What is the difference between a debit card and a credit card?

A debit card draws directly from your checking account — you can only spend money you have. A credit card is a short-term loan; you spend money you borrow and pay it back at the end of the billing cycle. Used responsibly (paying in full monthly), credit cards offer fraud protection, rewards points, and credit building with no cost. Debit cards offer no rewards and weaker fraud protection under most circumstances.