CardUp Singapore Guide (2026): Fees, Promos & Best Cards

Key Takeaways

• CardUp is a platform that allows you to earn credit card miles or cashback on large, recurring expenses like rent, taxes, tuition fees and insurance premiums that traditionally do not earn rewards.
• CardUp charges a processing fee (recently updated to a base rate of 2.9%). To profit, the value of the miles or cashback earned must outweigh this fee.
• You can significantly lower your transactional costs by utilising a targeted CardUp promo or CardUp tax promo code during peak payment seasons.
• Finding the best credit card for CardUp requires tracking specific bank exclusion lists and Merchant Category Codes (MCC).

Singaporeans are no strangers to credit card rewards. Cashback? Miles? We try to maximise each payment for the best returns.

However, Singapore banks have systematically tightened their terms and conditions for doling out rewards over the years. Today, many major credit cards explicitly exclude income tax, rent, insurance premiums, tuition fees, condominium maintenance charges, car loans, utilities, and government service transactions from counting towards hitting minimum spend requirements or earning card rewards. —

That’s thousands of potential miles or hundreds of dollars in cashback on the table annually!

This is where CardUp comes in strategically: the platform acts as an intermediary, enabling you to charge these traditionally “non-rewardable” expenses to your favourite credit card—letting you rack up rewards. In exchange, CardUp charges a small processing fee.

While eligibility still depends on the card issuer’s latest rewards rules and exclusions, navigating this strategy successfully requires a clear understanding of the math. This comprehensive CardUp guide will clearly explain the “how does CardUp work?” question, outline the supported payment types, highlight the updated 2026 fee structure, list active promotions, and break down the best cards for CardUp to ensure your rewards outpace processing costs.

What Is CardUp?

CardUp is a fintech platform that transforms credit cards into highly versatile payment tools. It bridges the gap between individuals who want to pay via credit card and recipients—such as landlords or tax authorities—who accept only direct bank transfers or PayNow payments.

The platform is fully operational and legal in Singapore, catering to different payment scales. It offers dedicated portals for both retail users looking to manage personal expenses and businesses aiming to streamline corporate payables and optimise working capital.

How Does CardUp Work? (Step-by-Step Guide)

1. Set Up an Account: You sign up for a free personal or business account with CardUp Singapore.
2. Schedule a Payment: You enter the recipient’s bank account details, the exact amount due, and upload a supporting document (such as a tenancy agreement, tax assessment note, or bill invoice) for verification.
3. Charge Your Card: You add and select your preferred credit card. CardUp charges your card for the principal payment amount plus any service fee applicable.
4. Bank Transfer Dispatch: CardUp processes the payment and delivers the funds to your recipient via a standard local bank transfer. The good news? Your recipient does not need to have a CardUp account to receive the money!
5. Collect Your Rewards: Your credit card issuer rewards you with points, miles, or cashback based on your chosen payment card’s rewards mechanism.

What Payments Can I Make With CardUp?

A personal account with CardUp Singapore supports an extensive suite of local payments. You can easily schedule one-off payments or automate recurring monthly transfers for:

• Housing Expenses: Monthly rental payments, condominium maintenance or MCST fees, and home renovation invoices.
• Government & Taxes: IRAS Income Tax, Property Tax, Stamp Duty, and seasonal composition fines.
• Education & Enrichment: School fees, university tuition, childcare centre payments, and private tuition or music lessons.
• Insurance & Wealth: Life, health, critical illness, and car insurance premiums.
• Utilities & Services: Electricity bills, telecom payables, and town council fees.
• Domestic Helper Expenses: Monthly domestic helper salaries and agency levy fees.

Planning to get a domestic helper? Managing domestic help entails several variable costs beyond the base salary. To accurately plan your household budget, read our detailed guide on the cost of hiring a domestic helper in Singapore.

CardUp Fees

CardUp is worth it if you follow this fundamental rule: the value of the rewards you earn must be higher than the fee you pay. If you pay a S$2.90 fee to get S$1.50 worth of cashback, you are losing money.

Historically, CardUp offered a standard personal base fee of 2.6%. However, to keep pace with shifting macroeconomic dynamics and card processing conditions, CardUp recently updated its pricing framework. The current base service fee stands at 2.9% for locally issued Visa, Mastercard, and American Express cards.

Unfortunately, this change means evaluating the cost-per-mile or cashback net yield is more critical than ever!

For example, if you use a card that earns 1.4 miles per S$1 spent at a 2.9% fee, you are essentially purchasing air miles at roughly 2.07 cents per mile. If you plan to redeem those miles for business class flights (frequently valued at 3 to 4 cents per mile), the math works out firmly in your favour.

CardUp Promo Code Options (2026)

To ease the impact of the updated base fee, make sure to apply a CardUp promotion code to lower your transaction costs as much as possible. CardUp runs targeted campaigns throughout the year, especially during peak tax reporting seasons.

Because Mastercard and American Express users are hit hardest by the updated promotions, you should heavily prioritise using a Visa or UnionPay card for your CardUp promo optimisation. These cards allow you to drop your overhead down to the 2.25%–2.35% range, making it substantially easier to maintain a profitable cost-per-mile ratio.

Best Credit Cards to Use With CardUp

Before linking your wallet, it is vital to know the relevant CardUp MCCs. Transactions processed through the platform are typically categorised under MCC 7399 (Business Services Not Elsewhere Classified).

Because certain financial institutions explicitly exclude these specific codes, choosing the wrong card will result in paying the 2.9% fee without earning any points or cashback. To understand how card issuers categorise these rules, check out our MCC Code Singapore Guide and pick the right credit card for your CardUp payments!

