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Cashback vs Miles vs Rewards: Which Is The Best Type Of Credit Card For You?

Ching Sue Mae

Ching Sue Mae

Last updated 26 December, 2023

Chase miles, earn cashback or hoard reward points? With a sea of credit cards out there, how do you compare and pick the best one for your choice of lifestyle?

Best Credit Cards in Singapore on SingSaver

Cashback: Citi Cash Back Card | Citi Cash Back+ Card | CIMB Visa Signature Card | CIMB World Mastercard | Maybank Friends & Family Card | UOB EVOL Card | UOB One Card | UOB Absolute Cashback Card | OCBC 365 Card | HSBC Visa Platinium | Standard Chartered Simply Cash Card

Miles: Citi PremierMiles Card | Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card | UOB PRVI Miles Card | OCBC 90°N Card | KrisFlyer UOB Card | American Express Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Ascend | DBS Altitude Visa Card

Rewards: Citi Rewards Card | HSBC Revolution Card | UOB Lady's Card | UOB Lady's Solitaire Card | OCBC Titanium Rewards Card | DBS Woman's World Card | Standard Chartered Rewards+ Card

When it comes to credit cards, your spending habits and personal preferences take the front seat. Whether you enjoy travelling in style, or if simply want cash in your pocket, there’s a card for you. Here’s a look at the three main types of credit cards and the promotions available.


Looking for the best credit cards to complement your spending patterns and expenditure in 2024? Check out our Ultimate Credit Card Guide that covers all things credit cards in Singapore – from choosing between a cashback, miles, or rewards credit card to planning your credit card strategy.


Overview: Cashback vs Miles vs Rewards

Type of credit card Pros Cons
Cashback Get a percentage of your spending back in the form of cash or rebates. It is credited back into your credit card account to offset your next purchase.  To earn higher cashback rates, some credit cards require you to spend a minimum amount each month. There could also be a cap to the amount of cashback you can earn. 
Miles Earn miles for every dollar you spend. Whether in economy class or first class, these miles can be used to redeem your next flight out of Singapore.  It takes time to accumulate sufficient miles to a destination outside of Southeast Asia, unless you spend big. Your miles might also expire before you have the chance to use them. 
Rewards Chalk up rewards points as you spend. Rewards cards offer flexibility, allowing you to redeem your points for a reward of your choice. You can also use these reward points to redeem miles or cashback. Not all rewards catalogues offer a wide variety of gifts. The rewards you see on the catalogue today might not be the same rewards available when you finally redeem your points.


Cashback credit cards

A cashback card is the most straightforward when it comes to earning rewards for your credit card spend. With a cashback card, you get rewarded with cash credited into your credit card. These cash credits can be used to help you offset your next purchase.  

Who should get cashback cards?

  • If you think cash is king. You are rewarded with cash in your credit card that can be used immediately, on your next purchase, whatever that might be. 
  • If you don’t spend much. You still enjoy cashback regardless of the size of your spending, and the cashback cap doesn’t bother you. 
  • If you prefer immediate gratification. Your cashback is credited into your credit card each month. On the other hand, miles and rewards cards require months or even years of miles/reward points accumulation before you can redeem something substantial. 
Pros Cons
Get back a percentage of your spending in the form of cashback Minimum monthly spend required
High cashback rate for specific categories (e.g. grocery, dining, petrol, shopping etc.) Cap to the maximum amount you can earn in cashback each month
Receive your cashback every month Not all categories earn high cashback rates
No redemption process required  


What to consider when choosing a cashback card: 

  • Cashback rate: How much cashback will you be earning? 
  • Categories with higher cashback rate: Which category spend will give you more cashback? 
  • Minimum spend: How much will you need to spend each month to earn this cashback? 
  • Cashback cap: What’s the maximum amount you can earn in cashback for each category every month? 

What cashback credit cards should you get? 

Check out the cashback cards listed below or read this article to find the best cashback cards in Singapore.

