Nowadays, there is a need for an online payment method or cashless method of transactions to make daily life easy. Debit and credit cards are such payment networks that you can carry and use it for daily chores like shopping, paying bills, travel, or other purchases. But, before you apply for credit card, you should research through different options from various banks to choose the right one. You might want to go for a bank that offers many perks and advantages on their credit card. Hence, one should have a basic knowledge of different card networks available in India.

There are five types of credit cards currently active in India and are commonly used. They are Visa, Mastercard, RuPay, Discover, and American express. Each of these has its own features and benefits that one can avail.

They are:

1. Visa:

Visa is the most beneficial card payment network throughout the world. You can often see credit cards and debit cards marked with Visa. But, Visa isn’t the company that issues cards or decides the expenses and terms and conditions of the cards. It just helps in electronic fund transfers that are made using the cards.

Visa-marked charge cards can be availed in 5 different kinds:

• Visa Classic

• Visa Gold

• Visa Platinum

• Visa Signature

• Visa Infinite

2. Mastercard:

Mastercard is another card payment system dominating around half of the market, barring China. It is used widely across the globe, covering a larger number of nations than Visa. Mastercard, similar to Visa, it does not process cards or expenses on them. It is just a medium for the transaction between the banks and their customers. Mastercard-marked charge cards offer advantages like:

1. • Local and global experiences

   • Lounge access

   • Contactless payments

Mastercard has three kinds of variants:

• Standard Credit Cards

• Platinum Mastercard

• World Mastercard

3. RuPay
   The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) launched RuPay, which is an India based card payment network. It encourages electronic payments quickly at a domestic level covering all banks. RuPay has additionally partnered up with Discover to expand its administrations and usage at the global level. RuPay marked credit cards also provide various benefits in

• Shopping

• Travel and

• Retail purchases.

RuPay offers charge card have the following variants:

• RuPay Select

• RuPay Platinum

• RuPay Classic

4. American Express

In contrast to the three payment networks mentioned above, American Express is a payment network that issues cards as well. It offers credit cards and debit cards in India, and furthermore is a payment network for various banks.

Some of the American Express credit cards available in India are:

• American Express Platinum Reserve Credit Card

• American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card

• American Express Platinum Travel Credit Card

5. Discover

This payment network also runs Discover bank, which is not established in India. It offers benefits through Pulse Networks and Diners Club International. In India, you’ll find Discover-branded cards in partnership with HDFC Bank and Diners Club International. You can make transactions globally through this network of payment.

Some well-known Diners Club credit cards available in India are:

• HDFC Bank Diners Club Premium Credit Card

• HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Credit Card

• HDFC Bank Diners Clubmiles Credit Card

• HDFC Bank Diners Club Rewardz Credit Card

All the above-mentioned card payment networks are available and accepted worldwide except the RuPay. Based on your region and the benefits you want, you can choose the proper credit card you want and apply for it.