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Nowadays, when consumers are in the market for diverse card networks, they don’t know what kind of card network they should choose. The selection of the right card for you is influenced by factors such as card issuance, card types, transaction fees, or which places accept Visa MasterCard discover American express. The difference between Visa MasterCard Discover and American Express may need to be clearly understood. Keep reading to learn more about these major differences and some of the best options for your demand today.
Differences between Visa Mastercard Discover and American Express (Amex).
A Visa card is a payment card that is branded by Visa and operates on the Visa network. Initially, the company only accepted credit cards, but it has now expanded to accept debit, prepaid, and gift cards as well. Despite the fact that Visa cards feature the Visa logo, they are not issued by the company. Instead, they are issued by financial institutions or banks that have cooperated with them.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
A Visa card is a payment card that is branded by Visa and operates on the Visa network.
Mastercard is one of the most well-known payment networks in the world. Visa, American Express, and Discover are some of the other main payment networks. Mastercard offers Mastercard-branded network payment cards in collaboration with member financial institutions all around the world.
Mastercard's core network, which it refers to as its own global payments network, is used to conduct payment transactions that typically involve a Mastercard account holder and a merchant, as well as their respective financial institutions. Credit, debit, and prepaid cards are accepted for payment.
Mastercard is one of the most well-known payment networks in the world.
Discover is a credit card brand owned by Discover Financial, an American financial services business (DFS).
Discover cards were first offered by retailers like Sears, Roebuck & Co. In 1985, and they became national in 1986. They were notable for their low fees and pioneering cash-back rewards scheme. Since 2007, Discover has operated as a separate entity. Discover Cards, together with Visa (V), Mastercard (MA), and American Express (AX), are now among the most commonly accepted cards in the world (AXP).
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
Discover is a credit card brand owned by Discover Financial, an American financial services business (DFS).
The American Express card is one of the international payment cards. This card is also referred to as the Amex card. This card is issued by American Express Company, a multinational corporation headquartered in New York, USA.
KEY TAKEAWAYS:
An American Express card, commonly known as an "Amex" card, can provide a number of benefits, such as rewards points, cashback, and travel benefits.
Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover are four main International payment cards that provide consumers with many similar and practical advantages, such as the ability to pay on a global scale:
There are many factors to distinguish between Visa vs Mastercard vs Discover and American Express. These differences will help you comprehend the difference between card issuance, transaction fees, card types, and others of 4 these payment networks.
The two main payment processing networks in the world are Visa and Mastercard. Visa and Mastercard, unlike Discover and American Express, do not issue cards directly to users, but rather through member financial institutions and banks.
Visa and Mastercard process credit card transactions, but they don't actually issue cards. Your card might say "Visa" or "Mastercard" on it, but it is issued by a bank, like Chase or Citi. You don't have an account with Visa or Mastercard. You have an account with the bank, which sends you your statement, receives your payments, gives you rewards, and so on.
Discover and American Express, by contrast, process transactions and issue their own cards to users. You can have an account with Discover or an account with American Express.
The largest difference between the Visa Mastercard American Express Discover for merchants and retailers is how much each network costs to support. When a customer uses a credit card to make a purchase, the credit card network charges the merchant a modest fee to execute the transaction. The processing charge varies by network and can be a major deciding factor in whether or not a retailer accepts a certain card. Mastercard, for example, typically costs 1.55 % to 2.6 % for every transaction, while American Express charges 2.5% to 3.5%. Visa and Discover charge similar rates to Mastercard, ranging from 1.43% to 2.4% and 1.56% to 2.3%.
Transaction fees by Merchants in 2020
Traditional Visa card benefits:
Traditional Visa card
Signature Visa card benefits:
Signature Visa card
Infinite Visa card benefits
Infinite Visa card
Standard Mastercard benefits
Standard Mastercard
World Mastercard benefits
World Mastercard
World Elite Mastercard benefits
World Elite Mastercard
Each Card type has three distinct varieties, each with its own set of features and ways to earn prizes. The best credit card for you is determined by your lifestyle and spending habits.
