Why get an American Express card?

An American Express card is worth it for people with good or excellent credit scores who want to earn rewards on U.S. purchases that they’ll pay for in full by the due date every month. An Amex card may also be worth it for people who want an introductory low-interest period in addition to rewards.… read full answer

The bottom line is that as long as the money saved by using the American Express card cancels out or exceeds any annual fees, the Amex card is worth having. Of course, whether a particular Amex card is the most worthwhile option overall also depends on what other credit card companies are offering. Amex is more competitive in some areas than others, too.

For example, Amex cards obviously aren’t the best for building credit, and most aren’t well-suited for balance transfers or new-purchase financing. That said, multiple American Express cards have great benefits for food-related expenses, and the Membership Rewards program makes almost all Amex cards good for travel.

The benefits of American Express cards include several types of travel insurance, return protection, and purchase protection. These benefits are mostly found on the top-tier American Express cards, though many more American Express cards have rental car insurance and extended warranty. To know which perks are included on a specific card, you’ll need to call customer service at 1-800-528-4800 or check the American Express website.… read full answer

American Express Card Benefits

• Return protection
• Purchase protection
• Rental car insurance
• Extended warranty
• Cell phone protection
• Trip cancellation insurance
• Trip delay insurance
• Baggage insurance
• Global Assist (an emergency card assistance hotline)
• Concierge services

In addition to having some or all of these card perks, it’s important to remember that many American Express cards also give rewards. Rewards aren’t generally considered card benefits, but having a credit card that earns great rewards can be a big asset to cardholders. As long as you use your card responsibly and maximize the various benefits that American Express offers, you should come out well ahead of any annual fees that American Express cards may charge.

The difference between Visa and American Express is that American Express is both a card issuer and a payment network, while Visa is only a payment network. Visa is also more widely accepted than Amex, as Visa cards work in over 200 countries and territories, compared to 160+ for American Express cards.… read full answer

Differences Between American Express and Visa

For merchants, the biggest difference between American Express and Visa is how much they charge a merchant for processing payments. Amex processing fees are on the higher end, while Visa’s fees are on the lower end.

Although there are a handful of big differences between American Express and Visa, most people will not be affected unless they travel abroad, as Amex has less acceptance outside of the U.S. than Visa. Otherwise, for the average cardholder, there are far more similarities between the two payment networks than differences.