Credit Cards: Compare 10 Best Credit Cards In India 2025

Which are the best credit cards to have in India? The truth is, there is no single credit card that is best suited to everybody. Every credit card is different and offers different kinds of benefits. This blog compares the top credit cards you can choose from based on your needs .

Top Credit Cards in India

Here are some of the best credit cards in India-

Overview and Comparison

Below are some of the top credit cards to keep in India. We have categorized the content under different heads that may help you figure out which credit card is best in India.

For Cashback & Shopping

• Axis Bank SELECT Credit Card

The Axis Bank SELECT Credit Card is tailored to ensure maximum lifestyle benefits for users, with food and grocery benefits and several other features. 

Joining Fee- ₹3,000

Annual Fee- ₹3,000

Key Features- 

• Amazon voucher worth ₹2,000 on first transaction (within 90 days of issuance)
• BigBasket and Swiggy offers will be automatically applied upon payment of the renewal fee
• Renew Priority Pass Membership from the second year for spends of ₹3 lakh in the preceding year + 10,000 EDGE reward points worth ₹2,000 on the first transaction (within 30 days of the issuance)
• 20% off up to ₹500 each month for spending ₹2,000 on BigBasket and 40% discount of ₹200 on Swiggy orders over ₹500 twice each month 
• Up to ₹300 off on the second ticket after buying one ticket on BookMyShow
• Exclusive discounts of 30% up to ₹150 per month for spending at least ₹200 on Swiggy

• HDFC Millennia Credit Card

The HDFC Millennia Credit Card is geared to meet the lifestyle needs of millennials, with plenty of rewards and benefits in store. 

Joining Fees- ₹1,000

Annual Fee- ₹1,000 (waived for spending ₹1 lakh in the preceding year)

Key Features: 

• 5% cashback on spends with 10 online merchants- Amazon, Cult.fit, Sony LIV, Myntra, Flipkart, BookMyShow, Tata CLiQ, Swiggy, Zomato, and Uber
• 1% cashback for other spends 
• Quarterly milestone benefit of ₹1,000 worth of gift vouchers for spends of ₹1 lakh and higher 

For Rewards

• Axis Bank SELECT Credit Card

This card offers diverse rewards and lifestyle benefits for users, covering food, groceries, and many other needs. 

Joining Fee- ₹3,000 

Annual Fee- ₹3,000 

Key Features- 

• 2X EDGE points for retail spends 
• 10 EDGE points for every ₹200 on other eligible categories 
• Discounts at Swiggy and BigBasket- ₹500 per month (on spends of ₹3,000) and flat ₹200 off respectively 
• 10,000 EDGE reward points worth ₹2,000 on the first transaction 
• Access (complimentary) to 12 airport lounges
• 6 complimentary golf rounds per year

• HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card

The HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card offers attractive reward points for daily spends, along with airport lounge access, and several redemption benefits, with emphasis on lifestyle and travel needs. 

Joining Fee- ₹2,500 + taxes

Annual Fee- ₹2,500 + taxes

Key Features- 

• 4 reward points for every ₹150 spent on retail transactions, including utilities, education, and insurance 
• Bonus reward points/flight vouchers upon achieving spending milestones 
• Complimentary lounge access in India and even abroad via Priority Pass membership
• Redeem rewards for travel bookings on SmartBuy platform, i.e., hotels, flights, etc. 
• Access to Club Vistara and MakeMyTrip Black memberships
• Dining benefits with Swiggy Dineout
• 5X rewards or 20 reward points for spends at select merchants like Marks & Spencer, Reliance Digital, Nykaa, Myntra, etc. 
• 1 reward point may be redeemed for up to ₹0.65
• Reward redemption against exclusive Gold Catalogue
• 24-7 concierge service and reward points on gold purchases 

• SBI Prime Credit Card

The SBI Prime Credit Card is tailored to help users get maximum rewards for various spends each month, covering groceries, movies, dining, departmental store purchases, and more. 

Joining Fee- ₹2,999

Annual Fee- ₹2,999 

Key Features: 

• 10 point reward for every ₹100 spent on categories like dining, movies, departmental stores, groceries, etc. 
• Welcome gift voucher worth ₹3,000 
• Fuel surcharge waiver 
• Milestone benefits, i.e. Pizza Hut e-voucher worth ₹1,000 on spending ₹50,000 in a calendar quarter and waiver of renewal fee on annual spending of ₹3 lakh. There is also an e-gift voucher worth ₹7,000 from Yatra.com or Pantaloons on spending ₹5 lakh annually
• Complimentary lounge access 
• 20 reward points per ₹100 spent on the user’s birthday 

For Fuel

• ICICI HPCL Super Saver Credit Card

The ICICI HPCL Super Saver Credit Card offers attractive cashback on fuel purchases made at HPCL pumps throughout the country along with several other benefits. 

