Which is the best credit card in India in 2026?

There is no single best card — it depends on where your money goes. A heavy online shopper, a frequent flyer and someone who mostly pays bills should each hold a different card. Run your spending through the card value calculator to see which one pays you the most.

What is the minimum salary for a credit card in India?

Entry-level cards start at about Rs. 12,500 to Rs. 15,000 a month. Premium cards ask for Rs. 50,000 or more. Cards issued against a fixed deposit have no income requirement at all.

How many credit cards should I have?

Two or three, covering different spending: one for online shopping, one for travel or fuel, and a no-fee card kept for its credit history. Five or more open cards can slow down a new approval.

Are there lifetime free credit cards in India?

Yes. Seven of the cards tracked here carry no joining or annual fee, including Scapia Federal, SBM Novio and RoarBank RuPay. See the lifetime free list for the full set.

Does applying for a credit card lower my credit score?

Each application makes a hard enquiry, which lowers your score slightly, and several applications in a short time look worse. Check eligibility first and apply only to the card most likely to approve you.

Credit Cards in India 2026 — Compare and Apply

Quick picks

Showing 1–6 of 6 cards

4.0CredSpy Score

Entry level · Secured

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank NOMO Credit Card

Issued against a Rs. 20,000 deposit with no credit score, and interest of 23.88% a year

Best forA first card, or rebuilding a thin credit file
Complimentarylounge access
1.99%forex markup

Annual fee

Nil

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹199

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 2 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 1.99%
Lounge access: Included
Interest: 23.88% p.a.
Credit score: Not required

Heads-up: A fixed deposit of at least Rs. 20,000 is required and is held under a lien until the card is returned.

3.4CredSpy Score

Everyday · Rewards Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank Xcite Ultra Credit Card

12 reward points per Rs. 100 on international spends, with 8 railway and 8 airport lounge visits

Best forInternational and online spending
Complimentarylounge access
12 points on spending abroad

Annual fee

₹749

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹884

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 12 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.49%
Lounge access: 8/yr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: 3.49% foreign currency markup, which eats into the card's own 12-point international rate.

3.5CredSpy Score

Entry level · Rewards Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank LIT Credit Card

Lifetime free, and you switch individual benefits on for 90 days at a time

Best forBuying a benefit for the one quarter you need it
Complimentarylounge access
Lifetime freeno annual fee

Annual fee

Lifetime free

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 5% cashback
Forex markup: 3.49%
Lounge access: Included
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: A feature left switched on keeps charging its fee every 90 days, and per-feature fees are easier to lose track of than a single annual…

3.0CredSpy Score

Entry level · Cashback Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank Altura Plus Credit Card

1.5% cashback and 8 railway lounge visits — with a year-two waiver set at Rs. 8,00,000

Best forFlat-rate cashback at high annual spending
Fuel surchargewaiver
1.5% with 2X points

Annual fee

₹499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 1.5% cashback
Forex markup: 3.49%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: From year two the Rs. 499 fee is waived only on Rs. 8,00,000 of spending in a card year, about Rs. 67,000 a month — twenty times the…

3.7CredSpy Score

Entry level · Cashback Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank Altura Credit Card

2% back on groceries, departmental stores and utility bills for a Rs. 199 fee that Rs. 40,000 removes

Best forHousehold groceries and utility bill payments
Fuel surchargewaiver
2% on the household basics

Annual fee

₹199

Fee waivable on spend

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 2% cashback
Forex markup: 3.49%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: No airport lounge access. The lounge benefit is eight railway lounge visits a year.

