No Annual FeeCredit Cards Singapore
Discover the best free credit cards in Singapore offering great rewards without annual fees. Perfect for beginners, students, and budget-conscious users building their credit history.
15 min readBeginner FriendlyUpdated Sep 2026
Why Choose No Annual Fee Cards?
No annual fee cards offer guaranteed value without ongoing costs, making them perfect for specific situations and users.
Perfect for Beginners
Start building credit history without financial pressure. Learn responsible usage before moving to premium cards.
- • No ongoing fee commitment
- • Learn credit management safely
- • Build foundation for future upgrades
Guaranteed ROI
Every cashback earned is pure profit. No break-even calculations or fee recovery needed.
- • 100% of rewards are profit
- • No fee recovery stress
- • Simple value calculation
Strategic Backup
Excellent backup cards for specific categories or when premium card benefits don't justify costs.
- • Category-specific optimization
- • Backup for premium cards
- • Multi-card strategy component
Top No Annual Fee Cards Comparison
| Card Name | Best Category | Rate | Monthly Cap | Fee Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
POSB Everyday Card DBS/POSB customers, beginners | POSB/DBS merchants | 3% | No cap | No annual fee (permanent) |
OCBC Frank Credit Card Young adults under 26, online shoppers | Online spend & dining | 2% | S$50/month | No annual fee (under 26) |
Maybank eVibes Card Weekend diners, casual users | Weekend dining | 5% | S$25/month per category | No annual fee (permanent) |
Standard Chartered Manhattan Card Diverse spenders, simplicity seekers | All purchases | 1% | No cap | No annual fee (first year) |
Complete No Annual Fee Card Reviews
No Annual Fee
POSB Everyday Card
3%
best rate
Up to 3%
overall range
3% cashback at POSB/DBS merchants1% cashback at popular merchantsNo minimum spend requirement
No annual fee (permanent)
forever
Key Features
Cashback Cap:No cap
Min Spend:None
Redemption:Automatic statement credit
Insurance:Basic travel coverage
Welcome Bonus
S$50 cashback with S$500 spend in first 2 months
Best for: DBS/POSB customers, beginners
Eligibility: Min income S$30,000
Advantages
- • True no annual fee forever
- • Good rates for DBS/POSB customers
- • Simple cashback structure
- • Wide merchant acceptance
- • No caps on cashback earning
Limitations
- • Limited to specific merchant networks
- • Lower rates compared to annual fee cards
- • No premium benefits
- • Basic travel insurance only
Recommended for: DBS/POSB customers, beginnersApply Now →
No Annual Fee
OCBC Frank Credit Card
2%
best rate
Up to 2%
overall range
2% cashback on online spending1% cashback on dining0.5% on all other purchases
No annual fee (under 26)
forever
Key Features
Cashback Cap:S$50/month
Min Spend:None
Redemption:Statement credit, min S$20
Insurance:Standard travel coverage
Welcome Bonus
S$80 cashback with S$800 spend in first 2 months
Best for: Young adults under 26, online shoppers
Eligibility: Min income S$30,000, under 26 for fee waiver
Advantages
- • No annual fee for under 26
- • Good online spending rate
- • Youth-oriented benefits
- • Simple earning structure
- • Digital-first experience
Limitations
- • Age restriction for fee waiver
- • Annual fee applies after 26
- • Lower earning rates than premium cards
- • Limited premium benefits
Recommended for: Young adults under 26, online shoppersApply Now →
No Annual Fee
Maybank eVibes Card
5%
best rate
Up to 5%
overall range
5% cashback on weekend dining2% cashback on online purchases0.5% on all other spending
No annual fee (permanent)
forever
Key Features
Cashback Cap:S$25/month per category
Min Spend:None
Redemption:Statement credit, min S$20
Insurance:Basic travel protection
Welcome Bonus
S$100 cashback with S$1,000 spend in first 3 months
Best for: Weekend diners, casual users
Eligibility: Min income S$30,000
Advantages
- • Highest weekend dining rate among no-fee cards
- • Good online shopping rate
- • True permanent no annual fee
- • Reasonable cashback caps
- • Easy to earn and redeem
Limitations
- • Limited to weekend dining only
- • Lower rates on weekday dining
- • Caps limit high spenders
- • Less extensive benefits
