Best credit cards for beginners in the Philippines
No or low annual fee and the lowest income rules. The job of this card is to build a clean credit history, not to earn rewards.
- 21cards from 8 banks
- 3%max monthly interest (BSP cap)
- ₱0to use this guide, no signup
From first card to premium
Most people should move up one level at a time, every year or two, as income and history grow.
- 0Not yetFix the basics first
If you would carry a balance, a card costs you money. Build a small emergency fund and clear utang first.
Debt payoff planner - 1StarterYour first card
No or low annual fee and the lowest income rules. The job of this card is to build a clean credit history, not to earn rewards.
From about ₱10,000 a monthYou are here - 2EverydayEarn on what you already spend
Cashback, points or shopping perks that match where your money goes. Worth it once you pay in full every month.
From about ₱15,000–40,000 a monthEveryday cards - 3PremiumTravel and big-spender perks
Miles, travel perks and higher limits, with higher annual fees. Only worth it if you travel or spend enough to beat the fee.
From about ₱65,000 a monthPremium cards
See every card up close
Tap a card for its fees, benefits and what the bank asks for.
Find the card that fits you now
Four questions. We only show cards whose income rule you clear.
The lowest income rule we found, and no annual fee ever.
- No annual fee for life, supplementary cards too (PNB fee table)
- Built for a first card
- No annual fee
- Your income clears its ₱10,000/month rule
- Annual fee
- No annual feeFree for life (PNB fee table)
- Income needed
- ₱10,000/moPNB application form
Few rewards. It is a card for building history, and a good backup card later.
See it on PNB From the bank’s own pages · November 2026A no-fee first card from a bank with a strong app.
- Built for a first card
- No annual fee
- Your income clears its ₱15,000/month rule
- Annual fee
- No annual feeNo annual fee
- Income needed
- ₱15,000/mo₱180,000 a year
Check the current fee and perks on UnionBank’s page; promos change.
See it on UnionBank From comparison listings · confirm with the bank · November 2026Maya app users who want to apply and manage the card on their phone.
- Built for a first card
- No annual fee
- Your income clears its ₱15,000/month rule
- Annual fee
- No annual feeNo annual fee while you use it; an inactivity fee can apply after months without use
- Income needed
- ₱15,000/mo₱180,000 a year
Offered to eligible Maya users. Check “Credit card” in the Maya app to see if you can apply.
See it on Maya From comparison listings · confirm with the bank · November 2026
6 of 21 cards fit your income. Matches favour your goal, your history and banks’ own published figures. Not a guarantee of approval.
Your first card: the cards
Sorted by lowest income needed. Fees are the principal card’s yearly fee before any waiver.
The lowest income rule we found, and no annual fee ever.
- No annual fee for life, supplementary cards too (PNB fee table)
- Annual fee
- No annual feeFree for life (PNB fee table)
- Income needed
- ₱10,000/moPNB application form
Few rewards. It is a card for building history, and a good backup card later.
See it on PNB From the bank’s own pages · November 2026A no-fee first card from a bank with a strong app.
- Annual fee
- No annual feeNo annual fee
- Income needed
- ₱15,000/mo₱180,000 a year
Check the current fee and perks on UnionBank’s page; promos change.
See it on UnionBank From comparison listings · confirm with the bank · November 2026Maya app users who want to apply and manage the card on their phone.
- Annual fee
- No annual feeNo annual fee while you use it; an inactivity fee can apply after months without use
- Income needed
- ₱15,000/mo₱180,000 a year
Offered to eligible Maya users. Check “Credit card” in the Maya app to see if you can apply.
See it on Maya From comparison listings · confirm with the bank · November 2026BPI payroll or savings clients: your bank already knows you.
- 1 BPI point for every ₱35, points never expire
- Redeem for shopping credits, gift vouchers or airline miles
- Track and redeem points in the Vybe app
- Annual fee
- ₱1,550/yrFirst supplementary card free for life
- Income needed
- ₱20,000/mo₱20,000 a month
It has an annual fee. Ask for a waiver after the first year, or redeem points for it.
