Visa vs. Mastercard: Which is Best?

Visa and Mastercard are tied in the categories that matter most to consumers. Both Visa and Mastercard are accepted in more than 200 countries, and it is rare to find a location that accepts one but not the other. Furthermore, both Visa and Mastercard administer certain benefits programs, including rental car insurance and extended warranties. But individual card issuers decide what coverage cardholders receive.

So it doesn't really matter whether you have a Visa or Mastercard in your wallet. As long as you have at least one of them and your card offers competitive terms, you'll be in good shape. If you'd like to learn more about the similarities and differences between Visa and Mastercard, including how the best credit cards on each network compare, check out WalletHub's complete Visa vs. Mastercard review.

Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted credit cards. Visa credit cards can be used at 44 million merchant locations in more than 200 countries and territories. Mastercard credit cards are accepted at 37 million merchant locations in more than 210 countries and territories.

Mastercard is accepted in more countries than Visa, yet roughly 7 million more merchants worldwide take Visa. Both have a claim to the title of most widely accepted credit card as a result. Visa is also the most widely used type of credit card. There isn't a single credit card that's most widely accepted, though. That's because there are hundreds of Mastercard and Visa credit card offers available.

Most Widely Accepted Credit Cards:

• Most Widely Accepted Internationally: Mastercard (210+ countries and territories); Visa (200+).
• Most Widely Accepted in the U.S.: Visa and Mastercard are both accepted at almost 11 million U.S. merchant locations.
• Least Widely Accepted Internationally: American Express (160+ countries and territories); Discover (200+).
• Least Widely Accepted in the U.S.: American Express and Discover (10.6 million locations). 
• Most Widely Used: Visa has the most credit cards in circulation (about 838 million). American Express has the highest purchase volume, at $15,904 per cardholder annually.
• Best Worldwide Credit Cards: Visa or Mastercard credit cards with no foreign transaction fee.

The difference between Visa and Mastercard acceptance is slight. Either network should suit your needs almost anywhere in the world. But if you plan on traveling internationally, be sure your Mastercard or Visa credit card doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee. That will save you up to 3% on every purchase you make abroad.

Finally, it's worth pointing out that store cards are the least widely accepted credit cards. They don't belong to any of the four major card networks. So, they can only be used at their affiliated retailers.

Most people won't notice any substantial difference between Visa and Mastercard because their services are largely on par. However, the main difference between Visa and Mastercard is that Mastercard is more widely accepted internationally, while Visa offers more credit card benefits. Visa and Mastercard are two of the largest payment networks in the world, but neither Visa nor Mastercard issues any cards. Banks and credit unions issue the cards, which are then used on the Visa or Mastercard network.

Visa and Mastercard Differences by the Numbers

Both Visa and Mastercard ensure basic benefits with their credit cards, such as zero liability guarantees and lost card reporting. Additional perks may be available, depending on the credit card tier. Mastercard offers three benefit tiers with their cards: Standard, World, and World Elite. Likewise, Visa cards are split into Traditional, Signature, and Infinite.

Visa and Mastercard Basic Benefits Compared

On top of the standard benefits, World or World Elite Mastercard holders may get extra perks such as cell phone insurance and free hotel upgrades. On the other hand, people with a Visa Signature or Infinite card may enjoy special protections like lost luggage and trip delay reimbursement. However, having a top-tier Mastercard or Visa card won't automatically give you access to all of these extra benefits, as that depends entirely on the credit card issuer.

Whether a card bears the Visa or Mastercard logo doesn't make much of a difference in the end. The credit card issuer determines all the most important aspects of the card: interest rates, fees, and rewards. When picking a credit card, you should pay more attention to these features than the payment network.

Mastercard is not accepted at stores and merchants (like vendors at a local fair, for instance) that only take cash or at retail chains that have an exclusive agreement with another card network. For example, Costco accepts Mastercard only for online purchases. There are also some websites that only take electronic currency though outlets like PayPal, Venmo, or Bitcoin. Mastercard credit cards also can't be used to pay a credit card bill, but no credit cards can be used for that. 

Outside of those exceptions, you can use Mastercards globally, in over 210 countries and territories. And millions of merchants within those countries take them.

Here's where Mastercard is not accepted:

• Merchants who don't take credit cards. Small businesses may not always want to bother with the fees they get charged for accepting credit cards, so you'll probably run into some cash-only merchants at some point. In addition, you might not be able to use your credit card at certain events, like a food stall at your local fair, for instance.
• Merchants with exclusive deals. Sometimes, a merchant will give its business to only one credit card network. Costco is a good example. They used to only accept American Express cards, and now they only accept Visa cards. But you won't find a lot of places that accept credit cards and exclude Mastercard.
• Certain virtual purchases. Some purchases can only be completed using virtual currency (e.g. bitcoin).
• Monthly credit card bills. You can't use any credit card, whether from Mastercard or another network, to pay another credit card's bill on a monthly basis. But you can transfer a balance from one card to another, just not regularly. And that usually makes sense only if you're opening a new account with a 0% introductory balance transfer APR.

