truly international virtual card solutions available. They use both VISA and mastercard networks but the U.S. billing address, is something you can get from their partners (more on this later).
US Unlocked
Get your USA virtual credit card
Other Excellent Virtual Card Options
Privacy.com (USA Only)
If you already reside in the U.S. and want control over where your money goes, Privacy offers excellent card-level security.
You can generate single-use or merchant-locked cards, set monthly spending limits, and pause or delete cards instantly.
It integrates directly with U.S. banks, which makes setup smooth, but it’s not available internationally and doesn’t provide a U.S. billing address to non-U.S. residents.
That said, for American users who want bank-level control and protection from subscription creep, it’s one of the best in the game.
Ramp (USA Business Only)
Corporate users need something too, and ideally a solution more powerful than consumer tools, and Ramp fits that niche.
It’s a U.S.-based platform that combines virtual and physical cards with automated controls and accounting integrations.
Companies can assign cards to teams or projects, restrict spending categories, enforce receipt uploads, and track expenses in real time.
Ramp also includes AI-driven fraud detection and direct integrations with tools like QuickBooks and NetSuite.
If you manage multiple employees or departments, Ramp isn’t just convenient, it’s an operational control system that happens to issue cards.
Which Virtual Card Fits You Best?
| Your Situation | Virtual Card Options | Why It Works |
|---|---|---|
| Living outside the U.S. | US Unlocked | Global funding + U.S. billing + spending controls |
| Living in the U.S. | Privacy (+ optional US Unlocked for cross-border shopping) | Local control, easy setup |
| Running a U.S. business | Ramp | Corporate policies, automation, and team controls |
| Occasional U.S. shopper | Physical credit card + US Unlocked | Use local cards at home, US Unlocked for U.S. merchant |
How to Use Virtual Cards
Think of a virtual credit card as your frontline defense against data exposure.
Why? Because each type serves a specific security purpose.
It’s not about convenience, it’s about control.
First-time or unfamiliar sites: Use a one-time card. The virtual card number you get with this automatically deactivates after a single transaction. If the merchant turns out to be shady, your risk ends there.
Subscription Payment: Opt for a merchant-locked card for subscription payments because it can only be charged by that one vendor. This prevents silent renewals or duplicate transactions elsewhere.
Trusted but high-frequency online purchases: Here we suggest you use a general-purpose card number but, with strict caps or monthly limits. This type of card number is ideal for recurring expenses but still keeps your exposure contained and your funds secure.
Pro Tip: Always review your active cards to prevent misuse. Disable or replace any that look suspicious or haven’t been used in a while. Treat your virtual card like passwords; keep them secure and change if not in use.
Best Practices for Online Payments
Virtual card is a powerful tool, but only if you use it strategically.
A few disciplined habits can make your digital wallet virtually bulletproof:
- Adopt a “minimum needed” mindset: Load only the amount you plan to spend, not a cent more.
- Rotate or retire cards often: Just like rotating credentials, this reduces long-term exposure.
- Enable transaction alerts: Real-time notifications help you spot unauthorized attempts instantly.
- Lock subscriptions to vendors: Merchant-locked cards stop billing chains from creeping into other platforms.
- Never reuse cards across multiple sites: Each merchant should have its own boundary.
- Test with small purchases first: If a site feels uncertain, limit your loss potential.
- Review statements monthly: Cross-check payment activity, even on inactive cards, to ensure nothing slips through.
Billing Address for USA Card
If the online service is asking for other information such as billing address, then we recommend using partners of US Unlocked which offer a person an address in the USA to add to a store, card and sometimes a business as well.
Benefit of a USA address is not just limited to the card, it extends to online shopping items as well.
If you have an address in USA then shopping from Amazon, Target, Nike, Rayban, you name it, and its possible, because you can simply checkout using the address of a parcel forwarder like Shipito or Vyking Ship and have these companies ship your stuff to where you actually live.
This online shopping process is explained in much more detail on a different site.
VPN for USA Address
ExpressVPN is a partner of US Unlocked and we recommend them too. But why would you need VPN?
Well, a store may detect that you are from outside USA and hence tell you that you cannot shop or place an order.
VPN offers the benefit of showing your location in USA if its switched on. There are free and paid options, expensive and cheap; all sorts so pick a VPN that you are comfortable with and turn it on when you are about to shop online.
The Takeaway
Virtual credit cards make it possible to enjoy online shopping without losing control of your budget, cash, physical card number or any data.
If you’re outside the U.S., US Unlocked remains one of the most reliable bridges to American ecommerce. Privacy.com offers excellent domestic control, while Ramp brings enterprise-grade governance to corporate spending.
Whichever you choose, the goal is the same: spend smarter, stay safer, and keep your financial life firmly in your hands.
US Unlocked
Get your USA virtual credit card