Amex vs Visa and Mastercard Credit Cards: What's the difference?

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When deciding on a new credit card, you might be more interested in the name of the institution than the card issuer, but choosing between Amex and Visa or Mastercard can make a lot of difference.

In general, Amex tends to offer better rewards than many Visa or Mastercard credit cards. However, they aren't accepted in as many places worldwide.

American Express cards often come with higher rewards points per dollar spent but may not be as widely accepted as Visa cards.
Visa cards are accepted at more locations worldwide and tend to have lower fees compared to American Express.
Amex cards usually offer premium perks like travel insurance and concierge services, while Visa cards are more likely to have lower interest rates and annual fees.

Our expert says

"My first credit card in Australia was an Amex. It had a great earn rate, but there were numerous places that surcharged or didn't accept it. In the end, I switched to a Visa and it is more widely accepted and less widely surcharged, although it doesn't earn points as quickly. My debit card is a Mastercard and I haven't encountered many places which accept Visa but don't accept Mastercard, so it is much of a muchness to me."

Taylor Blackburn

Money expert

Things to consider when comparing American Express, Mastercard and Visa credit cards

Points earning, capping and expiry. Compare rewards features to ensure your points don't run out before you use them or you're limited in how much you can earn.
Annual fee. Each card issuer has varying annual fees on different cards, from no annual fees to $500 per year. Some cards will also have introductory offers.
Interest rates. Amex, Visa and Mastercard will offer various low rate cards, but you should balance these against their annual fee.
Customer service. Visa and Mastercard offer concierge services to support some of their customers. Take a look at what else they offer.
Complimentary insurance. All 3 card issuers offer benefits like complimentary insurance and extended warranty. However, it’s important to understand the terms and conditions before you apply.

Which card is most widely accepted?

Many retailers will not accept Amex-issued credit cards, thanks to higher merchant fees. While all card issuers will charge fees as part of the cost of moving money between banks, Amex charges considerably more. Many retailers will add a higher surcharge to Amex users, but many others simply won't accept the credit cards.

Visa and Mastercard, on the other hand, are generally accepted worldwide anywhere you can use a credit card to pay for something.

How to compare Amex, Visa and Mastercard

Feature	Amex card	Visa / Mastercard
Rewards	Higher earn rate and more bonus points	Lower earn rate
Fees	Higher than average	Average
Interest rate	Higher than average	Average
Surcharges	More common and higher than Visa	Lower than American Express
Eligibility criteria	Stricter than the average Visa	Varies widely by bank
Acceptance	Less widely accepted	Accepted pretty much worldwide
Other	Often a status symbol	Many card options available

Can you get a virtual/digital card?

Loading your credit card onto your mobile wallet depends on the financial institution and type of card, rather than the card issuer. American Express cards are generally accepted on Apple Pay, Google Pay and Samsung Pay.

Most Visa and Mastercard credit cards are accepted on at least 1 of the 3 options, but you need to check with each credit card provider.

Some credit card providers will also provide virtual credit cards as soon as your credit card application has been approved, so that you can begin spending straight away without waiting for a physical card.

