Entry Level Credit Cards
* Suggested income: 5hs+* Suggested spend: 1 Lakhs+
Credit cards designed for newcomers are known as entry-level credit cards. These cards are specifically tailored for individuals who are new to the world of credit cards.
25 Best Credit Cards in India for 2024
SBI Cashback Card
* SBI Cashback Credit Card
* Best for: Up to 5% Cashback on Online spends
* Read Review & Apply: SBI Cashback Card Review
This year's trending choice for entry-level cardholders is the SBI Cashback Credit Card, offering an attractive 5% cashback on online purchases even after recent adjustments. With a maximum cap of 5,000 INR per month, users can achieve this cashback by spending 1L monthly.
Axis Ace
* Axis Ace Credit Card
* Reward Rate: 2% – 5% (as cashback to card)
The Axis Bank ACE credit card is a highly rewarding entry-level option, offering a flat 2% cashback as a statement credit. However, this card can only be applied for online with a pre-approved offer and is not accessible through other application methods.
Amex MRCC
* Amex Membership Rewards Credit Card
* Best for: Gold Collection & Points Transfers
* Read Review & Apply: American Express MRCC Review
American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card (MRCC) is perfect for those looking to venture into the Amex environment. By utilizing the card solely for the 2000 MR bonus points each month, users can yield a 6% return on expenditures. Additionally, access to Amex Offers providing excellent merchant deals and spend-linked offers is a major perk.
ICICI Amazon Pay
* ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card
* Best for: 5% return on Amazon spends
* Apply from Amazon App
For frequent Amazon shoppers, especially Prime members, the ICICI Amazon Pay Credit Card offers an unmissable opportunity with a 5% return on Amazon transactions. Moreover, this card does not come with any lifetime fees.
Premium Credit Cards
* Suggested income range: 12 Lakhs+
* Suggested spend range: 6 Lakhs+
Premium credit cards cater to individuals looking to add a touch of luxury to their lifestyle. These cards provide enhanced travel benefits including access to domestic and international lounges, superior reward rates, and more.
HDFC Regalia Gold
* HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card
* Best for: Airport Lounge access & Milestone Benefits
* Review: HDFC Regalia Gold Review
In addition to rewards and merchant offers, HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card offers the valuable benefit of obtaining Priority Passes for all family members, sharing the complimentary lounge access limit with the primary cardholder. This card serves as an excellent alternative for those unable to acquire HDFC's super-premium credit cards, especially for lounge access.
Amex Gold Charge
* American Express Gold Charge Card
* Best for: Higher Credit Limit & Gold Collection rewards
* Read Review & Apply: American Express Gold Charge Card Review
If you're seeking a higher credit limit unattainable through other credit cards, the American Express Gold Charge Card is a top choice. Additionally, this card offers rewards on fuel and utility expenses, setting it apart from other credit cards in its segment. Pairing this card with Amex MRCC can expedite the process of accumulating 24K gold points.
Yes First Reserv
* Yesbank Reserv Credit Card design
* Best for: Online / Travel spends with 3X/5X subscription
* Read Review: Yes First Reserv Review
Yesbank's revamped Reserv Credit Card, formerly known as Yes First Exclusive, offers significant value when coupled with a subscription plan that provides 3X/5X rewards on selected categories depending on the individual's preferences.
HDFC Tata Neu Infinity Rupay
**HDFC Tata Neu Infinity Rupay Credit Card**
**Best for UPI Spends & utility payments**
If you're searching for a singular UPI Credit Card, HDFC Bank Tata Neu Infinity Rupay Credit Card is what you require.
It not just delivers acceptable rewards on UPI purchases but also provides a lucrative 5% return on utility bills. Moreover, you receive targeted offers from Tata Neu, such as the recent promotion offering a notable discount on booking your car with Tata Motors.
IDFC First Wealth
**IDFC First Wealth Credit Card Review**
**Best for Spends >1L in a billing cycle**
**Review: IDFC First Wealth Credit Card Review**
If your monthly expenditures are higher, you must not overlook this, particularly if you favor non-travel benefits like cashback to credit card statement or amazon/flipkart vouchers as redemption options.
And the airport lounge access is an additional advantage, the spend condition of which has been recently included and also removed.
Travel Credit Cards
When your life involves a good amount of travel, that's when you require these exclusive Travel credit cards.
Travel & airline credit cards are crafted in a manner that offers travel vouchers/points/miles instead of cashback.
