Press Debit or Credit – What’s the Difference?

You’re at the pump ready to gas up. You swipe your Visa Check Card and the machine prompts you to select credit or debit. Or, perhaps you’ve been prompted at the grocery to let your cashier know whether you’re paying with a credit card or a debit card. Why does it matter and what happens if you press the wrong one?

There really isn’t a right or wrong answer, but what you press does determine how your payment is processed. Debit means your payment will be processed like an ATM card. If you press debit, you will have to use your personal identification number (PIN) to complete the transaction. That purchase will be deducted from your checking account immediately, just as if you are using your card at an ATM machine. If you want cash back, debit is the only way you can get it.

If you press credit, your payment is processed through the VISA network. The payment will be deducted from your checking account, but it will take a day or more for that to happen. You cannot get cash back when your transaction is processed as a credit transaction.

Pressing credit will not turn your Visa Check Card into a credit card that accrues interest, so be sure you have enough money in your checking account to cover your purchase. Otherwise, your purchase will be declined.

So, why do these cards come with a “credit” option if they are not credit cards? It’s for member convenience. Fewer merchants are accepting checks these days, and aside from grocery stores or gas stations, most merchants can’t process ATM transactions. The VISA Check Card enables you to use your checking account to make purchases without having to write a check. It also keeps you from having to carry a separate ATM card for those times when you need cash.

Next time you’re confronted with the question of credit or debit, you’ll know exactly which one to choose.