UOB One account review: Go for it if you hate maths

If you're looking for a day-to-day savings account that will give you more returns than just 0.05 per cent p.a., there are plenty of options available in Singapore. The problem is, most of them require you to jump through hoops, and you ain't no circus animal.

Surprisingly, the UOB One account is one of the few that won't give you a headache, even if you have a severe maths allergy. It has a very simple structure and easy-to-attain bonus interest - minimal calculations needed.

Apart from being relatively fuss-free, what else does the UOB One account have to offer? Let's have a look.

What are the UOB One account interest rates?

The UOB One account is like the OCBC 360 and DBS Multiplier - an account that lets you earn bonus interest of up to 2.5 per cent as long as you perform certain actions every month.

Credit or debit card spend (at least $500, on UOB One Card, UOB Lady's Card, UOB EVOL Card or UOB Mighty FX Card)

Credit card spend ($500) + salary credit (at least $1,600)

Credit card spend ($500) + bill payments (at least 3 GIRO debit transactions)

The question is, how much is the interest? Here's the breakdown of the UOB One account interest rates as of June 2022:

You can also use the handy UOB One account + UOB One card calculator here to calculate how much interest you can earn.

There's a bonus interest cap of $75,000, after which you can only get the base 0.05 per cent p.a. interest. Fair enough - most people wouldn't be keeping more than that amount in cash anyway, unless you're about to make a massive purchase.

UOB One account minimum balance, fall below fee & more

The UOB One account is about as "no strings attached" as such savings accounts get. Here are some of the basic things to note about the UOB One account:

Minimum age: 18 years old

Nationality: Singaporeans, PRs, E-Pass, S-Pass & Dependent Pass holders

Initial deposit: $1,000

Minimum balance (monthly): $1,000

Fall-below fee: $5 (waived for 6 months for accounts opened online)

Bonus interest cap: $75,000

Who is the UOB One account suitable for?

The answer is simple. Go for it if you hate maths. Compared to many other similar savings accounts in Singapore, the UOB One account is one of the least complicated. It doesn't even involve insurance and investment which are categories most other banks have as a requirement to earn higher bonus interest rates.

With the UOB One account, there's no need to tally up 12 different types of bonus interest. You just need to figure out which camp you're in:

Credit card spend only (0.25 per cent p.a.)

Credit card spend + salary credit (0.5 per cent p.a. and up)

Credit card spend + 3 GIRO payments (0.5 per cent p.a. and up)

Credit card only: Are you a freewheeling millennial raking in money from your YouTube channel while living under your parents' roof? Not many savings accounts will reward you for bumming around, so the UOB One account is not a bad choice.

If you can spend at least $500 on a UOB credit card, that is. Sure, you'll only earn 0.25 per cent p.a. but that's better than the basic 0.05 per cent p.a.

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Credit card spend + salary credit: Conventional salaried workers should have no problem at all arranging a recurring salary credit (min. $1,600) and monthly spending on your credit card (min. $500) to hit 0.5 per cent p.a. even if your account balance is less than $15,000.

You can hit the next level of interest of 0.55 per cent p.a. once your account balance is more than $15,000, so that's an incentive for you to save more. On top of that, there's an ongoing promotion that gives you $50 cash reward when you credit your salary with UOB that's valid till Dec 31, 2022.

Credit card spend + GIRO payments: Those who don't have a regular salary will also find it pretty easy to attain the 0.5 per cent p.a. interest even when their account balances are less than $15,000). That's good news for freelancers, part-timers, retirees, landlords, etc.

You just need to swap the salary credit to GIRO bill payments (min. three payments a month). And bills are one thing we're definitely not short of in Singapore.

Now, moving onto the next big question you probably have on mind. Which UOB credit card should you use with your UOB One account?

Is the UOB One card the best for the UOB One account?

I love the way UOB spoon feeds their customers by giving their signature bank account and credit card the same name.

Regardless of which bonus interest tier you're on, the minimum requirement is to spend $500 a month on a UOB credit card. The best credit card for this purpose is… drumroll…. the UOB One card! If you couldn't already tell, the clue is in the name.

Not only do you perform the bare minimum to get bonus interest on your UOB One account, you get extra cash rebates of up to 5 per cent on top of it.

Alternatively, opt for the UOB EVOL Card. It's a better option if you spend mostly on dining, shopping and Grab as you can get up to 8 per cent cash back in those categories.

Finally, you can also opt for the (women-only) UOB Lady's Card to get rewards points in your choice of spending category. The categories are beauty and wellness, fashion, travel, family (including groceries), entertainment, and transport. With the UOB Lady's Card, you earn rewards in UNI$ which you'll have to convert later.

If you prefer a more direct cashback mechanic, the UOB One Card and the UOB EVOL Card would be better options.

OCBC 360 vs UOB One account - which is better?

The UOB One account's "rival" is the OCBC 360 account, which is quite similar in that it also doesn't require salary crediting in order to earn bonus interest.

You start with 0.05 per cent base interest and then earn extra interest depending on what actions you complete that month. Let's look at the bonus interest for the lowest tier of savings (your first $25,000):

The OCBC 360 account is better for salaried workers as you get 0.3 per cent bonus interest p.a. on your savings just for salary crediting (no minimum credit card spend). Conversely, you'd need to hit both salary credit and $500 credit card spend to get 0.5 per cent with UOB One.

But! The UOB One account is the definite winner for non-salaried workers assuming you have no problem hitting the credit card spending + bill payment requirements.

With the OCBC 360, it's going to be tricky to earn bonus interest without salary credit. Basically, your only recourse is to buy OCBC's investment or insurance products, and we wouldn't recommend making such big decisions just for bonus interest.

UOB One vs DBS Multiplier account - which is better?

The DBS Multiplier account is certainly a viable alternative to UOB One if you're a salaried worker.

Crediting your income is a compulsory criteria for you to earn bonus interest. Then, you need to perform one to three extra transactions to earn bonus interest.

The lowest-hanging fruit are credit card spending and home loan instalments. Here's a quick look at the interest you can get with these actions.

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At the moment, the DBS Multiplier is better for salaried workers. You can earn higher interest of 0.4 per cent p.a. and up with salary credit + credit card spending (no minimum!).

If you care to refinance your home loan with DBS, then it's a no-brainer as you'll be getting extra interest on top of potentially saving on your mortgage payments.

However, if you're a freelancer, self-employed person, retiree, etc. it is much easier to stick with the UOB One account.

Already made up your mind on opening up a UOB One account? You can read more about and open a UOB One account here.

This article was first published MoneySmart.