Online shopping is evolving. Today, everything from food, fashion, gadgets, and groceries, is at the touch of your fingertips. You can buy what you need without even leaving the comforts of your home. However, to shop online, you need to use the right credit card.
Online shopping credit cards will make your online checkout experience smart, secure, and hassle-free. That said, choose a credit card that will maximize your spending. This means choosing a card with cash rebate, rewards, and bonus miles.
Online shopping become the norm for you? Check out the best credit card for online shopping.
Best Credit Cards For Online Shopping In Singapore
Best For | Credit Card | Minimum Spend Per Month | Cashback / Rewards | Cashback Cap Per Month |
Online (and offline) fashion purchases | DBS Live Fresh Card | S$600 | Up to 5% on online and visa contactless spend | Up to S$75 |
Unlimited cashback for serious online shoppers | Standard Chartered Bank Unlimited | None | 1.5% cashback on everything | None |
Considerable cashback rate for online shopping | OCBC Frank Card | S$600 | 6% cashback on online spend | S$75 |
Highest cashback rate | CIMB Visa Signature | S$800 | 10% cashback on beauty & wellness, online shopping, groceries | S$100 |
Shopping rewards redemption | Citibank Rewards Card | None | S$1 = 10X rewards on all online purchases | 10,000 points (expires every 5 years) |
Reward points | HSBC Revolution Card | None | S$1 = 10 points
S$1 = 4 Miles |
None |
Online food delivery | OCBC 365 | S$800 | 6% on food delivery like Deliveroo, GrabFood, and Food Panda | S$80 |
1. DBS Live Fresh Card – Best For Online (and Offline) Fashion Purchases
With 5% cashback on online transactions, your online shopping experience will get even better when you use DBS Live Fresh. Plus, cardmembers can earn an extra 5% cashback when they shop on select eco-friendly merchants.
DBS Live Fresh Card also has a reasonable minimum spending requirement of S$600. The only drawback is that the cashback is capped at S$75 per month.
Annual Interest Rate: 26.80%
Annual Principal Fee: S$192.60
Annual Fee: Enjoy 1-year annual fee waiver
Interest Free Period: 25 days
Minimum Income Requirements:
- Singaporean / Permanent Resident: S$30,000
- Foreigner: S$45,000
2. Standard Chartered Bank Unlimited – Best for Online Purchases
If you enjoy shopping online for almost everything, then Standard Chartered Bank Unlimited Credit Card is the one for you. This online shopping credit card offers hassle-free cashback with no minimum spend and no cashback cap.
Standard Chartered Bank Unlimited offers 1.5% cashback on everything. This is perfect for those who are thinking of purchasing big-ticket items, such as household appliances or gadgets.
Annual Interest Rate: 26.9%
Annual Fee: S$192.60 – First 2 years fee waiver
Interest Free Period: 22 days
Minimum Income Requirements: S$30,000
3. OCBC Frank Card – Best For Online Shoppers Looking For a High Cashback Rate
Looking for an online shopping credit card with a high cashback rate? Offering a 6% cashback on all types of online spending, OCBC Frank Card will surely make your online checkout experience even better.
On top of online purchases, you’ll also enjoy 6% cashback for mobile payments and app purchases. The minimum monthly spending requirement is S$600, which is a reasonable amount. However, the cashback is capped at $75 monthly with S$25 per subcategory.
Annual Interest Rate: 26.88%
Annual Principal Fee: S$80
Annual Fee: 2 years fee waiver
Interest Free Period: 23 days
Minimum Income Requirements:
- Singaporean / Permanent Resident: S$30,000
- Foreigner: S$45,000
4. CIMB Visa Signature – Best for High Cashback Rate
Get the most out of your online spending with CIMB Visa Signature Card. This online shopping credit card accelerates your shopping gains with a very high cashback at 10%. So, if you usually spend on beauty & wellness, online shopping, and groceries, this card is highly recommended.
Be sure to spend at least S$800 per month to qualify for the 10% cashback. This is capped at S$100 per month. Remember, this cashback applies to online shopping only.
