Because of Uber, I almost wanted to get a credit card. Two months ago, I inquired about why they haven’t implemented non-credit card payment options in the Philippines yet, and they said they’re looking into it… so I waited! After all, other countries have it, so i thought it’s only a matter of time before it gets rolled out in our country.
@yanbirog Hi Yan! I’m sorry, but currently we only accept credit cards. We’re hoping to expand further in the future though!
— Uber Manila (@Uber_Manila) May 14, 2015
That was last May, and true enough, they’ve explored that option! Now we can register at Uber using Visa or Mastercard debit/prepaid cards! Yahoooo!
Most Visa or Mastercard debit/prepaid cards are allowed now, but it’s still a matter of trying it out!
You may check this site for more insights about allowable cards to use! 🙂
If you’re a BPI card holder though, more treats are in for you! This promo is the reason I remembered to sign up for Uber :
Sign up to UBER using your BPI Card and your first 2 rides are FREE!Each free ride is worth up to P500.Promo is valid from July 17, 2015 – October 17, 2015 (promo code: BPIRIDE)
1. Apply for BPI My E-prepaid Mastercard
Php 500 valid for 2 years.
2. Apply for BPI More Fun Visa Prepaid Card
Php 350 valid for 18 months. Personalized card design.
Both of these prepaid cards can be used to register with Uber, and it’s really easy to apply for them. Just go to the nearest BPI, fill out a form, present a valid ID, pay the processing fee, and wait for the card to be available for pickup. It’s that easy!
- Type your card number accurately. Every card detail you supply in the sign-up form must be typed with utmost care and certainty. Card verification goes through a super secure process, you wouldn’t wanna mess your chances with erroneous inputs. This could lead to your card getting blocked, so be very careful!
- Load your card beforehand. I don’t know what the required minimum amount is, but at least put 500 pesos in it. I was charged 10 pesos for card verification.
- In case you get this error message, “It looks like your bank is having trouble processing this card. Please check with your bank and try again. If this continues to happen. Please try a different card.” DON’T FRET. It means your card was blocked due to invalid sign-up attempts. But it will be lifted in 24-hours so don’t worry. Note that it’s the bank who does this and not Uber, so that means you won’t be able to use your card for 24 hours. 🙂 I ran through this problem and called BPI customer service cos I was freaking out that I can’t use my card to pay for food, right when I’ve already transferred money to it. Sobrang hassle, you know you can’t withdraw money from it so I have to spend it elsewhere. huhu
Additional tip when you’re using a prepaid card to book for an Uber ride:
Before requesting, make sure you load your card with an amount greater than on equal to the maximum fare estimate of your ride, otherwise your request will be invalidated. But don’t worry, just load it up and you can request again. 🙂 Apparently, Uber does a balance check for prepaid card holders before hooking you up with your ride. 🙂
