Which card is better: visa or mastercard of Sberbank. Visa or MasterCard - which is better? History and activities of Mastercard

Which bank card should I choose: Visa or MasterCard? What are their differences and which one is better and why? These questions have probably been asked more than once by every resident of our country, either who receives wages on a bank card, or who has issued or plans to issue one for use when traveling to other countries.

The question is very interesting, how interesting it is sometimes to listen or read and the answers to it, ranging from banal and amateurish reasoning to the political preferences of users. Conflicting recommendations on choosing a payment system can also be heard from employees of various banks (both from neutral recommendations and those “pushing” a card from one of the payment systems). Often the answers are not exhaustive in nature, since they do not explain the problem. And some advice is completely wrong.

So let's try to figure this issue out together! We won’t talk about the “level” of cards (Visa Electron/Maestro, Visa Classic/MasterCard Standard, Visa Gold/MasterCard Gold, etc.). Let's talk better about payment systems.

Payment systems

First of all, it should be noted that Visa and MasterCard have long been the two largest payment systems, the reliability of which no one has yet doubted. Comparing them by such indicators as market share, number of payment terminals, etc., you can find out that Visa is in the lead, but at the same time, you will not have problems with MasterCard abroad. I'm pretty sure you'll be hard-pressed to find an ATM or payment terminal that claims to support Visa but not MasterCard, and vice versa. So in their basic consumer properties they are exactly the same!

It is better to find official information about these payment systems on their official websites www.visa.com, www.mastercard.com, or in some knowledge base (for example, wikipedia).

Practical differences between Visa and Mastercard

You can often hear the following statement: “Visa is an American payment system. MasterCard is European.” Although this is not entirely true (Mastercard was also American, but at one time absorbed the European Eurocard).

Both payment systems have long become international. Just look at the full name of the payment systems - VISA International Service Association and MasterCard Worldwide.

Something else is much more important.

For the Visa payment system, the main currency is U.S. $. This means that transactions on cards of this payment system related to currency conversion will be carried out through the dollar. I will describe examples below.

For the MasterCard payment system, the main currency can be either U.S. $, so Euro. This is a very important feature! That is, transactions can take place either through the Euro or through the dollar.

In fact, this is the whole difference, but this is also all the possible nuances.

Correspondent accounts

Banks from different countries, concluding an agreement with a payment system and issuing cards under the Visa and MasterCard brands, open one or more correspondent accounts with correspondent banks.

Most often in Russia, accounts in Euros are used for mutual settlements in the MasterCard system. For Visa, no options, in US dollars.

The bank, purely theoretically, can open accounts for MasterCard for both the Euro and the American dollar, in this case MasterCard becomes as convenient as possible for the traveler, but this rarely happens - this means additional expenses on the part of the bank and a decrease in profitability for some operations. I have not studied this issue thoroughly, but I do not know of a single Russian bank that has both accounts open for MasterCard.

Therefore, we believe that Visa works with the US dollar, and MasterCard with the Euro.

Conversion

Conversion, in general, occurs if the currency in which you make the payment is different from the currency of your card account (your card account may be in rubles, US dollars or Euros).

Some conversions when paying abroad are carried out at the rates of the payment system, and some at the rate of your bank.

Conversion rates for Visa and MasterCard differ from each other, but not significantly. Specific dates can be found here:
Conversion rate in the Visa payment system
Conversion rate in the MasterCard payment system

You can find out the conversion rate of your bank by contacting it. Your bank may impose an additional percentage on conversion operations of payment systems, the so-called “Enter Bank Fee”. The amount of this percentage is determined only by the bank and in practice ranges from 0 to 5%!

That is, any of your conversion operations is not only a certain loss due to the payment system, but, sometimes, also a “contribution” to the welfare of your bank. Most often, an “Enter Bank Fee” value of over 1% can already be considered arrogance!

For example, as Sberbank employees told me, when working with Visa from Sberbank, they earn more than if someone uses their MasterCard. Until recently, the “Enter Bank Fee” for Visa at Sberbank was 0.65%.

Now let's see how this happens in practice in real life situations.

Conversion Examples

Let's take several different options and see how many conversions we will have when making payments in different countries.

All options are conditional, but most likely, realities may differ depending on the bank (see above about correspondent accounts).

Option 1

Ruble account. Payment for a hotel in France.

Visa: RUB-USD-EUR
MasterCard: RUB-EUR

As you can see, MasterCard is more profitable - one conversion.

