Credit Cards with the Longest Interest-Free Period in India

Best of the longest interest-free cards list

Auto-scored from card data

Best overall

IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card

Up to 5% cashback

Apply now View

Lowest fee

RoarBank RuPay Credit Card

Lifetime free

Apply now View

Quick picks

Entry level · Cashback

Unity Small Finance Bank

RoarBank RuPay Credit Card

A lifetime-free RuPay card that earns on UPI, run entirely from an app.

Best forAnyone who will actually remember to pick two…
Instantapproval
Lifetime freeno annual fee

Annual fee

Lifetime free

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 20% cashback; cap ₹2,500/mo
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 39.6% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: A monthly cashback cap applies. Past it, spending earns nothing.

Entry level · Business

HDFC Bank

HDFC Biz First Credit Card

A RuPay business card that pays on EMI, utilities and UPI, with fifty-five interest-free days.

Best forSmall businesses and MSMEs
Fuel surchargewaiver
Renewal fee of Rs. 500 waived on spends of Rs. 7,50,000 or more in the previous year.

Annual fee

₹500

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹500

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 3% back
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: Every tier is capped monthly: 1,000 CashPoints on EMI, 500 on the 2% tier and 500 on the 1% base rate. A large month earns no more than…

Entry level · Travel

HDFC Bank

IRCTC HDFC Bank Credit Card

A co-branded card for people who book trains often — about 10% back on IRCTC through SmartBuy, and very little anywhere else.

Best forBooking train tickets on IRCTC several times a month
Complimentarylounge access
₹500welcome voucher

Annual fee

₹500 + GST

Waived on ₹1.5L spend

Joining fee₹500 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 5% cashback
Forex markup: Not published
Lounge access: Included
Interest: Not published
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: Points cover at most 70% of a train fare, so the headline 5% is closer to 3.5% when you pay with points alone.

Entry level · Travel

State Bank

IRCTC RuPay SBI Card BK

Up to ten per cent back on AC train fares, with four railway lounge visits a year.

Best forFrequent Indian Railways passengers
Complimentarylounge access
₹100welcome cashback

Annual fee

₹300

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹500

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10% rewards
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 4/yr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: Reward Points redeem only against train ticket fare on IRCTC. They cannot be taken as cashback, statement credit or airline miles.

Entry level · Travel

State Bank

IRCTC SBI Platinum Credit Card

Value back on AC train fares, with railway lounge access on a Rs. 300 renewal.

Best forUp to 10% Value-Back on Train Tickets
Complimentarylounge access
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹300 + GST

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹500 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10% rewards
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 1/qtr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: Reward Points redeem only against train ticket fare on IRCTC. They cannot be taken as cashback or statement credit.

Entry level · Shopping

HDFC Bank

HDFC Shoppers Stop Credit Card

Three per cent back at Shoppers Stop on a Rs. 299 card, with points that redeem at face value there.

Best forRegular Shoppers Stop customers
₹500welcome voucher
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹299

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹299

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 3% rewards
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: Earning is capped hard: 500 Reward Points a month on Shoppers Stop and 1,000 a month on everything else. A large purchase does not earn…

Everyday · Fuel

State Bank

SBI BPCL Octane Credit Card

Seven and a quarter per cent back on BPCL fuel, with a lounge visit every quarter.

Best forHeavy BPCL fuel spenders
Complimentarylounge access
1,500 pointswelcome bonus

Annual fee

₹1,499

Joining fee₹1,499

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 25% rewards
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 1/qtr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: 4 Reward Points are worth Re. 1, so 25 points per Rs. 100 on BPCL is an effective 6.25% back, and 7.25% only once the 1% surcharge waiver…

Entry level · Lifestyle

RBL Bank

RBL Bank Cookies Credit Card

A ₹100-a-month card that pays for itself on ₹5,000 of spend, built around three brands most people already use.

Best forSpending on Myntra, Uber and Zomato most months
₹1,000welcome voucher
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹100 + GST

Fee waivable on spend

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10% cashback
Forex markup: Not published
Lounge access: None
Interest: Not published
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: The fee is charged monthly and waived monthly. Spend under ₹5,000 in a month and ₹100 + GST is charged for the next one — the waiver has to…

Entry level · Fuel

State Bank

SBI BPCL Credit Card

Four and a quarter per cent back on BPCL fuel, on a Rs. 499 card.

