One4all balance check, activation, expiry and fees

To check a One4all balance, go to one4all.ie/one4all-checkbalance, enter the card number or card ID, and enter the three-digit CVV2 code. The balance shows instantly, along with recent transactions.

That is the answer most people arrive here for. The rest of this page covers the things One4all does not put on the front of the card: the monthly charge that quietly eats an unused balance, the €50 online limit that stops a perfectly good card at the checkout, and the difference between the standard card and the Chip & PIN one.

This is not the official One4all site. Every action — balance, activation, replacement — happens at one4all.ie.

How to check your One4all balance

Four official ways, all free and all needing details from the card itself.

Online. Go to one4all.ie/one4all-checkbalance or scan the QR code on the back of the card. Enter either the card ID or the 16-digit card number, plus the CVV2 code.

One4all app. Add the card once and the balance appears in the top right of the card image, with transaction history and, for Chip & PIN cards, the PIN.

Text message. Text My Balance followed by your card number to 57887. The balance comes back by SMS.

Phone. Call 01 906 8547, enter the card number when prompted, then the CVV2. The automated service reads out the balance and hangs up.

Where the numbers are on the card

On a physical card, the 16-digit number starts 4017 and is printed on the front. The CVV2 and part of the card details sit under the silver scratch panel on the back — scratch it off gently, because if the digits go with the foil you will be phoning customer services.

On a digital card, download the One4all app to see the full card details, balance and transaction history in one place.

Activation: which cards need it

Standard physical and digital One4all gift cards are ready to spend as they are. There is no activation step.

Chip & PIN cards are different. Because they carry more money, they require activation and ID verification before you can get a PIN or spend anything. This catches out people who receive one as a work reward and try to use it the same day.

To activate:

Open the One4all app or go to one4all.ie/activate.
Sign in or create an account, then choose Add a new card.
Enter the card number, expiry date and CVV2, and select Activate.
Complete ID verification on your phone — either enter your mobile number to get a link by text, or scan the QR code shown.

Once verification passes, your PIN arrives by text message and you get a confirmation email. If you have already completed ID verification with One4all in the past four years, that step is skipped and activation confirms immediately.

Where you can spend it

One4all is a multi-store card accepted at thousands of retailers across Ireland, in store and online — supermarkets, department stores, fashion, electronics, DIY, restaurants and cinemas. Long-standing partners include Penneys, Tesco, Boots, Harvey Norman, Currys, Brown Thomas and Argos.

The retailer list changes, and a shop accepting the card in store does not always accept it online. Before you plan a purchase, check the current list on the official where to spend page. Retailers that can take the card online are flagged separately from those that only take it in store.

Using it in a shop

Hand the card over and tell the cashier how much is on it. They swipe for that amount and you pay the rest by cash or card. Part payment is at the retailer’s discretion, so it is worth saying up front rather than at the moment the terminal declines.

Using it online

At the checkout, choose One4all Prepaid card if it is offered. If it is not, select VISA or VISA Debit. Enter the 16-digit card number, expiry date and CVV2, and use your own name and address as the billing address — not the address of whoever bought the card.

Two limits catch people out online:

Standard One4all gift cards are capped at €50 per online transaction. This is an anti-money-laundering rule, not a One4all choice. Chip & PIN and Digital Reloadable cards do not have this restriction.
You cannot split an online payment. The total has to be equal to or less than the balance on the card, because most retailers’ checkouts only take one payment method. If your card has €40 on it and the basket is €55, the transaction fails.

The in-store workaround — pay part on the card, part on your own card — is the practical answer to an awkward balance.

Expiry and the monthly inactivity charge

The money on a One4all card does not expire. The charge that eats it is the thing to watch.

After 18 months from the date of purchase, a charge of €1.45 a month is deducted from the card and keeps being deducted until the balance reaches zero. So a €50 card forgotten in a drawer is worth nothing about three years after the 18-month point. On digital reloadable cards, each reload resets the 18-month clock.

The “valid thru” date printed on the card is not a deadline for the money — One4all says it exists for online ordering. If that date passes and you still have a balance, contact customer services and they will issue a replacement card.

The practical rule: spend a One4all card inside 18 months. If you cannot, spend it on something you would buy anyway rather than let €1.45 a month go.