Recommended for: Weekend diners, casual usersApply Now →
No Annual Fee
Standard Chartered Manhattan Card
1%
best rate
Up to 1%
overall range
1% cashback on all purchasesNo minimum spend requirementNo cashback caps
No annual fee (first year)
forever
Key Features
Cashback Cap:No cap
Min Spend:None
Redemption:Statement credit
Insurance:Travel accident coverage
Welcome Bonus
S$100 cashback with S$500 spend in first 2 months
Best for: Diverse spenders, simplicity seekers
Eligibility: Min income S$30,000
Advantages
- • Universal 1% rate on everything
- • No caps or restrictions
- • Simple to understand
- • Good for diverse spending
- • Decent travel benefits
Limitations
- • Annual fee from second year
- • Lower rates than category cards
- • Not truly fee-free long-term
- • Basic benefits package
Recommended for: Diverse spenders, simplicity seekersApply Now →
No Annual Fee
HSBC Red Credit Card
1%
best rate
Up to 1%
overall range
1% cashback on online purchases0.5% on other purchasesNo annual fee forever
No annual fee (permanent)
forever
Key Features
Cashback Cap:S$30/month
Min Spend:None
Redemption:Statement credit, min S$20
Insurance:Basic purchase protection
Welcome Bonus
S$60 cashback with S$600 spend in first 2 months
Best for: Online shoppers, HSBC customers
Eligibility: Min income S$30,000
Advantages
- • Good for online shoppers
- • True permanent no fee
- • Simple earning structure
- • Digital-first features
- • HSBC banking integration
Limitations
- • Lower rates than competitors
- • Limited bonus categories
- • Basic benefits only
- • Lower credit limits
Recommended for: Online shoppers, HSBC customersApply Now →
No Annual Fee
UOB One Card (No Fee Version)
3.33%
best rate
Up to 3.33%
overall range
3.33% cashback with UOB One Account5% bonus on dining & onlineLinked to savings account benefits
No annual fee (with UOB One Account)
forever
Key Features
Cashback Cap:S$80/month combined
Min Spend:S$500/month for bonus rates
Redemption:Statement credit
Insurance:Enhanced travel coverage
Welcome Bonus
S$100 cashback with S$1,000 spend in first 3 months
Best for: UOB One Account holders
Eligibility: Min income S$30,000, UOB One Account required
Advantages
- • High earning rates when combined
- • Banking relationship benefits
- • Good dining and online rates
- • No fee with account relationship
- • Integrated financial planning
Limitations
- • Requires UOB One Account
- • Complex qualification criteria
- • Monthly spending requirements
- • Caps limit earning potential
Recommended for: UOB One Account holdersApply Now →
Student Credit Cards
Special no annual fee credit cards designed for students, offering benefits during your studies and helping build credit history early.
DBS Live Fresh Student
No fee during studies
Eligibility: Full-time student
- • Student-specific rates
- • 5% cashback on contactless
- • No income requirement
OCBC Frank Student
No fee until graduation
Eligibility: Polytechnic/University student
- • 2% online spending
- • 1% dining
- • Study abroad benefits
UOB Yolo Student
No fee for students
Eligibility: Full-time tertiary student
- • 5% weekend dining
- • 2% online
- • Youth lifestyle perks
Student Card Strategy
During Studies
- Focus on building payment history
- Keep utilization low (under 30%)
- Use for small, regular purchases
- Take advantage of student-specific benefits
After Graduation
- Upgrade to regular cards with higher limits
- Consider keeping old card for credit history
- Evaluate if annual fee cards become worthwhile
- Optimize based on new income and spending
No Annual Fee Card Strategies
First Credit Card Strategy
Start with one no-fee card to build credit history
6-12 months before considering additional cardsRecommended: POSB Everyday Card
Key Benefits
- Establish credit history safely
- Learn responsible credit usage
- No financial pressure from annual fees
- Build foundation for future premium cards
Implementation Tips
- Pay full balance every month
- Keep utilization below 30%
- Set up automatic payments
- Monitor credit score regularly
No-Fee Portfolio Strategy
Multiple no-fee cards for category optimization
Build over 12-18 monthsRecommended: POSB Everyday + Maybank eVibes + OCBC Frank
Key Benefits
- Maximize category-specific earning
- No annual fee burden