See it on BPI From the bank’s own pages · November 2026
A simple RCBC starter with a modest fee and the first year free.
- First year membership fee waived
- Rewards points on every spend
- Annual fee
- ₱1,500/yrRCBC fee schedule; RCBC waives the first year
- Income needed
- ~₱20,800/moFrom listings; ask RCBC
Confirm the income rule with RCBC; comparison sites list different figures.
See it on RCBC Partly from the bank · confirm the rest · November 2026
What banks ask for
- A valid government IDPassport, UMID, driver’s license, PhilSys ID or similar.
- Proof of incomeEmployees: latest payslips, Certificate of Employment, or BIR Form 2316. Self-employed: ITR stamped by BIR, plus business documents.
- A clean recordPay existing loans and bills on time. Missed payments with any lender can show up when banks check you.
- Apply where you bankYour payroll or savings bank already sees your income. Some banks also issue cards secured by a deposit.
Make the card work for you
- 1Pay the full statement balance
Interest only starts when you leave a balance. Set up auto-debit for the full amount from your payroll account.
- 2Never just pay the minimum
Banks can charge up to 3% a month. A ₱20,000 balance on minimum payments takes years to clear. See the real cost.
- 3Skip cash advances
They charge a fee and interest from day one, with no grace period.
- 4Ask for the annual fee waiver
Call before the fee posts. Many banks waive it if you use the card regularly; some let you redeem points for it.
- 5Use under 30% of your limit
Low use and on-time payments are what build a good record for your next card and future loans.
- 6Make your card pay you back
Use the card promo scanner before you buy: discounts and 0% installment from your own bank.
Credit card questions, answered
For a first card, pick one with no annual fee and the lowest income rule you qualify for, ideally from the bank where your salary or savings already are. PNB Ze-Lo has no annual fee for life and one of the lowest income rules we found (₱120,000 a year on PNB’s form). UnionBank and Maya also have no-fee starter cards, and BPI’s Rewards Card starts at ₱20,000 a month. A first card’s job is to build a clean record, not to earn rewards.
It depends on the card. The lowest published rules start around ₱10,000 a month. BPI lists ₱20,000 a month for its Rewards Card and ₱40,000 for Gold Rewards; Metrobank’s general rule is ₱350,000 a year. Premium travel cards usually ask for ₱700,000 to ₱2,000,000 a year.
Yes. Apply at the bank where you already have a payroll or savings account, choose a starter card, and have your proof of income ready. If you are turned down, ask your bank about a card secured by a deposit, use it lightly and pay in full for 6 to 12 months, then apply again.
A valid government ID and proof of income. Employees usually give recent payslips, a Certificate of Employment or BIR Form 2316. Self-employed people give an ITR stamped by the BIR and business documents. Some banks pre-approve their own depositors with less.
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas caps credit card interest at 3% a month, about 36% a year, and many cards charge close to the cap. You pay no interest at all if you pay the full statement balance by the due date.
Some “Apply” buttons may be partner links, labelled as such, and PesoPilot may earn a fee when an application is approved, at no cost to you. It never changes which cards we list or how the finder ranks them. Cards without a partner link go straight to the bank’s own page.
How this guide works. Fees and income rules come from each bank’s own pages where we could read them (marked “From the bank’s own page”), otherwise from public comparison listings, marked “confirm with the bank”. Banks change fees, waive them on promo and decide approvals case by case, so check the bank’s page before you apply. Some “Apply” buttons may be partner links, labelled as such; PesoPilot may earn a fee when an application is approved, at no cost to you, and it never changes which cards we list or how we rank them. Educational, not financial advice.
More on cards: Card promo scanner · Cost of credit card debt · Pay off card debt · Everyday cards · Premium cards · All credit cards