If you are thinking about obtaining a credit card you should consider four primary factors: (1) interest rate; (2) fees; (3) credit line; and (4) rewards. These four factors are not the only criteria you should consider (for example, you could also consider customer service, reputation, acceptability, and ease of payment, to name a few), but should any one of these four primary factors be under average, you should not obtain that credit card.
In a nutshell, you want to obtain a credit card with a low, fixed interest rate, no annual fee, a credit line of at least $1,000, and, preferably, a rewards program of some kind. All of these factors will depend on your current credit situation. If you have a high credit score and a clean credit report, obtaining these things will not be difficult. If, however, the opposite is true, getting low rates, no fees, a high credit limit, and a rewards program will not be easy.
One of the more common credit card brands is MasterCard. MasterCard is widely used and widely accepted throughout the world. As such, MasterCard may be a good place to start your credit card search. Keep in mind that MasterCard partners will many banks and lending institutions throughout the world. As such, just because a credit card has the MasterCard symbol on it does not mean that such credit card will have better rates or fees than will a card without the MasterCard symbol. However, because MasterCard is so common and is such a large company, there are more choices and therefore, there is a greater chance of you finding a great credit card through MasterCard than through a less popular or less well known company.
The best place to start your search is on MasterCard’s website (www.mastercard.com). By starting at MasterCard’s website, you will be able to analyze most of the credit cards that MasterCard offers. By seeing side-by-side comparisons, it will be easier for you to make a wise credit decision.
All in all, MasterCard is a strong company that provides its cardholders with many credit card options, services, and acceptance locations. However, Visa and American Express can make the same claim. As between these three companies, there is not some big, glaring difference that would cause one company to be largely superior to the others. As such, choosing between these three companies should come down to personal choice. If you have had good customer service with institutions that use MasterCard, maybe stick with MasterCard. If, however, your MasterCard has not provided you with the service and support you have come to expect from a large credit granting institution, maybe you should explore your options with other institutions.
The point is, do not get hung up on name. If you find a credit card that is exceptional in each of the four main factors discussed above but such a credit card is from Visa, American Express, Discover, or some other large company, obtain it. Do not refuse a great credit card simply because the MasterCard logo is not affixed in the lower right-hand corner. Obtain a credit card based upon what it offers you and not based upon who offers it.