The HSBC Revolution Card is a no-frills credit card that lets you earn HSBC rewards points for online and contactless transactions.
Unlike cashback cards that force you to work your brain and micromanage your expenses, this HSBC credit card has no minimum spending requirement.
Sounds like the HSBC Revolution Card may make a worthy companion? Let’s take a closer look.
| HSBC Revolution Card Review—Is it MoneySmart? | ||
 Overall: ★★★★☆ Best for: General spenders who don’t exceed $1,000 spend per month, and who mainly make online purchases or contactless payments. |
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| Category | Our rating | The deets |
| Earn rates: HSBC Reward points | 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 | – 10X Reward points (4 miles or 2.5% Cashback) on online purchases and contactless payments (capped at $1,000 spend/month) – 1X Reward point for all other types of spending (no cap) – No minimum spend – HSBC Reward points expire after 37 months – To convert points into miles, pay $40 (subject to GST) fee to register for HSBC’s Mileage Programme |
| Earn categories | 🎁🎁🎁🎁 | |
| Annual fees and charges | ★★★★★ | $0 annual fee for both main and supplementary cards |
| Accessibility | ★★★★☆ | – Minimum age: 21 years old – Minimum income requirement: $30,000 (Singaporean/PR); $40,000 (Foreigner, or a self-employed/commission-based Singaporean/PR) |
| Extras/periphery rewards | ★☆☆☆☆ | – Complimentary access to ENTERTAINER with HSBC – Instant petrol discounts: 16% off at Caltex, 14% off at Shell |
| Sign-up bonus | ★★☆☆☆ | Welcome gifts: – $40 Cash via PayNow – Samsonite Prestige 69cm Spinner Exp with built-in scale (worth SGD670) OR $150/$50 cashback (new/existing HSBC cardmembers) Gift requirements: Spend a minimum of S$1,000 from Card Account Opening Date to the end of the following month. Valid till 31 Aug 2023. Do check the HSBC Revolution Credit Card page for the latest promotions. |
See our credit card ranking rubric to find out how we rank credit cards.
Contents
- HSBC Revolution Card Review
- HSBC Revolution Annual Fee, Minimum Income
- HSBC Revolution Reward Points
- HSBC Revolution Reward Points Redemption
- HSBC Revolution vs DBS Altitude
- How to maximise my HSBC Revolution Card?
- HSBC Revolution Card Promotion
- Should I get the HSBC Revolution Card?
1. HSBC Revolution Card Review
HSBC Revolution is a rewards card. For the uninitiated, that means you spend money on the card, earn rewards points in exchange, and then use them to redeem gifts.
On the surface level, the card looks fantastic. 10x rewards with $0 minimum spend? It doesn’t get much better for such an entry-level card. But of course, there are some caveats.
Firstly, the 10X rewards (equivalent to 4 miles or 2.5% cashback) only apply to online spend and contactless transactions. The good news is that that covers a lot of things these days, especially with online food delivery and online grocery delivery options.
Secondly, your rewards earnings max out at $1,000 per month. So if you’re a big spender and know you’ll bust this quota, the HSBC Revolution Card may not be the best card for you. (Check out unlimited cashback cards like the Citi Cash Back+ or Standard Chartered Simply Cash Credit Card instead.)
In addition to the rewards points, you can also get 1% cashback on your spending if you deposit at least $2,000 ($5,000 if you are an HSBC Premier or Jade customer) into an HSBC Everyday Global Account every calendar month.
Another of the card’s biggest perks is that there’s no annual fee, so you don’t have to call the bank up every year to beg for a fee waiver.
- on Online Spend and Contactless Payments
- S$1= 10X Points
- on All Other Spend
- S$1= 1X Point
- for every 10 Points
- Earn 4 Miles
2. HSBC Revolution Card Terms and Conditions
The HSBC Revolution Card is an entry-level credit card. In other words, as far as credit cards goes, it’s one of the most accessible—you need an income of at least $30,000 per annum to sign up for it, which is at low as it goes.
| HSBC Revolution Card | |
| Annual Fee | – |
| Annual Fee Waiver | – |
| Supplementary Card Annual Fee | – |
| Interest Free Period | 20 days |
| Annual Interest Rate | 25.9% |
| Late Payment Fee | $55 |
| Minimum Monthly Payment | 3% or $50, whichever is higher |
| Foreign Currency Transaction Fee | 1.8% |
| Cash Advance Transaction Fee | 6% or $15, whichever is greater |
| Overlimit Fee | $40 |
| Minimum Income | – $30,000 (Singaporean/PR) – $40,000 (Singaporean/PR who is self-employed/commission-based) – $40,000 (Foreigner) |
| Card Association | Visa |
| Contactless Payment | Visa Contactless, Apple Pay, Samsung Pay Google Pay |
3. HSBC Revolution Card Rewards Points
You earn rewards points as you spend with the HSBC Revolution Card.
