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The Daily Insight Hub

What is difference between Mastercard and Visa card?

Author

Sarah Martinez

Updated on February 08, 2026

As far as most consumers are concerned, there is no real difference between Mastercard and Visa. However, neither Visa nor Mastercard actually issue any credit cards themselves, so the main differences between credit cards are created by the banks that issue them.

Which card is better Visa or Mastercard?

While VISA has a slightly higher market share and greater amount of transactions worldwide, both VISA and MasterCard are equally well-accepted by merchants. Although MasterCard’s upper tiers provide a better set of benefits, there are a lot more perks offered by the issuing banks themselves.

Is Mastercard more accepted than Visa?

Visa and Mastercard are by far the most widely accepted cards, with Discover slightly behind those brands and American Express in a distant fourth place. Any retailer that accepts card payments likely takes Visa and Mastercard.

Is Mastercard a credit card or debit card?

Credit Card: An Overview. Typically, both cards carry the logo of a major credit card company, such as Visa or Mastercard, and both can be swiped at retailers to purchase goods and services. A debit card, however, uses funds from your bank account.

How are visa and MasterCard different from banks?

Visa and MasterCard are card processing companies. They are essentially the middle-men between the card holders and the retailers. However, they do not issue the credit or debit cards. Neither do they set the rates, terms, or benefits of the cards. These are set by the banks that issue the cards.

What’s the difference between a Gold Visa and a gold MasterCard?

These labels and other names – like “silver”, “gold” or “black” – tend to indicate that the card is part of a package put together by the bank (sometimes in conjunction with Visa or Mastercard) offering more perks than a standard credit card. These types of cards are typically known as “premium” cards.

Can a merchant accept both Visa and MasterCard?

Most merchants and retailers, local and internationally, accept both Visa and MasterCard these days. Still, some may choose to accept only Visa, or only MasterCard, or some may not accept credit cards entirely. Credit cards and debit cards are small rectangular plastic cards issued by a financial institution, such as a bank or credit union.

What’s the difference between Citibank Visa and Barclays MasterCard?

Hence, a Citibank Visa credit card may be extremely similar to a Citibank MasterCard. However, a Citibank MasterCard may be extremely different from say the Barclays MasterCard, even though they are both MasterCard. The main difference between Visa and MasterCard is in the list of merchants that accept these cards.