The 10 best credit cards in the Philippines [2023] (2024)

Planning a trip to the Philippines? If you’re staying a while, you’ll need to figure out the best way to cover your spending.

A credit card could be the ideal solution, but what cards are available in the Philippines? We’ll give you a rundown of the best options here in this helpful guide. This includes interest rates, fees, features and anything else you need to know.

We’ll also show you an alternative, the Wise card. It isn’t a credit card, but it is a fantastic option for international spending and ATM withdrawals.

Is it better to use a credit card in the Philippines, or a debit card?

Both credit and debit cards are widely accepted in the Philippines, and you shouldn’t have any problems paying by card in the big cities.

However, it could be a good idea to take out some Philippine pesos at an ATM, just in case. You’ll almost certainly need it if you’re visiting any of the country’s thousands of islands, where cards may not be accepted everywhere.

Wise international debit card

While it’s not a credit card, it’s well worth checking out the Wise card if you’re visiting or moving to the Philippines.

The Wise card is ideal for travelers and expats, as it offers the following features:

• Spend and withdraw cash in 150+ countries, anywhere that Visa and Mastercard are accepted.
• Automatically converts your USD to Philippine pesos (PHP) at the mid-market exchange rate whenever you spend. There’s just a small conversion fee, or there’s no charge if you already have the currency in your Wise account.
• Withdraw $100 a month from overseas ATMs for free, with a tiny fee after that.

This means you can shop, dine and travel knowing you're always getting a great exchange rate. And there’s no need to convert currency or carry cash around with you.

Open a Wise Account online, and you can order a Wise card for a one-time fee of just $9.

Get a Wise Account today

Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit : Only Pay for What You Use for the most up-to-date pricing and fee information.

Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but some additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

10 of the best credit cards to use in the Philippines

Now, let’s take a look at 10 of the best credit cards available in the Philippines, with some quick stats on each:

1: Citi Cash Back Credit Card¹

The Citi Cash back card is a great option if you want to earn rewards for spending. It has an annual fee of 4,500 PHP (waived for the first year) and offers the following rewards:

• Up to 6% cash back on supermarket purchases
• Up to 2% cash back on Meralco bill payments
• 0.20% cash back on all other purchases
• Up to 15,000 PHP in yearly savings
• Citi PayLite After Purchase - spread the cost of large purchases with monthly repayment plans
• Citi Speed Cash - apply for cash via the Citi Mobile App.

Your card can be fully managed through the feature-packed Citi Mobile App. The interest rate for purchases is 3%, and the cash advance rate is just a touch higher at 3.04%.²

You’ll need to have a minimum income of 180,000 PHP a year to apply for this card.

2: BDO Visa Classic

The Visa Classic card from BDO Unibank is free for a year, after which you’ll pay a monthly fee of 150 PHP. The interest rate is 3%, like many of the other cards on our list.³ And there are a couple of useful extra features, such as:⁴

• Buy now, pay later - pay in installments when you shop at over 20,000 physical and online stores, with 0% interest offers
• Exclusive Malaysia travel offers
• Hotel deals, plus 7% off at Expedia.

To apply for the BDO Visa Classic card, you’ll need to be at least 21 years old and be living in the Philippines. You’ll need a minimum income of 15,000 PHP a month.³

3: HSBC Red Mastercard⁵

The HSBC Red Mastercard is another credit card offering generous rewards for everyday spending.

You’ll get 1 bonus point for every 20 PHP you spend, along with Accelerated Rewards of 4x more for online, shopping, dining and international transactions. You can redeem these points for gift certificates, air miles and appliances.

The card also offers:

• Card installment deals with 0% interest
• Exclusive travel deals with 27,000 establishments in 160 countries
• HSBC Autocharge - automatically charging bills to your credit card
• 6% rebate on first Caltex fuel purchase, then 3% after that
• Cash advance.

Along with an interest rate of 3%, the HSBC Red Mastercard has an annual fee of 2,500 PHP. However, this is waived for the first year.

To get the card, you’ll need to have had an existing credit card for at least 6 months and have an annual income of at least 200,000 PHP.

4: AUB Gold Mastercard

The Gold Mastercard from Asia United Bank (AUB) is one of the best credit cards in the Philippines with no annual fee.⁶

However, it does have a higher minimum income requirement than some other cards. You’ll need to earn at least 50,000 PHP a month to qualify, and be over 21 years old.⁷

But in return, you’ll get lots of benefits including:⁸

• No interest on new purchases made after the statement cut-off
• Earn 1 Rewards Point for every 50 PHP you spend
• Access to Mabuhay Miles Frequent Flyer Program
• Travel perks including complimentary airport lounge access
• Link your AUB credit card to your Alipay account.

The interest rate for the AUB Gold Mastercard is 2%.⁶

5: Metrobank M Free Mastercard

If you’re looking for a straightforward credit card with no fees, this could be it. It’s the M Free Mastercard from Metrobank, one of the biggest and best banks in the Philippines for credit cards.

There’s no fee, although you’ll need a minimum annual income of 180,000 PHP to apply. The interest rate is 3%.⁹

Extra perks on offer with the Metrobank M Free Mastercard include:¹⁰

• Contactless payments for convenient everyday purchases of 2,000 PHP and below
• Discounts, deals and gifts with participating M Here partners
• 0% installment program from a wide range of merchants, so you can spread the cost of large purchases.
• Bills2Pay for utilities
• Cash2Go - get fast cash against your credit limit, and repay in monthly installments.