Travel and dining Amex Cards: require them to spend on the go can still benefit from entertainment and travel credit cards, which provide a variety of features and rewards-earning opportunities.
If you choose Travel and dining Cards, you can consider these types:
Green Card:
Green card
Consider Green Card if you're a more casual traveler and the diner who can afford a $150, annual cost and prefer a somewhat flexible repayment schedule.
With Amex's Green Card, you'll earn 3 points for every dollar spent on the eligible restaurant, transit, and travel expenditures, plus 1 point for every dollar spent on other eligible transactions. No foreign transaction costs, $100 yearly credits for airport lounge access, and CLEAR, a service that helps you rapidly pass through security at select airports and stadiums, are among the travel-related benefits. It contains a $150 annual fee and payment flexibility: if you don't expect to pay off your balance in full, you can ask for eligible purchases to be paid off over time, subject to certain restrictions.
Gold Card:
Gold card
Consider Gold Card if you travel and eat out frequently, have the financial means to pay the $250 annual fee4, and want to maximize your rewards earning potential from routine grocery shopping.
The American Express Gold Card is a credit card issued by American Express. Similar to Green, but with four times the points at restaurants and three times the points on flights booked directly with airlines or through American Express Travel. In addition, Gold members earn 4X points for every dollar spent at U.S. supermarkets on purchases up to $25,000 per year and 1X points on all other qualified purchases. The annual charge for Gold is $250, and you must pay your debt in full each month unless you choose Pay Over Time, which comes with interest. Despite the supermarket spending benefit, Gold still prioritizes travel and eating, as well as:
Platinum Card:
Platinum card
Consider a Platinum Card if you want to get the most out of life, whether it's staying motivated at home, taking advantage of lavish travel amenities when on the road, or doing both.
Platinum Card is ideal for frequent flyers, with 5X points on flights booked directly with airlines or through Amex Travel on purchases of up to $500,000 per year, and 5X points on hotels booked and paid in advance through Amex Travel. The Card and its $695 annual fee also come with a slew of other valuable travel, airline, and hotel benefits that can elevate any trip, including exclusive hotel benefits and access to more than 1,400 lounges in more than 140 countries and 650 cities through The Global Lounge Collection as of September 2021.
However, in order to adapt to the covid epidemic, the Platinum Card now has a package of upgraded perks that can make life more enjoyable, even at home. For example, Card Members can use a $240 Digital Entertainment Credit per year at Audible, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times, among other digital entertainment partners (including digital or print news, NYT Games, and NYT Cooking). Monthly statement credits of up to $20 are earned and can be redeemed toward eligible purchases at any qualifying entertainment partner. It is necessary to enroll.
Reward points Amex Cards for everyday spending: for Card Members with more general spending habits.
Do you want to earn Membership Rewards points for the purchases you make on a daily basis? These three American Express cards – Blue from American Express, Amex everyday, and Amex EveryDay Preferred — reward you for everyday purchases, such as replenishing the refrigerator and filling the gas tank. Your purchases earn Membership Rewards points, which can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, and statement credits, among other things.
Blue from American Express
Blue from American Express
If you want a straightforward Credit Card that gives repayment flexibility and the option to earn points in every spending area – including travel – with no annual fee, consider the Blue from American Express Card.
Blue from American Express. A simple credit card that gives you 1 point for every dollar spent on qualifying purchases and 2X points for qualified Amex Travel purchases. There's no annual charge, and you can pay off your Card in whole each month or pay it off over time with interest.
Amex EveryDay
Amex Everyday
If you want a card that lets you earn rewards for everyday purchases like groceries, don't want to pay an annual fee, and could benefit from a brief 0% intro APR offer, consider the Amex EveryDay Card.
The Amex EveryDay Credit Card is a credit card issued by American Express. On up to $6,000 in annual purchases, this credit card will earn you 2X points per dollar spent at supermarkets. For purchases purchased through Amex Travel, you'll gain 2X points for every dollar. Every dollar spent on other purchases earns you one point. However, if you make 20 or more transactions with your Card in a billing period, you will receive a 20% bonus on that month's purchases. There's no annual fee, and for the next 15 months from the date of account establishment, Amex everyday gives a 0% introductory APR on purchases, followed by a variable APR of between 12.99 percent and 23.99 percent.
