Accessing money via a debit card comes with a whole range of different options, but at the core of convenience there are three security options for payments – tapping signatures and Personal Identification Numbers, or PINs.

“Tap and go” on your way

Using your debit card to tap and pay for your purchases is the most convenient and secure way to shop. Here’s what we think are some reasons why tapping is better than using your signature or PIN:

Firstly, tapping is way faster and easier than signing or entering your PIN. You don’t have to wait for a printed receipt, hand you a pen (ew germs!), and check your signature. You also don’t have to remember your PIN or even worry about someone seeing it. You just tap your card on the terminal, and you’re done!

Secondly, tapping is far safer than signing or entering your PIN. Your signature can be forged or copied and then use it to make unauthorized transactions. Your PIN can also be stolen or guessed by hackers who can access your account. Tapping uses a technology called Near Field Communication (NFC) that encrypts your card information and creates a unique code for each transaction. This code cannot be reused or duplicated by anyone else.

Thirdly, tapping is wildly more convenient than signing or entering your PIN. You don’t have to carry cash or coins with you, which can be bulky and heavy. You also don’t have to worry about losing your card or forgetting it at home. You can use your phone or smartwatch to tap and pay with some apps that link to your debit card. This way, you always have a way to pay with you.

In the interests of comprehensiveness, here’s more information on the old style technology.

Many cards now come with al three options so that cardholders can choose the method they most prefer, but there may be some differences to the way that these features work. Here we look at the differences between the dated ideas of signing and using a PIN to process payments on your debit card.

Debit Cards And PINs

A few years ago the difference between credit cards and debit cards could be easily seen when making a purchase – people would sign for credit cards and enter a PIN for bank-issued debit cards. Now there is the option to sign or use a PIN for both kinds of cards so that people can decide which they prefer.

The advantage to using a PIN is that it can be quicker for payments to be processed while shopping in store. All you have to do is enter the PIN, press OK and wait for the transaction to be approved.

But for some people PINs may be a frustrating method of payment. Even though they are usually only four-digit numbers, at times it can be tricky to remember the PIN for a debit card, especially if debit is hardly ever used.

Most debit cards will also have a security feature that disables a card once the incorrect PIN has been entered a certain number of times, so this option is not for everyone.

Signing For Debit

Unlike bank debit cards, which can still come with only a PIN option, both MasterCard and Visa debit cards tend to allow cardholders the choice of signing or using a PIN.

As well as simply being a preferred security method for some people, signing for purchases gives debit cardholders a bit more flexibility when it comes to payments.

When travelling for example, some machines in other countries will not recognise a MasterCard or Visa debit PIN, so being able to sign for purchases means that cash or credit does not have to be used.

It can also be useful in those situations where a PIN is forgotten, because instead of trying to remember it at the counter, you can simply choose to sign for purchases.

Both of these options are valid and convenient in a range of situations. At the end of the day it comes down to personal preference, and with these two methods you actually get a choice in how you use your debit card.