Option 2

Euro account. Paying the bill at a restaurant in Italy.

Visa: EUR-USD-EUR
MasterCard: EUR

MasterCard is clearly more profitable - there is no conversion. But with Visa you will lose significantly in this option. There will be a double conversion here. Moreover, one conversion will be made by the payment system, and the second by your bank.

Option 3

Dollar account. Paying a bill at a store in Chicago.

Visa: USD
MasterCard: USD-EUR-USD

The situation is the other way around: Visa has no conversion, but with MasterCard you will lose some of your money due to double conversion.

Option 4

Ruble account. Payment for a hotel in Riga.

Visa: RUB-USD-EUR-LVL or RUB-USD-LVL
MasterCard: RUB-EUR-LVL

With MasterCard double conversion. But with Visa there may be two, but more likely three, conversions. The fact is that in Europe many transactions are carried out through the Euro, so triple conversion is possible.

Thus, if you plan to use a bank card only for crediting your salary in rubles, withdrawing cash from an ATM and making non-cash payments within the country, do not worry about choosing a payment system. Doesn't matter! Choose a BANK with the best annual service rates, cash withdrawal fees, etc., overdraft options and other goodies!

If you plan most transactions that involve conversion in Europe, then you should use a MasterCard payment system card.

If you travel more to the Americas or Southeast Asian countries, then your choice is Visa.

Regional Advisor:

USA, Canada - Visa
Latin America - Visa
Australia - Visa
Thailand - Visa
Europe - MasterCard
Africa (not everywhere*) - MasterCard
Cuba** - MasterCard
* (from tourist reviews) - in Algeria there is not a single ATM that supports MasterCard!;
** (from tourist reviews) - when traveling to Cuba, it is advisable to have a card from a European bank or MasterCard; an American bank card may simply not be accepted, and the commission for converting dollars can reach 20%!

Be careful with your expenses. Don't forget about double and triple conversions. Your purchases may cost you much more than you planned.

Before traveling abroad, check with your bank about the availability and amount of the Enter Bank Fee. With a large Enter Bank Fee value, each conversion will cost you more. Plus, look at your bank's rate.

Many users wonder which payment system card is best to issue? Nowadays there are many payment services operating in the world. The largest are Visa and Mastercard. They have long outgrown their attachment to one country and become international.

Their role in cashless transactions is very important: they process all card payment transactions. The plastic of these MPS is accepted in all countries of the world and in all retail outlets. They can pay for purchases online and withdraw cash from ATMs in any country. At first glance, the functionality of these payment systems is the same, but there are still differences. Let's take a closer look at what are the similarities between these systems and how do they differ from each other?

Similarities between Visa and Mastercard.

The history of both MPS began in the USA, when an American bank began to issue the first cards and issue licenses to other banks to issue them, thus creating a unified payment system. When someone says that Visa is an American system and Mastercard is a European system, they are absolutely wrong. They are both American. However, attachment to America has long been absent, and the systems began to bear an international title.

The Visa brand appeared in 1976 after the creation of an association of banks issuing cards under one name. Now the system is represented in more than 200 countries around the world, and its share in global money turnover reaches 50%.

The Mastercard system dates back to 1966, when a group of banks created the ICA association, later renamed Mastercard Int. Today the system is represented in 210 countries around the world and allows for non-cash card transactions.

Thus, the similarities between Visa and Mastercard are that they:

originated in America
are now international payment systems,
have a high speed of processing payment transactions and work without failures,
provide a high level of security,
offer high service and modern technologies,
both systems issue cards of the same form and content (card number, first and last name of the owner, bank and MPS logos, magnetic stripe, signature stripe, contact information, etc.),
starting from standard categories, cards are issued with chips,
there are cards with the possibility of contactless payment: Visa calls this technology PayWave, and Mastercard calls it PayPass,
there is protection technology for online purchases: Visa has VerifiedByVisa, Mastercard has SecureCode,
There are virtual cards that do not have a physical form for payment on the Internet.

Differences between Visa and Mastercard.

When using Visa and Mastercard cards in Russia, the difference is practically invisible. But if you use them abroad, then some differences are noticeable, both in terms of comfort and financial terms.

