Updated November 6, 2026. BancoEstado is the bank with the most customers in Chile thanks to the CuentaRUT, and its credit card is one of the most searched in the country. According to its official fee schedule, updated January 2025, the monthly fee on its cards ranges from 0.025 UF on the Visa Universal to 0.27 UF on the Mastercard Black: between CLP 1,032 and CLP 11,145 a month at the November 6, 2026 UF.
This profile sorts what BancoEstado publishes about its cards: fees, foreign charges and requirements. What the bank does not publish, such as each card's current CAE, appears as "not published". If you do not have an account with the bank yet, start with our guide to the CuentaRUT, with its fees and limits.
View the data as a table
| Lowest monthly fee | 0.025 UF |
| SMART monthly fee | 0.08 UF |
| Foreign purchases with SMART | 2.5% |
| Universal minimum income | $400,000 |
BancoEstado credit card fees in 2026
BancoEstado charges a different monthly maintenance fee for each card type. According to the bank's comparison page, the charge is included in the statement for the month in which there is a purchase, payment or cash advance. The table shows the fee from the January 2025 schedule, its peso equivalent and the annual cost if charged all 12 months.
| Card | Monthly fee | In pesos | Maximum annual cost | CAE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Visa Universal | UF 0.025 | CLP 1,032 | CLP 12,384 | Not published |
| Mastercard Estándar | UF 0.07 | CLP 2,890 | CLP 34,680 | Not published |
| Visa SMART | UF 0.08 | CLP 3,302 | CLP 39,624 | Not published |
| Visa Platinum Convenio | UF 0.10 | CLP 4,128 | CLP 49,536 | Not published |
| Visa SMART+ | UF 0.11 | CLP 4,541 | CLP 54,492 | Not published |
| Mastercard Black | UF 0.27 | CLP 11,145 | CLP 133,740 | Not published |
Source: BancoEstado credit card fee schedule (updated January 2025) and the bank's card comparison page, checked Nov 6, 2026; pesos at the Nov 6, 2026 UF (CLP 41,279.51, CMF). The annual cost is a Pauta Financiera calculation (monthly fee times 12) and is a maximum, since the charge only applies in months with activity. The Platinum Convenio is linked to the bank's agreements with employers. The schedule adds that since August 1, 2023 BancoEstado stopped charging a fee on domestic cash advances on all its cards.
A detail that lowers the real cost: since the fee is only charged in months with purchases, payments or cash advances, a card used a few times a year pays much less than the table's maximum. For example, a SMART used in four months of the year would pay about CLP 13,208 in fees, instead of CLP 39,624 (Pauta Financiera calculation). The flip side is that any activity, including a payment, triggers that month's charge. Most BancoEstado customers pay the card from their CuentaRUT, which since April 2026 also charges nothing for transfers to other banks.
SMART or SMART+: the difference is abroad
BancoEstado's two best-known cards are the SMART and the SMART+. The SMART costs 0.08 UF a month and the SMART+ 0.11 UF, about CLP 1,238 more. In exchange, according to the bank's comparison page, the SMART+ charges no fee on international purchases, in person or online, while the SMART charges 2.5% of the amount. Cash advances abroad with the SMART cost 1.9% + US$2.
| Item | Visa SMART | Visa SMART+ |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | UF 0.08 (CLP 3,302) | UF 0.11 (CLP 4,541) |
| International purchases | 2.5% of the amount | 0% |
| Cash advances abroad | 1,9% + US$2 | Not published |
| Cash advances in Chile | No fee | No fee |
| CAE | Not published | Not published |
Source: BancoEstado credit card fee schedule (updated January 2025) and the bank's card comparison page, checked Nov 6, 2026; pesos at the Nov 6, 2026 UF (CLP 41,279.51, CMF). The math is simple: compared with the SMART, the SMART+'s higher monthly fee pays off if you spend more than about CLP 49,520 a month abroad or on international websites, because above that amount the 2.5% exceeds the SMART+'s extra fixed cost (Pauta Financiera calculation). We compare this charge with other issuers' in the best cards to use abroad.
Does your brand want to appear next to the most-read card guides? See Pauta Financiera's formats.
See advertising optionsRequirements for the BancoEstado credit card
The official Visa Universal page requires net income from CLP 400,000. For the other cards, BancoEstado does not publish a minimum income per product on the pages checked, and approval depends on the bank's assessment. These are the requirements that can be confirmed:
| Card | Published minimum income | Other requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Visa Universal | CLP 400,000 net | Valid ID and bank assessment |
| Visa SMART | Not published | Bank assessment |
| Visa SMART+ | Not published | Bank assessment |
| Visa Platinum Convenio | Not published | Employer agreement with the bank |
| Mastercard Black | Not published | Bank assessment |
Source: BancoEstado, checked November 6, 2026. If your income is below that threshold or this is your first card, our guide to credit cards that are easy to get compares other issuers' requirements.
