Free Withdrawals at 7-Eleven, Unmatched Branch Presence, and Questionable Digital Practices
Overview
BDO is the most used bank by local businesses in the Philippines, and it offers one major convenience: free withdrawals at all 7-Eleven ATMs using a BDO card.
It has a dominant physical presence, with hundreds of branches across the country. Many companies—even reputable ones—pay their employees through BDO. If you're employed in the Philippines, chances are you’ll eventually be forced to open an account there.
The Reality Check
Customer Service: Poor. In-branch staff will direct you to call the hotline even if you're already inside the bank. Yes, really.
App Experience: Buggy, unstable, and prone to lockouts. Ironically, it's one of the most downloaded apps in PH.
Account Recovery: A device-based system means if your phone is lost (a common event in PH), you may lose your banking access entirely. We recommend registering your account through the website and avoiding mobile registration if you value your sanity.
Security: Questionable—especially when support asks for verification data they themselves cannot validate.
Branch Use: Branches exist in abundance, but cannot assist you. They only confirm that “you have a problem” and hand you a customer service number. A Kafkaesque experience.
Our Recommendation
In the interest of transparency: we do not recommend this bank for foreigners, digital nomads, or short- to mid-term visitors in the Philippines. BDO remains useful only when:
You are employed by a company that requires you to open a BDO account.
You need free cash withdrawals and frequent access to 7-Eleven ATMs.
Otherwise, consider it the Plan D of your financial strategy in the Philippines.