Both offer solid secured credit card options.
If you’re looking for a secured credit card, you might be wondering if you should pick Visa over Mastercard. Or vice versa.
Fortunately, you can’t really go wrong with either choice as Mastercard and Visa pretty much offer the same secured card benefits. Instead, compare your options based on the features and perks offered by the issuer.
Our pick for a secured Mastercard
Look for these secured credit card benefits
Generally, secured cards from Visa and Mastercard offer similar benefits. More important is what you’ll get from your issuer.
When considering a secured card, look at these factors:
- Annual fee.
You’ll find great secured cards with no annual fees. - Security deposit.
Typically, you’ll pay $200 to $300 to open a secured card. However, there are cards that require lower security deposits. - Reporting to major credit bureaus.
A secured card can help you build credit, but only if your provider reports your payment history to the major credit bureaus. Ask if your provider reports to TransUnion, Equifax and Experian. - Potential to graduate to an unsecured card.
Some card providers will return your security deposit after a specified period of time. This effectively makes your secured card an unsecured card.
Acceptance
Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted credit cards in the world. In this regard, they have an advantage over their competitors: Discover and American Express aren’t as widely accepted. What’s more, beyond the Discover it® Secured, there aren’t many secured credit card contenders from Discover or American Express.
Here’s the bottom line for Visas and Mastercards: If a merchant accepts one, they’ll most likely accept the other. So regardless of which secured card you choose, you can probably use it anywhere credit cards are accepted.
Credit card networks vs. issuers: What’s the difference?
Credit card networks are companies that dictate the usage of credit cards between merchants and card users — think Visa, Mastercard, Discover and American Express. Networks set fees that allow merchants to accept their product.
Credit card issuers are companies who lend credit out to the consumers. For example, you have a Visa credit card that is issued by Chase bank — in this case, Chase is the issuer and Visa is the network. However, American Express and Discover are both networks and issuers.
Chances of approval
It isn’t easier to get approved for one over the other. Instead, it’s more important to consider your card issuer. For example, some issuers have tight approval standards, while other issuers accept consumers with poor credit.
If you’re worried that you could be denied for a card, look for a secured card that doesn’t require a credit check.
Features
Depending on which product you’re approved for, Visa and Mastercard may offer:
- Zero liability for unauthorized purchases. If your card is used without your knowledge, you won’t pay anything.
- Cardholder assistance. Call a 24/7 hotline whenever you have problems with your card.
A Visa or Mastercard may come with additional features, especially if it’s a Platinum card:
- Auto rental collision damage waiver. An auto rental collision damage waiver (CDW) will reimburse you if your rental car is damaged or stolen.
- Roadside assistance. If you have problems with your vehicle while you’re on the road, give a call to the roadside assistance hotline. Services include towing, tire changes, jump-starts, lockout service, fuel delivery and more.
- Extended warranties. In many cases, your item’s original warranty is doubled if you’ve purchased it with your card.
- Travel insurance. You may be covered for travel emergencies like trip cancellation and medical evacuation.
To see if a card offers these benefits, check with your issuer. Cards may offer different perks depending on issuers’ agreements with the card networks.
Compare Visa and Mastercard secured credit cards
Consider these Mastercard and Visa secured cards
You’ll find a wide variety of secured options to choose from with Mastercard and Visa. Below, we compared a couple of cards from each issuer to give you an idea of the types of features you might find while searching for the card that fits your needs.
DCU Visa® Platinum Secured Credit Card
SDFCU Savings Secured Visa Platinum Card
Secured Mastercard® from Capital One®
- Extended warranty.
- Auto rental insurance.
- Travel accident insurance.
- 24/7 travel assistance.
- 24/7 roadside assistance.
- Price protection.
Citi® Secured Mastercard®
Bottom line
Pick a secured credit card based on the features offered by the issuer if you want the best approach to selecting a secured credit card. While Visa and Mastercard occasionally provide additional benefits on their cards, these are typically restricted to their unsecured offerings.
Compare secured credit card options to find the card most suited to your spending and financial needs.
