Which card network is accepted more places worldwide?

Mastercard is accepted at 190+ million merchants across 210+ countries, compared to Discover's 9 million merchants primarily in the US. For international travel, Mastercard offers significantly broader coverage. Discover is best for domestic US purchases where acceptance is strong but international options are limited.

Does Discover or Mastercard offer better cashback rewards?

Discover automatically provides 1% cashback on all purchases with no annual fee. Mastercard itself doesn't offer cashback at the network level—cashback depends on which bank or card issuer issues your Mastercard. Many Mastercard products offer 0% cashback, though premium cards may offer 1-3% depending on the issuer.

Which has better fraud protection and purchase guarantees?

Both offer $0 fraud liability, meaning you're protected from unauthorized charges. Mastercard provides longer purchase protection (180 days vs Discover's 120 days). Discover offers Price Match Guarantee (matches lower prices found within 90 days), while Mastercard premium cards include travel insurance and concierge services.

Is Discover accepted internationally?

Discover operates in about 200 countries but has limited merchant acceptance outside the US. While major chains like McDonald's and some airports accept Discover internationally, many smaller merchants and establishments do not. For frequent international travel, Mastercard's 190+ million merchant network provides much more reliable global coverage.

Which network has better customer service?

According to J.D. Power's 2024 study, Discover ranks higher with 92% customer satisfaction compared to Mastercard at 78%. Discover is known for 24/7 US-based customer support. However, Mastercard's customer experience varies by card issuer, as individual banks handle customer service rather than Mastercard directly.

Mastercard vs Discover

Updated June 15, 2026

Mastercard

Global payment network accepted at 190+ million merchants in 210+ countries.

International travelers, business professionals, and consumers seeking premium benefits and global acceptance.

Check Price

Discover

US-focused payment network offering 1% cashback on all purchases with no annual fees.

US-based consumers who want straightforward cashback rewards, no annual fees, and strong domestic merchant coverage.

Short Answer

Mastercard is accepted at 190+ million merchants globally with stronger international presence, while Discover offers 1% cashback on all purchases and no annual fees, making it better for US-focused consumers seeking rewards.

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

Choose Mastercard if you travel internationally, need widespread merchant acceptance, or prefer premium card options with extended benefits. Choose Discover if you primarily shop in the US, want guaranteed 1% cashback on every purchase, prefer no annual fees, and value competitive customer service ratings.

Was this verdict helpful?

Thanks — we'll use this to improve our verdicts.

Mastercard8.3

6.7Discover

Choose Mastercard if

International travelers, business professionals, and consumers seeking premium benefits and global acceptance.

Track this comparison

Get notified when prices change, new specs ship, or our verdict updates.

Triggers: price change new spec verdict update

No spam. Stop anytime.

Key Differences at a Glance

🔹

Global Merchant Acceptance: Mastercard wins (190+ million merchants vs 9 million merchants)

🔹

International Countries Accepted: Mastercard wins (210+ countries vs 200 countries)

🔹

Base Cashback Rate: Discover wins (1% on all purchases vs 0% (varies by card issuer))

See all 7 differences

Key Facts & Figures

Metric	Mastercard	Discover	Diff
Global Merchant Acceptance(millions)	40+ million locations	—	—
Typical Annual Fee (Premium Card)(USD)	$95-$195	—	—
Average Merchant Fee(%)	1.9%	—	—
Minimum Credit Score for Best Cards(score)	600+	—	—

Key Differences

Mastercard

Attribute

Discover

190+ million merchants🏆

Global Merchant Acceptance

9 million merchants

210+ countries🏆

International Countries Accepted

200 countries

0% (varies by card issuer)

Base Cashback Rate

1% on all purchases

Related Comparisons

American Express vs Discover

finance

American Express vs Mastercard

products

American Express vs Mastercard Merchant Acceptance 2025-2026

finance

American Express vs Mastercard 2025-2026

finance

American Express vs Mastercard: Business Safety & Protection Features

finance

Mastercard vs American Express Merchant Acceptance 2026

finance

Visa vs Mastercard

finance

Roth IRA vs 401(k)

finance

LLC vs S-Corp

finance

Buying vs Renting a Home

finance

Vanguard vs Fidelity

finance

Bitcoin vs Ethereum

economy

Explore Entities

More Finance

People Also Compare

Last updated: June 15, 2026AI generated

Global Merchant Acceptance

Mastercard

190+ million merchants🏆

Discover

9 million merchants

International Countries Accepted

Mastercard

210+ countries🏆

Discover

200 countries

Base Cashback Rate

Mastercard

0% (varies by card issuer)

