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Discover and Visa are very different companies. While Discover is a card issuer with a focused stable of cards, Visa is a card network that offers a variety of products. Both have strengths and weaknesses, giving you ample opportunity to pair cards from each side.
Consider these factors when deciding between Discover and Visa:
If you’re still unsure which provider is right for you, check out their secondary benefits.
Discover has carved a niche of its own by offering secondary benefits that help you build credit.
Other Discover benefits to consider
On Visa’s end, overlimit fees depend on the card issuer. You’ll pay foreign transaction fees with most Visa cards, except with travel products.
Visa, on the other hand, is better for secondary travel benefits.
Standard Visa secondary benefits
Visa Signature cards are slightly more powerful than standard Visas.
Standard Visa Signature secondary benefits
Look for Visa Infinite cards if you want excellent purchase and travel benefits.
Standard Visa Infinite secondary benefits
No card is perfect. Here are a few more strengths and weaknesses of each provider to help you decide.
Discover offers benefits that can help you keep a card responsibly, such as no annual fees, Social Security number alerts and free FICO score updates. It also has unique signup bonuses. Visa, on the other hand, offers cards with purchase protection or travel insurance.
Benefits vary greatly depending on the issuer, so take a close look at each card before applying.
You could get a Discover product and Visa product that complement each other. For example, use the Discover it® Cash Back as your everyday card and the powerful Chase Sapphire Reserve® as your travel option.
If you want to know more about how Visa cards stack up to the competition, check out how they compare to American Express cards. And if you’re curious about their performance compared to Mastercards, compare the pros and cons with our guide.
Discover and Visa bring different benefits to the table, but you don’t have to decide on just one. Cards from each provider can complement one another.
If you’re unsure whether either provider suits your needs, compare other card companies to find one that’s right for you.
Pictures: Getty Images
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