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Credit / Debit cards are the same thing online. We, as is USA people, use the terms interchangeable often. I'm going to guess that most EU people have some form

Credit / Debit cards are the same thing online. We, as is USA people, use the terms interchangeable often. I'm going to guess that most EU people have some form of banking card. So we will continue to assume that people have a form of payment other than cash.

eythian 7y ago
This is not true. They are not always the same thing and assuming so is a bad idea. My debit card can't be used online except via iDeal, and only sites in this country (largely) support iDeal. I can, however, use it via paypal.
LeonM 7y ago
> Credit / Debit cards are the same thing online. No, they are not. With a credit card you can pay by entering the card number, expiry date and CVC. With debit card you can't do that. The payment must go through your bank. It's a completely different payment flow.
- rescbr 7y ago
  > With debit card you can't do that It depends on the debit card. I have both Visa Electron and Maestro, and they have 16 digits, CVV number and they behave like a credit card with 3D Secure when doing online purchases, while taking the money from the account right away. There's also multifunction credit and debit cards (Mastercard and Maestro, or the Visa equivalent). They are branded like credit cards with a tiny Maestro logo on their backside, so I had to explain and ask the cashier in a grocery store in Amsterdam to try it as it would magically work as a debit card.
- thedaemon 7y ago
  No idea what you are talking about. I have a VISA debit card and I pay the same way that I pay with my credit card. It is not a different payment flow on my end.
urda 7y ago
Hello HN readers arriving here: this is not true. Not only do both have completely different payment processing workflows, but there's another key takeaway: With a credit card the money going out is the issuer's. If you have a compliant or need to handle a charge, it's not your neck on the line. With debit? Once the cash is pulled it's pulled. Yes they have protections as well, but while you're fighting with your bank to get your money back it's gone.

eythian 7y ago

This is not true. They are not always the same thing and assuming so is a bad idea. My debit card can't be used online except via iDeal, and only sites in this country (largely) support iDeal. I can, however, use it via paypal.

LeonM 7y ago

> Credit / Debit cards are the same thing online. No, they are not. With a credit card you can pay by entering the card number, expiry date and CVC. With debit card you can't do that. The payment must go through your bank. It's a completely different payment flow.

rescbr 7y ago
> With debit card you can't do that It depends on the debit card. I have both Visa Electron and Maestro, and they have 16 digits, CVV number and they behave like a credit card with 3D Secure when doing online purchases, while taking the money from the account right away. There's also multifunction credit and debit cards (Mastercard and Maestro, or the Visa equivalent). They are branded like credit cards with a tiny Maestro logo on their backside, so I had to explain and ask the cashier in a grocery store in Amsterdam to try it as it would magically work as a debit card.
thedaemon 7y ago
No idea what you are talking about. I have a VISA debit card and I pay the same way that I pay with my credit card. It is not a different payment flow on my end.

urda 7y ago

Hello HN readers arriving here: this is not true. Not only do both have completely different payment processing workflows, but there's another key takeaway: With a credit card the money going out is the issuer's. If you have a compliant or need to handle a charge, it's not your neck on the line. With debit? Once the cash is pulled it's pulled. Yes they have protections as well, but while you're fighting with your bank to get your money back it's gone.