Discover

1% on all purchases🏆

Annual Fee (Standard Card)

Mastercard

$0-$500+ (varies by card)

Discover

$0 (most cards)🏆

Purchase Protection Coverage

Mastercard

Up to 180 days🏆

Discover

Up to 120 days

Fraud Liability Protection

Mastercard

$0 (zero liability)

Discover

$0 (zero liability)

US Market Share

Mastercard

22% of credit card market🏆

Discover

6% of credit card market

Full Comparison

Attribute	Mastercard	Discover

Global Merchant Acceptance(millions)	40+ million locations	—

Typical Annual Fee (Premium Card)(USD)	$95-$195	—
Annual Fee (Premium Card Example)(USD)	$0	—
Foreign Transaction Fee(%)	0%	—

Average Merchant Fee(%)	1.9%	—

Minimum Credit Score for Best Cards(score)	600+	—

Travel Insurance Coverage	Varies by Issuer	—

Annual Revenue (2026)(billions USD)	$37B (Growth)	—

Reward Cashback Rate Range(%)	0.5%-5% (varies)	—
Travel Rewards Tier Classification(Premium Level)	Standard Issuer-Dependent	—
Maximum Rewards Rate(X points per $1)	3X points	—
Base Cashback Rate (Network Level)(percent)	0% (issuer-dependent)	1% on all purchases
Maximum Rewards Rate (Travel)(multiplier (x))	3x cashback	—
Show 2 more attributes Rotating Category Cashback(%) 5% (quarterly categories) — Flat-Rate Cashback(%) 1% (automatic) —

Dispute Resolution Speed(days)	30-90 days	—

Global Merchant Acceptance Rate(%)	98%+	—

Merchant Discount Rate (Standard)(%)	1.43-2.4%	—
Cost Differential vs Visa(%)	Comparable pricing	—
Merchant Discount Rate Premium vs Visa(Percentage Points)	Industry Standard Baseline	—
Fee Structure Complexity (2025-2026)(Implementation Changes)	Sweeping Fee Changes Implemented	—

Small Merchant Program Availability	Standard rates only	—

International Expansion (2026 Status)	B2B program expansion ongoing	—
12-Month Merchant Acceptance Growth Rate(Percent)	Stable Mature Network	—

Fee Restructuring Cycle	Sweeping changes throughout 2025-2026	—

Premium Cardholder Value	Mass-market cardholder base	—

Global Merchant Acceptance Coverage(Countries)	190+ Countries Worldwide	—

Minimum Credit Score Requirement(Score Range)	All Credit Levels (550+)	—
Minimum Credit Score Required(FICO score)	Fair to Excellent (580+)	—

Small Business Merchant Program Threshold(USD Annual Volume)	Universal Program (Scalable)	—

Merchant Network Growth Since 2017(Times Expansion)	Steady Mature Expansion	—

Countries with Merchant Acceptance(countries)	190+ countries	—
Countries with Active Network(countries)	150+ countries	—

Fraud Liability Protection(USD)	$0 liability	—
Real-Time Fraud Monitoring	EMV 3DS 2.0 + Advanced Encryption	—
Encryption Standard (2026)(null)	AES-256 (industry standard)	—

Purchase Protection Coverage Duration(days)	120 days	—

Annual Travel Credit Benefit(USD)	$200 annually	—

Business Expense Management Integration	Mastercard Send API + Platform	—

Typical Merchant Discount Rate - Standard(percent)	1.5-3.5%	—
Merchant Discount Rate - Premium Tier(percent)	2.5-3.5%	—

Average Cardholder Annual Spending(USD)	$4,500-6,000	—

Credit Score Requirement (Entry Level)(score)	580-620 (fair credit available)	—

Cardholder Acceptance Rate at Merchants(percent)	98% of US merchants, 85%+ internationally	—

Global Market Share(%)	26%	—
US Credit Card Market Share(percent)	22%	6%

Purchase Protection Coverage Period(days)	180 days	120 days
Zero Fraud Liability(USD)	$0 liability	$0 liability

Global Merchant Acceptance(millions of merchants)	190 million merchants	9 million merchants
Countries with Acceptance(countries)	210+ countries	200 countries

