Tonik review

The monthly fee is PHP 0, priced in Philippine pesos, and Tonik ranks 1 on monthly fee out of 419 brands compared here. The card type is debit, so spending draws on the balance you already keep in the account rather than on a credit line.

The account is run by Tonik Digital Bank Inc., regulated by Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in the Philippines. The card it issues is a debit card, so the spending side draws on the balance you hold with the same bank, and the monthly fee is PHP 0.

The card runs on the mastercard network, so it works in the usual card accepting places and at overseas terminals. Mastercard sits behind Visa for reach in this comparison, at 38.5% against 58.6%, so a share of terminals outside the Philippines lean the other way.

Support runs on email and phone, so a question can be sent by email or raised by phone. That covers the everyday card jobs, from checking what a debit card has spent to reporting a payment that has not gone through on the mastercard network.

A debit card suits people who spend what they have already set aside rather than borrow. The monthly fee of PHP 0 keeps the standing charge at nil, and the mastercard network is widely accepted in the Philippines. It will not suit anyone who wants to borrow on the card.

Wise shows a monthly fee of £0 in pounds, Varo Believe Secured Credit Card shows $0 in dollars, and the Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) shows $0. Tonik's PHP 0 matches those on the standing charge, so the pick comes down to network and account type.

It is aimed at customers of Tonik Digital Bank Inc. in the Philippines who want a Mastercard card attached to a digital account. The debit card and a monthly fee of PHP 0 make it an everyday spending card, with help by email and phone whenever a payment needs checking.

Its overall score is 6, which places it in the middle of the field rather than at either end. The monthly fee of PHP 0 keeps costs down, while the mastercard network and email and phone support decide how the card feels day to day.