Visa vs. Mastercard
 

Which is accepted in more places worldwide: Visa or Mastercard? Are there certain areas where one is accepted, but not the other? Ive noticed that in some European countries, AMEX is accepted in very few places. And the Maestro card (similar to Mastercard logo) is taken everywhere...does that mean that Mastercard would also be taken?

I've never had trouble with either using a VISA or Mastercard, it's good to have both. But more important is figuring our whether or not the issueing card's bank charges a fee. I know for sure that MBNA and some citi and chase cards do. The only major bank i know for sure that doesn't charge a fee is capital one. There are several banks that issue visa and mastercards, that aren't quite as big as the above, but that don't charge a transaction fee for international charges.

Visa bought Mastercard a few years back. Ever since then I have never seen a place that takes one and not the other.

Are you sure that Visa bought MasterCard? Everything that I have seen still shows that Visa and MasterCard are separate. Even the fact that they are each planning on separate IPO's.

From: http://marketplace.publicradio.org/s...200511048.html
"Apparently looking to match rival MasterCard, Visa has installed a new board of directors that many observers say may lead to an eventual public stocking offering."

Whaaaauuut?
 

While you may believe that "Visa bought Mastercard", I've this bridge I'll sell you, and you can use either card, if your credit limits are high enough. I'll even split the transaction..... ;)

No idea where you got this idea, but it's just wrong (so far as I am aware).

What's the difference between the Maestro card and the Mastercard? Maestro has the Mastercard logo, but seems to be more prevalent in Europe.

LOL No, Visa did not buy MasterCard.

I don't think one has a clear advantage over the other, acceptance-wise. Obviously neither has an advantage in the US, but I've never seen a clear advantage elsewhere, either. Apart from acceptance, most of the features of cards are set by the issuing banks more than by MC or Visa entities themselves.

Mastercard, but not Visa, is accepted in many places in Latin America. I remember a hospital payment in Peru in 2001 that could be done with a credit card only by Mastercard.

In Canada, there are some merchants that accept Visa only.

pgary:
You are an expert. With which Mastercard would I get bonus miles for applying and >= 1 mile per dollar spent? I have had a Citi AA Mastercard, but canceled the card recently.

MasterCard claims 23 million "acceptance locations" in 210 countries. Visa claims "more than twenty million locations in more than 150 countries".

Maestro is a Mastercard debit card brand. Acceptance of debit cards does not assure acceptance of the corresponding credit card.

dennis

if you travel to certain former soviet countries in central asia, then your visa might be completely useless. in tajikistan visa is not accepted at all, only master card, in kyrgyzstan and kazakhstan it is about a 70-30 advantage to master card. but on the other hand, there are very few places in those countries where you actually can pay with a card, so it might not matter to much.

Thats insane, they are both US based companies, the US Govt would have not allowed it nor would most other goverment. They share some infastructure which is why you often seen them taken at the same place.

-Vincent

It's for pin based transations...

Further details on MasterCard International brands...
http://www.mastercardbrandcenter.com...geId=maob_home

-Vincent