Debit card vs credit card: what's the difference?
By SendPay Business · · 2 min read
- 1Your card appears in your app
- 2Tap it to pay in a shop
- 3See every payment as it happens
A debit card spends money already in your account. A credit card borrows money you pay back later. They look almost the same and work on the same card networks, but the protection, fees and risks are different.
The key differences
Tap to explore
Tap each one to see what it means.
Debit
spends your own money straight from your account, with no interest to pay.
Credit
borrows up to a limit, with interest if you don't clear the balance in full.
Prepaid
spends only what has been loaded onto the card in advance.
Protection when things go wrong
In the UK, credit card purchases between £100 and £30,000 are covered by Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act, so the card provider can be jointly liable if the seller fails. Debit and prepaid cards don't have Section 75, but you can still ask your provider to try a chargeback.
Try it
Name your platform and watch it come to life
Type a name, tap a colour and pick what it does. The phone changes as you go.
Colour
What it does
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Which to use
Debit cards suit everyday spending and staying within budget. Credit cards suit bigger purchases where extra protection matters, as long as the balance is paid off. Prepaid cards suit budgeting, travel and giving money to others.
Where SendPay fits
SendPay's Card Issuing Platform lets you issue branded virtual and physical cards to your customers, powered by licensed partners. You can preview your platform before you launch.
How it works
Your own money app- 1Name it and pick your colours
- 2Choose what it does
- 3Launch when you are ready
Why sign up
Create your free SendPay account
It's all about creating your own financial platform with ease. Start with a free account today.
- 🪪A free business accountOpen it in about a minute with your business name, email, password and mobile. No card and no documents to start.
- 💳Get paid from day oneTake card payments, and share your own payment link and invoices so customers pay in a click.
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- 🚀Your own financial platformDesign and preview your whole platform free, then launch when you are ready.
SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank. Accounts, cards and payments are powered by licensed partners.
Questions people ask
How long will a credit card balance take to clear?
Our free credit card payoff calculator shows how many months a balance takes to clear at your monthly payment, and how much interest it costs.
Credit card payoff calculator →What is a card scheme?
The networks like Visa and Mastercard that run card payments.
What is a card scheme? →Read next
Spotted a mistake or something out of date? and we'll fix it. How our guides are made
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice. SendPay Business is a technology company, not a bank, and does not take deposits; regulated services on the platforms are provided by licensed partners. Other companies named in this guide are reference points only and are not affiliated with SendPay Business.