topic Re: Visa vs Visa Signature in Credit Cards

Visa vs Visa Signature

drewricomakeubu — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 05:28:07 GMT

Does anyone know what defines a standard visa vs a visa signature? I just got approved for the freedom unlimited with a $5k CL and I *thought* that it would be a signature but got the card today and it doesn't say signature anywhere?

any insights on this?

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

GZG — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 05:35:09 GMT

@drewricomakeubu wrote:
Does anyone know what defines a standard visa vs a visa signature? I just got approved for the freedom unlimited with a $5k CL and I *thought* that it would be a signature but got the card today and it doesn't say signature anywhere?

any insights on this?

chase is weird about it from what I read, you'll have to ask them or see if they can upgrade your card to the visa signature version

but 'what defines it' is the bank

US bank/WF often give out visa sig cards under $5k CL

other banks you have to have a $5k CL or more

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

Horseshoez — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 13:41:34 GMT

@drewricomakeubu wrote:
Does anyone know what defines a standard visa vs a visa signature? I just got approved for the freedom unlimited with a $5k CL and I *thought* that it would be a signature but got the card today and it doesn't say signature anywhere?

any insights on this?

I have two Chase cards, CFU and CSP, both have limits significantly above $5,000, neither are identified as a "Signature Visa", however, both have benefits equal to or better than my other non-Chase Signature cards.

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

pizzadude — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 21:08:59 GMT

I view the "Signature" term similarly to the "Platinum" modifier thrown around by most CC issuers today. It may have originally indicated a higher status card or larger CL but has mostly been watered down now.

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

Horseshoez — Thu, 11 Jan 2024 21:12:33 GMT

@pizzadude wrote:
I view the "Signature" term similarly to the "Platinum" modifier thrown around by most CC issuers today. It may have originally indicated a higher status card or larger CL but has mostly been watered down now.

The same thing holds true for the "World Elite Master Card" vs. the "World Master Card".

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 02:32:54 GMT

@Horseshoez wrote:
@pizzadude wrote:
I view the "Signature" term similarly to the "Platinum" modifier thrown around by most CC issuers today. It may have originally indicated a higher status card or larger CL but has mostly been watered down now.
The same thing holds true for the "World Elite Master Card" vs. the "World Master Card".

I agree. The terms used to mean "something", in that the Elite would have a standard set of benefits, many of which you would probably never use (e.g. potential discount on a private jet). Now the ones that people can use, such as Lyft, Peacock, Instacart and Shoprunner are the same as on the World (not on the plain one though).

But the kicker is that now at least (and perhaps always) banks need to opt in even to these "standard" benefits, so even when cellphone insurance was part of the World Elite benefits, your particular card might or might not have it.

But the swipe fee on these cards are higher in many situations, so banks have no problem giving them out with very few benefits. Which doesn't answer OPs question about why it didn't get the signature upgrade!

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

Horseshoez — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 03:02:48 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
But the swipe fee on these cards are higher in many situations, so banks have no problem giving them out with very few benefits. Which doesn't answer OPs question about why it didn't get the signature upgrade!

What I was trying to convey in my first post in this thread is I don't believe Chase classifies any of their "Chase" branded Visa cards as Signature, regardless of limit or benefits.

Edit: I just looked at the Chase web site and see I am dead-wrong! Hmmm, the CSP on the page clearly has the Signature branding and the CSR has the Infinite branding. I feel dumber still as when I looked at my CSP when I made that post this morning, I looked at the front of my card; there is no Signature branding on it (contrary to the image on the web site), however, when I turn it over and look at the back side, yup, there it is, down at the lower right. I wonder why the image of their cards on the web site is so different than the actual cards.

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

elboullee — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 04:56:33 GMT

@Anonymous wrote:
I agree. The terms used to mean "something", in that the Elite would have a standard set of benefits, many of which you would probably never use (e.g. potential discount on a private jet). Now the ones that people can use, such as Lyft, Peacock, Instacart and Shoprunner are the same as on the World (not on the plain one though).

Similar, but not exactly the same.

e.g. World Mastercards come with $600/incident - $1000/year in cell phone loss/damage coverage and $3/month for Peacock Premium [with ads]. World Elite gets $800/incident - $1000/year and $5/month for Peacock Premium Plus [no ads].

