Credit cards unlock the door to discounts, perks, and flexible payment options like 0% installment and Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL). When choosing a credit card, the word best is subjective—it may be the best for you but not for others.
That’s why selecting one isn’t easy. Your lifestyle, financial capacity, and spending habits are equally important when deciding which card to get. Some credit cards have waived annual fees, and the service charges vary from one issuer to another—all of which can make a big difference.
On that note, I did the legwork for you and compiled the best credit cards in the Philippines to compare online.
| Credit Card | Minimum Annual Income | Annual Fee | Best Use |
| 1. AUB Gold Mastercard | ₱600,000 | Waived for life | Flexible due date options |
| 2. BDO AmEx Cashback | ₱420,000 | ₱3,000 | Local and overseas shopping without rebate cap |
| 3. BPI Amore Visa | ₱180,000 | ₱2,050 | Cashback card for supermarket purchases |
| 4. HSBC Red Mastercard | ₱200,000 | ₱1,500 | Online shopping, dining, and travel with accelerated points |
| 5. Metrobank M Free Mastercard | ₱180,000 | Waived for life | Entry-level credit card with low income requirement |
| 6. RCBC Flex Visa | ₱180,000 | ₱1,500 | Young professionals and millennials on the go |
| 7. Security Bank World Mastercard | By eligibility requirements | ₱5,000 | Luxury jetsetters who want VIP travel experience |
| 8. UnionBank Gold Cashback Mastercard | ₱360,000 | ₱2,500 | Unlimited cashback without cap; redeemable by ₱1,000 |
| 9. Unionbank Rewards VISA | ₱250,000 | ₱2,500 | Send money to local banks and earn 3X rewards points |
| 10. ZALORA Credit Card | ₱300,000 | ₱4,000 | Shopping on ZALORA website |
1. AUB Gold Mastercard: Flexible due dates
AUB Gold Mastercard gives you more flexibility on your due date. Choose your due date from the 1st to the 30th of the month, which coincides with your payday. With an annual fee waived for life, you will save thousands of pesos already.
This card will also benefit frequent travelers to China and entrepreneurs who buy on Alibaba. It lets you top up your Alipay’s international version.
Here’s a personal review from an AUB credit cardholder about having this card.
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Key features of the AUB Gold Mastercard |
| Earn reward points for every ₱20 you spend. |
| Redeem points and transfer them to the Mabuhay Miles frequent flyer program. |
| Convert AUB points into Cebu Pacific GetGo points or AirAsia Big Rewards points. |
| Enjoy flexible installment payment options for a minimum purchase of ₱5,000. |
| Choose when to pay your due, which can be your payday. |
2. BDO Amex Cashback: Best for earning unlimited cashback from local and overseas shopping
BDO Amex Cashback gives you unlimited cashback and is your ideal companion for overseas online shopping. You earn cashback on local and international purchases without minimum spend requirements and no rebate cap.
If you’re a frequent traveler, you will also appreciate the perks of complimentary travel insurance on personal accident, which provides coverage for up to ₱10 million.
Here’s what an AmEx cashback cardholder has to say about it:
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Key features of BDO Amex Cashback |
| Enjoy a 5% cashback for the first three months, maximum rebate is ₱2,500. |
| Earn 1% cashback on local purchases and 2% cashback on overseas purchases. No minimum spend is required, no cap on rebates. |
| Accepted globally wherever American Express is recognized. |
Free travel and inconvenience insurance and 24/7access to Global Travel Assistance for emergencies.
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3. BPI Amore VISA: Best cashback card for supermarket purchases
If most of your supermarket purchases are in Ayala malls and its affiliated establishments, then this one is an excellent option given that it has a lower annual fee compared to Security Bank Complete cashback that also offers tier-based cashback rebates.
I personally had a BPI savings account and credit card many years ago, and I think bills payment and online banking are pretty convenient. Plus, the Buy Now Pay Later with 0% interest is enticing, giving you more flexibility in easily paying for big-ticket items.
For your spending using this card, you earn 4% on supermarket purchases, 1% on drug stores and utilities, and 0.30% on other spending. BPI Amore VISA annual fee is ₱2,050, waived for the first year.