Options	Visa	Mastercard
Base currency	Dollar. If a ruble card is used in the USA, then the conversion will be: R-D. If in Europe, then: R-D-E	Euro. If you use a ruble card in the USA, then currency conversion: R-E-D. If in Europe, then: R-E
Cross-border conversion fee	0-5%	Doesn't charge
Entry level cards	To pay for any amount, mandatory authorization and entering a PIN will be required. The ability to pay for purchases on the Internet is established by the bank. Not accepted for payment abroad	When paying up to $50, you do not need to enter a PIN. You cannot make purchases online using Electronic and Maestro, since there is no security code (unembossed exception). Accepted for payment abroad, but not everywhere.
Security code	CVV2	CVC2
Possibility of P2P payments (from card to card)	Available since 2013 (Personal Payments)	Appeared in May 2015 (MoneySend)
Premium card services	- medical support for travelers, - legal support, - the ability to book tickets, hotels, tables in restaurants, Emergency assistance in case of loss or theft of plastic abroad, Programs for protection against defective or low-quality purchases and extension of their warranty, Bonuses for insuring the cardholder and his family, Organization of relocations, Delivery service, Services of a personal assistant for real estate management, etc.	- discounts at partner organizations, - emergency assistance in case of theft or loss of a card. All other services are available for a separate payment or at the discretion of the issuing bank.

Thus, to decide what to choose, you need to focus on your needs and wallet:

When calculating in Russia, the differences are practically not noticeable, so there is no difference in what to use.
If you go to European countries, then it is better to have a standard chipped Mastercard IPS card, and if to American countries, then a Visa to avoid double conversion. It is better not to take cards of lower categories abroad, as they may be refused.
If abroad it is not possible to purchase currency at favorable rates to replenish a currency card, then it is better to issue a ruble card with a favorable conversion rate.
When applying for elite cards (from gold and above), it is worth clarifying what privileges and services will be included in its service package, so that you not only get beautiful plastic, but also an even larger list of features. If when choosing simple or standard cards there is no big difference between Visa and Mastercard, then in elite cards they are significant, and Visa is far ahead of its competitor Mastercard.
The best option is to issue two cards from both IPS at once. If you don’t want to pay separately for each, then you can issue a main Visa and an additional one (for a lower cost, and sometimes even free) - Mastercard. In this case, there will be one account, and if one card is blocked, the other will be valid.

When applying for a credit card at a bank, the client may be asked which payment system he prefers. There are several of them, but in Russia the most popular are Visa and MasterCard. But which one is better? They have certain differences and the optimal choice depends on the personal preferences of the cardholder.

What is the difference?

At first glance the client seems that there is not much difference. The technical fundamentals of payment systems are similar. All cards are accepted for payment in the vast majority of countries and allow you to make payments online. Sometimes there are retail outlets that only accept cards from one payment system, but this is very rare.

Both systems rank their cards by level:

In the Visa system it looks like this:

Entry level - Electron;
Intermediate level - Classic;
Premium - Gold or Platinum.

Payment system MasterCard:

Entry level - Maestro;
Middle level - Standard;
Premium - Gold or Platinum.

First level- these are, as a rule, salary and social cards. They have a minimum number of additional services. Entry-level credit cards are usually instant and non-personalized.

The Visa Electron card can be used abroad. Sometimes this is not available by default and the client needs to contact the bank before traveling. It is basically impossible to use the Maestro Momentum card outside the country. This also applies to payments on the Internet. Entry-level Maestro will not allow you to pay in an online store, but with Visa Electron this is possible, but, as a rule, only after a special application to the bank with a corresponding application.

With a MasterCard card, you must enter a PIN code to carry out an operation through the terminal, but Visa does not always require this. But it’s impossible to say which option is better. Entering a PIN code sometimes causes some inconvenience, but at the same time it provides a higher degree of security for payments.

Speaking of cards mid-level, then there are no special differences between payment systems. The difference is more noticeable in the premium segment. The owner of a Visa Gold credit card will additionally receive the following services:

medical and legal support;
assistance in booking tickets;
the possibility of emergency cash issuance or re-issuance of a card within 72 hours in case of loss of the card outside the country;
additional discounts and bonuses when paying with a card in a retail chain.

The presence of these services very often becomes a decisive factor when choosing a card for people who often travel abroad.

Platinum credit card holders have access to the following services:

Purchase protection. The service provides insurance against loss and theft of goods purchased using the card.
Extended warranty, which applies to a number of purchases made using the card.

