I am now a proud user of Maribank, after UOB and its monthly $500 spend limit became too hard to meet.
Instant, fast approvals
I was surprised that when I signed up for the credit card in July 2024, the approval came instantly.
They instantly assigned me a credit limit, and then told me that my card was on its way.

I was amazed.
I couldn’t say the same for the 3 local banks, which took at least 2 days to get back to me about my application.
Then there were the ones like Standard Chartered’s Cash Credit Card, which took almost forever trying different browsers to see which would work, and not get stuck.

Then when the card finally came in the post, it was a delight to see.

For years, we had been used to the boring papers from UOB, OCBC and DBS.
But Maribank came with something new, fresh, and simple. There was no fluff. Just everything you needed to activate your card.

Again, this was not the same with providers like Standard Chartered, that
- First issued me a temporary log in
- And then a letter to confirm the card
- Before having to download the app, and relogin with another set of passwords
It was a real fuss, compared to what Maribank gave with its quick and easy steps.
Now, now, you might frown at its paltry 1.7% cashback and argue that there are others that offer much more.
But those come with a long list of requirements. Take UOB for example. For a long time, they were the one and only card I would recommend to others.
Not now.
They have made it $500 in monthly spend, and you have to hit that consecutively for 3 months, in order to get your Cashback, after 3 months.
It just doesn’t make much sense, cashflow wise.
If you’re single and living with your parents
Spending $500 on your own is frankly difficult.
I loved that with Maribank, their cashback was instant. Spend, and then it would be credited instantly.
But what’s more important is that there are no fees tied to the Maribank account.
Compare this.
 | Maribank | UOB One Card | Citi Cashback card | Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card |
---|---|---|---|---|
Minimum | No minimum spend | Only after $500 spend for 3 consecutive months | No minimum spend | No minimum spend |
Cashback | 1.7% | 3%, after you spend $500 consecutively | 1.6% | 1.5% |
Fees | $0 | $196.20 after the first year | $196.20 after the first year | $196.20 after the first year |
Best savings rate
But what’s even more phenomenal is that they are still giving a 2.5% flat, with no frills as an interest rate for your savings.
The interest is also credited daily, which allows you to see (and use) what you earn from your interest.
This makes them a great card to have for everything, from spending, to saving.

How about my rewards?
Of course, naysayers may point out that with Mari, there are no special tie-ups and promotions that make most credit cards great. Just look across the aisle at Trust, and you would see many fancy perks in the form of coupons.

But to me, these are just ploys to get you to spend more. I would rather a fuss free card that gives me as much cash back as possible.
Or look at the traditional banks, and you can see a great deal of partnerships they have that allow you to enjoy other privileges from holding the card. They may have miles, insurances, and so many other offers for you.
But for me, the beauty of Mari’s Credit Card is its no frills way of spending, and saving money.

I loved that it was able to just give me my Cashback, no questions asked.
Recently, I had to call UOB to ask where my cashback went. They then told me about the esoteric terms and conditions, where I had to meet a minimum spend for at least 3 months, in order to qualify for the cashback.
I also had to wait 3 months before any cashback could be credited. It honestly didn’t make much sense waiting.
Of course, if you’re a shareholder, and you read their beautifully designed annual reports, you might love how such a method of paying cashback every 3 months helps the shareholder.
But if you’re a consumer, you definitely wouldn’t like this.
The credit card spend portion is not the most user-friendly
Of course, if I go to the credit card portion, I would say that compared to Trust, it’s not as well designed. If you look here at Trust, the moment you log in, you can see your outstanding bills.
But you have to go through a number of clicks for Maribank, before you see anything.
You can also pay automatically with Trust, whilst Mari insists that you pay manually into the credit card debt you have.
Use this if you struggle to hit a $500 spend monthly
This is the card I would go for if I struggled with a monthly spend of $500, because I think there’s no better card than this currently in the market.
It offers the highest Cashback, the cashback is instant (you don’t have to wait months like UOB), and you don’t have to hit a minimum spend.
What makes it even sweeter is that there are no added fees after the first year. You would love that, especially because the yearly fee of $196.20 can end up really costing a lot.
Try Maribank. You might just be surprised.