- Backup cards for different merchants
- Higher total credit limit
Implementation Tips
- Use each card for its strength categories
- Keep all cards active with small purchases
- Track spending across multiple cards
- Maintain low utilization on all cards
No-Fee + Premium Hybrid
Combine no-fee cards with one premium card
After 12+ months of good credit historyRecommended:
Key Benefits
- Minimize annual fee exposure
- Maximize earning across all categories
- Keep options for fee-free fallback
- Optimize for different spending patterns
Implementation Tips
- Use premium card for highest earning categories
- Use no-fee cards for general spending
- Calculate annual fee break-even points
- Review strategy annually
Card Evaluation Framework
Evaluation Criteria
Earning Rates
HighCompare category rates vs spending patterns
1-3% for no-fee cards is competitive
Annual Fees
Very HighTrue no-fee vs introductory offers
Permanent waiver preferred
Cashback Caps
MediumMonthly limits can restrict high spenders
S$50+ monthly caps for main categories
Minimum Spend
MediumRequirements to earn bonus rates
No requirements or under S$500/month
Redemption
MediumEase and minimum amounts
Statement credit, min S$20 or less
Card Scorecard
| Card | Earn | Fees | Caps | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| POSB Everyday | B+ | A+ | A+ | A- |
| Maybank eVibes | A- | A+ | B | A- |
| OCBC Frank | B+ | A | B | B+ |
| UOB One (No Fee) | A | A | B | B+ |
No-Fee Cards by Life Stage
21-25 - Entry-level income, building credit
1-2 years before considering premium cards
Common Challenges
- • Limited credit history
- • Lower income
- • Learning financial responsibility
Recommendations
- • Start with student cards if eligible
- • Choose OCBC Frank for under-26 benefits
- • Focus on building good payment habits
- • Avoid multiple applications initially
Strategy Timeline
1-2 years before considering premium cards
26-35 - Stable income, diverse spending
Review strategy every 2-3 years
Common Challenges
- • Optimizing across categories
- • Managing multiple cards
- • Fee vs benefit analysis
Recommendations
- • Consider multi-card strategy
- • Mix no-fee and premium cards
- • Optimize for spending patterns
- • Track ROI on annual fee cards
Strategy Timeline
Review strategy every 2-3 years
35+ - Higher income, family expenses
Annual strategy review
Common Challenges
- • Higher spending volumes
- • Complex financial needs
- • Benefit optimization
Recommendations
- • Use no-fee cards as backups
- • Focus on premium cards for main spending
- • Consider family card benefits
- • Optimize for lifestyle needs
Strategy Timeline
Annual strategy review
Budget-Based Card Recommendations
Budget Conscious Spender
Monthly Spend: S$1500
S$420 (no fees)
annual value
Spending Breakdown
dining:S$400
groceries:S$300
transport:S$200
online:S$200
others:S$400
Optimization Results
Best Setup: Maybank eVibes + POSB Everyday
Monthly Earning: S$20 (weekend dining) + S$15 (others) = S$35
Annual Earning: S$420
ROI Analysis: Pure profit with 2.8% effective rate
Moderate Spender
Monthly Spend: S$2500
S$732 (no fees)
annual value
Spending Breakdown
dining:S$600
groceries:S$400
transport:S$300
online:S$500
others:S$700
Optimization Results
Best Setup: Multi-card strategy (3 no-fee cards)
Monthly Earning: S$30 (dining) + S$10 (online) + S$21 (others) = S$61
Annual Earning: S$732
ROI Analysis: Excellent return with 2.9% effective rate
High Spender
Monthly Spend: S$4000
S$880 (after S$200 fee)
annual value
Spending Breakdown
dining:S$1000
groceries:S$600
transport:S$400
online:S$800
others:S$1200
Optimization Results
Best Setup: No-fee cards + 1 premium card
Monthly Earning: S$50 (capped) + S$40 (premium) = S$90
Annual Earning: S$1,080
ROI Analysis: Premium card justified for volume
Optimization Tips
For Lower Spenders (Under S$2,000)
- • Focus on one or two category-specific cards
- • Prioritize no annual fee options
- • Choose cards with low or no minimum spend
- • Consider student cards if eligible
For Higher Spenders (Over S$3,000)
- • Mix no-fee cards with one premium card
- • Use no-fee cards for capped categories
- • Consider multiple no-fee cards for different categories
- • Evaluate annual fee cards for uncapped earning