Compare Amex, Visa and Mastercard credit cards

Name	Bonus points	Points per $ spent	Purchase rate p.a.	Annual fee
Qantas American Express Ultimate Card Qantas Frequent Flyer	Bonus points 50,000	Points per $ spent 1.25	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Annual fee $450	Go to site More Info Compare	Get a yearly $450 Travel Credit and 50,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
American Express Explorer Credit Card Membership Rewards	Bonus points 50,000	Points per $ spent 2	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Annual fee $395	Go to site More Info Compare	Get 50,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points and spend $4,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
American Express Essential Rewards Credit Card Membership Rewards	Bonus points 80,000	Points per $ spent 1	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Annual fee $108	Go to site More Info Compare	Offers up to 80,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points (20,000 points each month when you spend at least $1,000 on eligible purchases within the first 120 days). Ends 15 October 2024.
American Express Qantas Business Rewards Card Qantas Business Rewards	Bonus points 130,000	Points per $ spent 1.25	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $450	Go to site More Info Compare	(ABN holders w/ $75k revenue). Earn 130,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 2 months.
American Express Velocity Business Card Velocity Frequent Flyer	Bonus points 150,000	Points per $ spent 1	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $249	Go to site More Info Compare	ABN holders w/ $75,000 revenue. Get 150,000 bonus Velocity Points when you spend $5,000 in the first 2 months. Plus, a $250 Virgin Australia Business Flyer Travel Bank credit.
American Express Platinum Business Card Finder Award Membership Rewards Ascent Premium	Bonus points 350,000	Points per $ spent 2.25	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $1,750	Go to site More Info Compare	ABN holders w/ $75,000 revenue. Get 350,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $12,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
American Express Platinum Card Membership Rewards Ascent Premium	Bonus points 150,000	Points per $ spent 2.25	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $1,450	Go to site More Info Compare	Earn 150,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $5,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, a $450 Travel Credit each year.
American Express Business Gold Plus Card Membership Rewards Ascent	Bonus points 150,000	Points per $ spent 1.5	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $395	Go to site More Info Compare	ABN holders w/ $75,000 revenue. Get 150,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $5,000 within the first 3 months. Plus, earn up to 3 points per $1 spent at Xero, Google Ads, Meta, Amazon Web Services and Dell.
American Express Qantas Corporate Card Membership Rewards Spirit	Bonus points 50,000	Points per $ spent 1.5	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $70	More Info Compare	Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $10,000 in the first 2 months. Plus, triple Qantas Points on eligible business flights.
American Express Platinum Edge Credit Card Membership Rewards	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent 1	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Annual fee $0 first year ($195 after)	More Info Compare	Save with a $0 annual fee in the first year. Plus, $200 Travel Credit every year.
Qantas American Express Premium Card Qantas Frequent Flyer	Bonus points 20,000	Points per $ spent 1	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Annual fee $249	More Info Compare	Get 20,000 bonus Qantas Points and 2 complimentary Qantas Club lounge invitations per year, plus complimentary travel insurance.
American Express Low Rate Credit Card Finder Award	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent N/A	Purchase rate p.a. 10.99%	Annual fee $0	More Info Compare	Offers a low ongoing interest rate of 10.99% p.a. and a $0 annual fee. Plus, complimentary purchase cover.
Qantas American Express Discovery Card Qantas Frequent Flyer	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent 0.75	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Annual fee $0	More Info Compare	Earn uncapped Qantas Points per $1 spent, plus a $0 annual fee.
American Express Business Explorer Credit Card Membership Rewards Gateway	Bonus points 50,000	Points per $ spent 2	Purchase rate p.a. 23.99%	Annual fee $149	More Info Compare	ABN holders w/ $75,000 revenue. Get 50,000 Bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months and earn up to 2 points on eligible business spending.
American Express Qantas Corporate Platinum Card Membership Rewards Spirit	Bonus points 350,000	Points per $ spent 2	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $1,200	More Info Compare	Get 350,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $25,000 in the first 2 months. Plus, 3x Qantas Points for eligible business flights and complimentary lounge passes.
American Express Corporate Gold Card Membership Rewards Ascent	Bonus points 75,000	Points per $ spent 1.5	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $105	More Info Compare	Earn 75,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend $10,000 on eligible purchases on your new card in the first 2 months from card approval.
American Express Qantas Corporate Gold Card Membership Rewards	Bonus points 75,000	Points per $ spent 1.5	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $105	More Info Compare	Get 75,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $10,000 in the first 2 months. Plus, earn 1.5 Membership Rewards points per $1 on most corporate spend and triple Qantas Points on eligible business flights.
American Express Corporate Platinum Card Membership Rewards Ascent	Bonus points 350,000	Points per $ spent 2	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $800	More Info Compare	Receive 350,000 bonus Membership Rewards Points when you spend $25,000 in the first 2 months.
American Express Corporate Card Membership Rewards Ascent	Bonus points 50,000	Points per $ spent 1.5	Purchase rate p.a. 0%	Annual fee $70	More Info Compare	Earn 50,000 Membership Rewards Bonus Points when you spend $10,000 in the first 2 months.

