Best Credit Cards in India 2025: Top Rewards, Lifetime-Free Picks
Compare the best credit cards in India, top rewards, and lifetime-free (no annual fee). Find the most rewarding card for you.
SBI Cashback Credit Card
The value prop is simple: 5% cashback on most online spends and 1% on offline spends.
Cashback is auto-credited, so no points math or redemption headaches.
HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card
Targets “modern” spends: 5% cashback on select big online brands + 1% on other spends.
Cashback comes as CashPoints that you can redeem against statements, vouchers, or travel on SmartBuy.
MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card
Lifetime free card issued by Federal Bank and AU Small Finance Bank.
No joining/annual fees, with standout 5% back on weekend spends across popular categories + 0.5% on weekdays.
Axis Atlas Credit Card
Earns EDGE Miles: typically 5 miles/₹100 on airlines & hotels, 2 miles/₹100 on other eligible spends.
Miles transfer to multiple airline/hotel partners at good ratios; value can be strong if you redeem smartly.
IndianOil RBL Bank XTRA Credit Card
15 Fuel Points/₹100 at IndianOil.
Roughly 7.5% value back, plus fuel surcharge waiver (~1%).
HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card
A strong “premium-lite all-rounder”: 4 RP/₹150 on regular spends (~1.3% value if redeemed on travel via SmartBuy).
Accelerated rewards on partner brands (Myntra, Nykaa, etc.) can push returns meaningfully higher.
MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card
Lifetime free card issued by Federal Bank and AU Small Finance Bank.
No fee pressure. Lifetime-free with simple earn rules; built for common lifestyle spends (dining, movies, grocery, shopping).
HDFC Diners Club Black Credit Card
High base rewards: 5 RP/₹150 (~3.3% return when redeemed for travel on SmartBuy).
Accelerated rewards on dining platforms (like Swiggy/Zomato via offers/SmartBuy) + premium lifestyle privileges.
HDFC Infinia Credit Card
5 RP/₹150 across most spends including categories that other cards exclude (utilities/insurance/education often still earn).
Up to 10X rewards on SmartBuy, making travel and voucher redemptions insanely valuable if you route bookings through it.
Best Credit Cards in India by Category
Last updated: December 3, 2025
Best Lifetime-Free Credit Cards in India (No Joining & Annual Fee)
Lifetime-free credit cards are ideal if you want rewards without paying any joining or renewal fee ever. They work best as a primary no-cost card or as a smart second card for specific use cases like weekend lifestyle spends, Amazon shopping, or building credit through an FD-backed route.
Lifetime Free
MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card
Salaried users whose biggest lifestyle spends happen on weekends and who want a true LTF card.
Joining Fees
₹0
Annual Fees
₹0
5% value back on weekend spends as Fi-Points.
0.5% value back on weekday spends.
Brand-linked weekend offers on apps like Amazon, Zepto, Zomato, BookMyShow
Simple earn-and-redeem setup; perfect “weekend specialist” LTF card.
Lifetime Free
Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card
People who shop frequently on Amazon and want effortless cashback forever.
Joining Fees
₹0
Annual Fees
₹0
Up to 5% cashback on Amazon for Prime users.
3% cashback on Amazon for non-Prime users.
1% cashback on other spends, auto-credited to Amazon Pay.
Great LTF card if your online life runs on Amazon.
Lifetime Free
IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card
First-time cardholders who want LTF rewards with no expiry.
Joining Fees
₹0
Annual Fees
₹0
Reward points never expire.
Accelerated rewards on select lifestyle categories.
Simple redemption and easy approval tier.
Solid "first credit card" choice with no fee pressure.
Lifetime Free
IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card
Users who want a zero-fee upgrade over starter cards.
Joining Fees
₹0
Annual Fees
₹0
Never-expiring rewards continue in this tier.
Better lifestyle offers versus Millennia.
Works well as a premium-starter LTF card.
No renewal fees ever.
Lifetime Free
AU LIT Credit Card
Users who want LTF + customisable benefits.
Joining Fees
₹0
Annual Fees
₹0
Customisable "packs" (shopping, travel, dining, etc.).
Toggle packs on/off based on your month's spends.
Good option for changing lifestyles.
Zero cost to keep it long term.
Lifetime Free
Kotak 811 Dream Different Credit Card
People with low/limited credit history who want guaranteed approval via FD.
Joining Fees
₹0
Annual Fees
₹0
Secured against fixed deposit, easier approval.
Helps build credit score safely.
Ideal for students, first-jobbers, thin-file users.
No annual fee while you establish history.
Lifetime Free
IndusInd Legend Credit Card
Light-to-moderate spenders wanting a forever-free backup card.
Joining Fees
₹0
Annual Fees
₹0
True LTF structure.
Decent lifestyle privileges for a free card.
Good secondary card for broad acceptance.
Simple rewards/benefits setup.
Lifetime Free
HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card (LTF)
Anyone wanting a mainstream LTF Visa with steady offers.
Joining Fees
₹0
Annual Fees
₹0
Officially no joining/annual fee.
Seasonal HSBC dining and retail offers.
Widely accepted Visa network.
Great starter + backup combo.
