Angèle Schmitz
LinkedIn
30th November 2022

Debit and credit cards: what exactly is the difference?

With Axxess you will automatically receive a debit card, and from the age of 15 you can apply for your first credit card. Do you already have a payment card – debit or credit? Do you know the difference?

Réaliser vos paiements grâce aux différentes cartes de paiement

Payment cards allow you to pay for goods and services without using cash.

Types of payment cards include:

  • DEBIT CARDS (the vast majority of existing cards). When you pay with a debit card, the amount paid is deducted from your current account at the time of payment – it’s an IMMEDIATE DEBIT.
  • CREDIT CARDS; when you pay with a credit card, the amount is deducted every month from your current account – it’s a DEFERRED DEBIT.

Debit cards – payment cards with immediate debit

The "Visa Debit" and "Axxess" debit card:

Visa Debit is a debit card, i.e. every payment made and every cash withdrawal is deducted immediately, or within a couple of days at the most, from the linked current account. The available balance in the current account is therefore continuously updated, allowing the customer to manage their expenses optimally.

The "Axxess" debit card is intended for young people aged between 12 and 30 years. It is provided free of charge as part of the Axxess Start, Study and Job banking packages.  In addition to all the features of a "normal" debit card, it offers extra-banking benefits, such as discounts with Spuerkeess partners.

Features of a debit card: Easy and useful!

  • Cash withdrawals in Luxembourg and worldwide
    • It’s always free at Spuerkeess’s S-Bank ATMs!
  • Payment in shops displaying the VISA logo, in Luxembourg and worldwide
  • Contactless functionality
    • You can use your card without entering your PIN for amounts below EUR 50* and up to a total of EUR 150.
  • Immediate debit
    • After each payment, your account is debited so that you can monitor your expenses.
    • You can view your balances via S-Net, S-Net Mobile and Spuerkeess’s S-BANK ATMs.
  • ONLINE shopping
    • Debit cards are very versatile – they also allow you to make online payments. The 16-digit card number, its expiry date and the 3-digit CVV2 number are all you need to make a payment on the Internet. Young people can use their Axxess cards for online purchases from the age of 15. ​​​

* For security purposes, you will sometimes be asked to enter your code even for contactless payments below EUR 50.

 

Your Axxess Start, Study or Job card benefits at a glance!

The automatic debit card that comes with your account, and a free credit card from the age of 15!

Order your card at one of our branches, ask your advisor, or order via the S-Net and S-Net Mobile store!

Credit cards – payment cards with deferred debit

The credit cards offered by Spuerkeess (Visa Classic, Visa Premier, Miles & More Luxair Visa) offer the same functions as the Visa Debit debit card (in-store and online purchasing and cash withdrawal).

So what’s the difference?

Amounts spent with a credit card are deducted from the linked current account in one go, generally at the beginning of the following month. The maximum amount that the customer can spend depends on their personal situation.

There’s a huge range of possibilities!

There are many different sorts of credit card, notably Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club or American Express. The first two in this list are the most widely accepted, and Spuerkeess offers Visa cards exclusively.

Features of a credit card: So many possibilities!

Visa Classic card
  • Cash withdrawals in Luxembourg and worldwide:
    • It’s always free at Spuerkeess’s S-Bank ATMs! 
      •  Cash withdrawals are debited immediately!
  • Payment in shops displaying the VISA logo, in Luxembourg and worldwide.
  • Contactless functionality:
    • You can use your card without entering your PIN for amounts below EUR 50* and up to a total of EUR 150.
  • Online shopping: make purchases online, book flights and hotels...it couldn’t be simpler when you use your credit card.
  • Easy travel: a preferred means of paying a deposit e.g. for a rental car.
  • Insurance: every credit card comes with an insurance package (e.g. protection for stolen or damaged goods on Visa Classic, Visa Premier and Miles & More Luxair Visa).
  • Credit limit management: your credit card gives you a spending limit, e.g. EUR 500 per month. If you have S-Net or S-Net Mobile, you can easily increase the limit on your credit card.

* For security purposes, you will sometimes be asked to enter your code even for contactless payments below EUR 50.

  • Repayment options: you have two options for repayment
    • 1. Full repayment: the total amount of your monthly spend is deducted in one debit from your current account.
    • 2. Staggered repayment option: did you have a major expense? You can opt to repay in instalments over several months, so you benefit from a flexible credit facility. Note, however, that you will be charged interest under the current conditions.
  • Deferred debit: unlike a debit card, your account is not debited immediately, but at the end of the month. If, for example, you opted for "Full repayment", and you spent EUR 250 on your credit card over the month, that amount will be deducted from your current account at the beginning of the following month. This means, of course, that you must have enough funds available in your current account when the deduction is made, otherwise your account will be in the red.
Tip: when paying abroad (outside the eurozone), you often have the option of selecting euro or local currency. We recommend that you select the local currency, which normally has a better exchange rate.

Nouveau !

Payment cards (debit and credit cards) can now be issued instantly. If you have an S-Net or S-Net Mobile agreement, your payment card can be used as soon as it is ordered, so you don’t have to wait.

As soon as you have ordered your card, you can make online purchases and add your new card to your Apple Pay wallet.

How can I find card information in S-Net or S-Net Mobile?

  • Select a payment card from your financial situation page.
  • Click on the "three dots".
  • Click on "Information" then "Show details": find your card details – the 16-digit number, the expiry date, and the 3-digit CVV number.

In addition:

Any customer can manage their bank cards in their S-Net/S-Net Mobile, i.e.: 

  • Authorise/block online payments, payments outside Europe, cash withdrawals and payments using the magnetic strip;
  • Request a new PIN code;
  • Change the monthly spend limit on the card;
  • For credit cards, view the remaining balance, close date and payment deduction date.

 

Payments

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