If the “credit card” is not accepted, it could be a debit card. Both look almost the same but have different functions.
The most important thing in brief:
- Many banks issue debit cards free of charge with your current account. Credit cards usually cost extra.
- When paying with a debit card, the account is charged directly, while payments with a credit card are billed once a month.
- Credit cards are more widely accepted abroad than debit cards.
This is especially true on vacation Credit card asked as a means of payment. Hardly any hotel booking or car rental works without the small plastic card. For example, you can use it to pay a cashless deposit to cover possible damage to your room or rental car. But the supposed credit card is not always accepted for payment. Then it is probably one Debit cardwhich looks almost exactly like a classic credit card, but does not offer the same functions.
How do I know what type of card I have?
The two plastic cards look very similar: both the credit card and debit card have a total of 16 digits in groups of four, the period of validity and the name of the card holder. The so-called check digit and the signature field on the back are also present on the different types of cards (usually only on credit cards, rarely on debit cards). Only that small imprint “Debit” or “Credit” shows the difference externally. Depending on the credit institution, the lettering can be found on the front or back of the card.
How do the functions of credit and debit cards differ?
The debit card is similar to the checking cards common in Germany, because when you make a payment, the account assigned to the debit card is used charged immediately. With the “classic” credit card, however, the bank grants you a credit limit and the payments are only debited from the account at a later date and collected in batches at the end of the month.
What are the possible advantages or disadvantages of a debit card compared to a credit card?
It's not just pure online banks that now often offer this The debit card is free of charge as an addition to the current account to. The Credit card, however, costs extra. In addition, by debiting the account immediately, you usually have better control over costs. Since the card is available from some banks without an additional credit check, the convenient method of payment can also lead to your own financial limits being overestimated. Debit cards are usually accepted without any problems when making online purchases. On vacation, however, problems can arise. If you have one, it is better to take a real credit card with you when making a deposit for hotel or rental car bookings.