Amex EveryDay Preferred
Amex EveryDay Preferred
Consider the Amex EveryDay Preferred Credit Card if you're looking for a Credit Card that rewards you more for shopping at supermarkets and gas stations, and you could benefit from a 0% initial APR.
Up to $6,000 in annual purchases, 3X at supermarkets, 2X at petrol stations and Amex Travel, 1 point on all other eligible purchases, and a 50% bonus for 30+ purchases in a billing period. A $95 yearly charge is required. For the first 12 months of Card Membership, Amex EveryDay Preferred offers a 0% intro APR on purchases, followed by a variable APR of 12.99% to 22.99%.
Cashback Amex cards: in the form of a statement credit, for individuals who wish to earn money while spending money.
If collecting points isn't your thing – or you'd like to diversify your Credit Card advantages - American Express has three cards that offer cashback on all qualified transactions. Cashback can be redeemed for statement credits instead of points, which can be used for a variety of alternatives. This effectively gives you a discount on every purchase. Each card has distinct bonus categories, which are shown below, so you can select the best cashback card for your spending habits.
Cash Magnet Card.
Cash Magnet Card
Consider the Cash Magnet Card if you want to earn cash back instead of points, like simplicity, don't want to pay an annual fee, and want to take advantage of the 0% initial APR.
The Cash Magnet, which offers an unlimited 1.5 percent return on all qualified purchases, is perhaps the most straightforward of American Express' cashback cards. There is no annual charge, and for the first 15 months of Card Membership, you can obtain a 0% initial APR on purchases, followed by a variable APR of 13.99 percent to 23.99 percent.
Blue Cash Everyday Card.
Blue Cash Everyday Card
If you want a no-annual-fee grocery and gas rewards card that gives you cashback instead of points, the Blue Cash Everyday Card is a good option. It also has a 0% intro APR.
This is a tiered Card for consumers who want to earn additional cashback in certain categories, such as 3% cash back at supermarkets on up to $6,000 in eligible purchases per year.
At gas stations and select department stores, you can get 2% cashback.
On all other qualified purchases, you'll get 1% cashback.
It's similar to Amex EveryDay Preferred in terms of cashback, but there's no annual fee. This card also features a 0% introductory APR for the first 15 months on purchases, followed by a variable APR of 13.99% to 23.99%.
Blue Cash Preferred Card.
Blue Cash Preferred Card
If you spend a lot of money at grocery stores and gas stations, enjoy streaming services, and could benefit from the 0% initial APR, consider the Blue Cash Preferred Card.
Additional expenditure categories, such as streaming subscriptions and public transportation, are covered by Blue Cash Preferred. The $95 annual fee for the Card comes with a variety of rewards options that can be especially beneficial for families and people who use a lot of streaming services, cook at home, prioritize wellness, or even travel to work. You can, for example, acquire the following with this Card:
Cash Back Discover card
Cash Back Discover card
You can receive an unlimited 1% cashback on all transactions when you use your Discover it card. When you activate, you'll get 5% cash back at various locations every quarter like: Amazon.com, Grocery stores, Restaurants, Gas stations.
Gas & Restaurants Discover card
Gas & Restaurants Discover card
Travel Discover card
Travel Discover card
Student Cash Back Discover card
Student Cash Back Discover card
For example, Discover offers a student cashback card, the Discover it Student Cash Back card, which is similar to Discover's flagship cash back card. Its terms, on the other hand, are more limited, with a somewhat higher APR and a less generous introductory APR.
Student Gas & Restaurants Discover card
Student Gas & Restaurants Discover card
Secured Discover card
Secured Discover card
NHL Discover card
NHL Discover card
Each time you activate the NHL Discover it rewards program, you can earn up to 5% cash back at various locations each quarter, including grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, select ride-hailing services, and online shopping, up to the quarterly maximum, and an unlimited 1% cashback for all other purchases.