Best forRegular BPCL fuel spenders
500 pointswelcome bonus
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹499

Joining fee₹499

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 25% rewards
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: 4 Reward Points are worth Re. 1, so 13X on BPCL is an effective 3.25% back and 4.25% only once the 1% surcharge waiver is counted. The base…

Everyday · Lifestyle

State Bank

SBI PRIME Credit Card

Ten points per hundred on groceries and dining, with lounge access and a Club Vistara membership.

Best for10X Reward Multiplication Engine
Complimentarylounge access
₹3,000welcome voucher

Annual fee

₹2,999 + GST

Waived on ₹3L spend

Joining fee₹2,999 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: 10X points per ₹100
Forex markup: Not published
Lounge access: 2/qtr domestic · 4/qtr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: 4 Reward Points are worth Re. 1, so the 10X tier is an effective 2.5% back and the base rate is 0.5%.

Everyday · Shopping

State Bank

Fabindia SBI Card SELECT BK

Ten points per hundred at Fabindia, four lounge visits a year, and a fee two lakh of spend clears.

Best forRegular Fabindia shoppers
Complimentarylounge access
₹1,500welcome voucher

Annual fee

₹1,499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹1,499

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 4/yr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: Reward Points convert to Fabfamily Rewards and redeem only for shopping at Fabindia stores and on fabindia.com. They cannot be taken as…

Everyday · Shopping

State Bank

Paytm SBI Card Select BK

Five per cent back on Paytm travel, movies and Mall — with four lounge visits a year.

Best forFrequent Paytm app users
Complimentarylounge access
₹750welcome cashback

Annual fee

₹1,499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹1,499

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 5% cashback
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 4/yr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: Reward Points are auto-credited as Paytm Gift Voucher balance to the Paytm wallet. They cannot be taken as cashback, statement credit or…

Entry level · Travel

State Bank

Ola Money SBI Card BK

Seven per cent back on every Ola ride, straight into the OlaMoney Wallet, with no joining fee.

Best forFrequent Ola riders
₹2,000welcome voucher
Instantapproval

Annual fee

₹499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 7% rewards
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: Reward Points are credited to the OlaMoney Wallet. They can be transferred to SBI Rewards, but cannot be taken as cashback or statement…

Entry level · Shopping

State Bank

Aditya Birla SBI Card BK

Ten points per hundred at Louis Philippe, Van Heusen and Allen Solly, on a Rs. 499 card.

Best forRegular Aditya Birla Fashion shoppers
500 pointswelcome bonus
Instantapproval

Annual fee

₹499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹499

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: A Reward Point is worth Rs. 0.25, so 10 points per Rs. 100 is an effective 2.5% back and the base rate is 0.125%.

Everyday · Shopping

State Bank

Aditya Birla SBI Card SELECT Card BK

Twenty points per hundred across the Aditya Birla brands, with four lounge visits a year.

Best forFrequent Aditya Birla Fashion shoppers
Complimentarylounge access
1,500 pointswelcome bonus

Annual fee

₹1,499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹1,499

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 20 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 4/yr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: A Reward Point is worth Rs. 0.25, so the headline 20 points per Rs. 100 is an effective 5% back, and the base rate is 0.25%.

Everyday · Shopping

State Bank

Tata Neu Infinity SBI Credit Card

NeuCoins across the Tata brands, on UPI, at a 1.99% forex markup.

Best forUp to 10% NeuCoins on Tata Neu
Complimentarylounge access
1.99%forex markup

Annual fee

₹1,499 + GST

Joining fee₹1,499 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 5% back
Forex markup: 1.99%
Lounge access: 1/qtr domestic · 4/qtr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: NeuCoins are spendable on Tata Neu and across Tata brands. They cannot be taken as cashback or statement credit.

Premium · Premium

State Bank

SBI ELITE Card

Ten points per hundred on dining and groceries, eight lounge visits a quarter-by-quarter, at 1.99% forex.

Best forDining, groceries and movie spends
Complimentarylounge access
₹5,000welcome voucher

Annual fee

₹4,999

Joining fee₹4,999

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 1.99%
Lounge access: 2/qtr domestic · 6/yr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: 4 Reward Points are worth Re. 1, so the 10X tier is an effective 2.5% back and the base rate is 0.5%.