What it costs

Fee	Amount
Spending the card	Free
Inactivity charge, from month 19	€1.45 per month
Lost or stolen card replacement	€5 per card
Transferring the balance to a bank account	€8 per redemption, per card
Buying online	No card fee, €2 postage and packing
Buying at An Post	€2 for the first card, €0.50 per extra card
Buying at Post Point, Tesco, Circle K or Dealz	€2 per card

Purchase fees are waived on transactions over €1,000.

The €8 redemption fee is the least-known item on that list, and it is the only sanctioned way to turn a One4all balance into cash in your own account. On a small remaining balance it is not worth it; on a €300 card it might be.

Buying a One4all card

You can buy in store at An Post, Post Point, Tesco, Circle K and Dealz, or online at one4all.ie.

Load values:

Standard physical, Favourites and digital cards: €15 to €150
High Value Gold Chip & PIN cards: €150 to €500

In-store denominations can differ from what is offered online. Orders on the One4all website are capped at €2,500; above that you need a One4all corporate account.

If you end up with several small cards, you can ask customer services to combine them onto one card, up to a combined €150. There is a small fee, and the original cards are frozen as soon as it is done.

The employer angle: tax-free gift cards

One4all is the most common way Irish employers use the Small Benefit Exemption, which is why so many of these cards arrive in November and December.

Under the current rules, from 1 January 2025 an employer can give an employee up to five non-cash benefits a year with a combined value of up to €1,500, free of PAYE, PRSI and USC. A gift card qualifies; a cash payment or bank transfer does not.

The conditions that matter:

The benefit cannot be cash or convertible to cash, and cannot come out of salary sacrifice.
If a single benefit is worth more than €1,500, the entire value of that benefit becomes taxable — not just the excess.
Only the first five benefits in a year can qualify.
Unused allowance does not carry into the next year.
Employers must report the date and value of each benefit to Revenue under Enhanced Reporting Requirements, on or before the date the benefit is given.

Full detail is on Revenue’s Small Benefit Exemption page. If you are an employee, none of the admin is yours — but it explains why the card arrives as a card and not as extra pay.

Frequently asked questions

How do I check my One4all voucher balance?

Go to one4all.ie/one4all-checkbalance and enter the card number or card ID plus the CVV2. You can also use the One4all app, text My Balance and your card number to 57887, or call 01 906 8547.

Do I need to activate my One4all card?

Only Chip & PIN cards. Standard physical and digital gift cards work straight away. Chip & PIN cards need activation and ID verification through the app or one4all.ie/activate before the PIN is issued.

Does a One4all card expire?

The funds do not expire, but a €1.45 monthly charge starts 18 months after purchase and runs until the balance hits zero. The “valid thru” date on the card is not a deadline for the money — if it passes with a balance left, ask customer services for a replacement card.

Why won’t my One4all card work online?

The most likely reasons are the €50 per-transaction online cap on standard cards, a basket worth more than the balance (online payments cannot be split), or a retailer that takes the card in store but not online. Chip & PIN and Digital Reloadable cards are not subject to the €50 cap.

Can I use a One4all card for part of a payment?

In a shop, yes — tell the cashier how much is on the card and pay the rest by cash or card, subject to the retailer’s discretion. Online, no. The full amount must come off the One4all card.

Can I get cash for my One4all card?

Not over a counter. One4all will transfer the remaining balance to your nominated bank account for a fee of €8 per redemption, per card.

I’ve lost my One4all card. Can I replace it?

Yes, contact One4all customer services. A replacement fee of €5 per card may apply, so have the card number or purchase details to hand if you have them.

How much can a One4all card be loaded with?

Standard physical and digital cards take €15 to €150. High Value Gold Chip & PIN cards take €150 to €500. Online orders are capped at €2,500 without a corporate account.

Can I combine two One4all cards?

Yes, up to a combined value of €150, by contacting customer services. There is a small fee and the original cards stop working immediately once the transfer is done.

How much can my employer give me tax-free in gift cards?

Up to €1,500 across a maximum of five non-cash benefits per year, free of PAYE, PRSI and USC, under the Small Benefit Exemption as it applies from 1 January 2025. A single benefit over €1,500 is taxable in full.