DBS Live Fresh Credit Card Review: Turn Your Everyday Spend Into Effortless Cashback

Choosing your first credit card as a young working adult can feel overwhelming. There are so many options available, and if you haven't done your research, it can be confusing to find one that suits your lifestyle. Luckily, the DBS Live Fresh Card offers a straightforward cashback feature that's easy to understand

For starters, this card will net you 6% cashback on shopping and transport spend transactions, and 0.3% unlimited cashback in categories for all other spend, like dining, petrol, entertainment, and more.

But that's just the tip of the iceberg; read more to learn what else this coveted cashback card can offer! 🤓

Looking for the best credit cards to complement your spending patterns and expenditure in 2024? Check out our Ultimate Credit Card Guide that covers all things credit cards in Singapore – from choosing between a cashback, miles, or rewards credit card to planning your credit card strategy.

DBS Live Fresh Credit Card product summary:

• Earn 6% cashback on your shopping sprees and daily commutes
• Get unlimited 0.3% cashback on all other eligible spend
• Minimum spend: S$800 per calendar month
• Capped at S$70 total cashback per month
• Annual income requirement: S$30,000 (Singaporeans), S$45,000 (Foreigners)
• Annual fee: S$196.20 (First year waived)

The DBS Live Fresh Card is the go-to card for those looking for a no-frills cashback card. Featuring a modest S$800 spend requirement per month and a S$30,000 annual income criteria, it's a comfortable entry-level cashback card for most young working adults.

For every local and overseas shopping and transport spend, that's an easy 6% cashback in the bag already. Plus, it provides 0.3% unlimited cashback for other eligible spend.

As its first selling point, the DBS Live Fresh Card earns 6% cashback on shopping and transport transactions! Shopping online and in-store, whether locally or overseas, gets you an easy 6% cashback in your (digital) pocket. Your daily commute spend gives you 6% cashback too.

Eligible transactions include retail, recurring bill payments, and refunds in both local and foreign currency. However, to qualify for the 6% cashback, it's assumed you spend at least S$800 per calendar month; otherwise, the rate reverts to the base 0.3% unlimited cashback. 

💡Pro-tip: Personally, I spend at least S$50 to S$100 per month on public transport alone, and this amount goes up if we include occasional/emergency Grab and Gojek rides too! Considering an average monthly expenditure of S$1,000, public transport alone accounts for 10% of it! No wonder public transport expenses rack up so quickly within the month. 😰

I recommend downloading the SimplyGo app for easier tracking and consolidation of your commute expenses.

Whether you're dining, getting groceries, or paying your bills, the DBS Live Fresh credit card guarantees you 0.3% unlimited cashback. So, whether you meet the S$800 minimum spend or not, you will still get the base rewards of 0.3% unlimited cashback on all eligible spend.

Other than the base cashback rate, car owners can also enjoy up to 14% instant fuel savings at Esso. Additionally, DBS offers exclusive fresh deals and various perks in dining, travel, shopping and more, which you'll find in their promotion page.

Check out their full list of eligible spend in their T&Cs or their FAQ.

💡 Pro-tip: Commonly excluded MCCs comprise of instalments, cash advances, fees charged by DBS and bill payments via internet banking. Refer to their T&Cs here for the full run-down.

Unfortunately, unlike unlimited cashback cards, the DBS Live Fresh Card imposes a cashback cap of S$70 per calendar month for shopping and transport spend. Fortunately, all other spend has no cashback cap.

The breakdown is as follows:

• Annual fee:
  • Primary card: S$196.20 (First year waived)
  • Supplementary card: S$98.10 
• Minimum monthly payment: 3% or S$50, whichever is higher
• Overlimit fee: S$100 (For outstanding balance exceeding S$200)
• Late payment fee: S$100 (For outstanding balance exceed S$200)
• Cash advance fee: 8% (Min. charge of S$15)
• Interest on purchases: 27.8% p.a. (Subject to daily compounding if charges not repaid in full)
• Interest on cash advance: 28.5% p.a. (Subject to daily compounding if charges not repaid in full)
• Foreign transaction fee: 3.25%
• Dynamic currency conversion fee: 1%

• At least 21 years old
• Minimum annual income: S$30,000 (Singaporeans); S$45,000 (Foreigners)

Complete your application form in the DBS Live Fresh Credit Card page on SingSaver. You might need to prepare the following documents for the application process:

• Front and back of NRIC/Passport/Employment Pass
• Salaried employees (> 3 months): 
  • Latest 3 months' computerised payslip 
  • Latest 3 months' salary crediting bank statements
  • Latest 12 months' CPF statement (Singaporean/PR) 
• Salaried employees (< 3 months):
  • Latest computerised payslip
  • Company letter certifying employment and salary in SGD
  • Copy of Staff Pass 
• Self-employed / Commission earner: Latest 2 years' Income Tax Notice Assessment
• Foreigners:
  • Valid passport
  • Copy of Work Pass
  • Latest computerised payslip
  • Latest 1 year of Income Tax Notice Assessment (For > 3 months' employment)
  • Company letter certifying employment and salary in SGD & copy of Staff Pass (For < 3 months' employment)
  • A copy of your telecommunication or utility bill (New DBS/POSB customers only)

Want to weigh your options before committing to the DBS Live Fresh Card? Then you might want to check out one of its competitor, the OCBC FRANK Credit Card, first.

In general, the OCBC FRANK functions on mechanics similar to those of the DBS Live Fresh.

So then, what's the difference?

While the DBS Live Fresh only offers a 6% bonus cashback on local and overseas shopping and transport spend, the OCBC Frank offers up to 6% cashback on everyday expenses such as petrol, dining, groceries, streaming services, and more.

However, you'll need to spend a minimum of S$800 or S$1,600, capped at S$80 and S$160 cashback per calendar month, respectively. However, unlike DBS Live Fresh, OCBC does not offer an unlimited base cashback rate.

⭐ Read our full OCBC FRANK Credit Card review here.

See also: How to Meet Your Credit Card Minimum Spend To Earn The Welcome Rewards?

At the end of the day, the DBS Live Fresh Card is a solid, fuss-free cashback card. Its focus on daily expenditure makes it straightforward to use. 

Are there other cashback cards out there that offer a higher cashback rate? Yes, definitely. However, the DBS Live Fresh Card is an appealing option for young working adults who want to earn cashback for their daily spending. There's also no pressure to reach the minimum required spending since you will always earn up to 0.3% cashback for all spending, with no cap.

Check out these other cashback credit cards available on SingSaver:

• Citi Cash Back Card: 8% cashback on groceries worldwide and all fuel; 6% cashback on dining worldwide
• POSB Everyday Card: Up to 5% cash rebate (w/o min. spend); up to 10% cash rebate with min. spend
• UOB One Card: Up to 10% cash rebate on public transport, Shopee, Dairy Farm International Group, UOB Travel, Grab, and McDonald's; 3.33% base cash rebate for all other spend
• CIMB Visa Signature Card: 10% cashback on online shopping, groceries, beauty & wellness, pet shops & vet services, and cruises
• Maybank Family & Friends Card: 8% cashback on five preferred categories; 8% cashback on Ringgit spend
• UOB EVOL Card: 8% cashback on online and mobile contactless spend