Premium level cards of the MasterCard payment system, by default, provide only emergency assistance services in case of card loss and participation in loyalty programs from partners of the issuing bank. All other services are available for an additional fee. Therefore we can conclude that in this segment, Visa payment system cards have more advantages. But, on the other hand, the MasterCard owner will be able to choose exactly the services he needs for a fee.

Currency conversion

The peculiarities of currency conversion for different cards deserve special attention. This becomes relevant when the client wants to withdraw cash or make a non-cash payment in a currency different from the currency of the card account. The fact is that most banks charge a commission for currency exchange, and the exchange rate is not always favorable for the card holder.

For Visa, the main currency is the US dollar. If the main account is opened in rubles and the purchase is made in Russia, then there will be no conversion. When making a payment in a country where payments are made in US dollars, there will be only one conversion. If payment or cash withdrawal is made in euros, then the operation will look like this: rubles, dollars, euros. That is, there will be two conversions.

For MasterCard the main currency is the euro. When paying with a ruble card within the country, conversion also does not occur. If you need to make a transaction in euros, then there will be only one conversion. When paying in dollars, rubles will first be converted into euros and then into dollars. That is, there will be two conversions.

Thus, for clients who are more often in the euro area, it will be more profitable to open a MasterCard payment system card, and for those who make more payments and withdraw cash in the US dollar area, it is better to open a Visa.

What to choose?

In fact, the choice of payment system is a matter of personal preference of the client. The advantages of both one and the second system can be minimized by unfavorable tariffs for a particular card from a particular bank. Therefore, when choosing a credit card, you need to compare not only the interest rate and the length of the interest-free period, but also all additional payments. For example, if we talk about conversion, it cannot be said that Visa will be 100% more profitable than MasterCard for payments in dollars. Since the size of the bank’s commission for the exchange can neutralize all the benefits.

The presence of a large number of additional services of premium Visa cards may result in a more expensive cost for the client to issue and maintain the card, although this service may not be relevant for him personally.
Based on the fact that the Visa system is more widespread, banks more often carry out various promotions for existing credit card holders and to attract new ones.
If you need a credit card only for withdrawing cash and making payments in a trade and retail network within the country, then you should be guided by the conditions for providing credit funds.

To choose a card, you need to understand the difference between a Visa and a MasterCard, because they are considered the most popular all over the world. It is much more convenient and safer to pay with them.

They are designed for many functions, each person decides for himself for what purposes he needs a card.

Which is better Visa or MasterCard

To choose one of them, you need to know the differences between them, their advantages, disadvantages and rules of use.

If you use a MasterCard, you will need to enter a PIN code when performing any banking transaction.When using Visa, you do not need to enter a PIN code for minor payments.

Therefore, from a security point of view, the first option is much more reliable compared to the second. This indicator is paramount for many people, which is why MasterCard is often preferred.

In addition, you need to look at the chips and magnetic stripes that should be present on the card. They encrypt the user's personal information.

The chip stores more information and is better encoded than a magnetic stripe. Therefore, it is more difficult to extract the user’s personal data from the chip. MasterCard Maestro and Visa Electron have a magnetic stripe, but starting with Visa Classic and MasterCard Standard, the cards have a chip, which makes them more secure.

If you use a card in the Russian Federation, then the difference between them is not felt. This is important for international use. Both companies are American and provide almost the same services; they can be used for payments all over the world. Therefore, it is difficult to say which one is better.

Is it possible to pay everywhere with a Visa and MasterCard?

With Visa you can pay in more than 200 countries around the world. It can be used in 20 million retail outlets and various establishments.

Owners of privileged Gold cards have access to various discounts.

Most shops and public institutions around the world are members of the Visa and MasterCard discount club. They are awarded all kinds of bonuses and discounts that can be applied under different circumstances.

Visa and MasterCard - what's the difference?

They do not have any global differences in technology.

Free medical and legal assistance is available to Visa holders. But in the Russian Federation, not all banks have the opportunity to provide clients with such bonuses. Therefore, this information must be clarified with the banking institution.

Mastercard, in turn, does not provide such an opportunity at all.

When choosing a card, the region where it will be used is key:

Visa allows you to make payments in dollars;
MasterCard allows you to pay in both dollars and euros.

In terms of payment reliability, they are approximately the same, although there is an opinion that Visa is ahead.

How to visually identify Visa or Mastercard cards

You can distinguish Visa from MasterCard by number.

