Whats the difference beetween a mastercard and a visa card?

?Additional Detailsive heard mastercard is worldwide and visa is not as much worldwide...

beatle_george1964	There is no significant difference that I was able to find. It's getting to where Visa has the edge that MasterCard once had, in as where it is accepted. I've found almost everywhere will take Visa, but I also noted, when online shopping, not many accept MasterCard. So that's one difference. Also, the APR (annual percentage rate) varies, but that all depends on when you sign up for one or the other- so there's really no difference there. Personally, I would just as soon go with the Visa, if that's where you're headed with the question, and that because it is the most widely accepted. I thought, for awhile there, that they were pretty much phasing the MasterCard out- then it made this sorta comeback. Hope this helps.
bodyguard	VISA CAN HELP YOU ALL OVER. MASTERCARD HAS LIMITATIONS. TAKE VISA. TRUST ME. I AM AN INVESTOR.
Sir Marmalade Beauville-Lobe IV	Not much. They are money transfer methods run by different companies. It is who owns the card company you sign up to that matters.
Pogo peeps	They're similar but based from different banks. They may have different interest rates, different annual fees (if any), and different benefits (you may get Air Miles or GM points). pp
dels replies	Different companies Back in time , mastercard was Access and Visa was Barclays bank.
♥gEnNa♥	the names
lisa s	N O T H I N G
kckid2	Different owners offer the same services.
Jake A	different companies
DAS	Most of the people's answers below are correct, similar cards, difference company, etc.difference numbers on the cards. Just like Other similar cards like American Express, Discover, also have different numbers on them with different benefits.Other difference of these cards, is some are credit cards, the others are charge card. Do a check on line to see the difference between the two. Also different vendor and business take certain cards.
alatoruk	2 companies doing the same thing. if i was to ask whats the difference between pizza hut and domino's pizza. they both do the same, get the idea?
ibu guru	Two different companies, very similar operations -- they are very competitive. Last I checked, Visa was more widely accepted around the world, but that can change practically month to month and not all that relevant unless you have to do a great deal of international traveling.
Alex	They are the same...
diana a	The difference is only in the name and the banks that use those cards. Some banks will use both. Some companies will accept one but not the other. They are just competitors in the credit card game and both will ruin you if you don't know how to control your spending habits while using them. --------------------------------------... http://www.bestcreditrates.net
Caffine Qween	the name
Alex D	different names and company
mathieu s	the company
Robert C	There really isn't any difference as far as mc/visa go. Its usually the bank issuing the card that makes the difference.
Anne S	both are credit cards but each is a different company offering the credit. choose the one with the lower interest rate.
DoUbLe T	A MASTERCARD STARTS WITH A NUMBER 5 AND A VISA STARTS WITH A NUMBER 4. THATS THE ONLY DIFFERENCE I KNOW... ICAN TELL YOU MORE AMERICAN EXPRESS STARTS WITH A 3 AND DISCOVER STARTS WITH A SIX.....AND EITHER ONE DEPENDS ON HOW GOOD UR CREDIT IS
hello	just read the fine print...
Animeax	Im not really sure, but i know that a visa card allow's you to get money out over seas...?!?!
ihateu	uhm... visa=a word that starts with a letter v with two syllables without the card named after a dude mastercard=a name that starts with m, a compound, 3 syllables, named after master with card at the end
Dennis P	Mastercard is credit and visa is debit...