Axis Atlas
**Axis Atlas Credit Card**
**Best for ITC & other airline transfers partners**
**Read Review & Apply: Axis Atlas Credit Card Review**
Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card not just arrives with an amazing reward rate on regular spends but also helps you enjoy airport meet & greet and luxury airport transfer services.
Accelerated rewards on Airlines & hotel spends are definitely handy for some. It's a hot pick for 2024 because of its lucrative reward rate but may undergo a devaluation anytime.
Amex Platinum Travel
**american express platinum travel credit card**
**Best for Taj Vouchers & access to premium airport lounges**
**Read Review & Apply: Amex Platinum Travel Review**
American Express Platinum Travel card is the most exceptional travel credit card in the nation, hands down!
I personally delight in using this card as it assists me to reside at one unique Taj property every year by utilizing the complimentary Taj Vouchers that accompany it.
HDFC Marriott Bonvoy
**HDFC Marriott Credit Card**
**Best for its lucrative joining/renewal benefits**
**Review: HDFC Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card Review**
While HDFC Bank's Marriott Bonvoy Credit Card has a poor reward rate on ongoing spends, it stays exceptional for its incredible welcome and renewal benefits, which can effortlessly fetch twice or thrice the value of the joining fee.
RBL World Safari
**RBL World Safari Credit Card**
**Best for 1 Yr Worldwide travel insurance, 0% Forex markup Fee**
**Review: RBL World Safari Credit Card Review**
RBL World Safari Credit Card is a hidden gem for frequent travelers as it not just offers the complete 1 Year international travel insurance but also arrives with a 0% markup fee on international expenditures.
This meets the needs of most international travelers without requiring to acquire super premium credit cards or other forex cards for that matter.
Airline Credit Cards
If you're a frequent traveler, you might also need to acquire one or more of the best Airline Credit cards. Airmiles/Airlines credit cards make sense if you fly frequently with the specific airline. Here are some of the best:
Vistara Infinite
**Axis Vistara Infinite Credit Card Review**
**Best for Flying Vistara Business Class**
**Read Review & Apply: Axis Bank Vistara Infinite Review**
This best airline credit card in the country continues to dispense wonderful returns even after many years of its existence.
It's a must-have credit card for those who frequently fly Vistara because of its gold tier benefits (1st year only) and for those who adore business class experience, as it offers 1 complimentary business class ticket on every 2.5L spends.
ICICI Emeralde Private
**ICICI Emeralde Private Credit Card**
**Best for Welcome benefit & decent ongoing rewards**
**Review coming soon**
ICICI Bank's Emeralde Private Credit Card is perhaps the first ever credit card in the ICICI bank's history to carry a good reward rate of 3% on regular spends.
Yes Bank Marquee
**Yes Bank Marquee Credit Card Review**
**Best for rewards as shopping vouchers**
**Read Review: Yes Bank Marquee Credit Card Review**
Yesbank's recently launched Marquee Credit Card is a pretty good Super Premium Credit Card especially if your spends are largely focused online as it gives you 4.5% reward rate on online spends.
IDFC Vistara
**IDFC Vistara Credit Card**
Best for: Flying Vistara Premium Economy
If you don’t fancy a Business Class flight or don’t find sufficient availability, then IDFC Vistara Credit Card may help you with complimentary Premium Economy Tickets on credit card spends.
If you’re okay with not-so-great customer support, you may as well go with the SBI Vistara Prime Credit Card that has similar features!!!
25 Best Credit Cards in India for 2024
SBI Air India Signature
**SBI Air India Signature Credit Card**
Best for: Flying Air India & select star alliance partners
Review (to be updated): SBI Air India Signature Credit Card Review
If your travel involves flying Air India for whatever reason, you shouldn’t be skipping this credit card. It demands high spends but rewards very well on most type of spends!
Also, with the change in ownership and merging of airlines I’m hoping things with Air India to get better in 2024 and beyond...
IndusInd Tiger Card
**IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card Review**
Best for: transferring points to Vistara
Review: IndusInd Tiger Credit Card Review
While it’s technically not an airline credit card, the earn rate of CV points on the card is much higher than any other airline cards! Thanks to the accelerated earn rate on crossing >5L spend in a year.
Super Premium Credit Cards
Suggested income range: 20 Lakhs+
Suggested spend range: 10 Lakhs+
Super premium credit cards are those that comes with higher reward rate, higher credit limit, unlimited lounge access, better card linked benefits & many more perks that you would need to enjoy a luxury lifestyle!