Best Miles Credit Cards for CardUp

For general spenders looking to accumulate frequent flyer miles, the right card matters because CardUp charges a processing fee.

CardUp’s standard fee is currently 2.9% for Singapore-issued cards, so your effective cost per mile depends on your card’s earn rate and whether the transaction is eligible for rewards.

CardUp states that most Singapore-issued cards can earn base rewards, but it also makes clear that users are responsible for checking their own card issuer’s rewards terms and exclusions, as these change quite often at the banks’ discretion.

An alternative option is the Chocolate Finance account/card ecosystem. While it functions slightly differently from conventional credit structures, its card ties directly to liquid managed funds. For a granular breakdown of its spend mechanics, returns, and daily yields, read our comprehensive Chocolate Finance Review.

Best Cashback Credit Cards for CardUp

For flat-rate cards like the UOB Absolute Cashback (1.7%), Citi Cash Back+ (1.6%) and Standard Chartered Simply Cash (1.5%), these cashback cards don’t earn enough to clear the 2.25%–2.9% fee range.

However, there’s a different class of card worth considering: high-rate online/contactless cashback cards whose T&Cs do not explicitly exclude MCC 7399. Because CardUp processes payments online, these cards can potentially earn their elevated cashback rates on CardUp transactions, turning the economics positive. The catch? Their cashback caps.

However, having your CardUp spend count towards these cards’ minimum monthly spend threshold is itself a significant benefit, as it helps unlock the elevated cashback rates in the first place.

*Important caveat: Always verify against your card issuer’s current T&Cs before transacting. Banks reserve the right to amend exclusion lists at any time, and the analysis below is based on publicly available T&Cs checked in July 2026.

At 10%, the UOB EVOL hits its S$30 cashback cap after just S$300 of spend per month—netting you a maximum of S$30 cashback minus approximately S$6.75–S$8.70 in CardUp fees, a real gain of roughly S$21–S$23. The OCBC FRANK caps similarly at S$312.50. Beyond those amounts, additional CardUp and eligible transactions earn only 0.3% base cashback, well below any fee level.

The real value of these cards on CardUp is therefore twofold: a small but genuine monthly cashback profit on the first S$300–S$312 of spend, plus the benefit of having that spend count towards the S$800 minimum threshold—meaning your remaining everyday purchases (dining, groceries, transport) earn the elevated 8%–10% rate for the month.

Strategy tip: If you are testing CardUp with a high-rate cashback card, start with a small eligible payment and confirm how the transaction is posted before relying on it to trigger your monthly minimum spend or bonus cashback. For larger bills, compare the guaranteed fee against the realistic cashback or rewards you expect to earn. For general budgeting strategies to manage your fixed expenses, refer to our 50/30/20 Rule Guide.

iPaymy vs CardUp

CardUp’s primary competitor in Singapore is ipaymy. Both platforms solve the same problem—allowing you to earn credit card rewards on bills that don’t normally accept card payments.

That said, they’re not identical products. ipaymy has a broader international footprint with cross-border payment support across 130+ countries and 70+ currencies, and a more developed business payments suite. CardUp skews more toward the Singapore consumer and SME market.

When comparing the two, the key differences are:

Fee structures: The two platforms have different pricing by card network, and they can no longer be described as equivalent. CardUp raised its standard rate to 2.9% for all Singapore-issued cards from 13 June 2026, while ipaymy raised its Visa one-time rate to 2.95% from 11 June but left its Mastercard fee of 2.85% unchanged.

Processing speed: ipaymy charges your card immediately upon scheduling; CardUp typically takes a day or two before the card is charged. ipaymy also offers an express next-day payout option if you need funds delivered quickly to a recipient. CardUp’s strength lies in its recurring payment scheduling interface, which is particularly useful for landlords or tenants managing monthly rent arrangements.

Promo code focus: For tax payments, some current ipaymy Mastercard promo codes may be cheaper than CardUp’s public income-tax promo rates. Both platforms offer category-specific promotional codes—so, always verify directly on each platform or via their app before scheduling, as promo codes are time-limited and rotate without notice.

Can I Use CardUp for International Payments?

Yes, CardUp allows personal account holders to make cross-border transfers to 70+ countries using a local credit card. This feature is particularly useful if you need to pay for overseas property mortgages, international school fees, or global suppliers.

However, international payments come with unique trade-offs:

• Higher Service Fees: International payments may incur separate FX/conversion costs, even though CardUp currently lists a 0% processing fee for foreign-currency payments made by bank transfer. Cards issued outside Singapore are charged 3.30% and are not eligible for promo codes.
• Exchange Rate Markups: The currency exchange rates applied by credit card networks and payment processors contain built-in spreads. They are generally less competitive than mid-market rates provided by dedicated multi-currency platforms like Revolut, Wise, or YouTrip.

If your primary objective is to acquire miles at any cost, international processing works. However, if your goal is pure cost-efficiency, utilising standard multi-currency fintech wallets remains the more economical option for overseas remittances.

Conclusion

CardUp remains an excellent tool for financial optimisation in Singapore. By strategically routing inevitable bills like rent, tuition, and income taxes through the platform, you can earn thousands of extra miles or hundreds of dollars in cashback that would otherwise be lost to manual bank transfers.

However, with the 2.9% base fee hike firmly in place, you cannot afford to execute payments blindly. Success requires matching the right card, keeping a close eye on MCC exclusions, and actively leveraging active promo codes to keep your processing costs as low as possible!

If you are looking for more ways to manage your household budget or optimise your tax liabilities in the coming years, check out our upcoming guide on how to reduce income tax in Singapore. Alternatively, if you are currently dealing with outstanding balances across multiple high-interest accounts, read our guide on how to effectively manage credit card debt in Singapore.