Why MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card is the smartest LTF choice
Choose the MagniFi Credit Card (issued by Federal Bank and AU Small Finance Bank) if:
-
Most of your spending happens on weekends
If you're salaried, your travel, dining, movies, shopping, and grocery spends often pile up on Saturdays and Sundays. This card gives excellent weekend rewards, sometimes even better than paid cards.
-
You want a true lifetime-free card
There are no joining fees and no annual fees, ever.
-
You like extra brand discounts
You regularly use brands like Amazon, Zepto, Zomato, and BookMyShow, and want ongoing discount offers on them.
Common LTF tradeoffs (including MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card)
Rewards have monthly caps
Weekend rewards are capped each month:
- ₹500 from the 5% weekend cashback [Max out at spend of ₹10,000 on weekends, which is ~ 8 days in a month]
- ₹500 from the 0.5% weekday cashback [Better than base reward rate of some cards from one category above like Amex membership rewards etc.]
- On top of this, you can get up to 20% discounts on select brands, so the total guaranteed value can go up to about ₹1,400/month.
Premium Perks are limited
Expect fewer luxury benefits like large lounge access quotas or elite memberships compared to high-fee premium cards.
How this List is curated
To build this 2025 list of top credit cards in India, we look at:
- Reward value: points/cashback per ₹100 spent, and real redemption value.
- Fee vs benefit: whether joining fee / annual fee is justified, or whether a lifetime-free card is smarter.
- Use-case fit: shopping rewards, travel credit card needs, fuel surcharge waiver, lounge access, etc.
- Approval odds: we include beginner-friendly and FD-backed cards too.
On this page, you'll find two big buckets:
- Lifetime-free / no annual fee cards for low-cost, high-value everyday use, including MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card (issued by Federal Bank and AU Small Finance Bank), a lifetime-free card designed around weekend rewards.
- Rewards cards for people who want maximum points and perks.
Compare Best Credit Cards in India: Fees, Rewards & Perks
Here's a compact way to compare the best credit card in India picks across banks and use cases. Use this table as a map, not a verdict.
| Credit Card | Joining / Annual Fees | Reward Style | Best Spend Categories | Key Perks | Ideal for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Infinia | High fee (premium) | Reward points | Travel, dining, premium spends | Top-tier rewards, SmartBuy boosts, lounge access | Very high spenders who redeem smartly |
| Axis Atlas | Mid-High fee (premium) | Travel Miles | Flights, hotels, international spending | EDGE Miles + airline/ hotel transfers, lounges | Frequent travellers |
| SBI Cashback | Low fee | Cashback | Online shopping across platforms | Flat 5% cashback, on online spends | Heavy e-commerce spenders |
| MagniFi Co-branded | ₹0, Lifetime Free | Fi-points (cash-value) | All Weekend spend | 5% Value back on all Weekend spends + 20% discount on top brands | Young salaried professionals, Weekend lifestyle, Weekend travellers |
| Amazon Pay ICICI | ₹0, Lifetime Free | Cashback | Amazon + daily online use | 5% cashback auto-credit to Amazon Pay | Amazon loyalists |
| IDFC FIRST Millennia | ₹0, Lifetime Free | Points | Movies, shopping, everyday spends | Never-expiring rewards, entry-level offers | First-time card users |
| AU LIT | Often LTF | Custom rewards | User-chosen categories | You can switch packs on/off | People who want flexibility |
How to read this table
- If annual fees feel risky, start with true lifetime-free cards like MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card or Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card.
- If you spend heavily every month, a paid rewards or travel card can beat LTF in net value fast.
- Always check reward caps, exclusions, and fee-waiver rules before applying. (Even great cards have limits.)
How to Choose the Best Credit Card in India
Think in terms of spend style, not brand:
- Weekend-heavy lifestyle spends → MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card
- Online shopping all week → SBI Cashback / Amazon Pay ICICI / Axis ACE
- High rewards + frequent redemptions → HDFC Diners Black / HDFC Infinia
- Frequent flyers & hotel stays → Axis Atlas
- Low-fee preference → LTF cards (MagniFi Co-branded, Amazon Pay ICICI, IDFC FIRST Millennia)
Fee vs Value Test (quick rule)
Ask yourself:
"Do I earn 2–3× my annual fee back every year?"
- If yes, a fee card is worth it.
- If not, go LTF.
MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card (issued by Federal Bank and AU Small Finance Bank) simplifies this because annual fee = ₹0. So even moderate use keeps you net-positive.
Eligibility & Documents required while applying for Credit Cards in India
Typical eligibility benchmarks:
- Age: 21–60 years
- Monthly income (commonly expected): ₹25,000+
- Credit score: 730+ improves approval odds
- Salaried/self-employed or FD-backed for beginners
For MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card (issued by Federal Bank and AU Small Finance Bank) specifically: Application is fully digital on the Fi app, with eligibility checked inside the app.
Fees, Charges & Reward Exclusions to Watch
Before you apply, scan these carefully:
- Joining/annual fee vs welcome value
- Fee-waiver thresholds
- Reward exclusions (wallet loads, rent, cash advances, government or gaming spends, etc.)
- Cashback/reward caps per month
For MagniFi Co-branded Credit Card specifically:
- No joining or annual fee.
- Weekend rewards are strong but capped monthly.
- Rewards apply only to eligible categories.
Safety tip: Apply only through official issuer channels.
FAQs
