American Express is a card issuer offering premium rewards and benefits for high-credit consumers in the U.S., while Mastercard is a payment network used by multiple card issuers globally. American Express excels for travel rewards and cashback, whereas Mastercard provides broader acceptance and more diverse card options across all credit tiers.
American Express vs Mastercard — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Luxury-focused credit card and financial services company known for premium rewards, concierge services, and exclusive benefits.
Global payment network accepted at 190+ million merchants in 210+ countries.
Business Model. Global Acceptance. Credit Requirements. Rewards Focus. Annual Fees. Merchant Fees. Consumer Protection. Market Reach
American Express is superior for affluent U.S. consumers prioritizing travel rewards, premium benefits, and cashback redemption, while Mastercard is the better choice for global travelers, diverse credit profiles, and universal merchant acceptance. Your choice depends on whether you value premium perks (Amex) or worldwide accessibility and flexibility (Mastercard).
American Express: 190+ | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: $30.2B | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: $95-$695 | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: $0 liability 24/7 | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: Issuer + Network | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: Direct dedicated support | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: Standardized across cards | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: ~94% | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 9 million locations | Mastercard: 40+ million locations
American Express: $550 | Mastercard: $95-$195
American Express: 3.0% | Mastercard: 1.9%
American Express: 750+ | Mastercard: 600+
American Express: Comprehensive (Premium Cards) | Mastercard: Varies by Issuer
American Express: $175B | Mastercard: $37B (Growth)
American Express: 1.5%-6% | Mastercard: 0.5%-5% (varies)
American Express: 30-60 days | Mastercard: 30-90 days
American Express: Strong U.S. + Growing International | Mastercard: 190+ Countries Worldwide
American Express: 0.30-0.50% Higher | Mastercard: Industry Standard Baseline
12-Month Merchant Acceptance Growth Rate
American Express: 16% Year-over-Year Growth | Mastercard: Stable Mature Network
American Express: Good to Excellent (650+) | Mastercard: All Credit Levels (550+)
Small Business Merchant Program Threshold
American Express: OptBlue Program (<$1M) | Mastercard: Universal Program (Scalable)
American Express: Premium Exclusive Benefits | Mastercard: Standard Issuer-Dependent
American Express: 5x Expansion (2017-2025) | Mastercard: Steady Mature Expansion
American Express: Established Fee Model | Mastercard: Sweeping Fee Changes Implemented
American Express: 150+ countries | Mastercard: 190+ countries
American Express: Good to Excellent (670+) | Mastercard: Fair to Excellent (580+)
American Express: 5X points | Mastercard: 3X points
American Express: $0 liability | Mastercard: $0 liability
American Express: 90 days | Mastercard: 120 days
American Express: $600 annually | Mastercard: $200 annually
American Express: 24/7 Real-Time Alerts | Mastercard: EMV 3DS 2.0 + Advanced Encryption
American Express: Amex Intelligence Dashboard | Mastercard: Mastercard Send API + Platform
American Express: ~12 million merchants | Mastercard: 190 million merchants
American Express: 120+ countries | Mastercard: 150+ countries
Typical Merchant Discount Rate - Standard
American Express: 2.5-3.5% OptBlue | Mastercard: 1.5-3.5%
American Express: 670+ (good credit minimum) | Mastercard: 580-620 (fair credit available)
American Express: 3.5%+ Amex Direct | Mastercard: 2.5-3.5%
American Express: AES GCM (March 2026 release) | Mastercard: AES-256 (industry standard)
American Express: 95% of US merchants, 60%+ internationally | Mastercard: 98% of US merchants, 85%+ internationally
American Express: $450 | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 17.49%-23.49% | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 195 countries | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: $0 (zero liability) | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 6+ types (trip cancellation, delay, baggage, loss of passport, emergency medical, evacuation) | Mastercard: N/A
Minimum Annual Spending for Elite Status
American Express: $35,000 | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: $695 | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 1% (Platinum points) | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 4-6x (category dependent) | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 94% (Amex network) | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 500+ lounges (premium cards) | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: $550 | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: $250,000 | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 100+ | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: $10,000 | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 170+ years (founded 1850) | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: $695 (Centurion Black) | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 1.0% | Mastercard: N/A
Top-Tier Card Rewards Rate (Select Category)
American Express: 5% (dining) | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: 740+ | Mastercard: N/A
Customer Satisfaction Score (J.D. Power 2024)
American Express: 86/100 | Mastercard: N/A
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: 98%+
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: 1.43-2.4%
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: Standard rates only
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: B2B program expansion ongoing
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: Sweeping changes throughout 2025-2026
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: Comparable pricing
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: Mass-market cardholder base
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: 180 days
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: 210+ countries
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: 0% (issuer-dependent)
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: $0-$500+ (varies)
American Express: N/A | Mastercard: $0 liability
How to choose between American Express and Mastercard
American Express vs Mastercard — Structured Comparison Data
Machine-readable comparison dataset for American Express vs Mastercard. Contains 86 attribute comparisons, 5 FAQ pairs.
