Singapore Credit Cards: Compare Miles & Cashback
Calculator-based comparison of 14 miles cards and 11 cashback cards from every major Singapore bank — projections built on each issuer's published rates, caps, and minimum-spend thresholds.
Miles Cards
14 cards trackedEarn KrisFlyer or flexible airline miles. Compare per-category mpd rates, caps, transfer ratios, and projected annual miles across all major Singapore miles cards.
Compare miles cardsarrow_forwardCashback Cards
11 cards trackedEarn statement-credit cashback on dining, groceries, transport, and more. Compare published rates, monthly caps, minimum spend, and projected annual cashback.
Compare cashback cardsarrow_forwardHow Singapore credit cards earn
Singapore credit cards split into two reward categories. Miles cards earn airline miles, typically KrisFlyer, that are redeemed for award flights and upgrades - rates range from a uniform 1 mpd on every dollar to 4 mpd on capped specialist categories like online shopping. Cashback cards return a percentage of spend as a statement credit - rates range from a flat 1.5% on every dollar to 10% on capped specialist categories like transport, dining, or groceries. In our calculations both categories use the same eight everyday spend buckets (dining, groceries, shopping & online, transport, foreign currency, petrol, travel, and other/miscellaneous). The right card depends on your monthly spend mix, your tolerance for tracking category caps, and whether airline miles or cash value is more useful to you. SGfi tracks 14 miles cards and 11 cashback cards from every major Singapore bank, with projection calculators built on each issuer's published rates, caps, and minimum-spend thresholds.
Cashback vs miles, in plain terms
The two categories use the same underlying spend mix but pay out differently. This table compares them on five axes that matter when picking a category.
| Axis | Miles cards | Cashback cards |
|---|---|---|
| How the reward is paid | Airline miles credited to KrisFlyer (direct) or to a flexible reward program that transfers to KrisFlyer / Asia Miles / other partners. | Statement credit applied to your card balance each month. No conversion step. |
| How the reward is valued | Variable — depends on the redemption. KrisFlyer Saver Awards typically convert at roughly 1.5–2.5 SG cents per mile on mid-haul Asia routes, premium-cabin redemptions can push higher. Use our Miles Calculator to project the value of your miles. | Fixed at face value. S$10 cashback always equals S$10 off your bill. |
| Where they typically earn the most | Foreign currency, travel bookings, online shopping. Specialist cards reach 4 mpd capped, while base rates sit between 1.2–1.4 mpd uncapped. | Dining, groceries, transport, online shopping, petrol. Specialist tiered cards reach 8–10% on bonus categories, with flat-rate cards earning 1.5–1.7% uncapped. |
| Caps and minimum spend | Most cards don't have caps and minimum spend requirements. Some cards require a tier threshold (e.g. S$800/mo) to unlock bonus rates. | Bonus categories typically capped at S$60–S$200 cashback/month. Most cards require a monthly minimum spend (often S$600–S$2,000) to earn at the published rates. |
| When this category typically fits | Frequent flyers, premium-cabin aspirants, users with significant foreign-currency or travel spend, or anyone willing to accumulate balances for a future redemption. | Users who prefer immediate, predictable value, want to offset everyday spend without tracking redemptions, or whose spend leans on dining / groceries / transport. |
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a miles card and a cashback card?expand_more
A miles card earns airline miles redeemable for award flights and upgrades, the value of each mile depends on how it is redeemed. A cashback card returns a percentage of spend as a statement credit at face value. Both reward types use the same eight spending categories on SGfi, but the calculator and ranking pages are separate because the underlying mechanics differ.
Which card type should I pick?expand_more
There is no single answer. If you spend regularly on foreign currency, online travel bookings, or aspire to premium-cabin flights, miles cards typically produce higher value at the same spend. If you prefer immediate, predictable value with no redemption admin, cashback cards typically fit better. Use both calculators to project the actual numbers at your spending profile — SGfi does not recommend a category.
How does SGfi calculate projected miles or cashback?expand_more
For each card, the calculator routes your monthly spend per category against the card's published per-category rate, applies per-rule and total-monthly caps, applies any minimum-spend or tier-threshold rules, then multiplies the monthly result by 12 for the annual projection. The methodology page below this section lists every assumption.
Are the rates on SGfi guaranteed?expand_more
No. Banks update miles-per-dollar rates, cashback rates, category caps, and minimum-spend thresholds regularly. The numbers shown reflect rates verified at the "Rates as of" date stamp on each page. Always confirm current terms with the issuing bank before applying.
Can I combine a miles card and a cashback card?expand_more
Yes. Many Singapore cardholders run a 2-card or 3-card portfolio: one specialist card per high-volume bonus category, with a flat-rate card as the catch-all. The miles comparison page includes a "Multi-Card Approach" tool that suggests a 3-card combination at your spending profile.
Do these cards have annual fees?expand_more
Most do. Annual fees range from S$0 (HSBC Revolution, ad-hoc free cards) to S$599.50 (SC Visa Infinite). Many cards offer a first-year fee waiver, some waive the fee for cardholders who hit a minimum annual spend. Every card detail page shows the fee, waiver conditions, and net annual value after fee.
What is the minimum income to apply?expand_more
Most Singapore credit cards require a minimum annual income of S$30,000 for Singaporeans/PRs and S$40,000–S$60,000 for foreigners. Premium tiers (e.g. SC Visa Infinite) require S$80,000+. Every card detail page shows the current minimum-income threshold.
How often is the data on SGfi updated?expand_more
Card data (rates, caps, fees) is reviewed at least quarterly, with promotional rates checked monthly. The date stamp under each page footer shows the last verification date. If you spot a discrepancy with the issuer's published rate, the data has changed since the last review — please flag it to [email protected].
Does SGfi earn a commission on credit card applications?expand_more
Some links are affiliate links that earn SGfi a referral commission if you apply for the card through them, the affiliate state is disclosed on the detail page for each card. Affiliate relationships do not affect ranking — every calculator routes spend deterministically against published rates, with no boost factor for partner cards.
Is SGfi a licensed financial adviser?expand_more
No. SGfi is an educational platform that provides calculator-based projections and factual comparisons. SGfi does not hold a financial adviser's licence or a capital markets services licence, is not affiliated with the CPF Board or the Monetary Authority of Singapore, and does not provide financial advice. Please consult a licensed professional before making financial decisions.
Unfamiliar term?
MCC, mpd, fallback rate, OW ceiling — the Singapore-finance glossary defines every acronym used on SGfi.
Methodology
Rates as of May 2026
Card rankings on the type-specific compare pages are computed by a deterministic algorithm: spend per category × card's per-category rate, capped per-rule and per-total at the card's published caps, with tier-threshold and minimum-spend gating applied first. No boost factor exists for affiliate cards. Ties are broken alphabetically by issuer. The "Multi-Card Approach" tool on the miles compare page greedily assigns each spend category to whichever surviving top-3 card returns the most miles, with orphaned categories re-routed to the best remaining card so no spend is dropped from the combo total. Card data, base rates, bonus rates, per-category caps, tier thresholds, minimum spend, annual fees, fee waivers — is sourced from each issuer's published terms and verified at least quarterly. Promotional rates are reviewed monthly.