So, if you're able to use credit cards at a merchant, it's almost guaranteed they'll take your Mastercard. But in case they don't, it helps to have some cash on you or a backup credit card from another network.

There isn't much of a difference between Mastercard and Visa when it comes to acceptance. Both card networks are accepted in more than 200 countries and territories. And almost every merchant that takes credit cards accepts both Visa and Mastercard.

But Mastercard does have a slight advantage over Visa in terms of worldwide acceptance. Mastercard works in 210+ counties and territories, compared to 200+ for Visa.

You can learn more from our guide comparing Visa vs. Mastercard.

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.

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.

Discover is neither a Visa nor a Mastercard. It's more like an American Express card, but they're not exactly the same, either. Discover is similar to Visa, Mastercard and American Express in the sense that all four are card networks. Each helps process payments for the cards on its network, determines where those cards can be used, and provides extra benefits, such as rental car insurance. However, Discover is different from Visa and Mastercard as most credit cards on the Discover network are issued by Discover. Visa and Mastercard aren't issuers, so cards on their networks come from lots of different banks and credit unions. Amex, like Discover, is both a card issuer and a card network.

Here's how Discover differs from Visa or Mastercard:

• Discover is both a credit card issuer and a card network. Visa and Mastercard are networks only. 
• Discover is accepted in more than 200 countries and territories, same as Visa and Mastercard. 
• Visa and Mastercard are accepted at 10.7 million U.S. merchant locations, versus 10.6 million for Discover.
• Discover credit cards don't have foreign transaction fees. Visa and Mastercard credit cards charge 0% to 3% of purchases processed internationally.  

If you look at the front of your Discover card, you should see “Discover” with an orange dot for the “o.” Each network has a logo, so it's easy to tell them apart. And while Discover cards are generally fine to use anywhere in the U.S., you might have trouble in certain countries abroad. So, it's probably best to have a backup Visa or Mastercard. 

Most Citibank credit cards are on the Mastercard network, including the Citi Simplicity® Card and the Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer. It is also worth noting that nearly all Visa cards that Citibank offers are co-branded, such as the Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi and the Best Buy® Credit Card.

Both Visa and Mastercard benefit from extensive worldwide acceptance, so you'll be able to use them anywhere credit cards are accepted.

You can find a comprehensive list of both Citi Mastercard and Citi Visa credit cards, right here on WalletHub. If you would like to learn more about the differing roles played by card networks and card issuers, you can also check out WalletHub's guide on credit card companies and major cards.

The Capital One Quicksilver card is a Mastercard. That means you can use your Capital One Quicksilver at millions of merchant locations in more than 210 countries and territories. However, it is worth noting that networks are subject to change and there are both Visa and Mastercard versions of the card. Online applicants can see the network logo at the top of the application form.

Here's what you should know about the Capital One Quicksilver card:

• Card network-level benefits: The Mastercard level of benefits that you will get will depend on your creditworthiness. If you qualify for the World Elite Mastercard, your Capital One Quicksilver will include perks such as travel insurance, concierge services, and purchase protection, among other benefits. For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
• No foreign transaction fees: On top of the Capital One Quicksilver's wide global acceptance, frequent travelers will also enjoy the card's $0 foreign transaction fee. That means you'll be able to use this card abroad without having to pay a surcharge on everything you buy. Cards with foreign transaction fees typically charge an extra 1% to 3% on international purchases.
• Other perks: The Capital One Quicksilver card provides plenty of its own rewards and perks to complement the array of benefits offered by Mastercard. For example, the card offers 5% cash back on hotel and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, as well as 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. 

Ultimately, it is worth noting that a card network is the company that helps process credit card transactions and determines where a card is accepted. Having said that, both Visa and Mastercard benefit from the most extensive worldwide acceptance, so you'll have no problems using your Capital One Quicksilver, regardless of its card network.

The best credit card for study abroad is the Bank of America Travel Rewards credit card for Students because it has a $0 foreign transaction fee, a $0 annual fee, and good rewards. Cardholders earn 1.5 points per $1 spent normally, plus an initial bonus of 25,000 points for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days.

If you're going to spend most of your time in a foreign country in the near future, you definitely want a card that won't charge you extra on international purchases. But there are actually several options that may be best, depending on your individual needs and wants.

Best Credit Cards for Study Abroad in 2023

All of these cards are strong contenders to be the best credit card for study abroad. That's especially true considering they offer a lot more than rewards and low fees. You'll also receive perks like travel insurance to give you even more peace of mind when you set out for your new home for the semester.