<Credit cards

A Visa card is one that uses the Visa payments network to process transactions.  

Visa doesn't deal directly with customers and doesn’t issue credit cards. Instead, it facilitates the transaction between the merchant you’re making a purchase from and the provider that issued your credit card. It will usually charge the merchant a percentage of the purchase for carrying out this process.

Visa works with hundreds of banks and card providers, including Barclays, Nationwide and HSBC. You can find out which payment system your card provider uses by looking at the bottom right-hand corner of your credit or debit card. This will usually be either Visa, Mastercard. American Express cards sometimes have their logo across the top of the card instead.

Visa cards are accepted in shops, restaurants and other businesses around the globe – wherever you see the Visa logo.

Why should you choose a Visa credit card?

Ultimately, Visa and MasterCard are quite similar, with more commonalities than differences, so it’s hard to say that one is definitively better than the other.

The main differences will come down to the additional benefits and rewards each network provides, though the bank that issues your card will have a far greater impact on the perks and terms you get. They also each offer different security features.

Given how alike they are, it's better to focus on the card's overall features and the terms offered by the bank, rather than getting caught up in choosing between Visa and MasterCard.

Find the right card for your own personal situation and lifestyle. This might be based on the rates on offer or perhaps the benefits or interest-free deals available.

Eligibility tools match you with the credit cards you're likely to get. It uses a “soft search” credit check, so your credit score won’t be affected.

Everyone should use an eligibility tool because it ensures that you only apply for the cards you will qualify for. Applying for multiple cards in a short space of time can damage your credit score and potentially make it harder for you to borrow in the future.

Visa credit card FAQs

About the author

Lucinda O'Brien profileLucinda O'Brien
Lucinda O'Brien has spent the past 10 years writing and editing content for regional and national titles. She applies her industry knowledge to ensure readers can make confident financial decisions.

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