Here are the earn rates:
- 10X rewards points on online and contactless spending
- 1X rewards point on other spending
Pretty straightforward right? The online spending category is a huge draw, as everything can be purchased online these days, from plane tickets to groceries.
The catch is that there’s a cap. You can only earn 10X rewards points on up to $1,000 per month. Once you bust the cap, you will only earn 1X reward point.
Do also remember that HSBC rewards points expire in three years. So don’t forget to redeem them before it’s too late!
4. HSBC Revolution Card Points Redemption
The HSBC Revolution Card earns you Reward Points. You can choose to redeem these points as gifts, air miles, or to directly offset your credit card spending.
How do I redeem my HSBC Reward Points for gifts?
You can exchange your rewards points for gifts in HSBC’s Rewards Catalogue. Gifts include KitchenAid stand mixers, Fitbits, dining vouchers and hotel stays.
The easiest way to redeem a gift with your rewards points is via online banking. Browse the HSBC Rewards Catalogue until you find a gift you want, select “Redeem Now”, log in to HSBC online banking, and redeem the quantity desired.
If you redeemed a reward voucher, HSBC will send it to you by post within 7 working days.
How do I redeem my HSBC Reward points for air miles?
You can also exchange your rewards points for air miles to be credited to your KrisFlyer or Asia Miles account. If you want to redeem air miles, you’ll have to first register for HSBC’s Mileage Programme. But do note that this programme fee is S$40 (subject to GST).
How do I redeem my HSBC Reward points to offset my credit card spending?
This is the HSBC Reward Programme’s version of cashback. If you simply want to use your HSBC Reward Points to offset your credit card bill, you can do so via HSBC’s Pay with Points programme.
The conversion rate is 400 Rewards Points = S$1. However, do note that you need at least 4,000 Reward Points to make 1 redemption, which comes up to S$10 worth. This also means that for 1 such redemption, you have to spend at least $400 in HSBC’s bonus points categories to earn 4,000 Reward Points (S$1 spend = 10X Points). If you only rack up 3,990 points, you can’t redeem them to offset your credit card spending.
5. HSBC Revolution Card vs DBS Altitude
The DBS Altitude Card is an entry-level air miles credit card that commonly gets compared to the HSBC Revolution. So, which is better? Here are the key differences.
| HSBC Revolution | DBS Altitude | |
| Base Earn Rate | 1X rewards points (0.4 miles) | 1.2 miles |
| Bonus Earn Rate | 9X rewards points (3.6 miles) | 0.8 miles / 1.8 miles / 5.8 miles / 8.8 miles |
| Bonus Categories | Online and contactless transactions | Overseas spend / online flights and hotels / flight and hotels at Expedia / hotels at Kaligo |
| Annual Income | $30,000 | $30,000 |
| Annual fee | – | $194.40 (waived for first year) |
DBS Altitude offers a better base earn rate and its air miles never expire. However, its bonus earn rates really aren’t that attractive unless you’re making bookings at Expedia or Kaligo.
HSBC Revolution, by contrast, lets you earn bonus points more easily—almost anything can be paid for online these days, and contactless payment is very widely accepted in Singapore and many other countries. In addition, the card is free. So, if you’re looking for a fuss-free, annual fee-free way to earn points, go with HSBC Revolution.
- Local Spend
- S$1 = 1.3 Miles
- Overseas Spend
- S$1 = 2.2 Miles
- On Travel Spend at Expedia & Kaligo
- S$1 = Up to 10 Miles
6. How do I maximise my HSBC Revolution Card?
Since the HSBC Revolution Card gives you 10X points for online transactions, you should pick the online option wherever possible. For instance, do your groceries online or use online food delivery instead of showing up physically at the supermarket or restaurant.
You should also use contactless payments as much as possible. Many merchants accept Visa PayWave and will let you tap your card, but if you want to make contactless payments second nature, you can use mobile contactless apps like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay and Google Pay.
Just remember that you can only earn 10X rewards points on up to $1,000 worth of spending each month. So there is no point in using the card once you have hit the cap.
7. HSBC Revolution Card Promotion
From now until 31 Aug 2023, sign up for the HSBC Revolution Card and choose between a welcome gift of $150 cashback or a Samsonite Prestige 69cm Spinner Exp suitcase with built-in scale worth $670. That’s on top of $40 Cash via PayNow when you apply via MoneySmart!
You’ll need to hit a minimum spend of $1,000 from your Card Account Opening Date to the end of the following month to redeem these gifts.
