WalletHub, Financial Company
@WalletHub
The biggest difference when you pit Discover vs. Mastercard is that while both are credit card networks, Discover also is a credit card issuer. Credit card networks decide where cards can and can’t be used, as well as process transactions. Credit card issuers set rates, approve applicants and send out cards, among other things. Discover handles both functions. So, Discover credit cards are issued by Discover and belong to the Discover network. Mastercard credit cards, on the other hand, are issued by dozens of banks and credit unions.
Mastercard and Discover differ in plenty of other ways, too. For example, Mastercard has far more global acceptance, while Discover doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees on any of its cards.
Discover vs. Mastercard
| Category | Discover | Mastercard |
| Card Network? | Yes | Yes |
| Card Issuer? | Yes | No |
| U.S. Market Share by Credit Card Purchase Volume | 7.1% | 27.4% |
| Total Cardholders | 57 million | 231 million |
| U.S. Acceptance | 10.6 million merchants | 10.7 million merchants |
| Global Acceptance | 200+ countries and territories | 210+ countries and territories |
Sources: The Nilson Report, Discover and Mastercard.
Discover and Mastercard also differ wildly in terms of the supplemental benefits they provide. Cards on the Mastercard network often provide extended warranty, price protection, purchase protection, return protection, rental car insurance, travel insurance, and more. Discover used to have most of these benefits, but they were dropped as of 2018.
Overall, it’s probably best to have a Mastercard in your pocket, especially if you’re going to be traveling abroad frequently. But if you only plan to use your card within the U.S., a Discover card will work just fine, as it benefits from 99% nationwide acceptance. And you can check for international acceptance on Discover’s dedicated web page.
You shouldn’t forget about the two other major card networks, either. Visa is similar to Mastercard in that it boasts worldwide acceptance and doesn’t actually issue credit cards. American Express is like Discover because it plays both roles.
2023's Best Credit Cards
Compare Cards
Sara Stiles, Member
@sara_stiles
The main differences are that Discover is accepted less frequently than Mastercard, and that it doesn’t partner with banks to provide consumers with debit or credit cards. Basically, Discover is both the issuer and the network, whereas Mastercard is just the network. Another difference between them is that Discover doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees on any of its cards.
Joey Triggs, Member
@triggs_joey
First off, Mastercard isn't related to a specific issuer, it's a huge card network across issuers around the world. Because of that, you can use Mastercard in many more places than you would Discover.
Secondly, because it's spread out so wide, Mastercard has better benefits, like rental car insurance.
People also ask
Is it better to get a Visa or Discover card?
It is better to get a Visa card than a Discover card in most cases because Visa cards offer more widespread acceptance and more supplemental benefits. In addition, there are a lot more Visa cards to choose from than Discover cards, since Visa lets many banks and credit unions issue... read full answer
Is Discover accepted everywhere?
Discover is accepted almost everywhere in the U.S., as the network has a 99% acceptance rate among all domestic businesses and e-commerce sites that take credit cards. Internationally, Discover’s Global Network offers acceptance in nearly 200 countries and territories. Unfortunately, that number is slightly behind both Visa and Mastercard, the... read full answer
show lessWhere is a Discover card accepted internationally?
A Discover card is accepted in 200 countries and territories internationally. That includes India, Israel, Jamaica, Japan, Puerto Rico, the United Arab Emirates and most other popular destinations for American business and vacation travelers. But just because a Discover card is accepted by at least some merchants in a given... read full answer
show lessDid we answer your question?