Compare credit cards

Four things decide an Indian comparison that a generic one ignores. The fee waiver threshold — most Indian cards reverse the annual fee at a spend level, so the fee is conditional rather than fixed, and two cards at Rs. 999 can cost Rs. 999 and nothing. Monthly caps — accelerated rates here are almost always bounded per statement cycle, so a 10% rate can be worth less than a 1.5% one. Category exclusions — rent, fuel, wallet loads, EMI conversions and often UPI earn nothing on most cards, and those are a large share of an Indian month. Forex markup — 3.5% is standard and a handful of cards charge nothing, which outweighs every reward rate on a trip abroad.

Every figure in the comparison above is read from the issuer’s own published terms rather than a marketing page, and each card page shows where the number came from. That matters most on the two fields issuers state least clearly: the cap on an accelerated rate, and the spend that waives the fee.

Pick two cards and the table puts their published terms side by side, field by field:

Every figure is read from the issuer's own fee schedule and terms, and each card page shows when it was last checked.

Compare against your own spending, not the headline rate. Three checks settle most decisions:

Once you have a shortlist, the card value calculator prices both cards against your monthly spending, and the eligibility checker tells you which one is likely to approve you — before an application costs you a hard enquiry.

A side-by-side table settles the numbers and stops there. Two things it will not answer, and both decide whether a card suits you.

Whether you will be approved. Fees and rewards are published; approval depends on your income, age and bureau file. Check that separately with the eligibility checker, which makes no credit bureau enquiry.

Whether the rate applies to your spending. Every accelerated rate is bounded by a category and a cap. A card that wins a comparison on paper can lose badly once rent, fuel and wallet loads — which earn nothing on most cards — are removed from your basket.

Most comparisons here fall into three shapes, and each turns on a different number.

Two cards at the same fee. The fee tells you nothing; the waiver threshold does. One card reversing Rs. 500 at Rs. 50,000 of spending is free for most people, while the same fee at Rs. 3,50,000 is a yearly cost.

A free card against a fee-charging one. Work out what the fee buys — usually lounge visits and a higher earn rate — then check whether you will use enough of it to clear the fee.

A category card against a flat-rate card. The category card wins while you stay under its cap and inside its category, and loses the moment your spending spreads out.