Everyday · Cashback

State Bank

SBI Cashback Credit Card

Five per cent on every online spend with no merchant list to check — and a ₹2,000 monthly ceiling that decides who it suits.

Best forOnline spending of ₹20,000 to ₹40,000 a month, where…
Fuel surchargewaiver
Get 5% Cashback on Dining

Annual fee

₹999 + GST

Waived on ₹2L spend

Joining fee₹999 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 5% cashback; cap ₹2,000
Forex markup: Not published
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: The 5% stops at ₹2,000 a billing cycle. Past about ₹40,000 of online spend a month, extra spending earns the 1% base rate.

Entry level · Shopping

State Bank

Fabindia SBI Card BK

Five points per hundred at Fabindia, on a Rs. 499 card whose fee a lakh of spend clears.

Best forRegular Fabindia shoppers
₹500welcome voucher
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹499

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 5 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: Reward Points convert to Fabfamily Rewards and can be redeemed only for shopping at Fabindia stores and on fabindia.com. They cannot be…

Entry level · Shopping

State Bank

Paytm SBI Card BK

Three per cent back on Paytm travel, movies and Mall, on a Rs. 499 card.

Best forModerate Paytm app users
Fuel surchargewaiver
Complimentary Paytm First Membership

Annual fee

₹499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹499

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 3% rewards
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: Reward Points are credited as Paytm Gift Voucher balance to the Paytm wallet. They cannot be taken as cashback, statement credit or airline…

Entry level · Rewards

State Bank

SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card

Ten points per hundred and fifty on dining, groceries and movies, on a Rs. 499 card.

Best for10X Rewards on Dining, Movies, Grocery & Departmental…
Fuel surchargewaiver
Low, Reversible Annual Fee

Annual fee

₹499 + GST

Joining fee₹499 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: 10X points per ₹150
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: 4 Reward Points are worth Re. 1, so 10 points per Rs. 150 is an effective 1.67% back and the base rate is about 0.17%.

Entry level · Rewards

State Bank

SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card

Ten times the points on the partner brands, five on everything else online.

Best for10X Rewards at Popular Online Partners
₹500welcome voucher
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹499 + GST

Waived on ₹1L spend

Joining fee₹499 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 25% rewards
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: 4 Reward Points are worth Re. 1, so the 10X tier is an effective 2.5% back and the base rate is 0.25%.

Entry level · Co-branded Cards

HDFC Bank

PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno Credit Card

Everyday rewards for PhonePe and UPI spends, at a low Rs.499 fee

Best forFrequent PhonePe app users (recharges, bill payments…
₹100welcome voucher
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹499

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 2% cashback
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: Not published
Credit score: Not published

Heads-up: Every reward bucket (PhonePe spends, select online brands, UPI Scan & Pay) is capped at 500 Reward Points per month EACH - heavy spenders…

Premium · Shopping

State Bank

Nature's Basket SBI Card Elite BK

Twenty points per hundred at Nature's Basket, with eight domestic lounge visits a year.

Best forFrequent gourmet grocery shoppers
Complimentarylounge access
₹5,000welcome voucher

Annual fee

₹4,999

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹4,999

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 20 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 2/qtr domestic · 8/yr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: A Reward Point is worth Rs. 0.25, so the headline rates convert at a quarter of their face value. 20 points per Rs. 100 is an effective 5%…

Premium · Business

State Bank

SBI Card ELITE Business Card BK

Five times the points on dining, bills and office supplies, at a 1.99% forex markup.

Best forBusiness owners with high card spend
Complimentarylounge access
₹5,000welcome voucher

Annual fee

₹4,999

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹4,999

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 1.99%
Lounge access: 8/yr domestic · 6/yr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: New cards on the Mastercard network were stopped under RBI direction, so this card may not be open to new applicants. Confirm availability…

Everyday · Business

State Bank

SBI Card Prime Business Card BK

Ten points per hundred on dining, bills and office supplies, on a fee that Rs. 3 lakh of spend clears.

Best forSelf-employed professionals and small business owners
Complimentarylounge access
₹3,000welcome voucher

Annual fee

₹2,999

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹2,999

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: Not published
Lounge access: 8/yr domestic · 4/yr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: New cards on the Mastercard network were stopped under RBI direction, so this card may not be open to new applicants. Confirm availability…

Entry level · Cashback

Kotak

Kotak Bank Cashback Plus Credit Card

Five per cent on online food, grocery and OTT, three on fuel anywhere.

