Why do I Pay to Use Credit Cards But Not Debit Cards

All plastic is not created equal. Although your debit card and your credit card may seem to work exactly the same way at the till, there is one enormous difference behind the scenes where you can't see it. When you swipe debit cards, you are spending money you already have. When you swipe credit cards, you are borrowing money that you'll have to repay. That leads to other differences - and explains why you have to pay to use one and not the other.