Best E-Wallet Apps in the Philippines (2026)

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Popular local e-wallet apps make it easier to spend in person and online, send payments, and earn rewards and lifestyle perks. There are many different provider e-wallets which may suit locals, expats and overseas Filipinos depending on their requirements.

So, what is an e-wallet and how do you use one to make a mobile payment? In this guide we cover different types of e-wallet for varied customer needs, from sending and receiving foreign currency payments to spending in your local 7-Eleven.

We'll also introduce the Wise account, a handy companion to make your money go further with low, transparent fees.

Table of contents
What is an e-wallet? E-wallet vs digital wallet Types of e-wallets in the Philippines Best e-wallet apps Wise GCash Maya GrabPay ShopeePay Cliqq How to choose an e-wallet International payments Wise for international payments Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

What is an e-wallet?

E-wallet stands for electronic wallet. An e-wallet is a digital payment platform which usually operates through a phone app.

Different e-wallet apps can work a little differently but generally you can make online and in-person payments using your app, and fund them from a balance you’ve added or with a debit or credit card you’ve linked to your account. Most popular e-wallet apps in the Philippines support online shopping and some in-person spending using QR codes. You may also be able to use your app to send money overseas, receive incoming remittances from loved ones abroad, pay bills or access a broader range of financial services.

E-wallet vs digital wallet vs mobile payment app

The words e-wallet vs digital wallet vs mobile payment app can be used fairly interchangeably. However, while there’s an overlap, they’re normally slightly different in their features and function.

Where all three overlap is in that they all allow digital payments, normally with just your phone. However, an e-wallet will more commonly allow you to store a balance in your account for spending, while a digital wallet may require you to link a card and spend from the balance of your card account instead.

Mobile payment apps may be either stored value accounts or have linked cards, and will operate exclusively through a phone app, while the other account types might have ways to access your account using a laptop instead.

Types of e-wallets available in the Philippines

So, is GCash an e-wallet, and what are the other local e-wallets to know about?

Firstly, popular services in the Philippines like GCash and Maya are both local e-wallets with broad scope and function for everyday Philippine payments. These services are peso-based and have strong domestic acceptance but they may not be accepted if you want to make a payment overseas.

Aside from this you may also be able to open a bank-linked digital wallet tied to your local bank account in the Philippines. Or you might want an international digital wallet from a provider like Wise for overseas payments and travel.

International e-wallets can offer multi-currency features which are helpful for travel and cross-border payments. This can be especially handy if you’re sending or receiving remittances and prefer to be able to manage your money across different currencies other than PHP, such as USD, GBP or EUR.

Top e-wallet apps in the Philippines: Features, uses and limitations

Let’s dive into a few different e-wallet apps to give you some ideas of which may suit your needs. We’ve included the top 5 e-wallets in the Philippines as well as Wise which is a powerful e-wallet app for international use, offering ways to send and receive PHP and foreign currency payments with low fees and the mid-market rate.

Provider	Key features	Limitations
Wise	Multi-currency wallet supporting 40+ currencies to hold, receive, send and spend, plus ways to receive 8+ currencies to your Wise account	No branch or physical locations to transact in person
GCash¹	Popular all round financial platform for payments, transfers, loans, investments and other products	Fees can apply based on account use - check all details carefully before signing up
Maya²	Full digital bank with financial services including cards, remittances, savings, investments, loans and credit	Limits and feature availability for Basic account holders are low³ - upgrade for more
GrabPay⁴	Ideal for Grab rides, delivery, and payments with partner merchants - cashless payments that earn Grab rewards	Relatively limited range of in-person partner merchants available
ShopeePay⁵	Great for ecommerce shopping and also in-person payments, earning Shopee rewards	No multi-currency feature, funds received from abroad converted to PHP automatically
Cliqq⁶	7-Eleven’s points earning wallet - win prizes, send points to friends	Only used for merchandise purchases at a 7-Eleven store⁷

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Wise

Wise is an international e-wallet which offers broad services for managing foreign currencies, including receiving remittances, sending payments to others, spending and making international cash withdrawals, and holding 40+ currencies. You can get a Wise card with your account as well as accessing digital payment features, offering all round flexibility for cross currency spending.

Best for: Sending and receiving remittances, spending in PHP and foreign currencies
Key features: Multi-currency wallet supporting 40+ currencies
Limitations: No branch or physical locations to transact in person

GCash

GCash is a very popular local e-wallet in the Philippines which has very wide acceptance and lets you manage a broad range of PHP transactions. Spend online and in-person, receive incoming PHP remittances and pay bills - plus you can access broader and more complex financial services like credit and investments.

Best for: Popular all round financial platform for local use including bill pay and receiving incoming remittances in PHP
Key features: Local, international and bill payments, transfers, loans, investments and other products
Limitations: Fees can apply based on account use - check all details carefully before signing up

If you already use GCash, you can also send money from GCash to Wise to manage and spend it in other currencies.

Maya (formerly PayMaya)

Maya is an e-wallet which is offered by Maya Philippines, Inc. and its banking partner, Maya Bank, Inc. As well as using PHP payment features you can also access banking services like loans and credit, making this a good choice if you want a local PHP provider which could offer all the tools you need for day to day money management in one simple app.