Offer of Welcome: If you're a new cardholder, the NHL Discover will automatically match all of the cashback you've earned at the end of your first year with the card.
NHL Advantages Discover it cardholders get access to their accounts online, fraud protection, and a free monthly FICO credit score.
Both domestically and internationally, Visa and Mastercard are by far the most widely accepted credit card networks. Consumers with any of these two sorts of cards will be able to pay for nearly every business on the planet. Discover is noticeably absent from nations such as Mexico and Germany while being accepted at about the same amount of retailers thanks to numerous partnerships.
Internationally, American Express has the lowest acceptance rate. We recommend that Amex customers carry a Visa or Mastercard as a backup, especially when traveling outside of the US.
Visa and Mastercard are by far the most generally accepted credit cards, with Discover trailing behind and American Express in fourth place. Any retailer that accepts credit cards will almost certainly accept Visa and Mastercard. Discover falls behind the other three cards in terms of the number of countries it serves.
Consumers with Discover and American Express credit cards are more likely to have difficulty finding merchants who take their cards, particularly when traveling outside of the United States. Discover has taken advantage of worldwide collaborations with other card networks, such as UnionPay and JCB. Discover has become one of the most widely acknowledged foreign card brands as a result of these agreements. Despite this, Discover still has coverage gaps in a number of key nations.
The number of merchant locations worldwide
Credit card processors serve as a link between your bank and the bank of the merchant. When you make a payment, a processor examines the request to ensure that it is genuine and that you are the one making it. If everything appears to be in order, it confirms the transaction, withdraws the funds from your account (or charges your credit card), and pays the merchant.
Credit card processors include Visa and Mastercard. If you have a Visa or Mastercard card, it will always be tied to a bank like Capital One or Barclays.
The only major processors that also issue cards are American Express and Discover. Although American Express and Discover sell cards through third-party issuers, they also have the ability to issue their own cards. Discover, for example, is both the issuer and the processor for its Discover it Cash Back card.
Credit card processors profit by taking a cut of every transaction that passes through their system. A part of the reason American Express cards isn't as commonly accepted as others is because it charges merchants a higher average fee.
Despite this, each of the four major credit card processors serves millions of retailers in over 100 countries. According to the Nilson Report , Visa and Mastercard have the most merchants in the world (52.9 million each), followed by Discover (44 million) and American Express (25.3 million).
The comparison of 4 major credit card processors
According to Business Insider , the total payment volumes perform differently between Visa MasterCard American Express, and Discover card networks.
In the card network industry, Visa continues to reign supreme. Visa's total payment volume (TPV) for fiscal Q4 2020 was $2.35 trillion, including a 6% year-over-year (YoY) rise in US consumer spending for November, largely due to online holiday transactions. Visa's electronic fund's transfer division, Interlink, works in addition to credit and debit cards.
MasterCard is not lightweight too, having climbed to second place among card networks. In the first quarter of 2019, Mastercard reported $3.9 billion in net revenue, up 9% year over year. Furthermore, the card network has 2.5 billion cards in circulation, with Mastercard-branded cards increasing by 224 million years over year.
Even though it lacks the overwhelming numbers of Visa or MasterCard, American Express (Amex) remains a force among its peer card networks. Amex introduced new benefits for its consumer and small business cards at the start of 2021, providing a means for the card issuer to drive spending and counteract usage decreases.
After Visa, MasterCard, and Amex, Discover is still in fourth place. Discover's total network volume (TNV) increased 10% year over year (YoY) in Q4 2018, reaching $99 billion.
At PayCEC, we are a global payment service provider, specializing in online card payments. We accept Visa Mastercard Discover American Express, enabling our merchant clients to acquire card payments from online shoppers across the world. We have developed our payment API that helps merchants to customize their checkout page and easily integrate it into the company websites without any technical expertise.
