That difference alone can impact your experience as a credit card user because it will affect your card’s acceptance, benefits, and other features.

What’s the Difference Between American Express and Visa?

While American Express is a card issuer, Visa doesn’t issue its own credit cards.

Payment Network

Credit card payment networks facilitate transactions between merchants and credit card issuers. So instead of a merchant accepting credit cards based on the institutions that issue them, they accept based on the payment network. American Express functions as a card issuer and a payment network, while Visa is a payment network only. 

Market Share

American Express primarily functions as a payment network for its own credit cards, though there are other card issuers that offer Amex-branded cards. In contrast, Visa partners with many credit card issuers, and processes the payments made by those cards.  As a result, Visa has a much larger share of the payments processing market than American Express. According to Nilson Report, Visa processed 52.9% of total dollar volume across all U.S. credit cards during the first quarter of 2021. American Express processed just 19.4% of the total dollar volume.

Acceptance by Merchants

In the U.S., both American Express and Visa are widely accepted by merchants, though roughly 100,000 more merchants accept Visa credit cards than Amex. International acceptance is a different story, however. If you’re planning to travel abroad, it’s better to have a Visa than an American Express. According to the latest figures, Amex is accepted at only 62% of the number of places that take Visa worldwide.

Qualifying Requirements

As a card issuer, American Express generally requires you have good or excellent credit to get approved. Other card issuers may vary, though. For example, the Credit One Bank American Express Card is available to borrowers with average credit. In contrast, credit score requirements for a Visa card can range from poor to excellent, depending on the card issuer and the credit card. For example, you could apply for the Credit One Bank Unsecured Visa if you’re looking to build or rebuild your credit history or the Chase Sapphire Reserve if your credit score is in excellent shape.

Card Benefits

Credit card benefits can also vary by credit card. Visa offers three tiers, including Visa Traditional, Visa Signature, and Visa Infinite, each with its own set of perks. Common retail perks:

Extended WarrantyPurchase Protection Return ProtectionCellphone Protection

Common travel benefits:

Baggage Loss InsuranceCar Rental Loss and Damage InsuranceTrip Delay InsuranceTrip Cancellation InsuranceTrip Interruption InsuranceGlobal Assist Hotline

Coverage levels are also based on the Amex card type. For instance, if you have the Platinum Card from American Express, you qualify for trip delay insurance up to $500 per trip (maximum two claims per eligible card) vs. $300 for those with an American Express Gold Card.

Which Is Right for You?

There’s no single best credit card out there for everyone, so it’s important to consider your situation and preferences to determine whether it makes sense to choose Amex or Visa. In general, it’s best to focus more on the card’s APR, rewards program, and benefits instead of its payment network, especially if you do most of your spending in the U.S. If you travel abroad, however, it’s typically better to have a Visa credit card. You’ll also want to consider the credit score requirements of each card you consider. Because American Express generally requires good to excellent credit, a Visa card may be more accessible if your credit score is less than stellar.

A Best-of-Both-Worlds Option

It’s not necessary to limit yourself to choosing one option over the other. If you like the idea of maximizing rewards and benefits from multiple cards, it may make sense to have both an American Express and a Visa credit card.

The Bottom Line

In a lot of ways, American Express and Visa are very different. While American Express functions as both a card issuer and a payment network, Visa only processes credit card transactions.  But when it comes to the types of credit cards that are available and their acceptance—especially abroad—Visa will generally give you a wider selection of options. If you’re considering a new credit card, shop around and compare several cards to find the right one for you. And if you want to enjoy the best of both worlds with Visa and American Express, consider using multiple cards to get the most value out of each.