OTP Bank Debit Card Review: A Mixed Bag
add_circle Pros
- The app is super simple to use, with clear sections for choosing cashback categories, bank products, and more.
- I love that I can easily transfer funds and even chat with customer support right from the app.
- The cashback categories are pretty cool, and I've been able to rack up some decent rewards.
- The service is completely free, which is a huge plus in my book.
- I've been able to easily convert my cashback points to rubles, which is a big advantage.
remove_circle Cons
- Unfortunately, I wasn't able to use the card to pay my utility bills and get the cashback, which was the main reason I signed up.
- The process of getting the card was a bit longer than I expected, taking around 10 minutes from application to delivery.
- I wish there were more categories to choose from each month, but I guess that's a minor complaint.
- I've had some issues with the app crashing occasionally, but it's not a deal-breaker.
- I wish the customer support was a bit more responsive, but overall, it's been okay.
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Editor's Summary
I gotta say, I was really excited about the OTP Bank debit card, but things didn't quite go as planned. I signed up for the card to pay my utility bills and get a 5% cashback, but it didn't work out. On the other hand, I've been using it to pay for other purchases and getting an extra discount, which is a nice perk. Overall, it's been a bit of a mixed bag.
Specifications
Hello!
I did my research before signing up for the OTP Bank debit card, reading plenty of reviews to get a feel for what to expect. Most people loved the idea of paying their utility bills and getting a 5% cashback on top of it. I didn't hesitate to order the card, especially since there were other categories to choose from each month, and the service was completely free.
After submitting my application, I got a call from the bank the very next day, and a representative brought me the card. The whole process took about 10 minutes, and I was officially a bank customer.First things first, I downloaded the app and got familiar with it. The interface is super simple, with sections for choosing cashback categories, bank products, deposits, transfers, and even a chat with customer support.
One of the first things I did through the chat was turn off the paid notifications. It's only 99 rubles a month, but I don't see the point in paying for something I can check myself in the app.
The cashback categories in OTP Bank are really where it's at, in my opinion. Of course, I initially chose 5% for utility bills, 3% for supermarkets, 5% for clothing and shoes, and 5% for cafes and restaurants. So, what made me choose these categories? Well, I pay my utility bills every month, so getting 150-200 rubles back is a nice bonus. Cashback for supermarket purchases is a no-brainer – I do most of my shopping there. And with clothing and shoes prices going up, a 5% cashback isn't going to hurt.
As for paying utility bills, I had to do it through the website, not the app, or I wouldn't get the cashback. But, unfortunately, that's not an option in my region, so that category fell by the wayside pretty quickly. Later on, the bank reduced the cashback percentage for utility bills from 5% to 3%. I ended up choosing another important category – pharmacies and medical services. It's not something I use often, but sometimes it's necessary. I've been using these main categories for a few months now, and I'm really happy with how they're working out: 5% for "Clothing and Shoes", 3% for "Supermarkets", 5% for "Cafes and Restaurants", and 3% for "Pharmacies and Medical Services".
The cashback rewards are really easy to track in the transaction history. They're always accurate, just a few days late. The bank doesn't round down the purchase amounts, either - they give you the cashback based on the exact amount you spent. And there's no minimum threshold, either - even if you spend just 25 rubles, you'll get 75 kopeks back.
You can check your balance of bonus points in the "Bonuses and Offers" section. Each point is worth 1 ruble, and you can convert them to rubles when you've got 500 points saved up. Although the app says it takes 24 hours, I've found it actually happens within an hour or so.
I can definitely recommend these cards to my friends, and I get a reward for doing so.
You can also open savings accounts and transfer money to yourself or others.
I really like my OTP Bank debit card:
Getting cashback on purchases Free maintenance A convenient app The only downside is that the cashback limit is a bit low - you can only earn 3000 rubles per month, which is a shame. But I guess that's not unique to OTP Bank - other banks have similar limits, too.
Overall, though, I'm really happy with my debit card, and I'll keep using it to pay for my purchases.