Merchants can set up your online store in a blink of an eye and start to receive online card payments from customers with the PayCEC payment gateway. You can follow the below steps to install your payment platform:
Prepare your company profile including:
Our Relationship Manager will contact you and support you in processing and integrate your merchant account
Use fully features of our payment service on Dashboard
PayCEC was established in response to the growing need for businesses to accept online payments more quickly and easily. In the new media era, our payment flow has evolved to work seamlessly and effectively across all platforms and devices. We pride ourselves on combining superior technology with first-class customer service.
PayCEC is a truly global payments platform that not only allows customers to get paid but also withdraws funds to their Business accounts in various currencies.
We have created an open and secure payments ecosystem that people and businesses choose to securely transact with each other online and on mobile devices.
When comparing all 4 networks, there is 1 main difference between Visa Mastercard American Express Discover. American Express and Discover are both card issuers and payment networks. Mastercard and Visa are only payment networks.
When you are issued an American Express or Discover card, you will only deal with American Express or Discover.
With Mastercard and Visa, you will also have a card issuer — which is typically a bank. For example, Chase credit issues cards with Visa will have both the Chase and Visa logos on them.
A payment network is a system that facilitates the transmission of funds from a card issuer to a merchant.
Chase is the credit card issuer in the case above, while Visa is the payment network.
Discover and American Express execute transactions for their own American Express cards as well as cards from other issuers that use the American Express network. Bank of America, BBVA Compass, Citigroup, U.S. Bank, USAA, and Wells Fargo are among the companies that use the American Express payment network.
Visa and Mastercard are by far the most generally accepted credit cards, with Discover trailing behind and American Express in fourth place. Any retailer that accepts credit cards will almost certainly accept Visa and Mastercard. Discover falls behind the other three cards in terms of the number of countries it serves. We recommend that Amex customers carry a Visa or Mastercard as a backup, especially when traveling outside of the US.
In comparison to the number of cards bearing the Visa or Mastercard logo, American Express, and Discover provide a smaller assortment of cards. This is due to the fact that, as the card issuer, it only provides its own cards and a restricted variety of cards from other American Express payment network card issuers.
You'd be better off choosing a card from the Mastercard or Visa networks if you want a larger number of cards to choose from.
If you plan on doing the majority of your shopping in the United States, you shouldn't have any problems getting your card approved. If you want to travel worldwide, though, a Visa or Mastercard may be a better choice. At the very least, it's a good idea to maintain cards from many networks on hand to ensure that you're covered in any situation.
We all know that choosing a credit card based on the credit card issuer and the specific card's attributes is probably more important than choosing based on the credit card processing network. However, as you can see, each network provides different protections, levels of customer service, and even different types of rewards, so keep this in mind when making your choice as well.
Visa and Mastercard are by far the most generally accepted credit cards, with Discover trailing behind and American Express in fourth place. Any retailer that accepts credit cards will almost certainly accept Visa and Mastercard.
Mastercard credit cards are accepted at 52,9 million global merchants in more than 210 countries and territories. Mastercard is accepted in more countries than Visa. Both have a claim to the title of most widely accepted credit card as a result.
The comparison of 4 major credit card processors
It depends on whether countries are supported and where you wish to use your credit card.
For consumers with strong or exceptional credit who pay their bills in full monthly and redeem points for domestic travel or cash, American Express is often a better option than Visa and Mastercard in the United States.
American Express, on the other hand, has charged greater credit card processing fees than other payment networks for a long time. Some merchants have chosen not to take American Express cards in order to avoid the higher costs. It's only accepted in over 130 countries; whereas, Discover is accepted in 185, Visa in 200, and Mastercard in 210.
We are honored to serve as your reliable business partner and financial service provider in the industry and other business-related services. With the help of our professional staff, to help merchants to achieve their goals for the development and expansion of the international business market.
Our payment flow has developed in the e-commerce world to perform seamlessly and effectively across all platforms and devices. We take pleasure in combining technology with customer service, to solve your concerns at the moment.
PayCEC is a fully worldwide payment network that not only allows merchants to be paid immediately and securely, but also allows them to withdraw money in multiple currencies to their company accounts.