Which Orico card should you get? All 13 compared
A decision page for readers who have already settled on Orico and only need to pick the right card in the lineup. All 13 are compared here — 13 of them open to new applications, with annual fees of ¥0–¥11,000. The axis that actually decides it: annual fee against ordinary earning, plus any milestone bonus you would reach anyway.
Issued by Orient Corporation · 13 cards recorded, 13 open to new applications, 2 of them business products · verified 2026-08-13
Which one to get
If you want one answer, start with the Orico Card The Point — no annual fee and a 1% published base rate. If you already know what you want the card for, take the matching row instead.
| Use case | Card | Annual fee | Fee condition | Base rate | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best no-fee starting point | Orico Card The PointGeneral | Free | — | 1% | Simple 1% return |
| Best paid card with a fee-waiver path | The GoldGold | ¥11,000 | First year free | 0.5% | Traditional gold card |
| Best premium / travel tier | Orico Card The Gold PrimeGold | ¥11,000 | — | 1% | Broad gold package |
| Best specialist / co-brand | Japan Animal Welfare Society CardGeneral | Free | Confirm on the issuer page | 0.5% | Supports animal welfare |
| Best business option | EX Gold for Biz MGold | ¥2,200 | — | 0.6% | Low-cost company card |
Each row is selected from the recorded data by rule — cheapest fee, a stated waiver, the highest published rate within a grade — not by editorial preference. Nothing here reflects how likely you are to be approved.
How to decide inside this lineup
5 rules apply to this lineup. Work down them in order — the first one usually settles it.
- Start with the strongest no-fee card, and move up only when a paid tier has a waiver you will actually reach, a milestone bonus you would hit anyway, or a recurring benefit worth more than its fee.
- These cards do not all earn the same currency: the lineup spans Orico Points and 暮らスマイル / Orico points. A higher rate in a programme you cannot redeem well is worth less than a lower rate in one you can.
- This lineup has more than one grade, so an upgrade is an arithmetic question: divide the extra annual fee by the extra published rate to get the spend that repays it, then add only the benefits and milestones you expect to use.
- 2 products here are business-focused and should be compared on their own terms — expense controls, employee cards, accounting integration and who is liable — not against consumer lifestyle perks.
- Orico Card The Point UPty and Gold UPty are revolving-payment-only products. The headline rate is earned against interest you cannot avoid by paying the balance in full, so the advertised return is not comparable to the rest of this lineup.
Each rule is triggered by the recorded fees, grades, programmes and payment types rather than written per provider, so it changes when the lineup does.
Annual fees and what they really cost
6 of the 9 personal cards you can choose between here have no annual fee. The fee is the only cost you pay whether or not you use the card, so it is the first column to read.
| Card | Grade | Annual fee | Fee condition | Networks | Availability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Animal Welfare Society Card | General | Free | Confirm on the issuer page | Mastercard | Open to new applications |
| Love the Earth | General | Free | — | JCB | Open to new applications |
| Orico Card The Point | General | Free | — | Mastercard · JCB | Open to new applications |
| Orico Card The Point UPty | General | Free | — | Mastercard | Open to new applications |
| Red Cross Orico Card | General | Free | Confirm on the issuer page | Mastercard | Open to new applications |
| Red Feather Card | General | Free | Confirm on the issuer page | Mastercard | Open to new applications |
| Wild Bird Society of Japan Card | General | Free | Confirm on the issuer page | Mastercard | Open to new applications |
| Orico Card The Point Premium Gold | Gold | ¥1,986 | — | Mastercard · JCB | Open to new applications |
| EX Gold for Biz M | Gold | ¥2,200 | — | Visa · Mastercard | Open to new applications |
| EX Gold for Biz S | Gold | ¥2,200 | — | Visa · Mastercard | Open to new applications |
| Gold UPty | Gold | ¥5,500 | First year free | Mastercard | Open to new applications |
| Orico Card The Gold Prime | Gold | ¥11,000 | — | Mastercard | Open to new applications |
| The Gold | Gold | ¥11,000 | First year free | Mastercard | Open to new applications |
A waiver or a free first year still means you pay the fee until the condition is met. Family cards, ETC cards and optional programmes can carry their own charges, which are not in this column — check the issuer page. All amounts include tax.
