Best credit cards in India
The right card depends on how you spend. Pick your use case below — fuel, cashback, travel or lifetime-free — and compare the cards that fit.
By NexMaxo Editorial Team · Terms verified June 2026 · confirm before applying
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Terms verified June 2026against each issuer's official page. Banks revise fees and rewards often, so confirm the current terms on the card's official page before you apply.
Pick your use case
All 26 cards we cover
Tap into a use case above for full details, benefits and FAQs.
| Card | Network | Annual fee | Headline benefit | Apply |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IndianOil RBL Bank XTRA Credit CardRBL Bank | Visa / Mastercard | ₹1,500 + GST (waived on ₹2.75L annual spend) | Up to ~8.5% value back on IndianOil fuel (15 fuel points per ₹100), plus the surcharge waiver. | Apply |
| BPCL SBI Card OCTANESBI Card | Visa | ₹1,499 + GST (reversed on ₹2L annual spend) | 7.25% value back on BPCL fuel (25 reward points per ₹100), plus 10X on groceries & dining. | Apply |
| IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit CardHDFC Bank | RuPay / Visa | ₹500 + GST (waived on ₹50,000 annual spend) | 5% as Fuel Points at IndianOil, groceries & bill payments, on a low ₹500 fee. | Apply |
| SBI Cashback Credit CardSBI Card | Visa / RuPay | ₹999 + GST (waived on ₹2L annual spend) | 5% cashback on almost all online spends (no merchant tie-in), auto-credited. | Apply |
| Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit CardICICI Bank | Visa | Nil — lifetime-free | 5% back on Amazon for Prime members (3% non-Prime), with no annual fee, ever. | Apply |
| Flipkart Axis Bank Credit CardAxis Bank | Mastercard | ₹500 + GST (waived on ₹3.5L annual spend) | 5% on Flipkart & Cleartrip, 7.5% on Myntra, 4% on Swiggy/Uber/PVR/Cult.fit. | Apply |
| HDFC Bank Regalia Gold Credit CardHDFC Bank | Visa / Mastercard | ₹2,500 + GST (waived on ₹4L annual spend) | Domestic & international airport-lounge access plus 5X points at select brands. | Apply |
| Scapia Federal Bank Credit CardFederal Bank | Visa | Nil — lifetime-free | Zero forex markup plus 10–20% Scapia Coins on spends — and it's lifetime-free. | Apply |
| American Express Platinum Travel Credit CardAmerican Express | American Express | ₹5,000 + GST (no spend-based waiver) | Milestone travel vouchers (up to a ₹10,000 Taj voucher at ₹7L spend) plus lounge access. | Apply |
| IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit CardIDFC FIRST Bank | Visa / RuPay | Nil — lifetime-free | Up to 10X reward points, points that never expire — and no annual fee, ever. | Apply |
| AU Bank LIT Credit CardAU Small Finance Bank | Visa | Nil base (optional packs ₹49–₹399) | Lifetime-free base; switch on benefit packs only in the cycles you want them. | Apply |
| SBI SimplyCLICK Credit CardSBI Card | Visa / Mastercard | ₹499 + GST joining and ₹499 + GST annual renewal (renewal waived on ₹1 lakh annual spend) | 10X Reward Points on online spends with partner brands (Apollo 24x7, BookMyShow, Cleartrip, Dominos, Myntra, Netmeds, Swiggy, Yatra, etc.), capped at 10,000 RP per month. | Apply |
| SBI SimplySAVE Credit CardSBI Card | Visa / Mastercard / RuPay | ₹499 + GST joining and ₹499 + GST annual renewal (renewal waived on ₹1 lakh annual spend) | 10X Reward Points (10 RP per ₹150) on dining, movies, groceries and departmental store spends — effective ~1.7% reward value | Apply |
| SBI Card PRIMESBI Card | Visa / Mastercard / RuPay / American Express | ₹2,999 + GST joining and ₹2,999 + GST annual/renewal (renewal fee waived on ₹3 lakh annual spend) | 10 Reward Points per ₹100 on dining, groceries, movies and departmental stores (1 RP = ₹0.25, so ~2.5% value) plus ₹3,000 welcome voucher. | Apply |
| SBI Card ELITESBI Card | Visa / Mastercard / RuPay / American Express | ₹4,999 + GST joining and renewal; renewal fee waived on annual spends of ₹10 lakh or more | Welcome e-gift voucher worth ₹5,000 (offsets the first-year fee) plus up to 50,000 bonus Reward Points per year via spend milestones. | Apply |
| RBL Bank World Safari Credit CardRBL Bank | Mastercard | ₹3,000 + GST joining and annual/renewal fee (no spend-based waiver) | 0% forex markup on all foreign currency spends (saves ~3.5% + GST vs typical cards) | Apply |
| RBL Bank ShopRite Credit CardRBL Bank | Visa / Mastercard / RuPay | Joining fee nil; annual fee ₹500 + GST (waived on ₹1.5L annual spend) | 20 reward points per ₹100 on grocery spends (capped at 1,000 RP/month, i.e. ~₹250/month value at 1 RP = ₹0.25) | Apply |