Annual Interest Rate: 25.90%
Annual Principal Fee: S$0
Annual Fee: Fee waiver available
Interest Free Period: 23 days
Minimum Income Requirements: S$30,000
5. Citibank Rewards Card – Best For Online Shopping Rewards Redemption
Do you prefer cards that offer reward points? Citibank Rewards Card offers the highest rewards points for every S$1 online spend. The best part? It doesn’t have a minimum spend requirement.
This card gives 10x reward points or equivalent to 4 miles for every S$1 on online spend. You can use your reward points to offset payment for purchases or redeem items from the Citi Rewards Catalogue. However, the monthly cap is set at 10,000 rewards points.
Annual Interest Rate: 26.90%
Annual Principal Fee: S$192.60
Annual Fee: Fee waiver available
Interest Free Period: 25 days
Minimum Income Requirements:
- Singaporean / Permanent Resident: S$30,000
- Foreigner: S$42,000
6. HSBC Revolution Card – Best for Rewards Points Redemption
With HSBC Revolution Card, you can earn 10x rewards points on online purchases and contactless payments. All types of online spend count. However, it has a S$1,000 limit on how much you can earn the 10x points on.
What makes the HSBC Revolution Card one of the best online shopping credit cards is that it doesn’t charge annual fees. So it saves you from having to ask for a waiver every year.
Annual Interest Rate: 25.90%
Annual Principal Fee: None
Annual Fee: None
Interest Free Period: 20 days
Minimum Income Requirements:
- Singaporean / Permanent Resident: S$30,000
- Foreigner: S$40,000
7. OCBC 365 – Best for Online Food Delivery
If you frequently order food online, then OCBC 365 Credit Card is perfect for you. You get 6% cashback on online food deliveries, such as Deliveroo, GrabFood, and FoodPanda. It’s one of the few credit cards that give cashbacks for online food deliveries.
The best part? It offers a higher than average cashback cap of S$80 per month. However, you’ll have to spend at least S$800 per month. On top of that, you can also earn a 3% cashback on online travel spend, private hire rides, and telco and electricity bills.
Annual Interest Rate: 25.92%
Annual Fee: S$192.60 – First two years fee waiver
Interest Free Period: 23 days
Minimum Income Requirements: S$30,000
Verdict
So which is the best credit card?
The best online shopping credit card really depends on your lifestyle, as well as your online spending appetite. Do you love online shopping? Online food delivery? Do you love redeeming points?
For instance, if you prefer to save more through cashback, then consider the following credit cards:
- CIMB Visa Signature gives the highest cashback for online shopping. However, you’ll need to spend a minimum of S$800 and it has a cashback cap of S$100.
- Another great online shopping card is the Standard Chartered Bank Unlimited since it offers 1.5% hassle-free cashback on everything. Plus, no minimum spend and no cashback cap!
It is best to choose a credit card with a minimum spend that matches your monthly spending habits. That said, you need to understand the terms and conditions of your cashback credit card.
Here are a few more factors you need to consider.
Factors to Consider When Choosing The Best Shopping Credit Card
Don’t just look at how much you can earn when you spend online. You must also watch out for other features:
1. Minimum Monthly Spend Required
Most cashback credit cards have a minimum spend requirement you must reach to unlock the rewards. That said, you need to choose a credit card that matches your online spending habits.
2. Cashback Cap
Credit cards may also have a cap on how much cashback you can earn every month. It’s best to know if the credit card has a cashback limit so you don’t go and spend thousands in a single month.
3. Additional Perks
A lot of credit cards offer additional perks and bonuses. For instance, some cards offer special signing bonuses. Some offer e-commerce protection, while others offer free travel insurance when used in booking a flight online.
4. Rewards For Spending on Specific Categories
There are also credit cards that offer cashbacks and rewards when used to spend on app purchases, online contactless transactions, or in-store retail purchases.
Tips to Make Online Shopping Transactions Safe
Online shopping may not expose you to pickpockets, but it exposes you to the risk of credit card fraud and scams. These fraudsters, who manage to steal card information, can do a lot of damage. Aside from identity theft, they may also use your credit cards to spend thousands of dollars under your name.
Thankfully, it’s a risk you can manage by simply taking the necessary precautions. Here are a few tips for a safer online shopping transaction.
1. Check Your Credit Card Bill Statement
Every month, make sure to check your credit card bill statements. Do this even for cards you don’t usually use. Some individuals may forget to do this, especially when their bills are paid by GIRO.