Here’s what a BPI Amore cashback cardholder has to say about it:
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Key features of the BPI Amore VISA |
| Earn up to ₱15,000 worth of cashback annually. |
| Enjoy unlimited access to Ayala Mall’s family and customer lounges. |
| Convert credit limit to cash and pay it in installments for up to 36 months. |
| Shop big-ticket items with BPI’s merchant partners and enjoy 0% interest installments with Buy, Now Pay Later. |
| Convert your straight purchases into installments without interest and pay only after three months from the transaction date. |
4. HSBC Red Mastercard: Best for shopping, dining, and travel with accelerated 4X rewards points
If you frequently shop online, travel overseas, and refuel your car, the HSBC Red Mastercard has some attractive offers. For every ₱20 you spend, you earn 1 bonus point, and it quadraples when you meet the terms and conditions for Accelerated Rewards program.
Another thing worth mentioning is that this card has low annual fee, which is the same as Metrobank M Free Mastercard at ₱1,500. If you’re lucky enough to catch some of their promos where you get an annual free for life, this card is for keeps.
Personally, I have an HSBC Gold VISA, one thing that I like about this issuer is their prompt customer service and it’s easy to file for a 0% installment interest on their website or via phone banking if you want to spread out a huge amount in installments of 3, 6, or 12 months. Plus, some users claim HSBC are generous when it comes to credit limit.
Here’s what an existing HSBC Red Mastercard user has to say:
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Key features of the HSBC Red Mastercard |
| Earn 4X bonus points on online, dining, shopping, and overseas transactions |
| Convert credit limit to cash and pay it in installments for up to 36 months |
| Receive a 6% rebate on their first Caltex fuel purchase and a 3% rebate all year round |
| Use your bonus points to redeem air miles from Asia Miles, KrisFlyer or Mabuhay Miles |
5. Metrobank M Free Mastercard: Best entry-level credit card
If you’re just starting your career but want a credit card with a lenient and low-income requirement, this could be one of your options. The great thing about this card is that the annual fee is waived for life. Plus, you only need a minimum annual income of ₱180,000.
This entry-level credit card opens the door as well for 0% installment options, giving you more flexibility when purchasing big ticket items. A word of caution, though: there are no rewards, cashback, or airmiles points on this card. So, if you’re looking for those three, this may not be a good fit for you. However, if you’re a first-time credit cardholder, this will help you build a strong credit history from day one.
A reddit user shares her sentiment in this post and why she’s now looking for another alternative.
Key features of Metrobank M Free Mastercard |
| Pay for big purchases in participating merchants with 0% installment program. |
| Avail flexible payment terms at 3,6,9,12, 18 and 24 months. |
| Request for up to four supplementary cardholders. |
| Enroll utility bills with Bill2Pay so you won’t miss your due dates. |
6. RCBC Flex VISA: Best for young professional and millennials on the go
The RCBC Flex Visa is for young professional and millennials who are always on the go for shopping, travel, and dining, and transportation. While you may not be traveling every month overseas, you can actually adjust your preferred categories to double your rewards points if you have planned a long holiday trip abroad.
This card lets you switch two spending categories for every billing cycle for you to earn rewards points. But you have to call the customer service to set those in the card, which can be cumbersome if you frequently switch from one to another.
Interestingly, it’s a good contender to Unionbank Rewards card as it also lets you send money directly from your credit card account in real-time with its UnliPay option. The annual fee is one of the lowest so far in this list together with HSBC Red Mastercard.
I’m curious as to what existing cardholders think about this card, so here’s what I found:
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Key features of RCBC Flex VISA |
| Exchange your points for cash rebates, shopping vouchers, or cash credit to your account. |
| Convert your straight payment purchases into installments for up to 36 months. |
| Consolidate credit cards into one card with RCBC Balance Transfer. |
| Get free travel insurance and purchase protection on your next trip. |
7. Security Bank World Mastercard: Best for luxury jetsetters who want VIP travel experience
If you love to travel in style and enjoy the finer things in life, the Security Bank World Mastercard in the Philippines is designed just for you. This card is perfect for luxury jet setters who want a VIP travel experience for a rewarding journey both local and international.
With this card, you earn 3 reward points for every ₱20 spent, which can be redeemed for various rewards like airline miles and shopping vouchers. Plus, you can enjoy automatic cashback offers from participating overseas merchants through Mastercard Travel Rewards.