And while the differences might not seem like much, they aren't insignificant. The $800 vs. $600 makes AppleCare superfluous on newer Pro models and the $60/year for Peacock Premium Plus means paying half-price for a more enjoyable ad-free experience.

All for doing nothing more than using my CFF to pay for things I was already using it for.

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

Zoostation1 — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 05:25:53 GMT

@HorseshoezI can't speak for why it's on the back and not the front (initial thoughts are card design change that was pushed to the website photos, or if it's always been on the back but put it they on the front on the website for marketing reasons). Nonetheless, Chase does appear to be one who sticks to the $5k minimum limit for a Visa Signature. I'm not aware of any CSP cards that are under $5k CL

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

Horseshoez — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 13:22:50 GMT

@Zoostation1 wrote:
@HorseshoezI can't speak for why it's on the back and not the front (initial thoughts are card design change that was pushed to the website photos, or if it's always been on the back but put it they on the front on the website for marketing reasons). Nonetheless, Chase does appear to be one who sticks to the $5k minimum limit for a Visa Signature. I'm not aware of any CSP cards that are under $5k CL

Geez, I must have been blind yesterday morning when I looked at both of my Chase cards, I mean talk about epic fail. I guess my only excuse is sometimes when I wake up it takes me a while to get the gunk out of my eyes. Today when I looked at both cards they are both branded as Signature, but in different ways.

CSP: As mentioned last night, contrary to the image on the web site, the VISA Signature branding is on the back side of the card.
CFU: Contrary to my assertion yesterday morning, it is in fact branded as VISA Signature, however, the branding matches what shows on the web site for the CSP; the image of the CFU on the web site does not show any indication of Signature branding.

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 14:46:37 GMT

@Horseshoez wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
But the swipe fee on these cards are higher in many situations, so banks have no problem giving them out with very few benefits. Which doesn't answer OPs question about why it didn't get the signature upgrade!
What I was trying to convey in my first post in this thread is I don't believe Chase classifies any of their "Chase" branded Visa cards as Signature, regardless of limit or benefits.

Edit: I just looked at the Chase web site and see I am dead-wrong! Hmmm, the CSP on the page clearly has the Signature branding and the CSR has the Infinite branding. I feel dumber still as when I looked at my CSP when I made that post this morning, I looked at the front of my card; there is no Signature branding on it (contrary to the image on the web site), however, when I turn it over and look at the back side, yup, there it is, down at the lower right. I wonder why the image of their cards on the web site is so different than the actual cards.

Right, I knew they did indeed distinguish because in the "early" days when I joined the forum, there were tons of messages about How-to/I-did-it type stuff on upgrading the Chase Freedom Visa to Visa Sig!

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 14:47:28 GMT

@Zoostation1 wrote:
@HorseshoezI can't speak for why it's on the back and not the front (initial thoughts are card design change that was pushed to the website photos, or if it's always been on the back but put it they on the front on the website for marketing reasons). Nonetheless, Chase does appear to be one who sticks to the $5k minimum limit for a Visa Signature. I'm not aware of any CSP cards that are under $5k CL

Not CSP, but I thought people were getting Chase Amazon VS at much lower CLs?

Re: Visa vs Visa Signature

Anonymous — Fri, 12 Jan 2024 14:50:03 GMT

@elboullee wrote:
@Anonymous wrote:
I agree. The terms used to mean "something", in that the Elite would have a standard set of benefits, many of which you would probably never use (e.g. potential discount on a private jet). Now the ones that people can use, such as Lyft, Peacock, Instacart and Shoprunner are the same as on the World (not on the plain one though).
Similar, but not exactly the same.

e.g. World Mastercards come with $600/incident - $1000/year in cell phone loss/damage coverage and $3/month for Peacock Premium [with ads]. World Elite gets $800/incident - $1000/year and $5/month for Peacock Premium Plus [no ads].

And while the differences might not seem like much, they aren't insignificant. The $800 vs. $600 makes AppleCare superfluous on newer Pro models and the $60/year for Peacock Premium Plus means paying half-price for a more enjoyable ad-free experience.

All for doing nothing more than using my CFF to pay for things I was already using it for.

I missed the Peacock difference. I was aware of the difference in cell phone protection but many (perhaps most) issuers don't opt in to that, Chase is one of the exceptions (of course a big one!)