A survey of credit cards

Credit cards

A credit card is a payment card connected to a card account, to which all transactions made with the card are posted over a given period of time. The combined amount owed is then charged to the holder, typically in the form of a monthly invoice. The cardholder is then free to decide how much of the card balance (beyond a predetermined minimum amount) to pay down. The cardholder is charged interest and/or financing fees on any remaining debit balance. Credit card companies include MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Diners Club. Their cards are issued in Switzerland by banks or local credit card organizations, such as Viseca Card Services.

Payment/debit cards

Unlike credit cards, payment and debit cards debit the amount billed immediately following a transaction from the holder's account, to which they are directly linked. They can be used at all national and international ATMs and require a PIN. Payment and debit cards include Maestro and the Postcard.

Prepaid cards

Unlike credit cards, prepaid cards do not constitute a line of credit; rather, they are worth only the amount paid onto them as a balance. Otherwise they operate the same way as credit cards. Prepaid cards can be used to make purchases on the internet, to make cashless payments around the world, and to withdraw cash at ATMs and from bank tellers. Swiss prepaid cards can be loaded with Swiss francs, euros and US dollars and require a PIN and/or a CVC. Payment transactions are exclusively electronic. Prepaid cards include MasterCard Prepaid and Visa Electron.

Charge cards

Charge cards are credit cards with monthly statement and settlement. They are payment cards for a card account to which ongoing transactions are posted over a given period of time, and then charged as a combined amount to the holder, typically in the form of a monthly invoice. Unlike credit cards, charge cards oblige their holder to pay down the entire debit balance for a given statement period.

Bank account cards

Bank account cards are for use exclusively at ATMs operated by the issuing bank. Depending on the issuer, they may entitle their holder to special services. They are issued by a range of banks and require a PIN.

Customer cards

Customer cards are issued by department stores, petrol companies and car rental firms as part of their customer retention campaigns. Customers can use the card to obtain additional or discounted goods and services. Customer cards are often coupled with a points programme also run by the issuer. They occasionally require a PIN and are valid internationally.
 

Follow the link below to determine which of Viseca’s credit or PrePaid cards is right for you. More...