Deposit money via other websites can they use that to call?

Yes. Money deposited through approved services like JPay, Access Corrections, MoneyGram, or similar platforms goes into a single inmate trust account. From there your inmate can allocate those funds however they need including commissary purchases, phone time, tablet messaging, and other approved expenses.

The inmate controls how their account balance is distributed. If they need phone time they can move funds from their trust account to their phone account through the facility's phone system or kiosk. If they need commissary items they use the same balance for that. The money is not locked into a single purpose once it is deposited.

The specific process for moving funds between accounts varies slightly by facility and phone carrier but your inmate will know how it works at their specific location once they are settled in.

The most important thing is simply making sure funds are available. An inmate with money on their account has options. An inmate with an empty account has none. InmateAid's Send Money service can help you deposit funds quickly and reliably if you need an additional option beyond JPay or Access Corrections.