| BOBCARD Etihad Guest Credit CardBOBCARD (Bank of Baroda) | Visa | ₹2,500 + GST joining and annual fee (annual fee waived on ₹3 lakh annual spend) | 3 Etihad Guest Miles per ₹100 on Etihad Airways spends (1 mile per ₹100 on everything else), with a low 1% foreign-currency markup. | Apply |
| Flipkart SBI CardSBI Card | Visa / Mastercard | ₹500 + GST joining; ₹500 + GST annual renewal (renewal reversed on ₹3.5 lakh annual spend) | 7.5% cashback on Myntra and 5% on Flipkart and Cleartrip (each category cap ₹4,000 per quarter) | Apply |
| RBL Bank Cookies Credit CardRBL Bank | Visa | ₹100 + GST monthly membership fee (no separate joining fee); waived for the next month on spending ₹5,000+ in a calendar month. | 10% cashback on Zomato, Uber and Myntra, capped at ₹300 per brand and ₹900 total per calendar month (min ₹100/txn). | Apply |
| IRCTC RBL Bank Credit CardRBL Bank | RuPay | ₹500 + GST joining fee; ₹500 + GST annual/renewal fee (no spend-based waiver advertised) | 5 Reward Points per ₹200 on IRCTC train ticket bookings (1 RP = ₹1 on IRCTC), i.e. ~2.5% value back on rail tickets. | Apply |
| RBL Bank Play Credit CardRBL Bank | Visa / Mastercard | ₹500 + GST joining and annual fee (annual fee waived on ₹1.5 lakh annual spend; free for BookMyShow SuperStar members). | 2 complimentary movie/non-movie tickets (up to ₹250 each, so up to ₹500/month) on spending ₹5,000 in a billing cycle. | Apply |
| IndusInd Bank Platinum Aura Edge Credit CardIndusInd Bank | Visa | ₹0 joining + ₹0 annual (lifetime free; no spend-based waiver needed) | Lifetime-free card earning 4 reward points per ₹100 (8X the 0.5 RP base) on your chosen plan category | Apply |
| Equitas Tiga Credit CardEquitas Small Finance Bank | RuPay / Visa | ₹500 + GST joining/annual fee (waived on ≈₹1.2 lakh annual spend; first-year fee often waived as a limited-period offer) | 3 reward points per ₹100 (3X base) on UPI, contactless and Pay-by-3 merchant spends; 1 RP per ₹100 on other spends. | Apply |
| Federal Bank Celesta Credit CardFederal Bank | Visa / Mastercard | Nil joining + Nil annual fee (lifetime free; limited-period offer, no spend waiver needed) | 3X reward points per ₹100 on travel and international spends, plus 2 free international airport lounge visits per year with no spend condition | Apply |
| YES Bank POP-CLUB Credit CardYES Bank | RuPay | Joining nil; annual ₹399 + GST (waived on ₹1.5L annual spend). Lifetime-free promo currently running until 31 March 2027. | 10 POPcoins per ₹100 on online spends (1 POPcoin = up to ₹1), plus 5% instant POPcoins on POP UPI payments | Apply |
How to choose a credit card
The best credit card is the one that matches your largest spending category, not the one with the flashiest ad. Work out where your money actually goes each month, pick the category above, then weigh the rewards you'll realistically earn against the annual fee. A lifetime-free card is a safe starting point; you can always add a rewards card later once you know your pattern. Pay your bill in full every month — interest on a revolving balance dwarfs any reward you'll earn.
Choosing a credit card — FAQs
Start from where most of your money goes. If it's fuel, a co-branded fuel card; if it's online shopping, a cashback card; if you fly often, a travel card; if you want zero cost, a lifetime-free card. Then check the annual fee against the rewards you'll realistically earn, and confirm the eligibility before applying.
A lifetime-free card never charges a joining or annual fee. A fee-waiver card only refunds its fee if you spend a threshold each year — if you miss it, you pay. Many cards marketed as "free" are actually spend-waiver cards, so read the fine print.
Each application triggers a hard enquiry that can dip your score by a few points temporarily. One application is minor; several in a short span looks risky to lenders. Space out applications and only apply where you meet the eligibility criteria.
Multiply your expected annual spend in the bonus category by the reward rate, respect any monthly cap, add the value of perks you'll use (lounge visits, surcharge waiver), then subtract the annual fee. If the net is positive for your spending, the card pays for itself.
This is an informational comparison, not financial advice or a recommendation to apply for any specific card. Card terms change frequently — confirm current fees, reward rates and eligibility on the card's official page before applying. Use credit responsibly; paying in full each month avoids interest.