Best for5% Cashback on Grocery, Food & OTT
Instantapproval
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹750 + GST

Waived on ₹2L spend

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 5% cashback
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: The 5% and 3% tiers share a combined monthly cashback cap. Only the 1% base rate is uncapped.

Premium · Travel

State Bank

SBI Card Miles Elite Credit Card

Travel Credits that transfer to airline and hotel partners, at a 1.99% forex markup.

Best forIndustry-Leading 1.99% Forex Markup
Complimentarylounge access
1.99%forex markup

Annual fee

₹4,999 + GST

Joining fee₹4,999 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 3% back
Forex markup: 1.99%
Lounge access: 2/qtr domestic · 4/qtr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: The Rs. 4,999 annual fee is reversed only on annual spends of Rs. 15,00,000 — the highest threshold on any SBI card.

Everyday · Travel

State Bank

SBI Card Miles Prime Credit Card

Travel Credits that transfer to airline and hotel partners, at a 2.5% forex markup.

Best forAgnostic Air Miles
Complimentarylounge access
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹2,999 + GST

Joining fee₹2,999 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: See details
Forex markup: 2.5%
Lounge access: 2/qtr domestic · 4/qtr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: Travel Credits are worth what the transfer partner gives them. SBI Card publishes no fixed rupee rate.

Entry level · Shopping

State Bank

Central SBI Select Card BK

Ten Select Points per hundred at Central, redeemable at the till — on a Rs. 750 card.

Best forRegular Central Stores shoppers
₹750welcome voucher
10X Select Points on Central Stores Purchases

Annual fee

₹750

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹750

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: Reported as withdrawn from sale in May 2022, with existing cardholders migrated to SimplySAVE, SimplyCLICK or PRIME SBI Card. Confirm…

Entry level · Cashback

Kotak

Kotak Cashback+ Credit Card

Five per cent on online food, grocery and OTT, three on fuel anywhere, one on everything else.

Best forOnline food delivery and grocery
₹750welcome cashback
Fuel surchargewaiver

Annual fee

₹750

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹750

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 5% cashback
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: The 5% and 3% tiers share a combined monthly cashback cap. Only the 1% base rate is uncapped.

Premium · Cashback

HDFC Bank

Swiggy BLCK HDFC Bank Credit Card

The highest Swiggy cashback rate in the HDFC co-branded family.

Best forHeavy Swiggy users
₹1,000welcome fee waiver
10% Cashback on All Swiggy Spends

Annual fee

₹1,000 + GST

Waived on ₹2L spend

Joining fee₹1,000 + GST

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10% cashback; cap ₹1,500/mo
Forex markup: Not published
Lounge access: None
Interest: 42% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: 10% Swiggy cashback is capped at ₹1,500 per billing cycle — ₹15,000 of Swiggy spend earns the maximum, and anything beyond it earns nothing…

Everyday · Shopping

State Bank

Central SBI Select+ Card BK

Twenty Select Points per hundred at Central — five per cent back, if Central is where you shop.

Best forHeavy Central Stores shoppers
₹3,000welcome voucher
20X Select Points on Central Stores Purchases

Annual fee

₹2,999

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹2,999

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 20 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: Reported as withdrawn from sale in May 2022, with existing cardholders migrated to SimplySAVE, SimplyCLICK or PRIME SBI Card. Confirm…

Entry level · Lifestyle

Icici Bank

ICICI Bank Coral Credit Card BK

Two points per hundred, a lounge visit a quarter, and a fee that Rs. 1.5 lakh of spend clears.

Best forFirst-time credit card users
Complimentarylounge access
Instantapproval

Annual fee

₹500

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹500

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 2 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 1/qtr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: The airport lounge visit is not unconditional: it needs Rs. 75,000 of spend in the preceding calendar quarter. The railway lounge visit has…

Entry level · Lifestyle

Icici Bank

ICICI Bank Coral RuPay Credit Card BK

A Coral card you can pay UPI with, plus a lounge visit a quarter.

Best forFirst-time credit card users
Complimentarylounge access
Instantapproval

Annual fee

₹500

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹500

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 2 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 1/qtr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: The airport lounge visit is not unconditional: it needs Rs. 75,000 of spend in the preceding calendar quarter. The railway lounge visit has…

Entry level · Travel

Icici Bank

Adani One ICICI Bank Platinum Credit Card BK

Three per cent back across the Adani ecosystem, with eight lounge visits a year on a Rs. 750 card.