Best Cashback Credit Cards (with min. spending and cap)

Credit Card Best for/Benefits Details Min. Annual Income
Citi Cash Back Card
Citi_Cashback_Platinum_Mastercard

 

- 8% cashback on Groceries and Petrol

- 6% cashback on Dining

- 0.25% cashback on all other spending
- Min. S$800 monthly spend

- S$80 cashback cap (per statement month)

- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year free; 9% GST w.e.f. 1 Jan 2024)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$42,000
CIMB Visa Signature Card
CIMBVisaSignatureCard-4
 
- 10% cashback on Online Shopping, Groceries, Beauty & Wellness, Pet Shops & Vet services, and Cruises

- Unlimited 0.2% cashback for all other spending
- Min. S$800 monthly spend

- S$100 cashback cap (per statement month), and up to S$20 per category

- For spend beyond the cap, you will earn 0.2% cashback

- No annual fee
- Local/PR: S$30,000
Maybank Family & Friends Card
Maybank-FamilyFriends_card-1024x697
 
- 8% cashback on 5 selected categories:

1) Groceries
2) Dining & Food Delivery
3) Transport, Data Communication & Online TV Streaming
4) Retail & Pets
5) Online Fashion
6) Entertainment
7) Pharmacy
8) Sports & Sports 9) Apparels
10) Beauty & Wellness

- 0.25% cashback on all other spending
- Min. S$800 monthly spend

- S$125 cashback cap (per statement month), and up to S$25 per category

- Annual fee: S$181.67 (First 3 years free; 9% GST w.e.f. 1 Jan 2024)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Malaysian Citizen: S$45,000

- Foreigner: S$60,000
UOB EVOL Card
uob-evol-1024x644
 
- 8% cashback on Online Spend

- 8% cashback on Mobile Contactless Spend

- 0.3% cashback on all other spending
- Min. S$600 monthly spend

- S$60 cashback cap (per statement month), and up to S$20 per category

- Annual fee: S$196.20 (Waived when you make a min. 3 transactions every month for 12 consecutive months)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$40,000
OCBC 365 Card
OCBC365

 

- 5% cashback on Dining and Online Food Delivery

- 6% cashback on Petrol

- 3% cashback on Groceries, Land Transport, Utilities, Streaming, Drugstore and Electric Vehicle Charging

- 0.25% cashback on all other spending
- Min. S$800 & S$1,600 monthly spend

- S$80 & S$160 cashback cap depending on monthly spend tier (per statement month)

- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First 2 years free; 9% GST w.e.f. 1 Jan 2024)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$45,000

Best Unlimited Cashback Credit Cards

Credit Card Best for/Benefits Details Min. Annual Income
Citi Cash Back+ Card
citicashbackplus-1

 

- 1.6% unlimited cashback on all spending
- No min. spend required

- No cap on cashback earned

- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$42,000
AMEX True Cashback Card
amex-true-cashback

 

- 1.5% unlimited cashback on all spending (including education fees, insurance, healthcare, utilities and telco)
 
- Enjoy 3% welcome bonus cashback on up to S$5,000 eligible spend within first 6 months of card approval
- No min. spend required

- No cap on cashback earned

- Annual fee: S$174.40 (First year free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000
CIMB World Mastercard
CIMB-WORLD-MASTERCARD_2019-LR-1024x674

 

- 2% unlimited cashback on Wine & Dine and Online Food Delivery, Movies and Digital Entertainment, Taxi and Automobile, and Luxury Goods
- Min. S$1,000 monthly spend

- No annual fee


- Local/PR: S$30,000
Standard Chartered Simply Cash Card
SimplyCash_front

- 1.5% unlimited cashback on all spending
 
- No min. spend required

- No cap on cashback earned

- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First 2 years free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$60,000
UOB Absolute Cashback Card
uob-absolute-cardface

 

- 1.7% unlimited cashback on all spending

- Includes insurance, school fees, wallet top-ups (excludes Grab), healthcare, utilities & telco bills, and rental
- No min. spend required

- No cap on cashback earned
 
- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$40,000
Maybank FC Barcelona Visa Signature Card
maybank-fcb-visasig

 

- 1.6% unlimited cashback on all local spending
- No min. spend required

- No cap on cashback earned
 
- Annual fee: S$120.10 (First 2 years free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Malaysian Citizen: S$45,000

- Foreigner: S$60,000

Miles credit cards

A miles credit card rewards you with miles for every dollar spent. These accumulated miles can be used to redeem flights in the future, be it economy class, business class or first class. Naturally, the further the destination, the more miles are required. 

Who should get a miles card? 

