Everything you need to know about GCash, Maya, digital bank interest rates, and keeping more pesos in your pocket.
Skip the guesswork — use our live fee calculator to instantly compare all GCash and Maya partners.
Try the E-Wallet Fee Map →GCash has become the dominant e-wallet in the Philippines, used by millions for everyday payments, remittances, and savings. But not every method of putting money in — or taking it out — is free. Understanding where the fees hide can save you hundreds of pesos a month.
The good news is that most GCash cash-in channels carry no fee. Bank transfers through InstaPay (BDO, BPI, Metrobank, UnionBank, and more) are free and arrive in real time. Convenience store partners like 7-Eleven (Cliqq kiosks), Cebuana Lhuillier, M. Lhuillier, and Palawan Express are also free, though capped at ₱8,000 per day. The Bayad Center, Robinsons Department Store, and DA5 outlets follow the same free-cash-in policy.
Two methods carry fees. The SM Bills Payment counter charges a flat ₱10 per transaction — a small amount, but avoidable by using any of the free options above. Loading via a credit or debit card incurs a 2% convenience fee, which adds up quickly on large amounts. Adding ₱5,000 via card costs ₱100 in fees alone.
Withdrawing from GCash is where fees become more significant. Withdrawing at any BancNet ATM costs ₱20 per transaction, with a ₱5,000 per-transaction limit. Sending money to a bank account via InstaPay costs ₱25 per transfer — previously free, this is now a standard charge. Over-the-counter cash-outs at Cebuana, M. Lhuillier, and Palawan Express each cost ₱50 flat per transaction.
Not sure which partner has the lowest fee for your transaction? Our tool filters by wallet, type, and partner in seconds.
Open the Fee Map →Maya (formerly PayMaya) competes directly with GCash and has been aggressive about offering free services to attract users. In many cases, Maya's fee structure is slightly more generous — particularly for higher cash-in limits and free bank transfers for savings account holders.
Maya's cash-in via InstaPay bank transfer is free with a ₱50,000 daily limit — the same as GCash. What differs is the convenience store limit: Maya allows cash-ins up to ₱50,000/day at 7-Eleven, SM/Savemore, Cebuana Lhuillier, and Palawan Express outlets, compared to GCash's ₱8,000 cap. This makes Maya more useful for moving larger amounts through OTC channels. Card top-ups carry a 2.5% fee, slightly higher than GCash's 2%.
The most notable Maya advantage: Maya Savings account holders can transfer to any local bank for free via InstaPay, while GCash charges ₱25. If you regularly cash out to your bank, opening a Maya Savings account (which also earns interest) effectively eliminates this fee. Non-savings users pay standard rates: ₱15 at 7-Eleven, ₱50 at Cebuana or Palawan Express.
| Feature | GCash | Maya |
|---|---|---|
| InstaPay Cash-In | Free (₱50K/day) | Free (₱50K/day) |
| OTC Cash-In Limit | ₱8,000/day | ₱50,000/day |
| Card Cash-In Fee | 2% | 2.5% |
| Bank Transfer (Cash-Out) | ₱25/txn | Free (Savings holders) |
| 7-Eleven Cash-Out | N/A | ₱15/txn |
| Cebuana / Palawan Cash-Out | ₱50/txn | ₱50/txn |
The real sleeper benefit of apps like Maya, GoTyme, and SeaBank isn't the e-wallet — it's the savings account attached to it. Philippine digital banks offer interest rates that dwarf what traditional banks pay (often just 0.10–0.25% per year). But there's a catch almost nobody talks about: the 20% Final Withholding Tax (FWT).
Under Philippine tax law, all interest earned on deposit accounts is subject to a 20% final withholding tax, automatically deducted by the bank before crediting your interest. So a savings account advertising 5% per annum actually delivers 4% net to you. The bank remits the 0.80% difference to the BIR on your behalf.
| Bank | Gross Rate | Net Rate (after 20% FWT) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Uno Digital Bank | 5.25% | 4.20% | Standard savings |
| GoTyme Bank | 5.00% | 4.00% | Standard savings |
| Tonik Bank | 4.00–6.00% | 3.20–4.80% | 6% for locked Solo Stash |
| SeaBank | 4.00% | 3.20% | Standard savings |
| Maya Bank | 3.50% | 2.80% | First ₱100K; 1% above |
| CIMB / OFBank / Komo | 2.50% | 2.00% | Standard savings |
See exactly how much interest you'll earn — with tax already deducted — based on your actual deposit amount and time period.
Run the Interest Simulator →Most Filipinos overpay on e-wallet fees simply out of habit or convenience. A few simple habits can eliminate most of these costs entirely.
Bank-to-e-wallet transfers via InstaPay are free on both GCash and Maya. If your bank supports it — and virtually all major Philippine banks do — this should be your default cash-in method. Avoid using credit cards for top-up unless you have a compelling cashback reason that outweighs the 2–2.5% fee.
Every GCash bank transfer costs ₱25 regardless of amount. If you transfer ₱500 five times, you pay ₱125 in fees. Transfer ₱2,500 once and you pay ₱25. Think in bulk when moving money to your bank.
Maya Savings holders get free InstaPay withdrawals — the single biggest fee elimination available in Philippine e-wallets. It takes minutes to open, pays competitive interest, and effectively gives you a free cash-out lane for life.
If you're keeping a large balance in your GCash or Maya wallet, you're earning zero interest. Moving that money to a digital savings account — even temporarily — lets you earn 4–5% (net of tax) while keeping it accessible.
E-wallet fee structures update without much fanfare. What was free six months ago may have a fee today. Bookmark our fee map and check it whenever you're about to do a large transaction.
All six tools — e-wallet fees, digital bank interest, pawnshop loans, car amortization, and more — are free to use, no sign-up required.
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