PostFinance Card vs. Maestro Card User Reviews

Have you used both Maestro and PostFinance debit cards? Which card provided the better user experience? Share your experiences and opinions here.

I've used both of those debit cards, so I can answer this question:

For making payments with the card, the Postfinance card was slightly more accepted in Switzerland than the Maestro card. That is to say, there were a few restaurants and shops in places like Graubünden and Valais where the only accepted cashless payment was the Postfinance card.

For using the card to pay outside of Switzerland, Maestro was obviously much better because the Postfinance card was not accepted at all outside of Switzerland. That said, I did have some trouble using a Maestro card to pay in some countries, but it worked in most places.

For withdrawing money, both debit cards were about as good both in Switzerland and in other countries. ATMs that support Mastercard would generally take Maestro, and ATMs that support Visa would generally take Postfinance.

The Postfinance debit card is now a dual-network debit card that works on both the Postfinance and Mastercard networks. For purchases, cash withdrawals, and online purchases on the Mastercard network, the Postfinance debit card functions as a Debit Mastercard. For purchases, cash withdrawals, and online purchases on the Postfinance network, the card functions as a Postfinance debit card. The Postfinance debit card can also be used for cash withdrawals at ATMs that support the Visa network (Visa Plus).

The Maestro debit card has largely been phased out and replaced with the Debit Mastercard.

More on this topic:
Compare Swiss private accounts now
Debit Mastercard FAQ
Visa Debit FAQ