Overview
For years the honest answer to "how do I use the eShop in the Philippines?" was "you don't, you borrow another country". Most of us did: a US, Japanese or Singapore Nintendo Account, topped up with that region's gift cards. On 10 November 2026 that changed. Nintendo opened the Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Switch Online in the Philippines, on Switch 2 and the original Switch.
That raises a real decision for anyone who already plays on a foreign account: move to the new Philippine store, or stay where you are. This guide covers what Nintendo has actually published, what it costs, how you can pay, and the one payment rule that decides it for a lot of people. For how every other country works, see our Nintendo eShop region guide.
Verified 10 November 2026
Key Takeaways
- The Nintendo eShop and Nintendo Switch Online are live in the Philippines from 10 November 2026, on Switch 2 and Switch.
- Nintendo Switch Online costs ₱149 a month, ₱399 for 3 months or ₱899 a year, tax included. Family is ₱1,699 a year.
- Nintendo's Philippine pages list only credit card and PayPal for adding eShop funds. GCash and Maya aren't mentioned anywhere.
- Nintendo says a credit card issued in the Philippines will not work on an account set to the US or Japan, and its general rule is that cards only work in their own region's eShop.
- You can't change your account's country while any eShop balance remains, so spend it to zero first.
- Staying on a foreign account means paying with that region's gift cards. US, Japan and Hong Kong cards are easy to buy. We didn't find Singapore eShop credit at the major key stores we checked.
- A VPN changes nothing here: the eShop goes by your Nintendo Account's country, not your IP address.
Who this guide is for
What Launched on 10 November
Nintendo Philippines confirmed three things in its launch posts on 10 November 2026:
- The Nintendo eShop is available on Nintendo Switch 2 and Nintendo Switch, for accounts set to the Philippines.
- Nintendo Switch Online is available as a paid service, with online play, the classic games library and Save Data Cloud.
- Prices are in Philippine pesos.
What's not there yet: a web version of the game store. Nintendo's Philippine site has a working page for buying Switch Online memberships, but game prices can only be seen in the eShop on your console for now. Game pages on nintendo.com/ph show release dates, not prices.
Nintendo also notes that the Philippine eShop "is available only within the Philippines". If you travel, expect the same region checks every eShop has.
Nintendo Switch Online Price in the Philippines
Here's what Nintendo charges, next to the two regions most Filipino players have been using. Prices are Nintendo's own, read on 10 November 2026.
| Plan | Philippines | Singapore | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual, 1 month | ₱149 | S$4.90 | $3.99 |
| Individual, 3 months | ₱399 | S$12.90 | $7.99 |
| Individual, 12 months | ₱899 | S$34.90 | $19.99 |
| Individual + Expansion Pack, 12 months | ₱1,799 | S$69.90 | $49.99 |
| Family (up to 8 accounts), 12 months | ₱1,699 | S$64.90 | $34.99 |
| Family + Expansion Pack, 12 months | ₱3,299 | S$119.90 | $79.99 |
| Tax | Included | Included | Added at checkout |
A few details from Nintendo's Philippine pages:
- The 7-day free trial renews automatically into the ₱149 one-month plan when it ends.
- The Expansion Pack has no free trial and comes only as a 12-month pass.
- A Family membership needs a credit card or PayPal account, automatic renewal must stay on, and only adults can buy it.
- Individual passes can also be bought as membership cards or download codes at stores selling Nintendo products. Family passes can't: they're eShop only.
- Upgrading mid-membership gives you a per-day credit: ₱2 for each remaining day of an Individual membership, ₱4 for Family or Individual + Expansion Pack.
We haven't converted these to one currency. Exchange rates move, and US prices exclude sales tax while the Philippine and Singapore ones include it, so a straight conversion would mislead. Check today's rate if you're comparing.
How You Pay on the Philippine eShop
Nintendo's Philippine support page for adding funds lists exactly two methods:
- Credit card
- PayPal (not shown on accounts for under-18s)
That's it. GCash, Maya, debit-only wallets and carrier billing don't appear on any of Nintendo's Philippine pages. Whether a PayPal account funded from a local wallet works is something Nintendo doesn't address either, so we can't tell you it does.
Three more things worth knowing before you pay
- The seller is Nintendo Co., Ltd. in Kyoto, Japan. Nintendo warns that, depending on your card issuer, a purchase may be treated as international and carry extra fees.
- Purchases come from your eShop balance first. Nintendo's model is to add funds and spend them, with direct card charges only where the checkout says so.
