Is American Express a credit card?

American Express isn’t a Visa or a Mastercard. American Express, Visa and Mastercard are three of the four major card networks, but American Express also extends credit and issue cards directly to consumers.

A credit card never has two networks, so you’ll never see an American Express Visa card or an American Express Mastercard. Furthermore, lots of the credit cards on the Amex network are actually issued by American Express itself. Visa and Mastercard, on the other hand, don’t issue any credit cards.… read full answer

What a credit card network is:

For a bit of background, credit card networks control where cards can be used and help process transactions. They also determine the fees merchants must pay when a consumer uses a card with their logo on it. And they provide cardholders with additional benefits like travel insurance and purchase protection. American Express is quite different from Visa and Mastercard, though.

American Express vs Visa and Mastercard:

• In addition to being a card network, American Express issues credit cards as well. Visa and Mastercard do not. So, Amex actually has a lot more control over the cards on its network, at least in terms of interest rates, fees and rewards.
• Visa and Mastercard are accepted at7 million U.S. merchant locations. American Express reaches a total of 10.6 million merchants.
• Amex cards work in more than 160 countries and territories. Visa and Mastercard are both accepted in over 200.
• Some credit card issuers have American Express, and Visa or Mastercard offers. Those issuers include U.S. Bank and USAA.
• Citi, Chase, Bank of America, Barclays, Wells Fargo and Capital One issue Visa and Mastercard credit cards but not Amex cards.
• PNC and TD Bank only offer Visa cards, and you may find banks that are exclusive to Mastercard, too.
• American Express’s fraud liability policy is excellent, while Mastercard and Visa provide good coverage, according to WalletHub’s research.

So, American Express doesn’t have the acceptance and reach of Mastercard or Visa. But it’s the go-to network for charge cards. And there are credit card offers on each network that could serve you well.

Best American Express, Visa & Mastercard Credit Cards:

To learn more, check out WalletHub’s guide on credit card companies and card networks as well as our editors’ picks for the best credit cards on the market.

No, American Express does not have a prepaid credit card. In fact, “prepaid credit cards” aren’t actually a real thing. Prepaid cards don’t give you a line of credit or help you build credit. You can only spend what you deposit into the prepaid card account. A secured credit card, however, is a type of credit card that requires you to place a refundable security deposit. The deposit generally determines your credit limit and is held as collateral until the account is closed. While American Express does not have any secured credit cards, feel free to check out some of the … read full answerbest secured credit cards from other issuers.

With that being said, American Express does have both credit cards and prepaid cards, which are more like debit cards. The most popular American Express prepaid cards are the American Express Serve® FREE Reloads card and the Bluebird® American Express® Prepaid Card. The Serve family of cards is good because it includes cards with features like free cash reloads or rewards on purchases (American Express Serve® Cash Back), and Bluebird® American Express® Prepaid Card is good because it also lets you use checks to access the card’s funds.

There are several types of American Express cards for consumers and small business owners, including traditional rewards credit cards and charge cards that require payment in full each month. Among those two main types of Amex cards, there are offers with cash back rewards, rewards points, no annual fees, no foreign transaction fees and/or 0% introductory APRs. Some American Express cards are co-branded with airlines and hotel chains too.… read full answer

The most common types of American Express cards are travel cards that do not charge foreign transaction fees. The American Express Platinum Card and the Hilton Honors American Express Card are two notable examples. Top representatives for some other Amex card types include Blue Cash Preferred (cash back), Amex EveryDay (0% intro APR) and Cash Magnet (no annual fee).

Although American Express cards fit into a wide range of categories, there’s nothing available for people with limited or bad credit. You’ll need good or excellent credit to have a good chance of getting approved for an American Express card, regardless of type.