If the card number on the outside of it starts with the number “4”, then it is Visa, if it starts with the number “5”, then it is MasterCard.

MasterCard Maestro starts with "6" and is basically made up of 18 numbers.

Visa or Mastercard in Europe

For those users who plan to use the card in Europe, it is recommended to apply for a MasterCard. A visa is suitable for the USA.

If you apply for the opposite - for the European region a Visa, and for the states - a Master, then when paying in dollars, funds from the ruble MasterCard account are converted into euros, and then into dollars.

Please note: For any currency exchange a commission is charged. This is an extra expense for the user, so you need to choose what is more profitable.

How to get a Visa or MasterCard card

A Visa or MasterCard card can be issued at any Russian bank that is listed in the list of partner banks on the official website of these payment systems.

They are also issued at Sberbank.

If you need to get a card abroad, you can look at the list of issuing banks on the international website of these systems.

To summarize, it is worth noting that for those people who prefer to receive pleasant benefits, Visa is more suitable. This payment system has many additional features.

It is more convenient to use MasterCard to pay for purchases online.

Each potential cardholder must make his own choice. You need to refer to your own preferences. Both of these systems have their advantages and are similar in many ways.

The advantages of using bank cards instead of a wallet in the modern technological world are obvious and do not raise questions. The question is that there are now more than a hundred varieties of them on the economic market, how to accurately choose the best option. Every resident of the country who has a salary card or plans to get one for travel asks this. Let's try to figure it out and make the right choice.

First of all, decide on the purpose of issuing a bank card and what tasks you set for it. Most citizens were issued a card at work to calculate wages; pensioners and students were issued a card to receive payments. Because of this, they were deprived of choice. If you are applying for a card yourself, then you need to take into account all the criteria and choose the option that most satisfies you. Each type of card has its own set of characteristics: payment system (Visa and MasterCard), type (credit and debit), class of service, additional services. Visa and MasterCard are the largest payment systems; they now occupy leading positions. Their reliability is beyond doubt. Therefore, the importance of making the right choice is more important for travel lovers. Visa is the leader in the number of payment terminals, its market share prevails. But there are no problems with MasterCard abroad either. All payment systems that serve Visa clients also support MasterCard. Thus, their consumer qualities are exactly the same on the territory of Russia. You can get complete information on the websites of these payment systems: Now let’s look at the practical differences between MasterCard and Visa. To do this, you need to find out the history of their appearance on the economic market. Each of these payment systems is international. But for Visa, the main currency is the American dollar, which means that all currency conversions take place through the dollar. The main currencies for the MasterCard payment system are the euro and the dollar. Therefore, conversion operations in it can take place both through the euro and through the dollar. This is the main difference between the systems. There are some nuances in the differences between the Visa and MasterCard systems. In Russia, accounts in euros are most often used for mutual settlements through the MasterCard system. For Visa – only dollar correspondent accounts, no choice. In practice, it is impossible to find a Russian bank in which two accounts would be opened for MasterCard. These are unnecessary costs and are not economically profitable. Therefore, it is generally accepted that MasterCard works with euros, and Visa with US dollars. There are also differences between payment systems when converting currencies. Your card may contain funds in rubles, euros or dollars. When making payments abroad, the currency is partially converted at the rate of the payment system and the rate of your bank. To find out the bank rate, you need to contact it. Visa and MasterCard do not differ too much from each other in terms of conversion rates. Although you will find out the MasterCard rate “after the fact”, the Visa rate is open. When converting, you always lose. Part of the funds is taken by the payment system, and part goes to enrich your bank. This additional percentage is called “Enter Bank Fee” (commission) in banks. The interest rate is determined by the bank. In practice it lies in the range of 0-5%. It is believed that the bank's percentage is higher when working with Visa than when using MasterCard from the same bank. At Sberbank it can be 0.65%, but the percentage may change. Find it out at the bank when opening an account. Perform the conversion, for example, on the Visa website. To make the advantages of each system clearer, let's look at specific examples. Example 1: You are traveling around Europe and want to rent a car. You have a choice: the Visa card converts rubles into euros through the dollar, and the MasterCard card converts rubles into euros. We have found that every currency exchange results in a loss of funds. This means that MasterCard is more profitable to pay in Europe. Example 2: you buy a plane ticket in the USA, your account is in US currency. By paying with Visa, you do not lose anything. MasterCard performs conversion: dollars to euros, euros to dollars. Double exchange.