Best Credit Card for SimplyGo — Get Cashback, Rewards & Air Miles From Public Transport Spending
Following the announcement by Singapore’s Land Transport of Authority (LTA), all non-SimplyGo EZ-Link adult cards and NETS FlashPay cards can no longer be used to pay for your rides on public trains and buses, with effect from 1 June, 2024.
For the majority of us in Singapore, utilising the bus and MRT serves as our primary means of travel, and this will greatly affect us. So, here’s an overview to help you keep up with the latest and upcoming changes on payments for public transportation, plus the added benefit of earning cashback, rewards, and air miles with every commute.
Complete Guide to Using Credit Cards for SimplyGo 2025
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Similar to EZ-Link
Best Credit Cards for SimplyGo Cashback 2025
UOB One Card
- cashback on daily spend at McDonald's, Grab, SimplyGo & Shopee
- Up to 10%
- cashback at all grocery spend
- Up to 8%
- cashback cap a year
- Up to S$2,240
The UOB One Card is a great choice for individuals who frequently make purchases at establishments such as McDonald’s, Shopee, Giant, and utilize SimplyGo. Regarded as one of the popular cashback cards available, this entry-level credit card boasts an impressive maximum cashback rate of 10%.
Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card
- on eligible spends
- 1.5% Cashback
- Min Spend
- S$0
- Cashback Cap
- Unlimited
Get S$350 Cash via PayNow or earn 4,000 SmartPoints (worth up to S$469 of Gifts) when you spend min. S$800 in 30 days AND apply to any of the following SCB products through MoneySmart (Bonus$aver Account, CashOne Loan, EasyPay or Funds Transfer). T&Cs apply.
This card by Standard Chartered offers unlimited cashback at a consistent 1.5% rebate rate. With added perks including promotions for Caltex petrol, dining, and shopping, it caters to those seeking a straightforward cashback credit card option.
OCBC Frank Card
- Cash Back
- Up to 10%
- Cash Back Cap per month
- S$100
- Min. Spend per month on Total Purchases
- S$800
Previously, the FRANK Credit Card provided up to 6% cashback, but after a revamp, it now gives you up to 10% cashback, spanning a broader range of spending categories. This enhancement enables you to accumulate even more cashback on your expenditures, which includes a 2% bonus cashback at selected Green Merchants like SimplyGo, with the maximum cashback per month increased from S$75 to S$100.
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DBS Live Fresh Card
- on Shopping & Transport Spend
- Up to 6% Cashback
- Min. Spend
- S$800
- Cashback Cap
- Up to S$70
Targeted at young working adults, the DBS Live Fresh Card provides up to a 6% cash rebate on shopping and transport expenditure. However, all other purchases earn a modest 0.3% cashback rate.
Best Credit Cards for SimplyGo Air Miles 2025
UOB Lady's Card
- Base Earn Rate
- S$5 = 1X UNI$ (0.4 miles per S$1)
- Category of Choice
- S$5 = Up to 25X UNI$ (equivalent to 10 miles per S$1)
- Min. Spend
- S$0
Previously known as an exclusively female-only card, the UOB Lady’s Card has undergone a transformation. Now, it welcomes both women and men, giving up to 25X UNI$ for every S$5 spent (equiv. to 10 miles per S$1) in a category of your choice, plus benefits such as free e-Commerce protection for online purchases and female cancer coverage with the UOB Lady’s Savings Account.
UOB PRVI Miles Visa Card
- on agoda and Expedia bookings via UOB PRVI Miles website.
- S$1 = Up to 8 miles
- on Overseas Spend
- S$1 = Up to 3 miles
- on Local Spend
- S$1 = 1.4 miles
Whether it’s an American Express Card or VISA Card that is under UOB PRVI, signing up for this card lets you get up to 50,000 miles (more applicable to new-to-UOB customers, existing UOB cardholders will get a different range of air miles rewards), 2 complimentary airport transfers per year, complimentary travel insurance coverage including personal accident cover.
DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card
- Local Spend
- S$1 = 1.3 miles
- Overseas Spend (made in foreign currency)
- S$1 = Up to 2.2 miles
- on DBS Points earned
- No Expiry
With the DBS Altitude Visa Signature Card, you can earn up to 1.2 miles for every S$1 when you pay your public transport fares with this card, and up to 2.2 miles per S$1 on overseas spend. What’s good about this is that there’s no expiry for your miles earned and the welcome sign-up bonus for new-to-DBS customers is a generous 43,000 miles.
Top Credit Cards for Public Transport Spend Via SimplyGo
| Credit Card | Cashback/Reward | More Benefits |
|---|---|---|
| Credit CardUOB One Card | Cashback/RewardUp to 10% cashback, including SimplyGo rides | More Benefits
|
| Credit CardOCBC Frank Card | Cashback/RewardUp to 10% cashback, including 2% bonus cashback on SimplyGo rides | More Benefits
|
| Credit CardDBS Live Fresh Card | Cashback/RewardUp to 6% cashback, including SimplyGo rides | More Benefits
|
| Credit CardCiti SMRT Card | Cashback/RewardUp to 5%, including SimplyGo rides | More Benefits
|
| Credit CardUOB PRVI Miles Visa Card | Cashback/Reward1.4 miles per S$1 spend (UNI$3.5 per S$5 spend) on bus and train rides | More Benefits
|
| Credit CardUOB Lady's Card | Cashback/Reward10 miles per S$1 spent (25X UNI$ per S$5 spend), including SimplyGo rides | More Benefits
|
| Credit CardStandard Chartered Simply Cash Card | Cashback/RewardUp to 1.5% cashback, including SimplyGo rides | More Benefits
|
Using Your Phone as EZ-Link Card
Long lines of commuters tapping their phones rather than physical cards on buses and MRT has become a norm nowadays in Singapore. If you’re like one of them using your digital card in your phone to pay for your public transport fares, do remember to upgrade your card to a SimplyGo type if not you may be stuck or scrambling to pay in other modes at the bus stop or train stations.
By June 2024, all non-SimplyGo EZ-Link adult cards and NETS FlashPay cards will no longer be valid for payment of rides on public trains and buses.
SimplyGo (Apple Pay, Fitbit Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay)
EZ-Link NFC
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Frequently Asked Questions
What card do you use for SimplyGo?
- This depends on whether you want to earn straightforward cashback or you prefer to collect air miles. If you want to earn cashback, the UOB One Card, OCBC FRANK Card and DBS Live Fresh Card are good options. You need to examine your lifestyle to find the most suitable one, as the range of 1.5% to 10% cashback is conditional upon your monthly expenditure. If you are collecting miles, the UOB Lady’s Card lets you get up to 10 miles per S$1 spent on public transport fares when paid with this card.
How do I pay with SimplyGo?
- SimplyGo is the name of the feature that allows you to use Mastercard, NETS and Visa credit and debit cards to tap and pay on MRTs and buses. You either tap the physical credit or debit card like an EZ-Link card, or you can register it in mobile wallets such as Apple Pay and Google Pay to tap with your phone. Note that all non-SimplyGo EZ-Link adult cards and NETS FlashPay cards will not be applicable for payment of rides on public trains and buses by June 2024 according to LTA.
