Visa vs. Mastercard

You might not think much about the logo on your credit card, but that logo can determine where your card is accepted, how secure the card is and more. Fortunately, if you have a credit card with either a Visa or Mastercard® logo, it’ll be accepted in most places around the world.

Visa vs. Mastercard: what’s the difference? 

Visa and Mastercard are both global payment networks that help consumers and businesses make electronic payments all over the globe. 

When you use a Mastercard or Visa card, whether you’re online or in-person, the network quickly determines if you have the funds or credit needed to make the purchase. If the transaction is approved, the network will transfer funds to the merchant. 

If you have cards from both of these networks, there’s a good chance you haven’t noticed a difference between them. Visa and Mastercard are both widely accepted and they have similar security features. On some occasions, however, the network matters. For instance:

• Locating ATMs: Each network has a different set of fee-free or surcharge-free ATMs.
• Complimentary benefits: Your network may give you access to retail discounts or complimentary services like credit monitoring.
• Shopping at Costco: Costco only accepts Visa credit cards on in-store purchases, not Mastercard or any other network.

Beyond that, your card network won’t affect your customer experience much. The card issuer, on the other hand, will play a major role in determining the features and benefits of the card, including things like the APR range, cash-back rewards and account fees. 

While Visa and Mastercard are not card issuers, other networks like American Express and Discover are.

There’s a lot of different credit cards out there. Here is a list of some of the biggest issuers in the U.S.

About Visa

Visa Inc., or Visa, is a global payment technology company. Their products include personal credit cards, business credit cards, gift cards and prepaid cards. 

Visa’s brand promise is “everywhere you want to be”, meaning you can hypothetically use a Visa card anywhere in the world. However, like many networks, Visa cards can’t be used in U.S.-sanctioned countries, including Iran, North Korea, Syria and Russia.

You might not naturally think to look at the benefits your network offers, but Visa’s perks are worth looking into. They offer three levels of credit cards, each with their own increasing slate of extras:

• Visa Traditional: Visa’s Traditional cards all come with complementary features, including a Shipt membership for same-day grocery delivery, access to Dovly Uplift for help improving your credit and identity theft and dark web monitoring from NortonLifeLock.
• Visa Signature®: Mid-tier cards from Visa come with additional benefits like a Priority Pass Select membership (enrollment required) for airport lounge access and travel insurance benefits.
• Visa Infinite®: Visa’s high-end cards come with the longest list of perks, including concierge services and a variety of retail discounts. 

If you’re a Visa cardholder, you can use Plus Alliance ATMs to avoid a surcharge. These ATMs can often be found at Costco, CVS, Target and Walgreens.

About Mastercard 

Like Visa, Mastercard is a global payment network. Mastercard’s products include credit cards, debit cards, prepaid cards and gift cards. They also have co-branded credit cards which partner with external, like the BJ’s One™ Mastercard® * The information for the BJ’s One™ Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. or the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® * The information for the Frontier Airlines World Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. .

According to the company, “No card is more accepted around the world”, and their claim might be true. Mastercard is currently accepted in more than 210 countries and territories, while Visa says its cards are accepted in over 200.

Like Visa, Mastercard falls into three credit card tiers and each tier offers a different list of perks:

• Standard Mastercard®: The standard Mastercard comes with complimentary Mastercard ID Theft Protection, which includes identity theft monitoring and alerts.
• World Mastercard®: Cardholders get $5 off DoorDash purchases each month, a complimentary ShopRunner membership for free two-day shipping and luxury travel benefits.
• World Elite Mastercard®: Additional benefits for the top-tier card include a $5 Fandango Reward when you spend $20 on movie tickets at Fandango or at home on Vudu.

Mastercard vs. Visa card comparison 

Visa and Mastercard offer similar features for cardholders, but the benefit you get from using their products can vary immensely based on the credit card issuer. 

For example, the Barclays-issued AARP® Travel Rewards Mastercard® * The information for the AARP® Travel Rewards Mastercard® has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. earns 3% cash back on airfare, hotel stays and car rentals, 2% cash back on restaurant purchases and 1% cash back on other purchases and comes with a 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 15 months on balance transfers completed within the first 45 days. After, a variable APR of 21.99%, 25.99% or 29.99% will apply on purchases and balance transfers. There’s a 5% or $5 balance transfer fee, whichever is greater. It also has a welcome bonus of $100 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.

At the same time, the Bilt World Elite Mastercard®, issued by Wells Fargo, doesn’t have a welcome bonus or an intro APR offer, but you can use it to earn 1 point per $1 on rent payments without a transaction fee (on up to 100,000 points each year), 2 points per $1 on travel (when booked through the Bilt Travel Portal or directly with an airline, hotel, car rental or cruise company), 3 points per $1 on dining and 1 point per $1 on other purchases. At least five transactions must be made per statement period to earn these rewards.

	CARD LEVELS	FREE ATMS	TRANSACTION ALERTS	COMPLIMENTARY CREDIT REPORT MONITORING	24/7 CUSTOMER SUPPORT
Visa	Visa Traditional Visa Signature Visa Infinite	Plus Alliance	Yes	Yes (Equifax)	Yes
Mastercard	Standard Mastercard World Mastercard World Elite Mastercard	Varies by card issuer	Yes	Yes	Yes

See MoreSee Less

Which is better: Visa or Mastercard?

Visa and Mastercard are both great options for credit cards, debit cards and other payment products. Each network is accepted in over 200 countries and territories around the world. There are, however, a few differences that could make one better for you than the other. If you’re looking for airport lounge access or in-store shopping at Costco, you’ll have to go with a Visa.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)