MoneyInJapan

Telecom & ecosystem gold cards compared

Compare gold cards tied to Docomo, au, PayPay and Rakuten on fixed cost, points program, base earning and lounge access.

For: Households concentrated in one telecom or shopping ecosystem. · Verified: 2026-07-30

Official-fact comparison

Criteriond Card GOLDau PAY Gold CardPayPay Card GoldRakuten Premium Card
Primary-card fee¥11,000 including tax for the primary card.¥11,000 including tax for the primary card.¥11,000 including tax for the primary card.¥11,000 including tax for the primary card.
Points programEarns d POINT.Earns Ponta Points.Earns PayPay Points.Earns Rakuten Points.
Base earning ruleGenerally about 1% on eligible shopping, with 10% on eligible docomo/ahamo charges under detailed rules; exclusions apply.About 1% on general spend; up to 10% on eligible au/UQ charges and up to a combined 5.5% via au PAY, subject to conditions and caps.Around 1% base with conditional PayPay Step uplifts; a recurring 11,000-point benefit applies after ¥1,000,000 of eligible annual spend.Generally 1 point per ¥100 of eligible use, with conditional Rakuten Market bonuses.
Airport loungeComplimentary domestic airport lounges are offered under current terms.Complimentary domestic airport lounges are offered under current terms.Complimentary domestic airport lounges are offered under current terms.Priority Pass is offered subject to the current per-visit rules and any usage cap.

Methodology and limitations

We compare only current, official-issuer facts stored in each card record. Campaign awards are excluded from base rewards, and an unverified feature is shown as not confirmed rather than inferred.

This is a feature comparison, not a ranking of approval likelihood. Issuers make their own screening decisions. Fees, rewards and terms can change, so check the linked official sources before applying.

Safety check before applying

Does “first card” mean easier approval?

No. Inclusion is based on features and issuer-stated eligibility; we do not assess approval likelihood.

Are campaign rewards included in the base reward?

No. Awards with a period, enrollment or spending condition are kept separate from enduring terms.

Sources