  • If you love to travel. There’s nothing like redeeming your hard-earned miles for a ‘free’ flight. If you enjoy travelling, chasing miles can be a very rewarding journey. 
  • If you want to experience travelling in luxury. Can’t bear to pay the premium for a non-economy seat? A miles card could be your chance to earn yourself a first-class ticket on a carrier like Singapore Airlines. Some miles credit cards also come with free lounge access
  • If you have big-ticket purchases coming up. Miles require spending in order to accumulate sufficient miles. A big-ticket purchase is a chance for you to supercharge your miles journey, especially with the bonus miles promotions some credit cards offer. 
Pros Cons
Both local and overseas spending earn you miles, which can be redeemed for a flight in the future  Takes time to accumulate sufficient points to redeem a flight
No minimum spend required Not all banks partner a wide range of frequent flyer programmes
No cap to miles you can earn There is an expiry date to miles earned 
Additional travel benefits such as complimentary airport transfer, lounge access, travel insurance and more  

What to consider when choosing a miles card: 

  • Miles earn rate / miles per dollar (mpd): How many miles will you earn per dollar spent? 
  • Categories with higher miles earn rate: Which categories will give you more miles for your spending? 
  • Annual fee: How much is the annual fee and should you pay the annual fee?  
  • Airlines partners: Which frequent flyer programmes does the bank have on board? For example, Krisflyer miles can only be used for carriers under Singapore Airlines. 

Which miles credit card should you get? 

Check out the miles cards listed below or read this article to find the best miles cards in Singapore, or check out these credit cards for first-time miles chasers.

 

Best Miles & Travel Credit Cards

Maximise your budget holiday spend even further with the best air miles credit cards and best credit cards for travelling in Singapore. Get rewarded whenever you spend locally or overseas, plus access awesome perks like airport lounges, discounted travel insurance rates, and even free gifts for first sign ups!

Credit Card Best for/Benefits Details Min. Annual Income
Citi PremierMiles Card

 

- S$1 = 10 miles on Bookings at Kaligo

- S$1 = 7 miles on Hotel Bookings at Agoda

- S$1 = 2 miles on Foreign Spend
 
- S$1 = 1.2 miles on Local Spend
 
- 2 free airport lounge visits per year with Priority Pass

- Up to S$1 million complimentary Travel Insurance coverage when you charge travel tickets to card
- Miles awarded as Citi Miles, which never expire

- S$27 per redemption

- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year free)
 - Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$42,000
DBS Altitude Card
DBSAltitudeVisaSignatureCard-e1568109609752


 

- S$1 = 10 miles on Hotel Transactions at Kaligo

- S$1 = 6 miles on Flight & Hotel Transactions at Expedia
 
- S$1 = 4.3 miles on Hotel Transactions at Agoda

- S$1 = 2.2 miles on Foreign Spend
 
- S$1 = 1.3 miles on Local Spend
 
- 2 free airport lounge visits per year with Priority Pass
- Miles awarded as DBS Points, which never expire
 
- 5,000 DBS Points = 10,000 KrisFlyer Miles

- S$27.25 (incl. GST) per redemption

- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$45,000
OCBC 90°N Miles Card
OCBC_90N_VISA-1
OCBC_90N_MASTERCARD_UPDATED
- S$1 = 1.3 miles on Local Spend
 
- S$1 = 2.1 miles on Foreign Spend
 
- S$1 = 7 miles on Agoda Bookings in Foreign Currency
 
- S$1 = 6 miles on Agoda Bookings in Local Currency
- 90°N Miles never expire
 
- 1 90°N Mile = 1 KrisFlyer Mile
 
- 90°N Miles can be redeemed per blocks of 1,000 Miles
 
- Exchange 90°N Miles for cash rebates, vouchers, or offset travel costs too
 
- Annual fee: S$196.20 (Frist year free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000
 
- Foreigner = S$45,000
Maybank Horizon Visa Signature Card
Maybank-Horizon-Visa-Signature-Card-1

- S$1 = 2.8 miles on Overseas Spend and Air Tickets (All Airlines)*

- S$1 = 1.2 miles on Local Retail Spend^ on Shopping, Dining, Food Delivery, Supermarket, Transport, Hotels, Cruises, Travel Packages, Car Rentals

- S$1 = 0.25 miles on Utilities, Education, Insurance, and Medical expenses

- Complimentary access to Selected VIP Airport Lounges

- Up to S$1 million Complimentary Travel Insurance Coverage

- Min. S$800 spend per month required, otherwise 1.2 mpd only
 
- Miles awarded in the form of TREATS Points
 
- *Capped at 40,000 Bonus TREATS Points per calendar month for Air Tickets. Up to 3.2 mpd for a limited time only. T&Cs apply.
 
