Solo (debit card)

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An HSBC Solo Debit Card Issued in the UK in 2007
An HSBC Solo Debit Card Issued in the UK in 2007

Solo is a debit card in the United Kingdom. It is a sister to the Maestro debit card. Solo was launched in 1997 for use on deposit accounts, as well as by customers who do not qualify for a Maestro card on current accounts.

Solo is issued as a multifunction cash card by National Westminster Bank (now part of The Royal Bank of Scotland Group) to customers over the age of 11 and by HSBC Bank (formerly Midland Bank) to customers over the age of 13. Like its main rival, Visa Electron, Solo cards require all transactions receive electronic authorisation from the issuing bank. Such authorisation will not be given if there are insufficient cleared funds in the cardholder's account and the funds are earmarked, if not transferred, immediately. Acceptance is not as widespread as Maestro, but has increased substantially in recent years. Solo cards usually function as Maestro for use abroad.

Solo cards are linked to the Switch processing system (now re-branded as Maestro); however, some merchants differentiate between Solo and Switch through their numbering scheme to prevent under 18s from purchasing online. Due to their availability to minors, they can be used as a simple age-vetting mechanism; for example, when online grocers Ocado accepted Solo, they refused to sell razor blades or alcoholic beverages to those paying with the card (the service no longer explicitly accepts Solo, however it does not check for Solo card numbers if Switch is selected as the payment method).

Solo cards are also issued to people with a bad credit history to reduce the liability for the issuing bank.

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