Ripple doesn't really offer anything anymore. When SuperNet comes online NODE will be the payment processor and it's a generation ahead of Ripple (NODE is integrating BTC, USD, EUR, CNY and maybe HRV).
In Ripple I can send EUR and have USD come out on the other end without me doing anything other than hitting a button. That's the realy beauty of Ripple. It let's you pay in any currency and finds a path to autmatically exchange it into whatever the receiver is accepting.
Afaik NODE will "only" have multiple currencies in one wallet which you can deposit via an exchange. Could be wrong though.
You said it well, and not just that. You can pay with gold and merchants gets USD if he accepts it, or with loyalty points, or airline miles....anything you can imagine.
People says shit about Ripple but they dont understand one thing. If Ripple gets adopted by banks and payment processors around world, that is BY FAR the best news for any crypto fanatics. How about being able to spend NXT where only Ruble is accepted? Or to spend Wankcoin on sites that only accept loyalty points? And all that integrated into Google Pay as Google is one of Ripple's shareholders and will for sure compete with Apple. Talking about taking ALL crypto's to mainstream!
With Ripple everyone wins! And that is exact beauty of Ripple. It likes everyone. Every crypto, every country, every organization. It doesnt dislike banks as many people, it doesnt dislike poor people because they cant increase the price of your coin - on contrary, it could be the best bet for financial inclusion, it doesnt dislike Russia because governments want to isolate it, it doesnt dislike Chinese because they dont allow acces to bitcointalk......it is the only truly inclusive crypto.
Ripple actually hopes that all cryptos will be traded over it, instead of exclusivity. Other cryptos make Ripple richer, and Ripple makes other cryptos a lot richer as they finally have chance to get used.