Best forRegular users of Adani-managed airports
Complimentarylounge access
₹2,000welcome voucher

Annual fee

₹750

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹750

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 3 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 2/qtr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: Adani Reward Points redeem only through the Adani One portal or app. They cannot be taken as cashback, statement credit or airline miles.

Premium · Travel

Icici Bank

Adani One ICICI Bank Signature Credit Card BK

Seven per cent back across the Adani ecosystem, with sixteen domestic lounge visits a year.

Best forFrequent flyers through Adani-managed airports
Complimentarylounge access
₹5,000welcome voucher

Annual fee

₹5,000

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹5,000

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 7 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: 4/qtr domestic · 2/yr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 750+

Heads-up: Adani Reward Points redeem only through the Adani One portal or app. They cannot be taken as cashback, statement credit or airline miles.

Entry level · Cashback

Punjab National Bank

Kiwi PNB Credit Card BK

One and a half per cent back on every UPI scan, on a RuPay card that lives in an app.

Best forEveryday UPI scan-and-pay spends
Fuel surchargewaiver
The PNB Kiwi RuPay Credit Card is a UPI-first credit card issued by Punjab National Bank…

Annual fee

₹750

Fee waivable on spend

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 1.5% cashback
Forex markup: 3.5%
Lounge access: None
Interest: Not published
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: The fee is disputed. Kiwi markets the virtual card as lifetime free, while the PNB portal shows Rs. 750 + GST a year plus Rs. 500 for a…

Guide and common questions

Everything worth knowing before you choose. All of it is on this page — open only what you need.

1. The only 0% any Indian credit card gives you

1 min read

Between buying something and the day its bill falls due, a credit card charges nothing. That window is the interest-free period, and it is the one genuinely free credit in the Indian market — there is no 0% APR card here, so this is what people are actually looking for when they search for one.

Forty-one of the sixty-nine cards in our catalogue publish theirs, and the spread is wider than most readers expect:

62 days — 1 card.
55 days — 1 card.
51 days — 2 cards.
50 days — 29 cards. The Indian standard.
48 days — 4 cards.
46 and 45 days — 3 cards.
20 days — 1 card.

Forty-two days separate the longest from the shortest. On two cards that otherwise look alike, that is six weeks of free credit — and twenty-eight cards publish nothing at all.

2. The longest in the catalogue

1 min read

RoarBank RuPay — 62 days. It is also lifetime free and links to UPI, which makes it the most useful card on this page for most readers rather than merely the longest.

HDFC Biz First — 55 days. A business card, and the extra fortnight is the point of it: a proprietor paying suppliers on the card gets nearly two months before the money leaves.

Then two cards at 51 days and the big group of twenty-nine at 50, which includes most of the SBI Card range, the Fabindia and Central co-brands, PhonePe HDFC Uno and the Paytm cards. Fifty days is not a selling point; it is the floor of normal.

3. Why your own period is shorter than the number says

1 min read

This is the part that costs people money. The published figure is the maximum, and it applies only to a purchase made on the first day of a billing cycle. A purchase on the last day of the cycle gets only the grace period — typically 15 to 20 days.

Worked through on a 50-day card with a statement cut on the 5th and a due date on the 25th:

Buy on 6 January: the purchase appears on the 5 February statement, due 25 February. 50 days free.
Buy on 4 February: same statement, same due date. 21 days free.

So the practical lever is not which card you hold but when in the cycle you make a large purchase. Timing a Rs. 80,000 purchase to just after the statement date buys you a month of free credit on any card you already have.

4. How to find your own statement date

1 min read

It is on every statement, and almost nobody knows it from memory. Open the latest statement and note two dates: the statement date (when the cycle closes) and the payment due date. The gap between them is your grace period; the cycle length plus that gap is your maximum interest-free period.

Most issuers also let you change the statement date once or twice a year, by request. If your salary lands on the 1st and your card is due on the 5th, moving the due date to the 10th removes the month-end squeeze permanently. It is a two-minute call and it is the single most underused feature on an Indian credit card.

5. The period disappears the moment you revolve

1 min read

One condition sits over all of this: the interest-free period only exists while you pay the statement in full.