Joining Fee- ₹500 + GST

Annual Fee- ₹500 + GST (waived for spends of ₹1,50,000 in the preceding year)

Key Features: 

• 5% cashback on fuel purchases made at HPCL pumps
• 2000 PAYBACK points as a joining benefit 
• 24-7 roadside assistance, movie discounts, and lounge access 
• 25% discount up to ₹100 on buying at least two tickets per transaction at BookMyShow (twice a month and individually on INOX movies)

• BPCL SBI Card Octane

The BPCL SBI Card Octane is a value-added offering, with value back on fuel purchases made at BPCL petrol pumps nationwide. There are several added benefits available as well. 

Joining Fee- ₹1,499 + GST

Annual Fee- ₹1,499 + GST (waived for spending ₹2,00,000 or more in the preceding year)

Key Features: 

• 7.25% value back for fuel purchases at BPCL petrol pumps, inclusive of a 1% fuel surcharge waiver up to ₹4,000 on all BPCL petrol pumps
• Maximum of 2,500 reward points in each billing cycle 
• 25X reward points for every ₹100 that you spend at BPCL petrol pumps 
• 25 reward points for every ₹100 spent on Bharat Gas (app or website), with a maximum of 500 reward points in every billing cycle

• IndianOil RBL Bank XTRA Credit Card

The IndianOil RBL Bank XTRA Credit Card offers several value propositions for holders, including higher fuel savings and many other additional benefits. 

Joining Fee-₹1,500 + GST

Annual Fee- ₹1,500 + GST

Key Features: 

• 250 litres of free petrol as fuel points annually 
• 8.5% value back at Indian Oil fuel stations 
• 1 fuel point equates to ₹0.5 
• 3,000 fuel points upon signing up 
• 1,000 fuel points for crossing the quarterly spending milestone of ₹75,000 

For Travel

• Axis Atlas Credit Card- 

The Axis Atlas Credit Card offers several travel benefits, including accelerated reward points, airport lounge access, and much more. 

Joining Fee- ₹5,000 

Annual Fee- ₹5,000 

Key Features: 

• Accelerated reward points (5 EDGE Miles for every ₹100 spent on travel and 2 EDGE Miles for other spends)
• Access to domestic and international airport lounges
• Flight and hotel booking through the Travel EDGE portal for earning accelerated EDGE Miles
• Discounts at partner restaurants through EazyDiner and additional EDGE Miles for meeting specific spending milestones 
• 2,500 EDGE Miles welcome benefit upon card activation 
• Tiered membership benefits and Miles Transfer Program 
• Dedicated portal for Miles Transfer program and 25% discount on 10,000+ restaurants through EazyDiner

• HSBC TravelOne Credit Card

The HSBC TravelOne Credit Card offers varied travel benefits, including accelerated reward points for travel spends, discounts for travel bookings, complimentary airport lounge access, and transfers of reward points to hotel and airline partners. 

Joining Fee- ₹4,999 

Annual Fee- ₹4,999

Key Features: 

• Spending ₹10,000 within the first 30 days of opening the credit card account will get you ₹1,000 in cashback, 3 months EazyDiner Prime Membership, and a Postcard Hotel voucher of ₹3,000 
• 3,000 bonus reward points are also given for spending ₹100,000 in the first 90 days 
• Instant redemption with airline and hotel partners 
• Complimentary airport lounge access with car hire, holiday, and lifestyle discounts
• 4 reward points for spending every ₹100 on flights, in foreign currency, and on travel aggregators
• 15% discounts on domestic and international travel holidays

3. American Express Platinum Card

This credit card is one of the best credit cards for frequent travellers. It is a good fit for salaried professionals and is suited to those with a fast-paced lifestyle. 

Joining Fee- ₹77,880, inclusive of taxes and a welcome gift worth up to ₹60,000 

Annual Fee- ₹77,880, inclusive of taxes and a welcome gift worth up to ₹60,000

Key Features: 

• ₹44,300 in benefits at premium resorts/hotels globally, including Mandarin Oriental, Four Seasons, The Ritz-Carlton, and more
• Top-tier hotel loyalty programs such as Hilton Honors Gold, Marriott Bonvoy Gold Elite, Taj Reimagined Epicure, and Radisson Rewards Gold, among others 
• Pre-sale tickets, VIP tickets, VIP-only events, best seats Fashion Week, Wimbledon, Grammy Award, etc.  
• Vouchers from Reliance Brands Ltd, Taj Hotels, Postcard Hotels worth ₹35,000 on annual spending of ₹20 lakh
• Eazy Diner Prime with up to 50% off across premier restaurants in India 
• Taj, Postcard Hotels, or Reliance vouchers of up to ₹60,000 on spending of ₹50,000 in the first two months

• Unlimited complimentary lounge access

4. HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card

Ideal for salaried professionals and those who are heavily into online shopping, the HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card is worth a look. It gives several reward points and other attractive offers for holders. 

