Prepaid Phone Cards. These cards are purchased with an amount or balance of funds loaded on the card itself. The cost for the corresponding calls made by the card user is deducted from the card's balance. Users of this type of card can use them on any phone and these cards are practically disposable. When you have used up the card's balance, you either purchase a new card or you recharge or refill the card's balance. Domestic calls are quantified by the card in minutes as there is a standard per minute rate. When it comes to international calls, each country has a different per minute charging.

Credit Based Phone Cards. These cards offer the same features and convenience as that of a prepaid card except that its balance is postpaid. The user receives every month a bill and is charged only for the calls made during that billing period. These are often charged automatically to your credit card.

Rechargeable Phone Cards. These are cards that could be charged after the balance or minutes available on them expire. Where you recharge them depends solely on where the card was purchased. For those purchased on the net, a recharge option is available on the website where the it was purchased. For those purchased from a brick and mortar store, the card shall contain the recharging options available. Recharges can be made using your credit card, cash, personal check, money order or depending on the issuing company.

Instant Personal Identification Number. For most phone cards bought on the internet, there is no actual card received. Instead upon completion of the purchase, an email containing relevant information on the card to be used is received as to its use, access numbers, PIN, etc.

International Phone Cards. These are cards intended for international or overseas calls. These cards can be used to make calls from your local country to any international country worldwide. Many of these international cards can also be used when you travel. You are basically provided with international access numbers wherein the phone card user is provided with a local access number in the country where you are currently in plus a personal identification number and the destination number as well.