List of credit card companies
It's simple to see why credit cards are such a popular method of payment. They're practical for both in-person and online transactions. Credit cards also provide more consumer protection than debit cards, and many of them allow users to receive cash back, travel rewards, or other sorts of points for every dollar spent.
Whatever you like best about your beloved piece of plastic, knowing the different credit card issuers and networks is essential when selecting a new card for your wallet. This tutorial will explain what credit card networks issuers are, how they differ, and what distinguishes each one.
Is Chase Ink business Preferred worth it?
Credit card companies: issuers vs. networks
You'll notice a few prominent players when you compare credit card offers. A network and an issuer are both associated with each credit card. The network and the card issuer may be the same in some circumstances.
Credit card networks
The credit card network is the organization that assists with the processing of your transactions. When you use your credit card to make a purchase, the network is in charge of all communications between the merchant and the bank in order to complete the transaction.
In the United States, there are now four major credit card networks. These are some of them:
American Express: The world's biggest integrated payments platform is provided by this credit card network. American Express is a credit card and charge card company as well.
Discover: The Discover Global Network serves more than 270 million cardholders in more than 200 countries and territories. Discover is a credit card company as well.
Mastercard operates in over 210 nations and territories throughout the world, making Mastercard credit cards among of the most extensively recognized and used in the world.
Visa credit cards are accepted in over 200 nations and territories worldwide, and there are presently over 3.6 billion Visa cards in circulation.
The most generally accepted credit card networks in the world are Visa and Mastercard. American Express and Discover, on the other hand, have been seeking to increase their footprints.
Discover claims that its cards are currently accepted in 99 percent of credit card acceptance locations across the country. Meanwhile, according to the current Nilson survey, American Express cards are accepted at 99 percent of credit card acceptance locations across the United States.
While half of the credit card networks collaborate with other credit card issuers to offer card products, American Express and Discover are the only two that issue their own. That's why card issuers like Bank of America, Capital One, and Chase don't provide Amex or Discover cards.
Here are some examples of how several common cards are classified by network and issuer:
Credit card issuers
The bank that gives the line of credit to the consumer is known as the card issuer. In other words, when you apply for a new credit card, the card issuer is the financial entity that can approve you (or deny you).
Credit card issuers are also in charge of managing and overseeing your credit card account, and they're the ones to contact if you have a customer care question or are having problems repaying your credit card debt.
So, who are the major credit card companies? The following are the top 10 financial organizations in the United States that issue credit cards:
- American Express
Popular American Express credit cards include:
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
American Express® Gold Card
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
American Express Cash Magnet® Card*
- Bank of America
Popular Bank of America credit cards include:
Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card
Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card
Bank of America® Premium Rewards® credit card
Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card
- Barclays
Popular credit cards from this card issuer:
AAdvantage® Aviator® Red World Elite Mastercard®*
Hawaiian Airlines® World Elite Mastercard®*
Emirates Skywards World Elite Mastercard®*
JetBlue Card*
- Capital One
Popular Capital One credit cards include:
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
- Chase
Popular Chase credit cards include:
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom Flex℠
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card
- Citi
Popular Citi credit cards include:
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Citi® Double Cash Card
Citi Premier® Card
Citi Simplicity® Card
- Discover
Popular Discover credit cards include:
Discover it® Cash Back
Discover it® Miles
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Synchrony
Popular credit cards from this card issuer:
Sam’s Club® Mastercard®
PayPal Cashback Mastercard®*
Lowe’s Advantage Card*
- U.S. Bank
Popular credit cards from this card issuer:
U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
U.S. Bank Altitude® Reserve Visa Infinite® Credit Card*
U.S. Bank Business Cash Rewards World Elite™ Mastercard®*
- Wells Fargo
Popular Wells Fargo credit cards include:
Wells Fargo Reflect℠ Card
Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card
Hotels.com® Rewards Visa® Credit Card
Wells Fargo Business Secured Credit Card
Smaller credit card issuers
Aside from large financial organizations, there are a slew of smaller banks and credit unions on the market today that provide credit cards.
Credit unions
Credit unions are financial entities owned by its members rather than by stockholders. Credit unions may typically give its members better loan terms and rates, as well as better credit card offers, as a result of this. Credit cards are available from the following credit unions:
- Alliant Credit Union
- Digital Federal Credit union
- Navy Federal Credit union
- PenFed Credit Union
Smaller banks
Credit cards are also available from certain smaller regional banks, albeit the features and incentives vary greatly.
- BBVA
- Fifth Third Bank
- Goldman Sachs
- HSBC
- Huntington Bank
- PNC Bank
- USAA
- Comenity Direct
The bottom line
Whether you want a card from a big card issuer, a card issuer that also functions as a credit card network, or a smaller bank or credit union, your credit card options are abundant.