Quick answer
Most sources say GCash has the larger user base, but the exact numbers vary widely and depend on what is being counted and when. GCash has said it had 41.5 million monthly active users as of June 30, 2026, a figure that appears in content published with its operator Mynt, so it is a provider statement. Other pages quote registered-user counts in the tens of millions for both apps, and Maya figures often come from earlier years. Because these figures mix registered accounts with active users and different dates, this guide does not rank by number. Instead, it explains how to read the numbers and what size does and does not tell you. It was last checked on November 9, 2026.
Registered versus active
Two terms cause most of the confusion.
- Registered users are accounts that were opened at some point. They can include people who stopped using the app, people with more than one account and accounts that never became active.
- Monthly active users are people who used the app in a given month. This is usually a better picture of real usage, but each provider defines "active" in its own way.
A page that compares one app's registered users with another app's monthly active users is comparing different things. This is common in quick blog comparisons, and it is why you should look closely before you trust a figure.
Why the numbers disagree
You may see different counts for the same app on different pages. The reasons are usually mundane.
- They come from different dates.
- They count different things, such as registrations, monthly users or transactions.
- They are rounded or estimated by the writer.
- They are copied from older articles without being updated.
- They come from the provider itself and describe the provider in favorable terms.
For Maya, you may find a figure of around 50 million users attached to articles from earlier years, and for GCash you may find numbers in the 80 to 90 million range for registered users. We do not repeat those as facts, because we cannot tie them to one current, comparable source.
What GCash has stated
The provider-stated figure we can point to is the monthly active user count above, with a daily transaction figure in the same material. The wording makes clear that it is a statement by the provider and its sponsored content, not an independent audit. It also shows why the provider chose a monthly-active measure, since that is the one most people regard as meaningful.
What size can tell you
- Network effect. If most of the people you pay or get paid by use an app, that app is easier for you. Size can make peer-to-peer transfers simpler.
- Acceptance. A bigger app tends to be recognized by more small shops, though this is not assured and varies by area. Forum replies often say that more stores take GCash, which is an impression and not a statistic.
- Familiarity. Friends and family can help you when you get stuck.
What size cannot tell you
- Whether the savings terms suit you.
- Whether the app is safer for your money.
- How quickly your own support request will be handled.
- Whether a feature you need exists or is reliable.
A larger user base does not change the facts about how your money is held. The questions in the safety and savings guides still apply, whichever app is bigger.
How to judge any user number
- Ask who published it. A provider's own figure is a claim, not a measurement.
- Ask what it counts. Registered, active or something else?
- Ask the date. A figure from a few years ago is a historical note.
- Ask whether two numbers on the page measure the same thing.
- Prefer pages that name the date and the definition.
So is GCash bigger than Maya?
Most sources describe GCash as the larger app, and the provider's own figure points that way. A precise ratio is not reliable because the measures differ. A practical test is better: look at which app your family, your shops and your biller list support. That is the "size" that affects you. If the answer is mixed, a two-app setup, as the use-both guide explains, avoids the question.
What this guide does not do
It does not publish user rankings or claim exact numbers beyond the stated provider figure. It is independent and educational. Figures change, so check dates before you rely on any number.
A short reading guide
When you see a headline such as "bigger" or "most used," ask three quick questions. Bigger by which measure? Reported by whom? As of when? If the page cannot answer, treat the claim as a headline and not a fact. Pages that explain their definitions and show the date are usually more trustworthy than pages that only show a large number.
Remember also that a user count is a statement about the past. Apps can gain or lose active users quickly after a promotion, an outage or a rule change, so a number from a year ago says little about today. For your own decision, your own contacts and shops are the data that matter most.