Standard Annual Fee(USD)	$0-$500+ (varies)	$0 (most cards)

Customer Satisfaction Rating(stars out of 5)	78%	92%

US Merchant Acceptance(%)	99%	—
International Merchant Acceptance(%)	85%	—

US Active Cardholders(millions)	74 million	—

Mastercard

Discover

Global Merchant Acceptance(millions)

40+ million locations

—

Typical Annual Fee (Premium Card)(USD)

$95-$195

—

Annual Fee (Premium Card Example)(USD)

—

Foreign Transaction Fee(%)

—

Average Merchant Fee(%)

1.9%

—

Minimum Credit Score for Best Cards(score)

600+

—

Travel Insurance Coverage

Varies by Issuer

—

Annual Revenue (2026)(billions USD)

$37B (Growth)

—

Reward Cashback Rate Range(%)

0.5%-5% (varies)

—

Travel Rewards Tier Classification(Premium Level)

Standard Issuer-Dependent

—

Maximum Rewards Rate(X points per $1)

3X points

—

Base Cashback Rate (Network Level)(percent)

0% (issuer-dependent)

1% on all purchases

Maximum Rewards Rate (Travel)(multiplier (x))

3x cashback

—

Show 2 more attributes

Rotating Category Cashback(%)

5% (quarterly categories)

—

Flat-Rate Cashback(%)

1% (automatic)

—

Dispute Resolution Speed(days)

30-90 days

—

Global Merchant Acceptance Rate(%)

98%+

—

Merchant Discount Rate (Standard)(%)

1.43-2.4%

—

Cost Differential vs Visa(%)

Comparable pricing

—

Merchant Discount Rate Premium vs Visa(Percentage Points)

Industry Standard Baseline

—

Fee Structure Complexity (2025-2026)(Implementation Changes)

Sweeping Fee Changes Implemented

—

Small Merchant Program Availability

Standard rates only

—

International Expansion (2026 Status)

B2B program expansion ongoing

—

12-Month Merchant Acceptance Growth Rate(Percent)

Stable Mature Network

—

Fee Restructuring Cycle

Sweeping changes throughout 2025-2026

—

Premium Cardholder Value

Mass-market cardholder base

—

Global Merchant Acceptance Coverage(Countries)

190+ Countries Worldwide

—

Minimum Credit Score Requirement(Score Range)

All Credit Levels (550+)

—

Minimum Credit Score Required(FICO score)

Fair to Excellent (580+)

—

Small Business Merchant Program Threshold(USD Annual Volume)

Universal Program (Scalable)

—

Merchant Network Growth Since 2017(Times Expansion)

Steady Mature Expansion

—

Countries with Merchant Acceptance(countries)

190+ countries

—

Countries with Active Network(countries)

150+ countries

—

Fraud Liability Protection(USD)

$0 liability

—

Real-Time Fraud Monitoring

EMV 3DS 2.0 + Advanced Encryption

—

Encryption Standard (2026)(null)

AES-256 (industry standard)

—

Purchase Protection Coverage Duration(days)

120 days

—

Annual Travel Credit Benefit(USD)

$200 annually

—

Business Expense Management Integration

Mastercard Send API + Platform

—

Typical Merchant Discount Rate - Standard(percent)

1.5-3.5%

—

Merchant Discount Rate - Premium Tier(percent)

2.5-3.5%

—

Average Cardholder Annual Spending(USD)

$4,500-6,000

—

Credit Score Requirement (Entry Level)(score)

580-620 (fair credit available)

—

Cardholder Acceptance Rate at Merchants(percent)

98% of US merchants, 85%+ internationally

—

Global Market Share(%)

26%

—

US Credit Card Market Share(percent)

22%

Purchase Protection Coverage Period(days)

180 days

120 days

Zero Fraud Liability(USD)

$0 liability

Global Merchant Acceptance(millions of merchants)

190 million merchants

9 million merchants

Countries with Acceptance(countries)

210+ countries

200 countries

Standard Annual Fee(USD)

$0-$500+ (varies)

$0 (most cards)

Customer Satisfaction Rating(stars out of 5)

78%

92%

US Merchant Acceptance(%)

99%

—

International Merchant Acceptance(%)

85%

—

US Active Cardholders(millions)

