Cherry De Vega, Bookkeeping and Compliance ReviewerReviewed by Cherry De Vega, Bookkeeping and Compliance Reviewer

GCash vs Maya

Both charge ₱10.00 per InstaPay transfer; Maya pays more on your balance at 3.00% against GSave's 2.30%, while GCash lets a verified wallet hold more (₱500,000 against ₱100,000 a month). On ₱10,000 parked for a year, that is ₱57.10 more in Maya Savings after tax.

Fees, limits and interest side by side

Our take: choose GCash if you receive or hold more than ₱100,000 a month. Choose Maya if you keep a balance and want it to earn: ₱10,000 in Maya Savings keeps ₱242.66 a year after tax, against ₱185.56 in GSave. Either way, cash in from a bank app once you pass the free over-the-counter amount; 31 institutions charge nothing for InstaPay.

GCashMaya
InstaPay to a bank or other wallet₱10.00 BSP fee summary, as of August 31, 2026₱10.00 BSP fee summary, as of August 31, 2026
Over-the-counter cash-inFree to ₱8,000 a month, then 2% GCash, as of October 2, 2026Free to ₱8,000 a month, then 2% Maya, as of October 2, 2026
Cash out over the counter2% of the amount at partner outlets GCash, as of October 2, 20261.5% of the amount. Upgraded accounts only at a Maya Center Maya, as of October 2, 2026
ATM withdrawalSet by the ATM owner GCash, as of October 2, 2026Set by the ATM owner Maya, as of October 2, 2026
Wallet limit₱500,000 (Fully Verified, from 1 October 2026) GCash, as of October 2, 2026₱100,000 a month (Upgraded) Maya, as of October 2, 2026
Interest on ₱10,000 for a year, after tax₱185.56 in GSave (2.30%) GCash, as of October 2, 2026₱242.66 in Maya Savings (3.00% base) Maya, as of October 2, 2026
Report a hacked accountGigi chat or hotline 2882, 24/7 for unauthorized transactions GCash, as of October 2, 2026Hotline (+632) 8845-7788, 24/7 to block the account Maya, as of October 2, 2026

InstaPay fees as disclosed to the BSP as of August 31, 2026; everything else from each wallet's own help pages as of October 2, 2026 (GCash limits updated 1 October 2026). Full fee tables, limits by profile and safety steps: GCash · Maya.

No e-wallet pays to appear here or to change its position.

Next: if you mainly receive money, check which GCash profile you need; if you keep a balance, see Maya Savings and Time Deposit Plus.

Which wallet for you

Picked on each wallet's published limits and savings rate; both are BSP-licensed e-money issuers.

Hold or receive more
GCash
₱500,000 wallet limit

Suits: freelancers and sellers who receive large amounts.

Downside: GSave pays 2.30% against 3.00% at Maya Savings.

Every GCash fee
Earn on your balance
Maya
₱242.66 a year on ₱10,000

Suits: keeping a balance that earns while you spend from the same app.

Downside: an Upgraded account holds ₱100,000 a month, against ₱500,000 on GCash.

Every Maya fee

Sending money between GCash and Maya

GCash to Maya, and Maya to GCash, go over InstaPay: the wallet you send from charges its InstaPay fee (₱10.00 on GCash, ₱10.00 on Maya). In GCash, tap Transfer, then Local, and choose Maya from the list. On Maya, a Basic account cannot send by InstaPay, so upgrade first. GCash Maya

Cashing out

Cash out to your own bank account by InstaPay for ₱10.00 on either wallet. Over the counter, GCash charges 2% of the amount at partner outlets such as pawnshops, Puregold and payment centers, while Maya charges 1 at a Maya Center. At an ATM, the bank that owns the machine sets the fee.

If an account is hacked or you are scammed

Act in the app first: GCash takes reports through its Gigi chat and the 2882 hotline, and Maya through its hotline, which can block the account right away. Both lines take unauthorized-transaction reports 24/7. If the wallet does not resolve it, the consumer protection law (RA 11765) lets you take it to the BSP through its BOB chatbot or consumeraffairs@bsp.gov.ph. Step by step: GCash · Maya.

E-wallets and tax

Moving money through a wallet does not by itself create a tax; whether money you receive is taxable depends on what it is for. See is GCash income taxable. Online sellers paid through GCash or Maya also see a 1% withholding on half of their payouts once they pass ₱500,000 a year, under RR 16-2023 (BIR); details for sellers are on tax for online sellers.

Every BSP-licensed e-money issuer

72

As of May 14, 2026, the BSP lists 44 non-bank e-money issuers and 28 banks with e-money authority. An app is licensed only if the company behind it is here. For each issuer's transfer fees, see the InstaPay and PESONet fee table.