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Name	Purchase rate p.a.	Annual fee	Balance transfer rate p.a.	Amount Saved
Kogan Money Card – Exclusive Offer Exclusive Kogan Rewards Program	Purchase rate p.a. 9.99% for 18 months, then 21.99%	Annual fee $0	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 18 months with 1% balance transfer fee, then 22.74%	Amount saved $1,335.99 over 18 months	Go to site More Info Compare	Save with 0% p.a. interest on balance transfers (with a 1% BT fee) and 9.99% p.a. on purchases, both for 18 months, plus, an ongoing $0 annual fee.
St.George Vertigo Card	Purchase rate p.a. 13.99%	Annual fee $55	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0.99% for 28 months with 0% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Amount saved $1,700.06 over 28 months	Go to site More Info Compare	Get a 0.99% p.a. interest rate on balance transfers for 28 months (with no balance transfer fee).
NAB Low Rate Credit Card	Purchase rate p.a. 13.49%	Annual fee $0 first year ($59 after)	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 28 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.74%	Amount saved $1,768.59 over 28 months	Go to site More Info Compare	Get a 0% p.a. interest rate on balance transfers for the first 28 months (with a 2% BT fee). Plus, save with a $0 first-year annual fee.
ANZ Rewards Black Credit Card Finder Award ANZ Rewards Program	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Annual fee $375	Balance transfer rate p.a. 21.99%		Go to site More Info Compare	Get 180,000 bonus ANZ Reward Points (worth $800+ in digital gift cards) and $150 back when you spend $3,000 in the first 3 months.
St.George Vertigo Card - Cashback Offer	Purchase rate p.a. 13.99%	Annual fee $55	Balance transfer rate p.a. 6.99% for 12 months with 0% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Amount saved $562.66 over 12 months	Go to site More Info Compare	Get up to $500 cashback at eligible supermarkets and petrol stations in the first 180 days. Plus, a low interest rate for purchases.
ANZ Low Rate - Credit Back Offer	Purchase rate p.a. 13.74%	Annual fee $58	Balance transfer rate p.a. 21.99%		Go to site More Info Compare	Get $250 back on your card when you spend $1,500 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.
ANZ Qantas Business Rewards Qantas Business Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 20.24%	Annual fee $375	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		Go to site More Info Compare	ABN holders w/ $75k revenue. Get 130,000 bonus Qantas Points when you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months. Plus, a fast-track to Qantas Business Rewards Level 2.
St.George Amplify Signature Amplify Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Annual fee $199 first year ($295 after)	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A		Go to site More Info Compare	150,000 bonus Amplify Points (worth $675 in gift cards) when you spend $12,000 in the first 12 months. Plus, a first-year annual fee discount.
NAB Rewards Platinum Card – Velocity Points Velocity Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Annual fee $95 first year ($195 after)	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 3% balance transfer fee, then 21.74%	Amount saved $832.32 over 12 months	Go to site More Info Compare	Get up to 80,000 bonus Velocity Points: 60,000 points when you spend $1,000 in the first 60 days and 20,000 after 12 months.
ANZ Rewards Platinum ANZ Rewards Program	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Annual fee $149	Balance transfer rate p.a. 21.99%		Go to site More Info Compare	Get 100,000 bonus ANZ Reward Points (worth $440 in eGift cards) and $50 back when you spend $2,000 on eligible purchases in the first 3 months.