- ^No min. spend, no cap
- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First 3 years free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Malaysian Citizen: S$45,000

- Foreigner: S$60,000

UOB PRVI Miles Card
UOB_PRIVIMILES_MASTER
uob-prvi-resized-e1548402137533-2uob-prvi-amex-resized-3

- S$1 = 6 miles on Selected Online and Flight Bookings at Agoda, Expedia, and UOB Travel

- S$1 = 2.4 miles on Overseas Spend

- S$1 = 1.4 miles on Local Spend

- Up to S$500,000 complimentary Travel Insurance Coverage
- Miles awarded as UNI$
 
- S$25 per redemption

- Annual fee: S$261.60 (First year free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$40,000

HSBC TravelOne Card
HSBC TravelOne

- S$1 = 2.4 miles on Foreign Spend
 
- S$1 = 1.2 miles on Local Spend
 
- 4 Complimentary Airport Lounge Visits per year (Primary cardholders only)
 
- Up to US$100,000 Complimentary Travel Insurance Coverage (including COVID-19)
25,000 Rewards Points = 10,000 Miles
 
5 free supplementary cards
 
No conversion fee for air miles or hotel points (Until 31 May 2024)
 
Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner/Self-Employed: S$40,000

Standard Chartered Journey Card
SC_Card_OM_Journey_20220816-AssetA-RGB-2500px_HENRY YEO

- S$1 = 2 miles on Foreign Spend
 
- S$1 = 1.2 miles on Local Spend
 
- S$1 = 3 miles on Select Local Online Categories like Transportation, Grocery, and Food Delivery*
 
- 2 Complimentary Priority Pass Airport Lounge Visits per year
 
- Up to S$500,000 Complimentary Travel Insurance Coverage
- Rewards Points never earned from SC Journey Card never expire
 
- 25,000 Rewards Points = 10,000 KrisFlyer Miles
 
- *Capped at S$1,000 spend per statement month
 
- 45% off MSIG TravelEasy Travel Insurance (Single Trip) (Valid till 30 Jun 2024)
 
- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$60,000

KrisFlyer UOB Card
KrisFlyerUOBCreditCard

- S$1 = 3 miles on Everyday Spend (e.g. Dining, Online Food Delivery, Online Shopping, Online Travel, Local Transport)*
 
- S$1 = 3 miles on Singapore Airlines, Scoot, KrisShop, and Kris+ purchases
 
- S$1 = 1.2 miles on All Other Spend
 
- Up to S$500,000 Complimentary Travel Insurance Coverage
 
- Fast track to KrisFlyer Elite Silver Status
 
- Other Membership Privileges on Scoot
- *Min. S$800 annual spend on Singapore Airlines, Scoot, and KrisShop required
 
- Earn KrisFlyer Miles directly to KrisFlyer Membership Account
 
- No cap on miles earned but only credited within 2 months of paying annual fee
 
- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year free) 
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$40,000

AMEX Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card
AMEX_SINGAPORE_AIRLINES_KRISFLYER

- S$1 = 1.1 miles on Local Spend

- S$1 = 2 miles on Foreign Spend during June and December

- S$1 = 2 miles on Singapore Airlines-Related Spend

- S$1 = 3.1 miles on Grab Singapore Transactions, capped at S$200 per month

-S$1 = 0.5 miles on Singapore Airlines Instalment Plans via PaySmall for eligible purchases

- Up to S$350,000 Complimentary Travel Insurance coverage

- Exclusive Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Loyalty Programme Perks

- Earn KrisFlyer Miles directly to KrisFlyer Membership Account
 
- Annual fee: S$179.85 (First year free)
Subject to American Express' approval

AMEX Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer Credit Card

AMEX_SINGAPORE_AIRLINES_KRISFLYER_ASCEND

 

- S$1 = 1.2 miles on Local Spend

- S$1 = 2 miles on Foreign Spend during June and December

- S$1 = 2 miles on Singapore Airlines-Related Spend

- S$1 = 3.2 miles on Grab Singapore Transactions, capped at S$200 per month

- Up to S$1 million Complimentary Travel Insurance Coverage

- Exclusive Hertz Gold Plus Rewards Loyalty Programme Perks

- Earn KrisFlyer Miles directly to KrisFlyer Membership Account
 
- Annual fee: S$343.35 (First year free)
Subject to American Express' approval

HSBC Revolution Card
HSBC-Revolution-New

- S$1 = 4 miles on Online and Contactless Spend (e.g.Shopping, Groceries, Dining, Food Delivery, Ride-hailing)