Given that this is the highest tier among Security Bank credit card, the credit limit is set to ₱1 million and only a few are privileged to be upgraded as long as there’s a good credit history.
Here’s what a Reddit user says about it.
Upgraded to Security Bank World Mastercard
byu/Negative_Show_744 inPHCreditCards
Key features of Security Bank World Mastercard |
| Unwind and relax in over 1,300 airport lounges in more than 500 airports worldwide |
| Get unlimited access to local lounges like the Marhaba Lounge at NAIA Terminals 1 and 3 |
| Travel with peace of mind thanks to free travel insurance coverage of up to ₱10 million |
| Get e-commerce purchase protection insurance, covering issues like wrong deliveries or damages up to U$200 |
| Simplify your international transactions with dual currency billing |
8. UnionBank Gold Cashback Mastercard: Best for earning unlimited cashback
The UnionBank Gold Cashback Mastercard offers cashback rewards on spending. It’s a top credit card choice with a straightforward cashback system. Earn a rebate of 1% whenever you use it for any purchase.
What’s unique about this card is that there’s no cap on cashback, and you can redeem cash increments of ₱1,000. My spouse has this card, and one of the notable features I like is that redeeming is convenient through the UnionBank mobile app.
Once you accumulate ₱1,000, you can redeem that amount. It will be reflected as a credit adjustment, which will be deducted from your next billing cycle. The annual fee is ₱2,500, but you may be lucky, like my spouse, who enjoys no annual fee for life.
Key features of UnionBank Cashback Rewards Mastercard |
| Earn unlimited 1% cashback on all purchases with no limits. There are no category restrictions, so you can earn rewards effortlessly. |
| Get free life insurance coverage up to ₱400,000 that also covers monthly credit card payments in case of temporary disability. |
| Accepted worldwide as a Mastercard, this card is perfect for local and international use. |
| Enjoy exclusive perks, discounts, and comprehensive security features for added value and protection. |
| Get up to 53 days credit with 0% interest when you pay the full balance before the payment due date. |
9. Unionbank Rewards VISA: Best for earning 3X rewards points and sending money to local banks for free
Do you prefer rewards points instead of cash rebates? This Unionbank Rewards credit card—previously Citi Rewards card—may be for you. Disclaimer: I have had this credit card for more than five years now and am pretty much satisfied with it, except that I had to pay the annual fee, which I tried and negotiated a few times to be waived.
One of my favorite features of this card is that it lets me send money to other bank accounts via money transfer, which is transferred within 3-5 working days to the recipient for free. Previously, this was called CitiPay All.
With this option, I pay bookkeeping services, consultant fees, and even cash gifts straight to the recipient’s local bank and earn points from it.
Key features of Unionbank Rewards VISA |
| Fast cash loan via the Unionbank mobile app with add-on interest rates |
| Pay merchants or send money to other banks with using your credit. |
| Lock and unlock your card to secure your transactions. |
| Convert big-ticket items into installments from 3 to 24 months with add-on monthly interest |
| Use your points to pay purchases on Amazon and other partner merchants accepting Points. |
10. ZALORA Credit Card: Best for ZALORA shoppers and members
If you’re a fan of shopping on ZALORA and love the idea of earning rewards while being environmentally conscious, the ZALORA Credit Card is perfect for you. This card is the Philippines’ first eco-friendly credit card, made from non-edible corn, which is a sustainable alternative to traditional plastic.
This is pretty much useful if most of your purchases are from ZALORA. But if you have other spending categories where you want to earn points, maybe you’d be better off with HSBC Red Mastercard or Unionbank Rewards Visa or Mastercard.
Key features of ZALORA Credit Card |
| Get 6% cashback on ZALORA and 2% cashback on other online platforms. |
| Earn 1 reward point for every ₱50 spent. |
| Enjoy free shipping for a year with the ZALORA Credit Card. It’s part of the free ZALORA Now (ZNOW) subscription with the card. Simply renew your membership and spend ₱200,000 annually to continue this benefit. |
| Avail of the ZALORA Credit Card’s 0% installment plan for easier payment management. |
| Use the Spend Monitor and Spend Analyzer tools by RCBC Bankard to track and manage
expenses. |
| Receive a virtual card immediately upon approval that you can use for online shopping besides the physical card. |
What do you think of our list? Do you have other credit cards in mind that should be included here? Tell us in the comments section below.
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