74 million

—

Full Comparison

Attribute	Mastercard	Discover

Global Merchant Acceptance(millions)	40+ million locations	—

Typical Annual Fee (Premium Card)(USD)	$95-$195	—
Annual Fee (Premium Card Example)(USD)	$0	—
Foreign Transaction Fee(%)	0%	—

Average Merchant Fee(%)	1.9%	—

Minimum Credit Score for Best Cards(score)	600+	—

Travel Insurance Coverage	Varies by Issuer	—

Annual Revenue (2026)(billions USD)	$37B (Growth)	—

Reward Cashback Rate Range(%)	0.5%-5% (varies)	—
Travel Rewards Tier Classification(Premium Level)	Standard Issuer-Dependent	—
Maximum Rewards Rate(X points per $1)	3X points	—
Base Cashback Rate (Network Level)(percent)	0% (issuer-dependent)	1% on all purchases
Maximum Rewards Rate (Travel)(multiplier (x))	3x cashback	—
Show 2 more attributes Rotating Category Cashback(%) 5% (quarterly categories) — Flat-Rate Cashback(%) 1% (automatic) —

Dispute Resolution Speed(days)	30-90 days	—

Global Merchant Acceptance Rate(%)	98%+	—

Merchant Discount Rate (Standard)(%)	1.43-2.4%	—
Cost Differential vs Visa(%)	Comparable pricing	—
Merchant Discount Rate Premium vs Visa(Percentage Points)	Industry Standard Baseline	—
Fee Structure Complexity (2025-2026)(Implementation Changes)	Sweeping Fee Changes Implemented	—

Small Merchant Program Availability	Standard rates only	—

International Expansion (2026 Status)	B2B program expansion ongoing	—
12-Month Merchant Acceptance Growth Rate(Percent)	Stable Mature Network	—

Fee Restructuring Cycle	Sweeping changes throughout 2025-2026	—

Premium Cardholder Value	Mass-market cardholder base	—

Global Merchant Acceptance Coverage(Countries)	190+ Countries Worldwide	—

Minimum Credit Score Requirement(Score Range)	All Credit Levels (550+)	—
Minimum Credit Score Required(FICO score)	Fair to Excellent (580+)	—

Small Business Merchant Program Threshold(USD Annual Volume)	Universal Program (Scalable)	—

Merchant Network Growth Since 2017(Times Expansion)	Steady Mature Expansion	—

Countries with Merchant Acceptance(countries)	190+ countries	—
Countries with Active Network(countries)	150+ countries	—

Fraud Liability Protection(USD)	$0 liability	—
Real-Time Fraud Monitoring	EMV 3DS 2.0 + Advanced Encryption	—
Encryption Standard (2026)(null)	AES-256 (industry standard)	—

Purchase Protection Coverage Duration(days)	120 days	—

Annual Travel Credit Benefit(USD)	$200 annually	—

Business Expense Management Integration	Mastercard Send API + Platform	—

Typical Merchant Discount Rate - Standard(percent)	1.5-3.5%	—
Merchant Discount Rate - Premium Tier(percent)	2.5-3.5%	—

Average Cardholder Annual Spending(USD)	$4,500-6,000	—

Credit Score Requirement (Entry Level)(score)	580-620 (fair credit available)	—

Cardholder Acceptance Rate at Merchants(percent)	98% of US merchants, 85%+ internationally	—

Global Market Share(%)	26%	—
US Credit Card Market Share(percent)	22%	6%

Purchase Protection Coverage Period(days)	180 days	120 days
Zero Fraud Liability(USD)	$0 liability	$0 liability

Global Merchant Acceptance(millions of merchants)	190 million merchants	9 million merchants
Countries with Acceptance(countries)	210+ countries	200 countries

Standard Annual Fee(USD)	$0-$500+ (varies)	$0 (most cards)

Customer Satisfaction Rating(stars out of 5)	78%	92%

US Merchant Acceptance(%)	99%	—
International Merchant Acceptance(%)	85%	—

US Active Cardholders(millions)	74 million	—

Mastercard

Discover

Global Merchant Acceptance(millions)

40+ million locations

—

Typical Annual Fee (Premium Card)(USD)

$95-$195

—

Annual Fee (Premium Card Example)(USD)

—

Foreign Transaction Fee(%)

—

Average Merchant Fee(%)

1.9%

—

Minimum Credit Score for Best Cards(score)

600+

—

Travel Insurance Coverage

Varies by Issuer

—

Annual Revenue (2026)(billions USD)