CAE and maximum rate on the BancoEstado credit card
BancoEstado does not publish a current CAE per card on the pages checked: it reports it on the summary sheet when you sign up and in each simulation of an installment purchase or cash advance. The legal limit is the maximum conventional rate: according to the certificate in force since October 15, 2026, 41.02% a year for debts up to 50 UF (about CLP 2,063,976), 34.02% between 50 and 200 UF and 30.03% between 200 and 5,000 UF.
A useful background fact for anyone assessing the card: in November 2025 the Supreme Court upheld a 4,000 UF fine imposed by the CMF on BancoEstado for repeated breaches of the fraud law, which governs how banks must respond to disputed charges, according to Diario Constitucional. Our ranking of Chile's best banks reviews each institution's complaints and sanctions.
- Aug 1, 2023Domestic cash advance fee scrappedOn all of the bank's credit cards.
- Jan 2025Current card fee scheduleFrom 0.025 UF (Universal) to 0.27 UF (Black) a month.
- Nov 5, 2025Supreme Court upholds 4,000 UF fineFor breaches of the fraud law.
- Apr 15, 2026No CuentaRUT fee for transfers to other banksIt used to cost CLP 300 per transfer.
- Oct 15, 202641.02% maximum rate for debts up to 50 UFMonthly interest rate certificate.
What paying in installments with BancoEstado can cost
The maintenance fee is only part of the cost. What weighs most, when the full statement is not paid or purchases are made in interest-bearing installments, is interest. Since BancoEstado does not publish a fixed rate per card, the calculation below uses the legal ceiling: a CLP 300,000 purchase at the maximum conventional rate of 41.02% a year (bracket up to 50 UF, in force since October 15, 2026). It is the worst case; the rate the bank offers each customer may be lower.
| Term | Monthly installment | Total interest | Total paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 installments | CLP 106,913 | CLP 20,740 | CLP 320,740 |
| 6 installments | CLP 56,150 | CLP 36,897 | CLP 336,897 |
| 12 installments | CLP 30,896 | CLP 70,754 | CLP 370,754 |
| 24 installments | CLP 18,522 | CLP 144,527 | CLP 444,527 |
Source: Pauta Financiera calculation with a fixed installment and the rate from the interest rate certificate. It excludes stamp tax, insurance and per-installment fees, which raise the CAE. Over 24 months, interest reaches almost half the purchase value.
Since June 2026 the minimum payment on all cards is also changing. According to the CMF, once General Rule 537 is fully phased in, the minimum payment must cover 100% of non-financeable amounts (interest-free installments for the period, interest, fees and other charges) plus 5% of financeable amounts, which are mainly principal. The rule is being applied gradually and is fully in force 24 months after it began.
Which BancoEstado card fits each profile
- First card or occasional use: the Visa Universal, at 0.025 UF a month (about CLP 1,032), the lowest fee in the schedule. It requires net income from CLP 400,000.
- Frequent purchases on international websites or travel: the SMART+, which charges nothing on international purchases.
- Workers with an agreement: the Platinum Convenio (0.10 UF), if the employer has an agreement with the bank.
To compare with other banks, see the profile of the Banco de Chile credit card, whose entry card costs 0.07 UF a month and charges nothing on foreign purchases.
Frequently asked questions about the BancoEstado credit card
How much does BancoEstado charge for the credit card?
Between 0.025 UF (Visa Universal) and 0.27 UF (Mastercard Black) a month according to the January 2025 schedule, and only in months with activity.
What is the difference between SMART and SMART+?
The SMART+ costs 0.11 UF a month and charges nothing on international purchases; the SMART costs 0.08 UF and charges 2.5% on those purchases.
What income does BancoEstado require for the card?
For the Visa Universal, net income from CLP 400,000. For the others, the bank does not publish a minimum on the pages checked.
What is the BancoEstado card's CAE?
It is not published as a fixed figure: it appears on the summary sheet and in each simulation. The legal ceiling for debts up to 50 UF is 41.02% a year since October 15, 2026.
Does it charge for cash advances?
Not in Chile: the bank scrapped the domestic cash advance fee on August 1, 2023. Abroad, the SMART charges 1.9% + US$2.
This information is journalistic and educational, not financial advice. Check the conditions and the total cost (CAE) with the institution before signing up.