Joining Fee- ₹10,000 

Annual Fee- ₹10,000 (waived if you spend ₹5 lakh or more in a year)

Key Features: 

• Up to 10x reward points on SmartBuy purchases and up to 2X points on weekend dining (1:1 redemption ratios)
• Annual membership for Club Marriott, Forbes, Swiggy (3 months), MMT Black, and Amazon 
• Low Forex markup fee of 2% and complimentary membership renewals on ₹8 lakh spent annually 
• Spends of ₹80,000 per month ensures two vouchers of ₹500 from Cult.fit Live, Ola Cabs, Tata CliQ, and BookMyShow 
• 6 free golf games every calendar quarter
• High base rewards rate of 3.33% and 5 reward points for every ₹150 that is spent
• Unlimited access to airport lounges (add on and primary)

Factors To Consider Before Opting For A Credit Card

There are a few factors that you should keep in mind before you apply for a credit card -

• Credit Score

The credit score requirements vary depending on the type of card you're looking for. If you're looking for a card specifically for travel and shopping, the higher, the better—but if you don't have much of a history of using credit cards, it might be wise to start with the one that's easier to qualify for.

• Fees

Fees can quickly add up—especially if you tend to carry a balance from month to month (which is common with cards like this). A high-interest rate can also make it more difficult to pay off your balance each month, so be sure to shop around when comparing rates. Be sure to check the fees associated with your chosen card.

Some cards offer cash-back rewards or other perks that come with annual fees or interest rates. Others charge an annual fee even if there are no other fees or interest rates attached to the account itself. You'll need to figure out what works best for you before signing up!

• Interest Rates

Interest rates are typically higher, so make sure that's an important factor when choosing your card. Most cards offer an introductory period where there are no fees or interest charges for your first few months of use, but then this changes into a regular APR (annual percentage rate). These rates vary from 0% up to 27% depending on how long you've had the account and where you live.

You may also want to read 13 Things You Need to Know About Credit Cards

How to Choose the Best Credit Card?

Choosing the best credit card is no easy task; it requires careful consideration of these aspects before you go ahead. 

• Fees & Charges - You should keep an eye on the joining fees of your credit card, along with the associated membership charges. Some cards, while offering benefits, may have high joining fees that you need to be aware of. 
• Credit Limit - You should know the credit limit offered by any particular card and see whether it suits you. You should be able to apply for credit swiftly and repay credit card EMIs conveniently across multiple tenures. 
• Card Value - Analyze how much value you’ll get out of the credit card. The best credit card is one that will give you the reward points and bonuses that are suited to your specific lifestyle needs, while coming with lounge access, dining rewards, etc. 
• Your Specific Needs - Of course, the biggest thing to evaluate before finalizing your decision is to list down your needs, i.e. online shopping, travel rewards, etc. Thereafter, find the card that meets most of these needs with easy criteria and reasonable fees/charges. 

Also read, Does It Make Sense to Have A Credit Card in India?

Risks of Opting For A Credit Card in India

The risks of opting for a credit card in India are many. The biggest risk is credit card fraud, which is quite common in India. Your card could be compromised by hackers who use it to make fraudulent purchases or transfer money to other accounts. This can happen when you're using your card at a store that doesn't accept cards or online purchases, or if you use it without securing it with two-factor authentication.

Another risk is high-interest rates. If you don't pay off your balance on time each month, the interest rate will add up quickly and may turn into a fee if you don't pay it off within a year.

There are also some cards that offer benefits like travel insurance or roadside assistance, but those are often not worth the cost of using them.

Conclusion

Having a great credit card that caters to your specific needs can be greatly beneficial. Compare the top credit cards before you decide on one. Credit cards are also a means to build your credit history. Credit scores are indicative of the likelihood of somebody being able to repay their debts. A good credit history improves your credit score which in turn increases the chances of your loan approval in the future. Hence, choosing the right credit card is important when it comes to managing your finances. Compare and choose from the best credit cards in India to make the most of its features, benefits and rewards!