- Nintendo eShop prepaid cards aren't listed. Nintendo's Philippine page on redeeming codes lists game download codes and Switch Online membership cards, not eShop funds cards. Some generic support pages still mention a "Nintendo eShop Card", but they're copied from other regions and contradict the Philippine-specific pages.
If you don't have a credit card or PayPal, the Philippine eShop is hard to use for now. That alone may decide which account you keep.
The Rule That Decides It: Philippine Cards Don't Work Abroad
This is the change most launch coverage missed. Nintendo's Philippine FAQ for error 2813-2471 says:
Nintendo's rule, error 2813-2471
"If a Nintendo eShop exists for your region, credit cards issued from your region will not work in a different region's eShop. For example, a credit card issued in the Philippines will not work if your Nintendo Account is set to the United State [sic] or Japan."
The error you'd see reads: "There was an issue processing your transaction. You must use a credit card issued in your country/region of residence."
What that means in practice
- US and Japanese accounts: Nintendo names these directly. A Philippine credit card won't work on them.
- Singapore accounts: Nintendo's example doesn't name Singapore, but the general rule covers it. The Philippines now has its own eShop, so a Philippine-issued card belongs to the Philippine store. Expect it to be refused on a Singapore account too. (Nintendo's Singapore FAQ carries the same rule.)
- PayPal and gift cards: the FAQ only talks about credit cards. Gift cards bought for the account's own region are unaffected.
So if you've been buying on a US or Singapore account with a Philippine card, that route is likely closed now. Your options are a Philippine account, or the foreign account with that region's gift cards. For the same check on PlayStation and Xbox, see why game store cards get declined.
Should You Move Your Account to the Philippines?
Find the row that describes you. The left column is what happens if you move your Nintendo Account to the Philippines; the right is what happens if you keep your US, Japanese, Singapore or Hong Kong account.
| If you... | Move to the Philippines | Stay on your foreign account |
|---|---|---|
| Pay with a Philippine credit card or PayPal | Works as intended | Philippine credit cards are refused (US/JP named; same rule for others) |
| Don't have a card or PayPal | Hard: those are the only listed methods | Easier: use that region's gift cards |
| Have eShop balance left | Must spend it to zero first | Keep using it |
| Want Switch Online at local prices, tax included | ₱899 a year | Pay the foreign price, usually via gift cards |
| Buy download codes from shops | Philippine codes only; codes bought abroad fail on a PH account | Codes for that region work |
| Care about game prices | Visible only on the console for now | Known; compare before you move |
| Use a family group | Supervised accounts follow the family admin's country | Unchanged |
If you: pay with a Philippine credit card or PayPal
- Move to the Philippines
- Works as intended
- Stay on your foreign account
- Philippine credit cards are refused (US/JP named; same rule for others)
If you: don't have a card or PayPal
- Move to the Philippines
- Hard: those are the only listed methods
- Stay on your foreign account
- Easier: use that region's gift cards
If you: have eShop balance left
- Move to the Philippines
- Must spend it to zero first
- Stay on your foreign account
- Keep using it
If you: want Switch Online at local prices, tax included
- Move to the Philippines
- ₱899 a year
- Stay on your foreign account
- Pay the foreign price, usually via gift cards
If you: buy download codes from shops
- Move to the Philippines
- Philippine codes only; codes bought abroad fail on a PH account
- Stay on your foreign account
- Codes for that region work
If you: care about game prices
- Move to the Philippines
- Visible only on the console for now
- Stay on your foreign account
- Known; compare before you move
If you: use a family group
- Move to the Philippines
- Supervised accounts follow the family admin's country
- Stay on your foreign account
- Unchanged
Our verdict
If you pay with a credit card or PayPal and mostly buy digitally, move to the Philippines. Local prices, tax included, and no more declined Philippine cards. If you don't have a card, rely on gift cards, or keep a balance on a US or Japanese account, stay put for now and revisit once Nintendo publishes Philippine game prices on the web.
A good middle step: before moving, check the price of two or three games you actually want in the Philippine eShop on your console (using a second account set to the Philippines) and compare them with your current region.
If you also play on PlayStation or Xbox, our console region checker shows which store works in the Philippines on each platform, and which region to use where one is missing.
How to Change Your Nintendo Account Country to the Philippines
Nintendo's account rules apply worldwide (our guide to how Nintendo's account regions work has the background):
- Spend your eShop balance to zero. Nintendo blocks the change while any funds remain: "Your country/region of residence cannot be changed until you use up your remaining funds." (Nintendo Support) Use the last of it on a game, DLC or a Switch Online pass.
- Cancel pre-orders for content that isn't out yet.