American Express vs Mastercard — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for American Express vs Mastercard.
What is the main difference between American Express and Mastercard?
American Express is a closed-loop network — it issues cards directly, sets rewards and terms, and manages merchant relationships itself. Mastercard is an open-loop network that processes transactions between banks; card terms, rewards, and customer service are set by the issuing bank (Chase, Citibank, etc.), not by Mastercard.
Is American Express accepted everywhere?
In the US, AmEx is now accepted at approximately 99% of merchants that accept credit cards. Internationally, acceptance is slightly lower — particularly at smaller merchants in Europe and developing markets where Mastercard's network is broader. AmEx occasionally gets declined at grocery stores and gas stations due to higher merchant fees.
Why does American Express charge higher fees to merchants?
AmEx charges merchants a higher discount rate (typically 2.5-3.5% vs Mastercard's ~1.5-2%) because AmEx cardholders tend to spend more and AmEx funds richer rewards programs. This is part of the closed-loop model where AmEx captures more value from both sides of the transaction.
Which is better for travel rewards — AmEx or Mastercard?
American Express Membership Rewards (earned on AmEx cards) are widely considered the most versatile travel points, transferring to 20+ airline and hotel programs. However, Mastercard-branded cards from Chase (Sapphire Reserve) and Citibank also offer strong travel rewards. The best travel card depends on which specific card and issuer, not just the network.
Do I need both American Express and Mastercard?
Many experienced users carry both. A common setup: AmEx (Gold or Platinum) for dining, travel, and premium benefits; a Mastercard or Visa with no annual fee for merchants that don't accept AmEx, international travel, or everyday spend where AmEx rewards don't add up. The combination covers both premium perks and universal acceptance.
How to Choose Between American Express and Mastercard
Business Model: American Express has Card Issuer & Network, while Mastercard has Payment Network Only.
Global Acceptance: American Express has Strong in U.S., Limited Internationally, while Mastercard has Accepted Worldwide.
Credit Requirements: American Express has Good to Excellent Credit Required, while Mastercard has Options for All Credit Levels.
Rewards Focus: American Express has Travel & Premium Cashback, while Mastercard has Varied by Card Issuer.
Annual Fees: American Express has Typically $95-$550+, while Mastercard has Varies by Card Issuer.
Merchant Fees: American Express has Higher (2.5-3.5%), while Mastercard has Lower (1.5-2.5%).
Consumer Protection: American Express has Premium Protections & Benefits, while Mastercard has Standard Protections.
Market Reach: American Express has $175B Annual Volume (2026), while Mastercard has $37B Revenue Growth (2026).
American Express is better than Mastercard
American Express is a card issuer offering premium rewards and benefits for high-credit consumers in the U.S., while Mastercard is a payment network used by multiple card issuers globally. American Express excels for travel rewards and cashback, whereas Mastercard provides broader acceptance and mor