8. Should I get the HSBC Revolution Card?
The HSBC Revolution Card is a fuss-free entry-level card that lets you earn points at a decent rate on your everyday spending. Shift as much of your spending as you can to online or contactless channels and you’ll really be able to rack up points.
The card charges no annual fee, and its minimum income requirements are as low as it gets. This makes the card suitable for anyone regardless of how much or how little you spend.
Whether you’re using it as your main credit card or just keeping it on hand for spending you have no other card for, the HSBC Revolution is convenient to have in your wallet.
Alternatives to the HSBC Revolution Card
Here are some alternative rewards cards aimed at entry level earners.
- Shopping and Online Spend, including Food Delivery and Groceries
- S$1= 10X Points
- Grab and Gojek
- S$1= 10X Points
- All Other Spend
- S$1 = 1 Point
[MONEYSMART LUCKY DRAW]
Get an Sony WH1000-XM5 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones (worth S$575) OR a Nintendo Switch OLED Gaming Console (worth S$549) OR a S$450 Amazon SG Gift Card OR S$300 Cash via PayNow when you apply and spend a min. of S$500 in "Qualifying Spends" within 30 days from card approval date. T&Cs apply
PLUS stand a chance to win a MacBook Air M2 15-inch or an Apple iPhone 14 Pro or an Apple Watch Ultra today! T&Cs apply.
Citi Rewards Card – You earn a very attractive 10X rewards (4 miles per dollar) when you shop for shoes, bags and clothes, both online and offline. Get 10X rewards too for practical reasons too, like buying groceries online and spending on rides with Grab and Gojek.
- on Online Spend
- S$5 = 5 DBS Points (2 Miles per S$1)
- on Other Spend
- S$5 = 1 DBS Point (0.4 Miles per S$1)
- e-Commerce Protection for Online Purchases
- Complimentary
DBS Woman’s Card – This one offers 5X DBS points (10 miles per dollar) for every $5 spent online and overseas, but expenditure is capped at $1,000 a month, which is easily burst if, say, you use it for travel bookings.
- on Online Shopping, Entertainment & Contactless Payments
- S$5 = 10X UNI$
- on All Other Spend
- S$5 = 1X UNI$
- Rewards to Miles Conversion
- 1 UNI$ = 2 Miles
UOB Preferred Platinum Card – Get up to 10 UNI$ for every $5 spent on online shopping and entertainment, and mobile contactless payment. Total UNI$ awarded is capped at $2,000 per month.
- on Online Shopping, Entertainment & Contactless Payments
- S$5 = 10X UNI$
- on All Other Spend
- S$5 = 1X UNI$
- Rewards to Miles Conversion
- 1 UNI$ = 2 Miles
Remember, reward points are only as useful as the rewards you can redeem them for. So make sure you “shop” around each bank’s rewards catalogue before deciding on which credit card to get. It’s not as simple as just comparing the earn rates, since the banks’ points are different “currencies” when it comes to redeeming rewards.
The only thing that you can compare apple to apple is air miles. If you’re serious about chasing air miles, the 10X rewards cards will definitely get you there faster.
If you’re just starting to manage your finances, you don’t want to be overwhelmed with too many terms & conditions. The HSBC Revolution Card has a big win in this respect as one the most fuss-free cards out there, thanks to its huge range of bonus rewards categories and $0 monthly minimum spend.
- on Online Spend and Contactless Payments
- S$1= 10X Points
- on All Other Spend
- S$1= 1X Point
- for every 10 Points
- Earn 4 Miles
P.S. Here’s our MoneySmart credit card ranking rubric
In case you’re wondering, here’s how we decide on our credit card rankings.
| Is that credit card MoneySmart? Our MoneySmart credit card ranking rubric | |
| Category | Our rating |
| Overall | The average rating for the credit card on the whole, calculated from the ratings for the individual categories below. Plus, we’ll give you a one-liner on who we think the credit card is best suited for. |
| Earn rates: Air miles / Cashback / Rewards points | Air miles ✈️✈️✈️✈️✈️ / Cashback 💰💰💰💰💰/ Rewards points 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁. This category looks at the depth rather than breadth of earn rates.
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| Earn categories | This category looks at the breadth rather than depth of your earnings.
|
| Annual fees and charges |
|
| Accessibility | Minimum income requirements:
Exclusivity: We dock 1-2 stars if there is/are another category/categories that make the card exclusive and very specific to a certain clientele. |
| Extras/periphery rewards | These include:
We count the number of benefits and award between 0.5 to 2 stars for each, depending on how good the perk is. |
| Sign-up bonus |
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Check out all our MoneySmart credit card reviews: The Ultimate List of Credit Card Reviews in Singapore.
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