Earning rates and what they earn into
These cards earn into 2 different programmes. Rates in different currencies are not comparable until you fix what a point is worth to you.
| Card | Base rate | Earns | Comparison-site range | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Animal Welfare Society Card | 0.5% | Orico points | — | Free |
| Love the Earth | 0.5% | Orico points | — | Free |
| Orico Card The Point | 1% | Orico Points | — | Free |
| Orico Card The Point UPty | 1% | Orico Points | — | Free |
| Red Cross Orico Card | 0.5% | Orico points | — | Free |
| Red Feather Card | 0.5% | Orico points | — | Free |
| Wild Bird Society of Japan Card | 0.5% | Orico points | — | Free |
| Orico Card The Point Premium Gold | 1% | Orico Points | — | ¥1,986 |
| EX Gold for Biz M | 0.6% | 暮らスマイル / Orico points | — | ¥2,200 |
| EX Gold for Biz S | 0.6% | 暮らスマイル / Orico points | — | ¥2,200 |
| Gold UPty | 0.5% | Orico points | — | ¥5,500 |
| Orico Card The Gold Prime | 1% | Orico Points | — | ¥11,000 |
| The Gold | 0.5% | Orico points | — | ¥11,000 |
The base rate is the figure the issuer publishes; where none is published the cell is blank rather than estimated. The comparison-site range is calculated by Kakaku.com under its own assumptions about redemption value and bonus conditions — it is a secondary signal, not an issuer claim.
Every card compared
All 13 cards, ordered by grade and then by fee, with what each is for and what to watch on it.
| Card | Annual fee | Base rate | Best for | Main edge | Caution / status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Japan Animal Welfare Society CardGeneral | Free | 0.5% | Supports animal welfare | Donation-linked card | Confirm donation mechanism |
| Love the EarthGeneral | Free | 0.5% | Cause-affinity design | Environmental contribution features | Lower decision relevance for pure rewards |
| Orico Card The PointGeneral | Free | 1% | Simple 1% return | Higher rate during entry period and Orico Mall | Orico Points expire; redemption timing matters |
| Orico Card The Point UPtyGeneral | Free | 1% | High points | 1%+ advertised | Revolving-payment-only; interest can exceed rewards |
| Red Cross Orico CardGeneral | Free | 0.5% | Supports Japanese Red Cross | Donation-linked card | Confirm donation mechanism |
| Red Feather CardGeneral | Free | 0.5% | Supports charity | Donation-linked card | Confirm donation mechanism |
| Wild Bird Society of Japan CardGeneral | Free | 0.5% | Supports conservation | Donation-linked card | Confirm donation mechanism |
| Orico Card The Point Premium GoldGold | ¥1,986 | 1% | Low-fee gold with point bonuses | Bonus rates for Orico Mall, iD and QUICPay subject to current rules | Bonus categories/caps and e-money rules |
| EX Gold for Biz MGold | ¥2,200 | 0.6% | Low-cost company card | Business offers | Business application requirements |
| EX Gold for Biz SGold | ¥2,200 | 0.6% | Low-cost business card | Business offers | Business use; reward system differs |
| Gold UPtyGold | ¥5,500 | 0.5% | Flexible monthly payment | Gold benefits | Revolving-payment-only |
| Orico Card The Gold PrimeGold | ¥11,000 | 1% | Broad gold package | Premium benefits and point bonuses | Fee versus usage |
| The GoldGold | ¥11,000 | 0.5% | Traditional gold card | Premium services | Base return and fee |
The last three columns are the English research record for each card. Signup campaigns are deliberately excluded — they are not standing value.
How the points actually work
Most of this lineup earns under one rule — Orico points. What you actually receive is decided less by the headline rate than by the excluded transactions and the expiry below.
- How it is earned
- Card-specific; Orico Card THE POINT commonly 1 Orico Point per ¥100; legacy Smile programs differ
- Bonus earning
- Orico Mall and card-specific first-month/tier bonuses
- Eligible spend
- Eligible shopping
- Excluded or reduced spend
- Fees, cash advances and designated charges; legacy programs use different units
- Caps
- Mall and campaign caps; minimum exchange units vary
- Expiry
- Orico Points generally expire 12 months after acquisition; legacy Smile rules differ
- Best redemption route
- A 1-yen-equivalent e-gift/partner route before the short expiry
- What a point is worth
- Typically 1 point≈¥1 on many e-gift/partner routes
This block is shown only when most of the lineup really does earn under the same rule, so one card’s terms are never presented as the provider’s.
Benefits, and what switches them on
13 of these cards have a recorded insurance, lounge, family-card or eligibility term. What decides a benefit’s value is not whether it exists but what switches it on.
| Card | Insurance | Lounge | Family / ETC | Eligibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orico Card The Point | See official page | — | Family/ETC available | 18+ |
| Orico Card The Point UPty | See official page | — | Family/ETC available | 18+ |
| Love the Earth | See official page | — | Family/ETC available | 18+ |
| Red Feather Card | See official page | — | See official page | 18+ |
| Red Cross Orico Card | See official page | — | See official page | 18+ |
| Japan Animal Welfare Society Card | See official page | — | See official page | 18+ |
| Wild Bird Society of Japan Card | See official page | — | See official page | 18+ |
| Orico Card The Point Premium Gold | Travel insurance | — | Family/ETC available | 20+ with stable income |
| EX Gold for Biz S | Travel insurance | Airport lounge benefits | ETC available | Sole proprietors |
| EX Gold for Biz M | Travel insurance | Airport lounge benefits | Additional/ETC available | Corporate representatives |
| Gold UPty | Travel insurance | Airport lounge benefits | Family/ETC available | 20+ |
| Orico Card The Gold Prime | Travel insurance | Airport lounge benefits | Family/ETC available | 20+ with stable income |
| The Gold | Travel insurance | Airport lounge benefits | Family/ETC available | 20+ |
A blank cell means nothing was recorded, not that the benefit is absent. Travel insurance in Japan is often conditional on paying for part of the trip with the card, and lounge access usually caps visits and charges for guests — the activation rule is on the issuer page.