2. Immediately Report Any Unauthorized Transaction
If you spot any unauthorized or suspicious transaction, contact your bank immediately. They will investigate the disputed charge and reverse the charges.
3. Never Disclose Your Credit Card and Personal Details
Be careful of credit card scams. For instance, someone may pretend to be a customer representative and ask for your personal details. Or you may receive an email asking you to click a link. Don’t fall for those scams. Never give out information, especially bank account details or PIN numbers.
4. Make Sure You’re Buying From A Secured Website
Double-check email addresses and URLs. Even if the website looks real, it might be a phishing site. So check the “padlock” icon at the upper-left corner of the address bar or google the official website.
Miles, Cashback, Rewards – Which Type of Credit Card Is For You?
Now that you have a list of the best credit cards for online shopping, which one should you get? It depends on how you want to be rewarded and your spending habits.
Here are the main types of credit cards and promotions:
1. Cashback Credit Cards
This type of credit card is perfect if you regularly use your card, whether for groceries, paying the bills, and so on. It’s a good option since you’ll get a percentage of your spending back in the form of a cash rebate. Some credit cards have a minimum spending requirement, as well as a cashback cap.
Get this if you prefer to be rewarded with cash which you can use immediately – on your next purchase or however you want.
Read 10 Best CashBack Credit Cards in Singapore.
2. Rewards Credit Cards
With a rewards credit card, you’ll earn points for every credit card spend. You can then use these points to redeem a gift from the credit card’s catalog. You can exchange your points for miles or vouchers. What makes this an attractive choice is its no minimum spending requirement.
Get this if you prefer gifts over cash. Some rewards cards can give you a choice to convert the points to miles or cashback.
3. Miles Credit Card
Miles credit card offers air miles rewards for every dollar spent. You can redeem the accumulated miles points when booking flights. The further the destination, the more miles you’ll need.
Get this if you love to travel, whether for leisure or business. And if you mostly spend on booking flights online. It’s also a good idea to choose a miles credit card with promotional earn rates with partner sites like Agoda.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are There Shopping Credit Cards Just For Ladies?
Yes, there are credit cards just for ladies. Here are three of them:
Credit Card | Benefits |
DBS Woman’s MasterCard Credit Card | 5x DBS points for every S$5 online and overseas shipping. The points can also be converted to miles |
UOB Lady’s Card | Earn 10x UNI$ with every S$5 spent on your preferred category. No minimum spend requirement |
Citi Rewards Card | Earn 10x rewards for clothes, bags, or shoes bought online, locally or overseas |
2. Can I Get A Credit Card For Online Shopping With Bad Credit?
When you have bad credit, you may find it challenging to get your credit card application approved. Banks are apprehensive about taking on the risk of lending money – especially when you have outstanding debt.
However, you can still get approved for an online shopping credit card. You can consider applying for a secured credit card in Singapore. This type of card requires a deposit of at least S$10,000 before being approved. The bank will treat your money as collateral.
3. Are Online Shopping Credit Cards Rewards Only Applicable To Select Online Merchants?
The offers of online shopping credit cards are applicable to all online spending. You can still earn cashback, rewards, or miles points as it is not limited to a specific merchant. That said, you can spend it in both local and foreign currency.
However, online merchants can partner with a specific credit card provider. They will offer special promotions so it’s best to look out for those.
Keep in mind though that although you may still earn rewards in foreign currency, you’ll be charged currency conversion fees.
Conclusion
Key Takeaways:
- To maximize your online spending, choose a credit card with cash rebate, rewards, and bonus miles.
- When choosing an online shopping card, consider the online shopping minimum spend requirement, cashback or rewards, and other rates and fees.
- The best online shopping credit card really depends on your lifestyle and shopping habits.
- Take necessary precautions to ensure safe online transactions. For instance, check your monthly card statement and report any unauthorized transactions.
It’s always good practice to maximize every dollar spent on your online shopping card. However, you also need to keep track of your online spending. Mismanaging your budget and spending more than you can afford can lead to financial distress.
Need fast cash? Whether it’s for an online spend or an emergency, you can always turn to a licensed moneylender in Singapore. Loan Advisor offers up-to-date information about the top licensed moneylenders. Request up to three loan quotes, compare your personal loans options, and make the best choice.