Non-bank e-money issuers (44)

  • Alipay Philippines, Incorporated (formerly: helloPay Philippines, Inc.)
  • AllEasy Incorporated
  • Banana Fintech Services Corporation
  • CIS Bayad Center, IncorporatedInstaPay free
  • Cebuana Lhuillier Services Corporation
  • DCPAY Philippines, IncorporatedInstaPay ₱5.00
  • Direct Agent 5 Inc.
  • Easypay Global EMI CorporationInstaPay ₱10.00
  • Ecashpay Asia Incorporated
  • FDS Asya Philippines, Inc.
  • Flash Pay (Ph) Co. Ltd., Inc.
  • G-Xchange, Incorporated (GXI)InstaPay ₱10.00
  • Gpay Network PH, Incorporated
  • I-Pay Commerce Ventures Incorporated
  • I-Remit, Incorporated
  • Inception Technology Philippines Corporation
  • Infoserve, IncorporatedInstaPay ₱25.00
  • Lulu Financial Services (Phils.) Incorporated
  • MarcoPay IncorporatedInstaPay ₱5.00 to ₱10.00
  • Maya Philippines, IncorporatedInstaPay ₱10.00
  • Nomu Pay E-Money Philippines, Inc.
  • Omni Pay IncorporatedInstaPay ₱10.00
  • PAYS0 Inc
  • PPS-PEPP Financial Services Corporation
  • PayMongo Payments IncInstaPay ₱10.00
  • Paynamics Technologies Incorporated
  • Peppermint Bizmoto Inc
  • Philippine Digital Asset Exchange, Inc.
  • ShopeePay Philippines, IncorporatedInstaPay free
  • SpeedyPay, Incorporated
  • Starpay CorporationInstaPay ₱15.00
  • TagCash Ltd. IncorporatedInstaPay not offered
  • TayoCash IncorporatedInstaPay ₱12.00
  • Togetech, Incorporated
  • Toktokwallet Inc.InstaPay ₱15.00
  • TopJuan Tech Corporation
  • Toyota Financial Services Philippines Corporation
  • Traxion Pay IncorporatedInstaPay ₱15.00
  • True Money Philippines Incorporated
  • USSC Money Services IncorporatedInstaPay ₱25.00
  • WIBS PHP Incorporated
  • Wise Pilipinas IncorporatedInstaPay ₱35.00
  • Zybi Tech, Incorporated
  • eMandarin Ventures, Incorporated

Banks with e-money authority (28)

  • AllBank (A Thrift Bank), Inc.
  • Asia United Bank Corporation
  • BDO Unibank, Inc.
  • Bank of Commerce
  • Bank of the Philippine Islands
  • CTBC Bank (Philippines) Corporation
  • Cantilan Bank, Inc.
  • Cebuana Lhuillier Rural Bank, Inc.
  • China Banking Corporation
  • Development Bank of the Philippines
  • Dungganon Bank (A Microfinance Rural Bank), Inc.
  • East West Banking Corporation
  • Equicom Savings Bank, Inc.
  • First Consolidated Bank, Inc. (A Private Development Bank)
  • Land Bank of the Philippines
  • Maybank Philippines, Incorporated
  • Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company
  • Netbank (A Rural Bank), Inc.
  • Pacific Ace Savings Bank, Inc.
  • Philippine Bank of Communications
  • Philippine National Bank
  • Philippine Savings Bank
  • Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation
  • Rural Bank of Guinobatan, Inc.
  • Security Bank Corporation
  • Sterling Bank of Asia, Inc. (A Savings Bank)
  • UCPB Savings Bank
  • Union Bank of the Philippines

BSP Verifier, EMI Directory

Not covered here: PayPal, crypto and business wallets. For an unresolved complaint, go to the wallet first, then the BSP under RA 11765; for a scam, also the PNP, NBI or CICC (hotline 1326).

What to do next

  1. Check your profile in the app and verify or upgrade if you need a higher limit; the full limit tables are on the GCash and Maya pages.
  2. Cashing in from a bank? See which banks charge nothing for InstaPay.
  3. Want more than wallet savings pay? Compare digital bank savings rates.

Questions

Which is safer, GCash or Maya?

Both operators are BSP-licensed e-money issuers and both offer in-app security and a 24/7 line for unauthorized transactions. What protects you most is the same on either: never share your MPIN or OTP, and report anything odd right away. BSP Verifier, EMI list

How much does it cost to send from GCash to Maya, or Maya to GCash?

An InstaPay transfer between the two costs ₱10.00 from GCash and ₱10.00 from Maya, charged by the wallet you send from (BSP fee summary as of August 31, 2026). BSP fee summary, as of August 31, 2026

Is money in GCash or Maya insured by the PDIC?

The PDIC insures bank deposits, and the BSP treats e-money as not a deposit. Money you move into GSave (CIMB Bank) or Maya Savings (Maya Bank) is a deposit, insured up to ₱1,000,000 per depositor, per bank. source

Do GCash and Maya take 1% tax from my transfers?

No, not from personal transfers. Under RR 16-2023 they withhold 1% on half of what they pay out to online sellers and merchants, and only once a seller passes ₱500,000 a year. BIR, RR 16-2023