Is it better to have a Visa or Discover?

Asked by: Mrs. Zena Grimes Sr.  |  Last update: April 20, 2025
Score: 4.6/5 (57 votes)

Key takeaways. Where Discover credit cards shine for their lack of fees, they come up short in terms of global acceptance and available cardholder perks. Visa credit cards stand out for their rewards rates and cardholder benefits, but only with the top cards available within the network.

What are the cons of having Discover It card?

  • Categories aren't always lucrative.
  • Rotating categories require activation.
  • There's a cap on the higher cash back rate.
  • You can't increase the value of rewards.
  • Other benefits are limited.
  • Discover has limited acceptance.

Why is a Visa card better?

A Visa credit card is a wise choice for a number of reasons: It's one of the most popular credit cards in the world, it's accepted in more than 200 countries and territories and, with Visa's Zero Liability Policy, you won't be held responsible for unauthorized transactions made with your Visa card.

Is it smart to get a Discover card?

Discover is often a good choice as a first card, but their offers aren't particularly competitive if you have established credit history. 18 months is a bit longer than currently more typical 15mo 0% offers on no-AF cashback cards, but not enough to outweigh that those usually come with $200 SUBs.

Does Discover card improve credit score?

You still make monthly payments, and can build credit with responsible use. The Discover it® Secured Card can help you build credit with responsible use2, like making your payments on time and in full each month. Payment history is reported to the credit bureaus.

How Visa and MasterCard make their money

19 related questions found

What is the best card to build credit?

NerdWallet's Best Credit Cards to Build Credit of January 2025
  • Chase Freedom Rise®: Best for No-annual-fee card with rewards.
  • Chime Secured Credit Builder Visa® Credit Card: Best for Easy account management and guardrails.
  • Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for Secured card with clear upgrade path.

How hard is it to get a credit increase with Discover?

But not everyone who requests a credit increase from Discover will be able to get one. Discover says that those who are eligible for a credit line increase would likely include: Those with a good debt-to-income ratio. Those with a positive payment history and an account in good standing.

Is it better to get a Visa or Discover card?

Where Discover credit cards shine for their lack of fees, they come up short in terms of global acceptance and available cardholder perks. Visa credit cards stand out for their rewards rates and cardholder benefits, but only with the top cards available within the network.

Why is it so hard to get approved for Discover Card?

Common reasons applicants are denied credit cards include low credit scores, no credit history, inadequate ratio of income vs. expenses, and not meeting minimum age requirements.

Are there any benefits to having a Discover card?

Discover Card advantages

Discover® Cardmembers can earn cash back from purchases made using their Discover credit card. Different cards offer different rewards programs, such as cash back or Miles, so you'll want to choose the one that rewards your spending habits.

How many credit cards should I have?

It's generally recommended that you have two to three credit card accounts at a time, in addition to other types of credit. Remember that your total available credit and your debt to credit ratio can impact your credit scores. If you have more than three credit cards, it may be hard to keep track of monthly payments.

Does everyone take the Discover card?

Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards. You can use your Discover Card to make withdrawals for cash advances. Discover Card acceptance is convenient at gas stations, restaurants, online, and at major retailers for cash back rewards.

What is the disadvantage of Discover?

The cons of banking with Discover Bank include no physical branch presence, no specialty CDs, and no brokerage accounts.

Why don t stores accept Discover card?

For example, whereas Visa charges 1.79% (plus $0.08) per in-person transaction, Discover charges 2.05% (plus $0.08). Because many small businesses have narrow profit margins to begin with, a 0.26% difference in processing fees is certainly enough to refuse the more expensive credit card. This is changing, however.

Is there a fee to use Discover card?

No annual fee card advantages

You simply handle purchases, any balance transfer or other account activity without paying or financing an annual fee on top of it all. Because every Discover credit card has No annual fee, your rewards simply stay in your pocket.

What credit score is needed for Discover?

To qualify for this card, you generally need a good to excellent credit score, which typically means a FICO score of 700 or higher for Discover card approval. Think of it as the red carpet of credit scores, folks!

What is a good credit score?

There are some differences around how the various data elements on a credit report factor into the score calculations. Although credit scoring models vary, generally, credit scores from 660 to 724 are considered good; 725 to 759 are considered very good; and 760 and up are considered excellent.

Why are Discover cards being declined?

Your card may not get approval if you've reached your credit limit, or if you attempt a purchase that exceeds your available credit. A large purchase that doesn't fit your spending patterns may appear suspicious to your credit card company, so they may decline the transaction.

What are the four major credit cards?

The four major credit card networks are Mastercard, Visa, American Express and Discover.

Is Discover a hard card to get approved for?

While the answer to is Discover card hard to get approved for is no, that doesn't mean everyone is approved automatically. A person must still meet all of the requirements outlined by the website at the time of the application.

Is discover it good for building credit?

A Discover it® Secured credit card can help you build credit with responsible use. It's among the secured cards that have no annual fee, offers rewards, and allows to upgrade to an unsecured card after six consecutive on-time payments and six months of good status on all your credit accounts.

How often should I request a credit limit increase?

Remember to look at things like your credit mix, utilization ratio and other criteria we mentioned above before applying for a credit limit increase. Also, keep new credit limit increase requests to no more than every four to six months, or even better, once a year.