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Name	Purchase rate p.a.	Bonus points	Points per $ spent	Interest-free period	Balance transfer rate p.a.	Annual fee
Westpac Low Rate Card	Purchase rate p.a. 13.74%	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent N/A	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 26 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Annual fee $59	Go to site More Info Compare	Save with a 0% p.a. interest rate on balance transfers for 26 months (with a 2% BT fee). Plus, a low 13.74% p.a. purchase interest rate.
Qantas Premier Platinum Qantas Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 19.99%	Bonus points 100,000	Points per $ spent 1	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Annual fee $349 first year ($399 after)	Go to site More Info Compare	Earn up to 100,000 bonus Qantas Points. Plus, save with a reduced first-year annual fee and 0% p.a. for 12 months on balance transfers, with a 2% BT fee.
Westpac Low Rate Card - Cashback Offer	Purchase rate p.a. 13.74%	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent N/A	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $59	Go to site More Info Compare	A no-frills card offering up to $350 cashback: $50 each month you make at least $1,000 of eligible purchases for the first 7 months.
Westpac Altitude Platinum Card Westpac Altitude Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Bonus points 120,000	Points per $ spent 1	Interest-free period Up to 45 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $49 first year ($175 after)	Go to site More Info Compare	Up to 120,000 bonus Altitude Points (90,000 points in year 1 when you spend $3,000 in the first 90 days & 30,000 points after the first spend in year 2).
Qantas Premier Everyday Qantas Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 19.99%	Bonus points 8,000	Points per $ spent 0.75	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 12 months with 2% balance transfer fee, then 21.99%	Annual fee $99	Go to site More Info Compare	Get 2 bonus Qantas Points per $1 spent on eligible purchases in the first 4 months (up to 8,000 points), plus complimentary insurance.
Westpac Altitude Qantas Black Qantas Frequent Flyer	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Bonus points 120,000	Points per $ spent 0.75	Interest-free period Up to 45 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $370	Go to site More Info Compare	Up to 120,000 bonus Qantas Points (90,000 points in year 1 when you spend $6,000 in the first 120 days & 30,000 points after the first spend in year 2).
Westpac Low Fee Card	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent N/A	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $0 first year ($30 after)	Go to site More Info Compare	Offers up to 55 days interest-free and $0 annual fee for the first year and in the subsequent years when you meet the spend requirement. Plus, up to $200 cashback.
Westpac Altitude Rewards Black Westpac Altitude Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 20.99%	Bonus points 150,000	Points per $ spent 1.25	Interest-free period Up to 45 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $150 first year ($295 after)	Go to site More Info Compare	Earn up to 150,000 bonus Altitude Rewards Points (100,000 points in year 1 when you spend $6,000 in the first 120 days and 50,000 in year 2).
Coles No Annual Fee Mastercard Flybuys	Purchase rate p.a. 20.74%	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent 0.5	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. 0% for 9 months with 1.5% balance transfer fee, then 20.74%	Annual fee $0	Go to site More Info Compare	Save with an ongoing $0 annual fee and 0% interest on balance transfers for the first 9 months (with a one-time 1.5% BT fee).
Latitude 28° Global Platinum Mastercard - Rewards Offer Latitude Rewards	Purchase rate p.a. 27.99%	Bonus points N/A	Points per $ spent N/A	Interest-free period Up to 55 days on purchases	Balance transfer rate p.a. N/A	Annual fee $96	Go to site More Info Compare	Get $200 bonus Latitude Rewards when you spend $2,000 or more on eligible transactions every statement period in the first 3 months from approval. Offer ends 31 December 2024.

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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Moira Daniels as part of our fact-checking process.

Written by

Rebecca Pike

Senior writer

Rebecca Pike is Finder's senior writer for money. She joined Finder after almost four years writing for business publications in the mortgage and finance industry, including three years as editor of Mortgage Professional Australia. She regularly appears as a money expert on programs like Sunrise and Today, as well as across radio and newspapers. She also holds ASIC-recognised certifications in Tier 1 Generic Knowledge and Tier 2 General Advice Deposit Products. See full bio

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Rebecca has written 195 Finder guides across topics including:

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