- Turn off automatic renewal for Nintendo Switch Online, Pokémon HOME Premium and any in-game subscriptions (Nintendo Support).
- Change the country in your Nintendo Account settings at accounts.nintendo.com.
- Accept the Philippine user agreement. Nintendo's Philippine terms warn that some services, and things like points, may be affected when you change country.
If you're a family group admin, supervised accounts for under-18s can't be changed on their own: they follow the admin's country.
If your account is already set to the Philippines, Nintendo hasn't said whether anything changes for you beyond the store now working. Open the eShop on your console and check.
Staying on a Foreign Account: Gift Cards by Region
If you keep a foreign account, pay with gift cards for that account's region. Here's what the major key stores listed on 10 November 2026:
| Account region | Gift cards available at |
|---|---|
| United States | Gamivo, Kinguin, Loaded |
| Japan | Gamivo, Kinguin |
| Hong Kong | Gamivo, Kinguin |
| Singapore | None of the three listed Singapore eShop credit |
If you're on a Singapore account and paid with a Philippine card until now, that's the hard case: no easy gift-card route at these stores, and the card rule above. Moving to the Philippines may be the simplest fix.
Topping up a US, Japanese or Hong Kong account
Buy the card for the region your Nintendo Account is set to, not where you live, and check the region on the listing before you pay.
Gamivo
Best for: US, Japanese and Hong Kong eShop credit, listed by region
- Sells PSN, Xbox and Nintendo eShop wallet credit, listed by region
- Independent sellers: check the seller rating and the country on the listing
Facts checked September 2026
Shop GamivoKinguin
Best for: A second source for US, Japanese and Hong Kong eShop credit
- Refunds: 24 hours for unclaimed codes (to Kinguin Balance only), 14 days for claimed but unused ones via support
- Independent sellers: pick a listing that names the country
Facts checked September 2026
Shop KinguinLoaded
Best for: US eShop cards from a single store (it lists no Japanese or Hong Kong credit)
- Sells PlayStation, Xbox and Nintendo eShop gift cards, with a filter for products redeemable in your region
- Its own pages say gift cards are region-locked: buy the one that matches your account's region
Facts checked 6 November 2026
Shop Loaded
Two rules to remember
- Match the card to the account region. A US card on a US account, a Japanese card on a Japanese account.
- Don't use these on a Philippine account. Nintendo's Philippine FAQ for error 2813-0060 says a download code bought overseas won't redeem on an account set to the Philippines.
If you're unsure which store to trust, our game key shop comparison covers the risks of each.
Errors You Might See After Launch
| Error | What Nintendo says it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 2813-2471 | Your card wasn't issued in your account's country | Use a card from your account's region, PayPal, or that region's gift card |
| 2813-0060 | The code was bought for a different region | Redeem it on an account set to the code's region |
| 2811-6003 | The Philippine eShop is being used outside the Philippines | Use it from the Philippines |
For the older "Nintendo eShop is not available in your country" errors (2813-0998 and 2813-0999), see our Nintendo eShop region guide. Nintendo hasn't published anything Philippine-specific about them yet.
What Nintendo Hasn't Published Yet
As of 10 November 2026, Nintendo's Philippine pages don't say:
- Game prices in pesos on the web (console only for now).
- What happens to accounts already set to the Philippines before launch.
- Whether an active Switch Online membership carries over when you change country.
- Whether a PayPal account funded from a Philippine e-wallet works.
- Whether Nintendo eShop prepaid cards will be sold in the Philippines.
We'll update this section as Nintendo publishes more.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Nintendo eShop available in the Philippines now?
How much is Nintendo Switch Online in the Philippines?
Can I pay with GCash or Maya on the Nintendo eShop?
Will my Philippine credit card still work on my US or Japanese eShop account?
What about my Singapore account?
Can I change my Nintendo Account to the Philippines if I have eShop money left?
Can I use US or Japanese eShop gift cards on a Philippine account?
Are there Nintendo eShop gift cards for the Philippines?
Do I need a VPN for the Philippine eShop?
Will I lose my games if I change country?
Final Thoughts
The Philippine eShop is the first time Filipino players can buy digital games and Switch Online at home, in pesos, with tax included. The catch is payment: credit card or PayPal only, and Philippine cards now stop working on foreign accounts.
If you have a card or PayPal, move. If you live on gift cards, stay on a US, Japanese or Hong Kong account until Nintendo adds more payment options. Either way, spend your balance down before you decide, because you can't move with money still on the account.
Sony runs its store separately. If you also play on PlayStation, our guide to the PlayStation Store in the Philippines covers that side.