Pay the minimum due instead and two things happen. Interest starts on the unpaid balance at 3.5% to 3.99% a month, and the grace period on new purchases ends — everything you buy from then on accrues interest from the transaction date until the whole balance is cleared. A 62-day card and a 20-day card are identical once you are revolving: both charge from day one.

So the longest interest-free period in India is worth exactly nothing to somebody paying the minimum. See lowest interest rate credit cards for what that costs.

6. What the period does not cover

1 min read

Three things never get the free window, on any card:

Cash withdrawals. Interest runs from the moment the money leaves the ATM, plus a flat fee of 2.5% to 3%. There is no grace period on a cash advance anywhere in India.
Fees and charges. The annual fee, late fees and over-limit charges are not purchases and are billed with interest where applicable.
Anything after the due date. Missing a due date by a day costs a late fee and, from the second cycle, reinstates interest on the full balance.

7. Using this properly

1 min read

Three rules, in order of how much they are worth:

Pay in full, always. Set the total amount due on auto-debit and the whole mechanic works in your favour permanently.
Time large purchases to just after your statement date. Free, works on any card, and worth up to a month of float.
Only then prefer a longer published period. RoarBank RuPay's 62 days is twelve more than standard and the card is lifetime free, so it costs nothing to hold for exactly this.

Related: best credit cards for EMI if a purchase is too large for one cycle, and lifetime free credit cards for cards with no fee at all.

8. How this list is built

1 min read

A card qualifies only if it publishes an interest-free period of 46 days or more, longest first. The 45-day and 20-day cards are excluded because they are below the 50-day standard and this page answers a question about the longest. Twenty-eight cards publish nothing and are left off rather than assumed standard. Thirty-eight of sixty-nine qualify.

9. Frequently Asked Questions

7 questions answered

Which credit card has the longest interest-free period in India?

RoarBank RuPay, at 62 days, and it is also lifetime free. HDFC Biz First follows at 55 days, then two cards at 51. Twenty-nine cards sit at the Indian standard of 50 days, and the shortest in our catalogue is 20.

What is the interest-free period on a credit card?

The window between making a purchase and the day its bill falls due, during which the card charges no interest. It is the only genuinely free credit on an Indian credit card, since 0% APR cards do not exist here. The published figure is the maximum, available only on a purchase made at the start of a billing cycle.

Why is my interest-free period shorter than 50 days?

Because 50 days is the maximum, not the norm. A purchase on the first day of your billing cycle gets the full period; one on the last day gets only the grace period between the statement date and the due date, typically 15 to 20 days. Timing a large purchase to just after your statement date is worth up to a month of free credit on any card.

Do I lose the interest-free period if I pay only the minimum due?

Yes, and that is the most expensive consequence of paying the minimum. Interest starts on the unpaid balance, and new purchases also begin accruing interest from the transaction date until the entire balance is cleared in full. A 62-day card and a 20-day card behave identically once a balance is revolving.

Can I change my credit card statement date?

Most Indian issuers allow it once or twice a year on request. If your salary lands on the 1st and the card is due on the 5th, moving the due date later removes the month-end squeeze permanently. It is one of the most underused features on an Indian credit card.

Does the interest-free period apply to cash withdrawals?

No. Interest on a cash advance runs from the moment the money leaves the ATM, plus a flat fee of around 2.5% to 3%. No Indian credit card gives a grace period on cash.

Is a longer interest-free period worth choosing a card for?

As a tiebreaker, yes — especially when the longer card costs nothing, as RoarBank RuPay's 62 days does. It is worth less than paying in full and less than timing large purchases after your statement date, both of which work on any card you already hold.

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How we rank

Every card we trackThe full catalogue, filterable by fee and perk.Will they approve me?Soft check against each bank’s published rules.Best card per purchaseFuel, dining, online — the winner changes.Switch calculatorNet gain after annual fees, on your spends.My walletFee-waiver countdowns for cards you hold.Shortlist & shareSave picks, send one link to anyone.

Credit cards with the longest interest-free period

Best of the longest interest-free cards list

Guide and common questions

1. The only 0% any Indian credit card gives you

2. The longest in the catalogue

3. Why your own period is shorter than the number says

4. How to find your own statement date

5. The period disappears the moment you revolve

6. What the period does not cover

7. Using this properly

8. How this list is built

9. Frequently Asked Questions

More best-of lists

Tools for choosing from this list