- S$1 = 0.4 miles on All Other Spend

- Up to S$300,000 Complimentary Travel Insurance Coverage

- Capped at S$1,000 spend / 9,000 Bonus Rewards Points per calendar month
 
- No annual fee
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner/Self-employed: S$40,000

Citi Rewards Card
CITI_REWARDS_MASTER

- S$1 = 4 miles on Selected Online Transactions (e.g. Shopping, Ride-hailing, Food Delivery, Groceries) and In-Store Shopping

- S$1 = 4 miles on All Other Retail Spend

- Up to S$1 million Complimentary Travel Insurance Coverage

- Capped at S$1,000 spend / 9,000 Bonus Rewards Points per statement month
 
- Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year free)
- Local/PR: S$30,000

- Foreigner: S$42,000

Rewards credit cards

A rewards credit card gives you reward points for your credit card spend. These reward points can be used to redeem a gift of your choice from the rewards catalogue. You’ll find that they usually revolve around cash vouchers for department stores, supermarkets, petrol stations, restaurants and more. 

Many rewards cards also double as miles cards, allowing you to convert your points into miles from one of the bank’s frequent flyer programmes. This makes rewards cards a versatile tool for you shuttle between miles and rewards depending on your whims. 

Who should get rewards cards?

  • If you prefer gifts over cash. You can use your points to directly redeem a gift for yourself from the rewards catalogue. Otherwise, redeeming vouchers allows you to reward yourself by purchasing a gift of your choice.  
  • If you are undecided about what type of reward you prefer. You can still exchange your reward points for miles or cash credits in the future. 
  • If you want a gift that can be given to others. Your reward points can be exchanged for cash vouchers to be used at participating merchants, such as restaurants, grocery stores, petrol stations and more.  
Pros Cons
Freedom to choose the reward you want Limited rewards catalogue
Flexibility to redeem only when you want to  Current items in rewards catalogue might change by the time you choose to redeem your reward
Points can be used to offset your spending  Miles conversion fee

What to consider when choosing a rewards card: 

  • Rewards earn rate: How many reward points will you be getting per dollar spent?
  • Categories with higher reward points given: Which categories will give you more points for your spending? 
  • Variety of rewards catalogue: How extensive is the bank’s rewards catalogue? Does it have rewards that you will want to redeem? 

Which rewards credit card should you get? 

Check out the rewards cards listed below or read this article to find the best rewards cards in Singapore.

Perks Credit card Alternative option
Flexibility to choose preferred category UOB Lady’s Card
UOB Lady's CardChoose 1 category (from 7 categories) that will earn you 15x UNI$ (30 miles) per S$5 spend
UOB Lady’s Solitaire Card
Choose 2 categories (from 7 categories) that will earn you 15x UNI$ (30 miles) per S$5 spend
Highest rewards earn rate Citi Rewards Card 
Earn 10X Rewards points for every $1 spent on online purchases
OCBC Titanium Rewards Card
Earn 10x OCBC$ for every $1 spent on retail, in stores and online


Best credit cards for each spending type

Here’s a thought: there is space for more than one credit card in your wallet! 

Choosing one type of credit card doesn't mean that you can’t hold another; the trick to maximise returns on your credit card spend is to hold multiple credit cards (responsibly), with each credit card serving a specific purpose. 

For example, you might use the Citi Rewards card for your online spend, but opt for the CIMB Visa Signature for grocery spend while using the UOB PRVI Miles for all other spend. However, keep in mind that with more credit cards also comes more bills to keep track of and pay. By trying to meet the minimum requirements across all your cards, you might unknowingly be expanding your expenditure more than necessary every month, which adds up to a lot in a year.

If you are looking for a credit card that helps you optimise savings for spending in a specific category, you can check out these guides: 

Looking for the best credit cards to complement your spending patterns and expenditure in 2024? Check out our Ultimate Credit Card Guide that covers all things credit cards in Singapore – from choosing between a cashback, miles, or rewards credit card to planning your credit card strategy.

 

A flat white, an adventure-filled travel and a good workout is her fuel. Sue Mae enjoys sharing knowledge on personal finance while chasing the dream of financial independence.

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