Credit Card Leaders: Visa and American Express

When it came to getting a credit card, millions of consumers all over the world chose Visa cards, which allows them to manage their finances in a better way, while enabling them to choose a system of payment for their purchases, either in increments over time or at the end of each month. Visa cardholders are offered the opportunity to pay for their purchases in the manner and at the time that work best for them.

Getting a Visa card can only be possible after you have contacted one of the banks that issue Visa cards. The good news is that the Visa cards are so widely spread all over the world that chances are you’ll find such an organization quite close to you.

The types of cards offered by Visa through its issuing members are credit cards, debit cards and prepaid cards.

With a Visa debit card, the customer can have access to his/her money regardless of their location as long as they see a Visa symbol. The money is deducted from their balance, with no interest. There are many advantages to using a card, such as saving the trip to the bank or the need to queue up for a cash dispenser, or being safer than carrying money. When you lose money, it’s gone forever. However, if you should happen to lose your Visa card, it can be stopped as soon as it has been declared lost or stolen, and be replaced afterwards.

The are several types of Visa debit cards, including Visa Electron, most popular in Central and Eastern Europe, Africa and the Middle East and ideal for a wide range of customers as it has in-built security features; Visa Classic, designed for those who use their cards everywhere, be it the real world, the Internet or by telephone; Visa Gold, whose most important benefit is that your card or cash, or both of them, can be replaced, should it be lost or stolen; and Visa Platinum, designed for high-spenders who can enjoy its top-level services.

Visa prepaid cards allow consumers to control spending, as well as to send money home, pay for their trips, teach their children money management, or even give it as a gift.

With Visa credit cards customers are offered a whole new world of possibilities, being exceptionally reliable and convenient.

Another company best known for its businesses with credit cards, charge cards and traveler’s cheques is American Express, or ‘Amex’.

American Express issues a great variety of credit cards, each with specific benefits, so as to please and meet the needs of all their customers. Consumers can choose from the American Express Card, America Express Gold Card, Rewards Plus Gold Card, Platinum Card, Blue form American Express, and so forth. The remarkable benefits of the American Express credit cards include personal service and attention at an exceptional level, use membership points for traveling, shopping and entertainment, access to entertainment events, special travel privileges, and many more.

The American Express Gift Cards have special offers from participating merchants and retailers all over the nation. The American Express Gift Cards can be purchased for any occasion, and in an easy manner, as they are available online.
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American Express – A Unique Type Of Credit Card

American Express, or AMEX, is one of the most recognizable names in the financial world. What many customers who have MasterCard or Visa credit cards in their wallet are interested in, is what is the difference between these two companies and American Express. Well the difference is quite simple.

MasterCard and Visa are both simply payment methods. They allow locations to accept payment using their system. They do not however, issue any credit cards of their own. For this they rely on their partnerships with thousands of banks worldwide who will issue credit cards, provide the credit necessary, and charge clients interest and give them rewards. None of your credit card bill goes to Visa or MasterCard. It all goes to the bank that provided the card. This bank also sets your interest rate, gives you rewards, offers you zero per cent balance transfers, the works.

Visa and MasterCard make their money by charging the retailer a fee for using their payment system, and also sometimes by charging your bank for issuing the card. None of this effects you directly however.

American Express is a very different arrangement. Not only do they have their own payment system, but they also issue their cards directly to customers. So they are running the whole show. If a card says American Express on it, you know instantly who issued it, what payments system it utilizes and everything else about the card.

While Visa and MasterCard are probably far more prevalent payment methods worldwide, American Express is rapidly expanding its network. Both Visa and MasterCard are accepted at over twenty million locations worldwide and these are spread around over one hundred and fifty countries. This makes them truly global payment methods. American Express still lacks this degree of saturation. There are places in the world where Visa and MasterCard are accepted widely but American Express is more difficult to use.

However, American Express has its own advantages, particularly for customers in Europe and North America. In these countries the card is accepted widely. The company also offers very attractive credit cards. They have good rates, good reward schemes and good customer service. If you want a card guaranteed to give you a high standard of service, and that still carries a little bit of extra exclusivity now that Visa and MasterCard are so prevalent, then American Express, or AMEX, is a good safe choice.

Joe Kenny writes for the Card Guide, a Uk based credit cards site, visit today for a balance transfer credit cards and start clearing credit card debt today.

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