Nowadays, a means for carrying out non-cash transactions is a plastic bank card. Any of them is tied to one or more personal accounts of the bank and is used to pay for services or goods, even in online mode.
What is the principle of plastic cards?
A plastic card payment can be made from anywhere in the world. To do this, find the appropriate terminal of the payment system. Payment follows a certain algorithm:
- First, a bank card is checked for authenticity and the availability of a sufficient amount of money on it using a processing center.
- Then funds are debited from the personal account of the card and a check is issued.
- At the end of the working day, the outlet redirects all checks to the acquirer bank. And the latter, in turn, gives the total bill for the entire set of checks to the personal number of the organization. He also sends a message about transactions using bank cards to the processing center.
- The processing center organizes the interaction between all members of the calculation, collects information about transfers using plastic cards, generates final reports and passes them to the bank.
- Based on the information received, the settlement bank writes off the necessary amount from the issuer’s account and credits it to the acquirer’s account.
- In conclusion, the credit company that issued the credit card deducts the amount of the transaction from the personal account of the cardholder, taking into account interest.
Debit and Credit Cards
By the type of storage of funds, there are debit and credit cards. Let's look at these types of bank cards:
- Debit. They recommend storing only personal money. You can pay for goods or services only if there is a sufficient amount of money in the account. Overdraft cards also exist in this category. Their plus is that if there is a shortage of funds in the personal account, it is possible to take them from the bank on credit. There are special “salary” or “student” cards that are issued to students or workers when organizing to transfer salaries or scholarships to their account. Salary plastic cards are most often debit, less often - overdraft.
- Credit. Such plastic cards store money that the bank, under the terms of the agreement, gives for use to its client. In this case, the scope of the loan is individually negotiated, sometimes the rights of the client may include settlement and withdrawal of funds, and not just storage. Usually around 50-70 days credit plastic cards allow you to use an interest-free period.
Classic and Platinum Cards
There are other types of bank cards. In their category, bank cards can be represented by both ordinary classic and “platinum” ones. If the card category is more significant, then the cost of its maintenance also rises. So, there are classic bank cards, gold, platinum and more reference “black” cards, for example, MasterCard Black Edition or Visa Black. Of course, the possession of an "elite" card underlines the high status of its owner.
It is worth noting that the higher it is on the card, the more significant privileges it can bring. So, many international systems give discounts to holders of premium cards, and financial institutions, in turn, provide special opportunities in the form of priority services, concierge services, a personal manager and much more. The range of services depends on the particular bank.
What should a credit card include?
A plastic card is not only a place to store cash.When choosing a bank and ordering a plastic card from it, you should consider a number of aspects that will help you not to make a mistake:
- The very first and most basic is the reliability of a bank that issues a plastic card. This item is especially important if you plan to purchase a debit card, because in case of negligence of a financial institution, a person will simply lose his money. The best bank card is reliable and safe to use.
- Protection of the personal account of a bank card client. The company must use all advanced technologies to protect personal data and cash on the card. A service for insurance against loss or theft of a card will be useful.
- Good service. It is worth noting that many banks in Russia still can not afford to provide customers with convenient mobile and online resources, and this makes it difficult to interact with the financial structure and use the card.
- Commission and interest rates. This also includes affiliate programs that the bank implements. For example, if you pay for purchases with a Sberbank Visa youth card, bonuses will be awarded that can be spent on “youth” entertainment. Bank partners with which you can spend bonuses are fast food restaurants, cinemas, fashion brands of clothes and sports shops. So, the best bank card is the one that offers the client many bonuses.
Visa or Mastercard
Today, the world space of card payments is represented by two largest companies - Visa International and MasterCard International. Which bank card is better: Visa or MasterCard? According to statistics, about 56% prefer to use Visa payment system, and about 24% of users prefer MasterCard. Despite these indicators, it is still advisable to use the MasterCard payment system, and here's why:
- coverage - more than 200 countries, it can be used abroad without fear of blocking or inability to withdraw funds;
- about 100 partner banks in Russia;
- 30 million points of sale that accept such cards worldwide;
- secure payment for goods over the Internet;
- Mastercard MoneySend protection;
- the presence of mini-cards, the functionality of which is in many respects similar to ordinary ones, except that they cannot be used in ATMs;
- Mastercard Rewards bonus program - paying for purchases with a Mastercard, the client receives bonus points, and in the future he can exchange them for prizes from the program catalog - currently there are more than 250 different gifts in it.
Which payment system is still preferred
Which bank card is better to choose? The best payment systems in Russia are Visa International and MasterCard International. All banks in our country support plastic cards of this format. The cards of these two companies are quite different and endowed with different functions. So, if the client does not need any frills, then you can safely take a VISA Electron, Master Card Maestro card. They do not charge for additional services, only an annual service charge of 150 rubles is assumed.
You can issue a card with additional features, such as a Sberbank Visa or MasterCard Standart card, which allows you to rent a room in a motel or hotel, quickly pay in a restaurant or rent a car. The content of these cards will cost at least 750 rubles per year.
Elite Card Segment
And, of course, there is a segment of premium cards - Gold, Platinum and Infinite, which open all the boundaries of what is possible for the client. They can be paid both in Russia and abroad. It should only be remembered that Visa International is a European payment system, and all payments are related to the euro.
Bank card for travel to Europe - Visa. And if your gaze is directed to America, then it is better to use MasterCard, the system here is tied to the dollar, and you will not lose money on a double currency exchange.
How to choose the best bank card with interest accrual?
When choosing a product with cashback, it is better not to order too high categories of cards at banks, if you can get the same percentage benefit on the classic one. It is also worth paying attention to the presence of a one percent refund on all purchases and on special categories of things. For example, the presence of a 15% refund is carried out for the weighty category “shopping”, and not for “household goods”.
In addition to the maximum payout percentage, you should carefully read all the card service conditions and the amount of commissions. Sometimes the conditions of payment directly depend on the activity of the bank's client and even the monthly balance on the personal account. And if you cannot fulfill the conditions dictated by the bank, then the benefits of using a plastic card, unfortunately, should not be expected.
The client should also remember the limits of monthly charges. This item is very important for those who spend on the card more than 60 thousand rubles a month. In order not to go beyond the boundaries of the set framework, you must either initially select high accrual limits for yourself or get advice from a bank employee on increasing the existing one.
Absolutely all plastic bank cards are identical with each other in their main function. However, credit gives its user much more options than debit. When making a choice between them, you should be aware that they are completely different in their functional capabilities.
A debit card helps the user to store and accumulate their funds, and a credit card gives the opportunity to receive funds that the user does not currently have. If we are talking about a youth card, it is better to choose a debit card. Yes, and many who care about the control of personal finances still stop at debit. The best bank card is one that suits the needs of the client.
Funds security
Today, various Internet resources provide assistance to people in calculating various parameters of their plastic cards, but when concluding an agreement with a bank, it is advisable to continue to cooperate with him. Any questions related to a personal card should be addressed only to the bank that issued it.