Best Deals Credit Cards in Singapore (2020)

You can apply for a credit card online or using physical forms available at banks. Fill up the personal details required, submit the relevant documents (such as your NRIC and payslip or latest CPF statements), and wait for the application to be approved.

Most banks also offer the option of applying via MyInfo using SingPass. Applying via MyInfo speeds up the application process as most of the information required would have been filled in for you. Sometimes, there are promos where you get rewarded cash gifts by applying with MyInfo.

You must be at least 21 years old to apply for a credit card. Some banks allow student credit cards to be issued to those aged 18. The minimum age for a supplementary card holder is also 18 years old. Besides being 21 years old, you also have to meet other application requirements such as the minimum annual income requirement.

You can start by choosing the type of credit card you prefer to have: miles, cashback or rewards.

From there, you can narrow down your selection based on factors such as:

• What you can earn by spending on the credit card
• Categories that earn more rewards (e.g. groceries, dining, online shopping, etc.)
• What complimentary benefits the card offers
• Minimum annual income required
• Annual fee waiver

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A credit card can help ease cashflow as you’re spending ‘future money’.. You won’t be incurring the actual cost out of your own pocket presently, until the credit card bill comes along.

Besides being able to spend before you receive your pay, credit cards also reward you for your spending. For example, spending on a credit card can earn you cashback, air miles and reward points which can be exchanged for a variety of items. Credit cards also come along with fringe perks such as free airport lounge, discounts on dining and petrol, free travel insurance and more.

Visa, Mastercard and American Express are different credit card payment networks. Most credit card providers offer one or two of the card networks for their credit cards. For example, for DBS Altitude, you can get either the DBS Altitude Visa Signature or DBS Altitude American Express. UOB PRVI on the other hand, offers all three options — UOB PRVI Miles Visa UOB PRVI Miles Mastercard and UOB PRVI Miles American Express.

From a user standpoint, the payment does not differ, although there are a handful of places that might not accept American Express cards. The perks offered by these card providers do make a difference, in terms of dining promotions, airport transfers, lounge access, hotel benefits and more.

Before getting a credit card, consider the following:

• Do I meet the requirements to get a credit card?
• What is the annual fee and can it be waived?
• Will I be able to hit the minimum monthly spend required (if any)?
• Do I have the discipline to pay off my credit card bills?

The easiest credit cards to get are the ones with an entry-level annual income requirement of S$30,000 or those that offer instant approval. Credit card providers with instant approval can provide a digital credit card that you can start using even before your physical card arrives in the mail. Credit cards that are more difficult to get include the ones with higher annual income requirements that can range from S$80,000 to S$200,000. Not everyone will be able to apply for these cards.

Do also keep in mind that how easy or difficult a credit card is to get also depends on other factors such as your credit score and having continuous employment that is reflected by your CPF statement. A good credit score and having the relevant supporting documents in order can help to get your application approved.