Credit cards have long been a standard accessory in US' handbags and wallets. Over time, four common types of credit cards have become established, all of which offer different payment options and acceptance rates in retail.

Which type of credit card you ultimately choose does not depend solely on the purpose. Because by no means everyone gets the "true" credit card, where the balance is not regularly cleared. For this purpose, there are other variants from different banks, some of which are free of charge.

Inexpensive credit cards for every occasion

• Conveniently withdraw money free of charge worldwide: 1-Plus-Card (Santander), DKB-Visa
• Withdraw money free of charge in the US zone: Consorsbank, ING-DiBa, Barclaycard
• For minors: DKB-Visa, Commerzbank (Mastercard and Visa), Comdirect (Visa)
• With bad SCHUFA: Fidor Bank (Mastercard), o2 (Mastercard)

How to find the right credit card

The question of which type of credit card best suits you and your purchasing behavior cannot be answered unequivocally. There are many different variants on the market, with different advantages and disadvantages. In USA, there are credit cards from three providers: MasterCard and Visa are issued by banks in cooperation with card organizations, American Express directly by the companies. If you are looking for the most favorable offer, you cannot avoid a credit card comparison.

Often the card is also issued in connection with the current account, some banks offer in this case the credit card free of charge. In addition to the issuer, however, there are other criteria that can help you choose.

How to get a credit card for free

In addition to paid credit cards, many banks offer credit cards for free. Among them are, for example, the following VISA and MasterCard credit cards:

• Advanzia Bank Fee-free Mastercard GOLD
• Barclaycard Barclaycard Visa
• ICS Cards Visa World Card
• Hanseatic Bank GenialCard
• Advanzia Bank payVIP Mastercard GOLD

Start our free credit card comparison now and find the right free credit card for you.

For frequent users / use abroad: credit card with additional services

Cards with additional services often have a higher annual fee. It accrues regardless of usage and, depending on the card product, can amount to a high double-digit or low triple-digit amount in dollar. What you have to consider here, however, is the underlying range of insurance and convenience services. In many cases, trips or flight bookings paid for with the corresponding credit card are insured. Be it with a travel cancellation insurance or a foreign travel health insurance. In addition, many companies work with selected tour operators and offer their own travel packages at special rates. All this can, but does not have to be used by you.

For frequent users of the credit card much rather decisive is the amount of the transaction fees. Here again, the question arises whether you tend to travel in the US zone (US currency) or worldwide. Because every credit card company has different conversion rates in foreign currencies, also there is such a thing as foreign transaction fees. So it can sometimes make sense to pay in dollar anyway or to withdraw cash from the ATM - precisely because the conversion rate would have been the worse alternative in the other case.

For low users: prepaid cards

If you are a low-volume user, we recommend a credit card with no annual fee - this way you avoid ongoing costs and only pay when you use the card: prepaid credit cards work on this principle. With these, there are often only one-time activation fees or marginal annual fees. In return, the cards tend to be in the lower third in terms of transaction fees, so they tend to be more expensive for you as a user.

However, the difference to the usual annual card fees is still large, so you end up with a lower price. In addition, this type of card simply has the advantage of absolute cost control and thus also the reduced risk of card misuse.

Additional services, such as resale insurance, are usually not part of a prepaid credit card.

For thoughtful cardholders: revolving cards

Are you one of those people who only use bridging finance in an absolute emergency? For this case there is the revolving card, where immediately the respective amount is balanced again by you as cardholder. In principle similar to an EC or giro card, but accepted many times more frequently in a worldwide comparison.

You often benefit from low annual fees. At the same time, however, the debit interest rates are correspondingly high if, contrary to expectations, it should be necessary to take out a loan.

For online shoppers: virtual credit cards

Usually a prepaid card that consists only of the data needed to make purchases by phone and Internet. Physically, the card does not exist. This type of card is particularly practical for online shopping abroad: merchants there usually only accept card payments. Before taking out a prepaid credit card, you as the cardholder should find out about all the fees that apply.

Credit cards can also be individualized

The variety of credit cards in USA is not least due to the fact that the giro card (EC card) continues to enjoy enormous acceptance among people and in the retail sector. This has allowed variants such as the prepaid credit card to emerge, as well as charge cards that are regularly balanced. US pay with what they have. And if he lacks it, he simply limits himself.

Nevertheless, there are a number of extras that are now also of interest to the general public: In the case of daily charge cards, interest on credit balances is one of the standards. Many cards are also linked to certain customer loyalty programs. Every purchase or turnover is additionally converted into bonus points or discounts.

Last but not least, credit cards can be easily customized visually. A wide range of designs can be chosen, and in some cases even the customer's own motifs. This has less of a practical purpose than primarily using the card itself as a status symbol. Because that was and is defined primarily by insurance and services. The golden credit card thus has less to say about the credit limit or other "financial strength" of the holder, but often impresses with its range of insurances. Undoubtedly, there are also policies here that you would never use at all, or only in an emergency.