6: Metrobank World Mastercard

There’s another Metrobank credit card worth checking out, especially if you’re looking for a travel-friendly card. The Metrobank World Mastercard offers some impressive benefits, including:¹¹

• Mastercard airport experiences, including lounge membership and exclusive discounts
• Rebates with selected travel partners in multiple countries worldwide
• Up to 50% off luxury dining deals
• Discounts, deals and gifts with M Here partners.
• Earn rewards points for international transactions.

The annual fee is 6,000 PHP (waived for the first year) and the interest rate is 3%.⁹

However, there is a catch. You’ll need to meet a minimum income requirement of 4,000,000 PHP. And there may still be fees for transactions made in foreign currency.⁹

7: BPI Blue Mastercard

A decent all-round credit card from the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), the Blue Mastercard offers the following features:

• Earn BPI Rewards points on spending - get 1 point for every 35 PHP you spend. Points can be redeemed on air miles, gift vouchers and shopping credits.
• Withdraw up to 30% of your available credit limit through cash advance
• Stretch payment terms up to 36 months with Buy Now, Pay Later and 0% Special Installment Plan
• Travel insurance of up to 2 million PHP when booking flights with your card
• Forex conversion rates of 1.85% when spending abroad (although foreign transaction fees may apply).

There’s a fee of 1,500 PHP a year, although the first year is fee-free. The interest rate is 3%. BPI doesn’t say whether you need to meet a minimum income requirement, so you may need to contact the bank to find out.

8: RCBC Flex Visa

Commercial bank RCBC’s Flex Visa offers reward points for spending. These can be redeemed across your choice of dining, clothing, travel or transport (you can choose two categories each month). Other perks include:¹⁴

• Free travel insurance when making travel-related purchases on your card
• Access to Marhaba/Skyview Airport Lounges
• Convenient bills payment
• Access to cash - through Cash Loan and YourCash features.

You’ll need to be at least 21 to apply for this card, although RCBC doesn’t say whether you need to meet minimum income requirements. The annual fee is 1,500 PHP¹⁴ and the interest rate is 3%.¹⁵

9: BPI Amore Cashback Card

Another rewards card from BPI, this time offering cashback on spending. The BPI Amore Cashback Card offers 4% cashback on groceries, 1% on utilities and 0.3% on everything else. You can earn a maximum of 15,000 PHP in cashback every year.¹⁶

You’ll also benefit from other BPI rewards, including:¹⁶

• Multiple installment options
• Get cash anytime - withdraw up to 30% of your credit limit with Cash Advance
• Low forex rates.

The annual fee for this card is 2,050 PHP, waived for the first year.¹⁶ The interest rate is 3%.¹³

10: PSBank Credit Mastercard¹⁷

If you’re looking for something simple, take a look at the Credit Mastercard from the Philippine Savings Bank.

It’s a card with no annual fees, and limited extra features. You can however access 0% installment programs, cash advance and flexible payment schemes. The interest rate is 3%, like all the other cards on our list.

You’ll need to have an average daily balance of 188,000 PHP for the last 4 months. Plus, you’ll need to have an existing credit card with another bank with a credit limit of at least 25,000 PHP.

Bottom line

So, what is the best credit card in the Philippines? It all depends what you’re looking for, whether it’s cashback, rewards or just a simple credit card. And of course, your options may be limited by the eligibility criteria. But hopefully after reading this, you’ll have a better idea of what’s out there.

And don’t forget about alternatives such as the Wise card. While not a credit card, it’s a convenient, low cost way to spend all over the world, including in the Philippines.

Learn more about Wise

FAQs

Which Philippine credit card is best to use abroad?

The Metrobank World Mastercard is designed for travel, offering lots of perks including discounts and deals on airport experiences and hotels. However, it does still charge fees for spending overseas in other currencies.

What credit card is widely accepted in the Philippines?

Both Visa and Mastercard are accepted in the Philippines, especially in the larger cities. You might find that you’ll still need cash when visiting the islands.

What is the highest credit card limit in the Philippines?

You’ll need to apply to find out your personal credit limit, which can vary between providers and based on your circ*mstances. However, credit limits in the Philippines tend to be between 20,000 and 60,000 PHP.¹⁸

Sources used for this article:

1. Citibank Philippines - Citi Cash Back Mastercard
2. Citibank - Credit cards - Interest rates and charges
3. BDO - Credit cards table of fees and charges
4. BDO - Visa Classic
5. HSBC - Red Mastercard
6. AUB - Credit cards terms and conditions
7. AUB - Credit cards - Easy and Classic
8. AUB - Credit cards - Features and benefits
9. Metrobank - Compare cards
10. Metrobank - M Free Mastercard
11. Metrobank - Metrobank World Mastercard
12. BPI - BPI Blue Mastercard
13. BPI - Credit cards - Rates and fees
14. RCBC - Flex Visa
15. RCBC - Card fees and charges
16. BPI - Amore Visa Classic
17. PS Bank - PSBank Credit Mastercard
18. The Points Society - Credit card tiers in the Philippines

Sources checked on 03-Jul-2023.