If you’ve been eyeing a Standard Chartered credit card, you’ve probably noticed this dilemma:
👉 apply via SingSaver for big flashy rewards, or
👉 go direct to the bank for simpler rewards.
Bigger reward doesn’t always mean better. The real question is: how much work do you need to do to earn it? Let’s break it down card by card.
Quick heads-up before we start:
Last 16 October 2025, SingSaver has updated its eligibility requirements for Standard Chartered credit card promos. Previously, you just needed to hit the minimum card spend. Now, there’s an extra step — you must also apply for one additional Standard Chartered product (like EasyPay, Bonus$aver account, personal loan, or balance transfer) to qualify for the SingSaver reward.
This change is important because while SingSaver rewards still look very attractive on paper, they now require more commitment compared to applying directly with the bank, which typically only requires card spend.
So let’s break it down properly — reward value vs effort required, card by card — and see which route actually gives you the better deal.
1. SC Simply Cash Card
Standard Chartered Simply Cash Card
Earn 1.5% cashback with no minimum spend and no cap
SingSaver Reward:
- Get S$350 cash or S$370 Grab vouchers
Eligibility Requirement:
- Spend S$800 within 30 days, AND
- Apply for one extra Standard Chartered product within 60 days (EasyPay, Bonus$aver account with S$3K deposit, personal loan, or balance transfer) (See below for “Which extra Standard Chartered product would I choose?”)
Direct Bank Reward:
- Get S$100 cashback plus a Samsonite MODUS Spinner 25’’ worth S$610
Eligibility Requirement:
- Spend S$800 within 60 days
Verdict for Simply Cash Card
- ✅ Best for simplicity (or if you already have a Standard Chartered Bonus$aver account): Direct bank reward
- ✅ Best for optimisation (if you don’t have a Standard Chartered Bonus$aver account): SingSaver reward
2. SC Smart Card
Standard Chartered Smart Card
(WE DON’T PROMOTE THIS CARD ANYMORE)
Earn 6% cashback or 5.6 miles per dollar in the form of reward points on selected merchants
SingSaver Reward:
- Get Apple Airpods 4 (with Active Noise Cancellation) (worth S$249) or Hinomi Q1 Ergonomic Office Chair (worth $499) or S$250 Grab Voucher or S$230 Cash via PayNow
Eligibility Requirement:
- Spend S$800 within 30 days, AND
- Apply for one extra Standard Chartered product within 60 days (EasyPay, Bonus$aver account with S$3K deposit, personal loan, or balance transfer) (See below for “Which extra Standard Chartered product would I choose?”)
Direct Bank Reward:
- Get S$100 cashback plus a Samsonite MODUS Spinner 25’’ worth S$610
Eligibility Requirement:
- Spend S$800 within 60 days
Verdict for SC Smart Card
- ✅ Best for simplicity (or if you already have a Standard Chartered Bonus$aver account): Direct bank reward
- ✅ Best for optimisation (if you don’t have a Standard Chartered Bonus$aver account): SingSaver reward
3. SC Journey Card
Standard Chartered Journey Card
Earn 1.2 miles per dollar on local spend, 2 miles per dollar on foreign currency spend, 3 miles per dollar on selected bonus categories
2 Priority Pass visits per membership year
Here’s where it gets interesting since SingSaver rewards is stackable with the direct bank promo
SingSaver Reward (Stackable):
- Get 7,000 Max Miles by HeyMax or Samsonite Straren Spinner 67/24 (worth $600) or S$200 Grab Voucher or S$180 Cash via PayNow with the same additional-product requirement as the other cards.
Eligibility Requirement:
- Spend S$800 within 30 days, AND
- Apply for one extra Standard Chartered product within 60 days (EasyPay, Bonus$aver account with S$3K deposit, personal loan, or balance transfer) (See below for “Which extra Standard Chartered product would I choose?”)
However, the key difference is that SingSaver rewards are stackable with the bank’s welcome miles offer
Direct Bank Reward:
- Get 30,000 KrisFlyer miles
Eligibility Requirement:
- S$800 minimum spend within 60 days of card approval + payment of annual fee of S$196.20
Verdict for SC Journey Card
✅ Best option: SingSaver + Direct Bank (stacked). This is the highest-value scenario overall, especially for frequent travelers and miles collectors.
If you’re eligible and comfortable meeting the requirements, stacking SingSaver rewards with the bank’s miles offer delivers significantly more value than choosing either alone.
Which extra Standard Chartered product would I choose?
Realistically, the only product I’d consider is the Bonus$aver account + Bonus$aver World Mastercard Credit Card.
The other options are credit facilities or instalment plans that either come with fees or could affect your ability to earn card rewards.
In a nutshell,
- 💳 EasyPay – 3 retail transactions ≥ S$150 each, min. 12 mths [interest + processing fee]
- 💰 Bonus$aver – Open acct + deposit ≥ S$3,000
- 🏦 CashOne Loan – ≥ S$1,000, min. 12 mths [interest + processing fee]
- 🔁 CCFT – ≥ S$1,000, min. 3 mths [interest + processing fee]
Step 1: To qualify for singsaver rewards:
Sign up here for the Bonus$aver account + Bonus$aver World Mastercard Credit Card as a new-to-Bonus$aver account holder using code DBF6F by 31 Dec 2025, and deposit at least S$3,000.
Existing Standard Chartered card or account holders (of other products) are also eligible.
Step 2 (Optional): Bank’s own Bonus$aver promotion + extra referral cash
Separately, Standard Chartered is running its own promotion. If you deposit and maintain S$50,000 of fresh funds until the end of the following month, you’ll receive Bose QuietComfort Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds (Black), worth S$249. On top of that, applying via the same link and using the code DBF6F will also give you an extra S$30 cashback, in addition to the earbuds.
Save a copy of the T&Cs for your reference.
If you’re going with the SingSaver promotion, make sure you complete that sign-up first, then apply for the Bonus$aver account here.
Conclusion:
If you’re deciding between SingSaver and applying directly with Standard Chartered, here’s the clearest way to think about it.
SingSaver rewards are still generous, but they now come with one extra requirement on top of card spending — you need to apply for an additional Standard Chartered product. This is something to be aware of so there are no surprises later.
Applying directly with the bank is more straightforward. In most cases, it only requires you to meet the minimum card spend within the given time frame.
For the Simply Cash Card and Smart Card, the main difference is effort vs reward size.
For the SC Journey Card, SingSaver rewards can be stacked with the bank’s welcome miles, which results in a higher overall reward if all conditions are met.
My goal here is to help you choose with clarity, not to push one option over the other.
Before applying, just make sure the route you choose matches what you’re comfortable completing — that’s how you avoid disappointment and actually enjoy the reward.