Axis Magnus for Burgundy
**axis magnus credit card**
Best for: Airport meet & greet services, miles transfer
Read Review & Apply: Axis Magnus Review
Axis Magnus for Burgundy is the upgraded version of the previous “Magnus” with the ability to transfer points at 5:4 to the airline/hotel partners!!
It also gives you new airport experiences with their complimentary airpot meet & greet service, which is useful for many...
If your spends are over 2 or 3 Lakhs a month even for few months in a year, this is perhaps the ONLY card you would ever need!
HDFC Infinia
**HDFC Infinia Credit Card**
Best for: 5X Rewards with decent reward rate on regular spends
Updated Review coming soon
Infinia is everyone’s dream for ages without an exception. If you are looking for a single credit card for all your spends beyond Axis Magnus, then Infinia will serve the need!!!
If you couldn’t get Infinia, Diners Black (pvc) is equally good with same reward rate! Only the capping on accelerated rewards is lower...
HDFC Diners Black Metal
**HDFC Diners Black Metal Credit Card**
Best for: 5X Rewards with quarterly milestone benefit
Review coming soon
The primary difference from the old Diners Black (pvc) is the metal form factor along with higher smartbuy capping and the additional quarterly milestone benefit which is useful for regular high spenders?
Only downside though is the lower acceptance of Diners cards in India compared to Visa/MasterCard!! Which means you have to keep a backup card handy...
Ultra Premium / UHNI Cards
The ultra premium credit cards are generally different from other type of cards because these cards not only gives rewards but also intend to give you returns via card benefits.
Some of the benefits include: hotel privileges, concierge, meet & greet, airport transfer, first class upgrades, premium support, etc!!!
Amex Platinum
Best for: hotel benefits & concierge
Read Review & Apply: Amex Platinum Charge Card Review
Most of the Amex Plat cardholders that I know have it for the Marriott Bonvoy Gold membership benefit which is quite useful in India!!!
Other than the tangible benefits, their “Do Anything” platinum concierge is worth it for those who have the lifestyle to make use of it!!
The expensive metal card makes sense if you know how to get equivalent value out of the joining fee! The newly introduced luxury redemption options are quite useful for that matter!!!
Axis Burgundy Private
Best for: Very high spends, miles transfer
If your spends are very high for Magnus and can hold a relationship of 5Cr with Axis Bank, then Axis Burgundy Private is the option?
While it requires high NRV with bank, the rewards and benefits that comes with it for very high spenders are phenomenal???
HSBC Premier
**HSBC premier Mastercard Credit Card Design**
Best for: Rewards on all kinds of spends
Read Review: HSBC Premier Credit Card Review
HSBC Premier Credit Card with it’s upgraded features and benefits is certainly useful for those who prefer to enjoy rewards on all kinds of spends.
While it’s primarily a good card for existing HSBC Premier customers with medium spends???
One should consider Magnus for Burgundy if the spends are high!
Best Credit Card in India for 2024: The recommendation to calculate annual spend and choose cards accordingly acknowledges the importance of personal financial habits in selecting the most suitable card.
Number of Credit Cards: Offering flexibility, the advice suggests starting with 2 cards and gradually increasing based on spending patterns, with 5 cards deemed sufficient for most individuals.
Credit Card with Best Customer Service: Recognizing Amex for premium customer support highlights the importance of service quality, which can also be found with super-premium cards from other banks.
Best Bank's Credit Card in India: Identifying HDFC Bank as a market leader underscores its strong merchant offers and suggests adding other cards as needed, with an Amex card recommended for diversity.
Best Fuel Credit Card: The suggestion to use the Amex Gold Charge Card or leverage ICICI Fastag with Amazon Pay balance for fuel purchases demonstrates resourcefulness in maximizing benefits beyond traditional rewards.
Best Credit Card in India for 2024: The recommendation to calculate annual spend and choose cards accordingly acknowledges the importance of personal financial habits in selecting the most suitable card.
Number of Credit Cards: Offering flexibility, the advice suggests starting with 2 cards and gradually increasing based on spending patterns, with 5 cards deemed sufficient for most individuals.
Credit Card with Best Customer Service: Recognizing Amex for premium customer support highlights the importance of service quality, which can also be found with super-premium cards from other banks.
Best Bank's Credit Card in India: Identifying HDFC Bank as a market leader underscores its strong merchant offers and suggests adding other cards as needed, with an Amex card recommended for diversity.
Best Fuel Credit Card: The suggestion to use the Amex Gold Charge Card or leverage ICICI Fastag with Amazon Pay balance for fuel purchases demonstrates resourcefulness in maximizing benefits beyond traditional rewards.
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