Most Popular Credit Cards

Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted credit card networks. 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.

Major credit cards are any cards that belong to one of the big four credit card networks: Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover. That's what stores mean by “we accept all major credit cards.” A major credit card will almost always show the logo of its network on the front. In some cases it'll be on the back. If a card doesn't have such a logo, it's likely a store card that can only be used at a specific retailer.

Some major credit cards can also be considered more “major” than others, depending on the issuer. The 15 largest credit card companies account for more than 75% of all outstanding balances. So a Visa, Mastercard, American Express or Discover card from one of those companies, like Chase or Capital One, might fit the description of a major credit card best.

There are dozens of other banks and credit unions that issue credit cards, but their products are less popular. Major credit cards from the top issuers are the product of large-scale operations, after all. And they often provide perks to match, from better rates, rewards and fees to an easy-to-use website and free mobile app.

Here's what you need to know about major credit cards:

• Major credit cards are those on the Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover networks.
• You can usually see the logo of your credit card network on the front of your card. Sometimes it is on the back. If there is no logo, you likely have a store card that only works at a specific retailer.
• Most U.S. merchants accept all major credit cards. But American Express lags behind the others by about 1 million locations.
• Visa and Mastercard are accepted virtually everywhere in the world. Discover cards work in 185 countries and territories. American Express cards work in 160+. Discover and Amex aren't necessarily widely accepted in all the countries that take them, either.
• American Express and Discover issue credit cards, in addition to serving as card networks. Visa and Mastercard do not.
• Chase, Bank of America, Capital One, Citi, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank are among the other major credit card issuers.

When picking a major credit card to use, it's easy to narrow your search down. If you don't plan to travel much, any network will do. But if you're going to use your card abroad a lot, Visa and Mastercard are the safest bets.

By the way, it's worth noting that Visa, Mastercard, American Express and Discover aren't the world's only major credit card networks. There's also the likes of India's RuPay and China's UnionPay, for example.

Capital One is not only a good credit card company, but a great one, given its attractive credit card offers and high customer satisfaction.

For starters, Capital One credit cards can be found on most of WalletHub's best credit card lists. This includes the following:

• Best Travel Rewards Credit Cards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
• Best Credit Cards for Fair Credit: Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Best Credit Cards for No Credit: Capital One Platinum Credit Card
• Best Credit Cards for Bad Credit: Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Best Student Credit Cards: Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Best Business Credit Cards: Capital One Spark Cash Plus

Capital One has also scored highly in a number of WalletHub reports on important credit card benefits. Here are a handful of notable examples:

• Application Transparency: T-1st
• International Travel: T-2nd
• Rental Car Insurance: 8th (Capital One Visa cards)
• Extended Warranty: 5th (Capital One Visa cards)

Finally, Capital One received the twelfth place for customer satisfaction in WalletHub's latest Credit Card Landscape Report. And it had the third highest reviews among WalletHub users.

That, in a nutshell, is what a good credit card company looks like.  

Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover credit cards are all accepted worldwide. Visa and Mastercard are the two largest card networks in the world, both in terms of geographical spread and merchant acceptance. Mastercard credit cards are accepted in more than 210 countries and territories, while Visa credit cards are accepted in more than 200 countries. Discover credit cards are also accepted in approximately 200 countries, but merchant acceptance in those places will be spottier. Lastly, American Express cards are accepted in over 160 countries and territories.

In addition to being card networks, American Express and Discover also issue credit cards, while Visa and Mastercard do not. Rather, many different banks and credit unions issue credit cards on the Visa or Mastercard network. That means the cards will work anywhere Visa or Mastercard does, and cardholders will receive some other network benefits, such as travel insurance. It also means you have a lot more options than you might have thought. So let's take a look at some of the top ones.

Here are the best worldwide credit cards:

The Capital One Venture offers 75,000 miles for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. On top of that, it earns 5 miles per $1 spent on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, and 2 miles per $1 on all other purchases. Plus, it charges a $95 annual fee. It also features a $0 foreign transaction fee. The card requires a credit score of 700, at a minimum. That means you need at least good credit or better to get approved.

The Bank of America Travel Rewards for Students is a Visa card with a $0 annual fee and a $0 foreign transaction fee. It also offers a 25,000 points for spending $1,000 in the first 90 days. Plus, you can earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases. The card accepts applications from students with excellent credit (750).

The Chase Sapphire Preferred is a Visa with a $0 foreign fee that offers a slew of international perks, including great travel insurance. It also has very good rewards, such as 60,000 bonus points for spending $4,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, you can earn 5 points per $1 spent on travel purchased through Chase, 2 points per $1 on all other travel purchases, 3 points per $1 on dining and online grocery purchases, 3 points per $1 on select streaming services, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. It charges an annual fee of $95. The card requires a credit score of 700, at a minimum. That means you need at least good credit or better to get approved.

The Chase Ink Preferred is a Visa with a $0 foreign fee offering 100,000 points for spending $15,000 in the first 3 months. Plus, it earns 3 points per $1 on the first $150,000 spent per year on travel and select business expenses, and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. The card comes with a $95 annual fee. It requires a credit score of 700, at a minimum. That means you need at least good credit or better to get approved.

At the end of the day, there are a few things that are really important to consider when shopping for the best credit card that's accepted worldwide. The card's network is important because it will control where it is accepted. Then, you also need to look at foreign fees, annual fees and rewards to find the right mix for you. If you have bad credit, your best option will be a secured Visa or Mastercard.

Amex is so popular because it offers high-end credit cards with great rewards and luxury perks, which have become status symbols in popular culture over time. For example, the American Express Platinum card and the invitation-only Centurion® Card from American Express are among the most prestigious credit cards available. Amex cards aren't exactly easy to get, but that has only made them more popular with consumers who are looking for a sense of exclusivity and prestige.

In addition, nearly all Amex cards have high rewards rates in a wide selection of spending categories such as travel, grocery stores, dining, and streaming services. Providing lots of valuable rewards definitely leads to increased popularity. To see if there's an Amex card that's a good fit for your spending patterns, check out the best American Express credit cards on WalletHub.