4.2CredSpy Score

Entry level · Travel Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

ixigo AU Credit Card

Lifetime free with a 0.99% foreign currency markup and lounge access at railways and airports

Best forSpending abroad and booking travel through ixigo
Complimentarylounge access
0.99%forex markup

Annual fee

Lifetime free

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10 reward points per ₹200
Forex markup: 0.99%
Lounge access: 8/yr domestic · 1/yr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: AU unlocks complimentary domestic airport lounge access on at least Rs. 20,000 of spending in a calendar quarter, in that same quarter, and…

Quick picks

Showing 1–6 of 6 cards

4.0CredSpy Score

Entry level · Secured

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank NOMO Credit Card

Issued against a Rs. 20,000 deposit with no credit score, and interest of 23.88% a year

Best forA first card, or rebuilding a thin credit file
Complimentarylounge access
1.99%forex markup

Annual fee

Nil

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹199

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 2 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 1.99%
Lounge access: Included
Interest: 23.88% p.a.
Credit score: Not required

Heads-up: A fixed deposit of at least Rs. 20,000 is required and is held under a lien until the card is returned.

3.4CredSpy Score

Everyday · Rewards Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank Xcite Ultra Credit Card

12 reward points per Rs. 100 on international spends, with 8 railway and 8 airport lounge visits

Best forInternational and online spending
Complimentarylounge access
12 points on spending abroad

Annual fee

₹749

Fee waivable on spend

Joining fee₹884

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 12 reward points per ₹100
Forex markup: 3.49%
Lounge access: 8/yr domestic
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: 3.49% foreign currency markup, which eats into the card's own 12-point international rate.

3.5CredSpy Score

Entry level · Rewards Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank LIT Credit Card

Lifetime free, and you switch individual benefits on for 90 days at a time

Best forBuying a benefit for the one quarter you need it
Complimentarylounge access
Lifetime freeno annual fee

Annual fee

Lifetime free

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 5% cashback
Forex markup: 3.49%
Lounge access: Included
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: A feature left switched on keeps charging its fee every 90 days, and per-feature fees are easier to lose track of than a single annual…

3.0CredSpy Score

Entry level · Cashback Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank Altura Plus Credit Card

1.5% cashback and 8 railway lounge visits — with a year-two waiver set at Rs. 8,00,000

Best forFlat-rate cashback at high annual spending
Fuel surchargewaiver
1.5% with 2X points

Annual fee

₹499

Fee waivable on spend

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 1.5% cashback
Forex markup: 3.49%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: From year two the Rs. 499 fee is waived only on Rs. 8,00,000 of spending in a card year, about Rs. 67,000 a month — twenty times the…

3.7CredSpy Score

Entry level · Cashback Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

AU Bank Altura Credit Card

2% back on groceries, departmental stores and utility bills for a Rs. 199 fee that Rs. 40,000 removes

Best forHousehold groceries and utility bill payments
Fuel surchargewaiver
2% on the household basics

Annual fee

₹199

Fee waivable on spend

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 2% cashback
Forex markup: 3.49%
Lounge access: None
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: No airport lounge access. The lounge benefit is eight railway lounge visits a year.

4.2CredSpy Score

Entry level · Travel Cards

AU Small Finance Bank

ixigo AU Credit Card

Lifetime free with a 0.99% foreign currency markup and lounge access at railways and airports

Best forSpending abroad and booking travel through ixigo
Complimentarylounge access
0.99%forex markup

Annual fee

Lifetime free

Joining feeNil

Apply now View details

Reward rate: Up to 10 reward points per ₹200
Forex markup: 0.99%
Lounge access: 8/yr domestic · 1/yr intl
Interest: 45% p.a.
Credit score: 700+

Heads-up: AU unlocks complimentary domestic airport lounge access on at least Rs. 20,000 of spending in a calendar quarter, in that same quarter, and…

Best Credit Cards in India 2026

AU Bank NOMO Credit Card

AU Bank Xcite Ultra Credit Card

AU Bank LIT Credit Card

AU Bank Altura Plus Credit Card

AU Bank Altura Credit Card

ixigo AU Credit Card

Tools that go with this list

Best Credit Cards in India 2026

AU Bank NOMO Credit Card

AU Bank Xcite Ultra Credit Card

AU Bank LIT Credit Card

AU Bank Altura Plus Credit Card

AU Bank Altura Credit Card

ixigo AU Credit Card

Tools that go with this list

Credit cards: guide and FAQs

1. What is in this credit card list

2. How to pick a credit card in India

3. Frequently Asked Questions