Credit cards
Pick a card for how you actually spend, not for the welcome gift.
Cashback, travel, fuel, premium and lifetime-free cards from Indian issuers, compared on annual fee, reward rate on everyday spends, and the fine print that decides whether the rewards are real.
Six kinds of card
Most cards in India are one of these. Start with the kind, then the issuer.
Issuer-specific cards, with their current fee and reward terms, appear after you tell us how you spend — we only show cards whose terms the issuer has confirmed in the last 30 days.
| Card type | Annual fee | Effective rewards | Good if you | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lifetime-free | ₹0 | 0.5% – 1% | A first card, or a backup you rarely use | Thin rewards; some issuers quietly add a fee after a year |
| Cashback | ₹0 – ₹999 | 1% – 5% on online / category spends | Online shopping, groceries, bills | Monthly caps on the 5% bucket; exclusions on rent, fuel, wallets |
| Fuel | ₹0 – ₹499 | Up to ~4% – 5% at partner pumps + 1% surcharge waiver | Daily drivers, fleet-light businesses | Rewards usually capped around ₹250 – ₹500 a month |
| Travel / miles | ₹1,500 – ₹5,000 | 2 – 6 points per ₹100, transferable to airlines | 4+ flights a year, hotel stays | Point devaluations; lounge access often capped per quarter |
| Premium / super-premium | ₹5,000 – ₹12,500+ | Up to 3.3% + lounges, golf, concierge | ₹10 lakh+ annual card spend | Only worth it if you use the perks; fee waivers need high spends |
| Secured (against FD) | ₹0 – ₹500 | 0.5% – 1% | No credit history, or rebuilding a score | Limit is 80% – 90% of the FD; keep the FD intact |
Key facts
The numbers behind a card.
- Annual fee
- ₹0 (lifetime free) to ₹12,500+ for premium cards; many waive it on spends
- Reward rate
- 0.5% – 5% effective on category spends; 1% – 1.5% on everything else is typical
- Interest if you revolve
- 36% – 48% p.a. — the single most expensive credit in India
- Interest-free period
- Up to 45 – 50 days if you pay the full bill by the due date
- Income needed
- ₹15,000 – ₹25,000 a month for entry cards; ₹1 lakh+ for premium
- Approval time
- Instant to about a week; a virtual card often arrives first
A way to choose
Three questions, in this order.
- 1. Will you pay the full bill every month?
- If there is any doubt, rewards are irrelevant — the 36% – 48% annual interest on revolving balances wipes out years of cashback in one missed month. Pick the card with the lowest fee and the longest interest-free period, and set up auto-pay for the full amount.
- 2. Where does the money actually go?
- Look at the last three months of your bank statement. Groceries and bills point to a cashback card. Petrol every week points to a fuel card. Flights and hotels point to a travel card. Most people are surprised by what the statement says.
- 3. Will you cross the fee-waiver spend?
- A card that is "free on ₹2 lakh a year" costs its full fee if you spend ₹1.9 lakh. Pick a waiver threshold you clear comfortably, or a card with no fee at all.
Eligibility
What issuers usually need
- Aged 21 to 60, with a regular income and a bank account
- Salaried with ₹15,000+ net monthly income, or self-employed with ITR
- Credit score of 720+ for most cards; secured cards (against a fixed deposit) if you are building a score
- No more than a handful of recent enquiries — issuers decline applicants who have applied everywhere at once
Fees to check
'Free on ₹1 lakh annual spend' is a target, not a gift. If you spend less, you pay the fee.
5% cashback often applies only to the first ₹2,000 – ₹5,000 a month and excludes rent, fuel, wallets and EMIs.
2% – 3.5% on international spends. Travel cards bring this down to 0% – 1.5%.
A missed due date costs a late fee plus interest from the transaction date on the entire balance, not just the unpaid part.
Questions
Credit card FAQs
Which card is best?
There isn't one. A ₹499 fuel card beats a ₹10,000 premium card if you commute 40 km a day and never fly. Tell us where your money goes and we sort by what you would actually earn back.
Will applying through LoanKard get me a different card than applying directly?
No. The card, fee and rewards are the issuer's, identical either way. Issuers pay us a referral fee; it does not change your terms.
I have no credit history. What are my options?
Start with a secured card against a fixed deposit of ₹5,000 – ₹25,000, or an entry card from the bank where your salary is credited. Pay in full for 6 – 12 months and most doors open.