Upgrade maths: what a higher tier has to return
The published base rate does not rise as the fee does, so no amount of ordinary spending repays the difference. Only a waiver, a milestone or a benefit you use can justify it.
| From | Up to | Extra fee | Extra rate | Break-even spend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Orico Card The Point | Orico Card The Point Premium Gold | ¥1,986 | 0% | Rewards alone never repay it |
| Orico Card The Point Premium Gold | Orico Card The Gold Prime | ¥9,014 | 0% | Rewards alone never repay it |
- Reward-only break-even spend
incremental annual fee ÷ incremental effective reward rateThe eligible spend at which the higher tier’s extra earning covers its extra fee, and nothing more.- Upgrade net value
incremental rewards + used credits + used benefits + family-card savings − incremental annual feeCount a credit or benefit only at the value you would actually redeem, not at its advertised value.- Milestone expected value
milestone benefit value × probability you reach the threshold without changing how you spendIf reaching the threshold requires new spending, the milestone is a cost, not a benefit.
These figures use the published base rate only — no merchant multipliers, milestones, insurance, lounge access or family-card savings. Adding spending you would not otherwise do always breaks the arithmetic.
Check these on the issuer page before applying
The tables above narrow the choice; only the issuer can settle it. Check these four things on the official page before you apply.
| What to check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Credit limit | Almost every issuer sets an individual limit after underwriting. Do not infer a usable limit from the card’s tier unless an official public range is stated. |
| Rewards limits | Check monthly and annual bonus caps, annual-spend thresholds, whether enrolment is required, and whether taxes, utilities, e-money charging, securities accumulation, fees or cash advances earn a reduced rate or nothing at all. |
| Benefit limits | Confirm what activates the insurance, who is covered, lounge visit and guest rules, reservation channels, blackout dates, and whether a benefit renews by calendar year, membership year or card anniversary. |
| Payment and overseas use | Verify the foreign transaction fee, cash-advance terms, installment and revolving settings, the accepted network, and mobile-wallet compatibility. |
Important cautions
This page is a comparison, not advice. These hold whichever card you pick.
- This is a comparison guide, not approval advice. Issuers decide eligibility and credit limits, and nothing here predicts either.
- Never increase spending to reach a points threshold or a fee waiver. Interest and unnecessary purchases overwhelm rewards quickly.
- Use a conservative point value. The same point is worth different amounts as a statement credit, as merchant spend, as miles or as a limited campaign reward.
- Invitation, campaign, insurance and lounge terms change. Re-check the official terms immediately before applying.
- If you are a foreign resident, confirm accepted identification, name and address matching, Japanese-language requirements and any bank-account condition directly with the issuer.
Common questions
Which Orico card should I get?
For most people the starting point is the Orico Card The Point — no annual fee and a 1% published base rate. Move up to the Orico Card The Gold Prime (¥11,000 a year and a 1% published base rate) only when the extra fee is repaid by earning and by benefits you will genuinely use. Orico decides eligibility and credit limits, so check the current terms on the issuer page before you apply.
Is a paid Orico card worth the annual fee?
The published base rate does not rise with the fee here, so the extra fee cannot be earned back through ordinary spending. The only things that justify it are a waiver you will reach, a milestone you would hit anyway, and benefits you will genuinely use.
Do all Orico cards earn the same points?
No. The lineup spans Orico Points and 暮らスマイル / Orico points. Rates in different currencies are not directly comparable, so decide how you would redeem before you compare them.
Does Orico offer a business card?
Yes — 2 of these are business products, and the lowest-cost one is the EX Gold for Biz M (¥2,200 a year and a 0.6% published base rate). Compare them on expense controls, employee cards, accounting integration and liability rather than on consumer perks.
Sources and freshness
Everything on this page comes from the issuer’s own product and lineup pages, and from the points programme’s official pages, as checked on 2026-08-13.
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/the-point
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/upty
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/thepointpremiumgold
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/thegoldprime
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/thegold
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/goldupty
- www.orico.co.jp/business/creditcard/list/exgoldforbiz_s
- www.orico.co.jp/business/creditcard/list/exgoldforbiz_m
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/earth
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/contribution/akaihane
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/contribution/redcross
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/contribution/jspca
- www.orico.co.jp/creditcard/list/contribution/birdfun
- www.orico.co.jp/point/oricopoint
Card facts are from the research database as of 2026-08-16; the points and benefit records are from the 2026-08-17 pass. Fees, benefits, campaigns and application rules change without notice. If something here is wrong, tell us on the corrections page.