Best for: E-wallet from a full digital bank offering ways to manage all your financial transactions in one place
Key features: Broad range including cards, remittances, savings, investments, loans and credit
Limitations: Limits and feature availability for Basic account holders are low - upgrade for more

GrabPay

GrabPay is provided by the Grab group and allows you to pay for Grab ecosystem services with a stored balance, or using a linked card. You can also use your app to pay on and offline with partner merchants, although the reach of Grab isn’t quite as broad as that of some other local e-wallets like Maya and GCash.

Best for: Anyone using Grab frequently for rides, delivery, and other aligned services
Key features: Grab ecosystem cashless payments that earn Grab rewards
Limitations: Relatively limited range of offline partner merchants available

ShopeePay

ShopeePay allows you to shop on and in-person, and earn Shopee rewards as you spend. If you shop online a lot anyway, particularly with Shopee, this can be a neat way to increase your rewards on purchases you would make anyway. You can use Shopeepay for other transactions such as receiving incoming payments, but it’s an account to hold PHP only, and so any incoming foreign payments are converted before depositing.

Best for: Frequent online shoppers, looking for ways to earn more Shopee rewards
Key features: Simple ecommerce shopping and offline QR payments
Limitations: No multi-currency feature, funds received from abroad converted to PHP automatically

Cliqq

Cliqq is the 7-Eleven app which allows you to store a balance to spend on merchandise in a 7-Eleven store. You can then earn points which you can redeem for rewards or send to others so they can get the rewards instead. This service isn’t as feature packed as some of the other apps we’ve looked at, but handy if you use 7-Eleven stores frequently.

Best for: Fast 7-Eleven transactions which earn extra points and rewards
Key features: Spend in 7-Eleven to earn rewards, win prizes, and send points to friends
Limitations: Only used for merchandise purchases at a 7-Eleven store

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What to consider when choosing an e-wallet

There are plenty of different e-wallets to pick from in the Philippines but each is optimised for different customer needs. That means you’ll have to think about what is important for you when selecting. Here are a few things to consider:

• Does the e-wallet offer all you need for daily usage? For example, PHP transactions like paying bills, topping up mobile load, and paying for local transport
• Can you get rewards as you spend? Some apps like Cliqq and ShopeePay allow you to get points, prizes and other rewards when you use them
• Is the app secure and easy to use? Check out the security features and make sure you like the user interface before you sign up
• Can you use the e-wallet for cross-border payments and transfers? For travel, overseas payments and remittances, fees may apply - check features and costs - and consider options like Wise if international usage is important to you.

Using e-wallet apps for international payments

While many e-wallets popular in the Philippines offer PHP services primarily, some can also be used to spend when you travel, send and receive international payments, or convert currencies.

If you’ll be using your app overseas, make sure you check the exchange rates and fees which apply when paying abroad. Often there will be a cost built into the transaction, either as a percentage applied when you pay, or as a fee added to the exchange rate used to convert your PHP to the required currency. This can push up your overall costs without you realising.

If you’ll need to send, spend or receive foreign currencies, an international digital wallet from a provider like Wise may make more sense than a wallet optimised for peso use. This may be the case if you travel often, if you’re a freelancer getting paid from abroad, or if you’re receiving remittances from a family member who is an OFW for example.

Make international payments easier, cheaper and faster with Wise

If you use local e-wallets for everyday spending in the Philippines but also need to send, receive or manage money across borders, Wise can be a useful companion.

The Wise account is an easy way to hold and exchange 40+ currencies, including PHP, USD, CNY, and more. All you need to do is create a free account to get started.

With Wise, you can exchange currencies at the mid-market rate each time, with low, transparent conversion fees from 0.57% and absolutely no markups. Plus, you can order a Wise card for convenient spending at the same great rate, without any foreign transaction fees. At times you need cash, you can also make up to 2 free ATM withdrawals to the value of 12,000 PHP when you're overseas. You'll even get 8+ local account details to get paid conveniently to your Wise account in PHP and a selection of other major global currencies.

Sending money or making payments abroad? Wise also offers fast, low cost transfers to 140+ countries - you can track your transfer in your account and your recipient will also be notified when a transfer reaches them.

✍️ Sign up for a free account now

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Frequently asked questions (FAQ)

Are e-wallet apps safe to use in the Philippines?

Check the app you select is properly licensed and has a good reputation among customers. Generally, reputable e-wallets in the Philippines are considered safe to use with normal precautions.

Can I use an e-wallet for international transfers?

Some e-wallets allow incoming international remittances, and some also let you send payments overseas. Options vary, and many wallets are designed to hold PHP only, which means incoming payments are converted automatically. If you want a flexible option to send and receive foreign currencies cheaply, check out Wise.

What’s the difference between an e-wallet and a mobile payment app?

An e-wallet usually lets you hold a stored value in an account you can then use to spend in person and online, while a mobile payment app might only let you link a card without holding a balance.

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Sources:

1. GCash
2. Maya
3. Maya FAQ - limits
4. GrabPay
5. ShopeePay
6. Cliqq
7. Cliqq FAQ