$37B (Growth)

—

Reward Cashback Rate Range(%)

0.5%-5% (varies)

—

Travel Rewards Tier Classification(Premium Level)

Standard Issuer-Dependent

—

Maximum Rewards Rate(X points per $1)

3X points

—

Base Cashback Rate (Network Level)(percent)

0% (issuer-dependent)

1% on all purchases

Maximum Rewards Rate (Travel)(multiplier (x))

3x cashback

—

Show 2 more attributes

Rotating Category Cashback(%)

5% (quarterly categories)

—

Flat-Rate Cashback(%)

1% (automatic)

—

Dispute Resolution Speed(days)

30-90 days

—

Global Merchant Acceptance Rate(%)

98%+

—

Merchant Discount Rate (Standard)(%)

1.43-2.4%

—

Cost Differential vs Visa(%)

Comparable pricing

—

Merchant Discount Rate Premium vs Visa(Percentage Points)

Industry Standard Baseline

—

Fee Structure Complexity (2025-2026)(Implementation Changes)

Sweeping Fee Changes Implemented

—

Small Merchant Program Availability

Standard rates only

—

International Expansion (2026 Status)

B2B program expansion ongoing

—

12-Month Merchant Acceptance Growth Rate(Percent)

Stable Mature Network

—

Fee Restructuring Cycle

Sweeping changes throughout 2025-2026

—

Premium Cardholder Value

Mass-market cardholder base

—

Global Merchant Acceptance Coverage(Countries)

190+ Countries Worldwide

—

Minimum Credit Score Requirement(Score Range)

All Credit Levels (550+)

—

Minimum Credit Score Required(FICO score)

Fair to Excellent (580+)

—

Small Business Merchant Program Threshold(USD Annual Volume)

Universal Program (Scalable)

—

Merchant Network Growth Since 2017(Times Expansion)

Steady Mature Expansion

—

Countries with Merchant Acceptance(countries)

190+ countries

—

Countries with Active Network(countries)

150+ countries

—

Fraud Liability Protection(USD)

$0 liability

—

Real-Time Fraud Monitoring

EMV 3DS 2.0 + Advanced Encryption

—

Encryption Standard (2026)(null)

AES-256 (industry standard)

—

Purchase Protection Coverage Duration(days)

120 days

—

Annual Travel Credit Benefit(USD)

$200 annually

—

Business Expense Management Integration

Mastercard Send API + Platform

—

Typical Merchant Discount Rate - Standard(percent)

1.5-3.5%

—

Merchant Discount Rate - Premium Tier(percent)

2.5-3.5%

—

Average Cardholder Annual Spending(USD)

$4,500-6,000

—

Credit Score Requirement (Entry Level)(score)

580-620 (fair credit available)

—

Cardholder Acceptance Rate at Merchants(percent)

98% of US merchants, 85%+ internationally

—

Global Market Share(%)

26%

—

US Credit Card Market Share(percent)

22%

Purchase Protection Coverage Period(days)

180 days

120 days

Zero Fraud Liability(USD)

$0 liability

Global Merchant Acceptance(millions of merchants)

190 million merchants

9 million merchants

Countries with Acceptance(countries)

210+ countries

200 countries

Standard Annual Fee(USD)

$0-$500+ (varies)

$0 (most cards)

Customer Satisfaction Rating(stars out of 5)

78%

92%

US Merchant Acceptance(%)

99%

—

International Merchant Acceptance(%)

85%

—

US Active Cardholders(millions)

74 million

—

Mastercard vs Discover

Mastercard

Discover

Short Answer

Our Verdict

Track this comparison

Key Differences at a Glance

Key Facts & Figures

Key Differences

Related Comparisons

Explore Entities

More Finance

People Also Compare

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Pros & Cons

Mastercard

Pros

Cons

Discover

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources & Learn More

Where to Buy

Wikipedia

Videos

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Mastercard vs Discover

Mastercard

Discover

Short Answer

Our Verdict

🔔Track this comparison

Key Differences at a Glance

Key Facts & Figures

Key Differences

Related Comparisons

Explore Entities

More Finance

People Also Compare

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Pros & Cons

Mastercard

Pros

Cons

Discover

Pros

Cons

Frequently Asked Questions

Resources & Learn More

Where to Buy

Wikipedia

Videos

Full Comparison

Visual Comparison

Track this comparison