List of 10 Best Credit Cards in India for Salaried Class, Students and Online Shopping

Credit cards are one of the most convenient and rewarding ways to pay for purchases nowadays. However, how do you know which is the best credit company? How do you choose the best credit card for online shopping in India? In this blog post, we’ve compiled a list of the best credit cards in India.

Why is our list of the top 10 credit cards in India helpful?

It’s curated using the latest data released by RBI in July 2024. You can quickly compare and select:

• The best credit card for salaried individuals,
• The best credit cards for online shopping, and
• The best credit cards for students

Let us begin!

Best Credit Cards in India 2024| Leading Banks with Maximum Holders

Rank	Bank Name	Credit Cards	Type
1	HDFC BANK LTD	21,111,287	Private
2	STATE BANK OF INDIA	19,117,365	Public
3	ICICI BANK LTD	17,084,977	Private
4	AXIS BANK LTD	14,340,543	Private
5	KOTAK MAHINDRA BANK LTD	5,935,815	Private
6	RBL BANK LTD	5,232,433	Private
7	INDUSIND BANK LTD	2,966,866	Private
8	IDFC FIRST BANK LTD	2,743,113	Private
9	BANK OF BARODA	2,575,688	Public
10	YES BANK LTD	2,152,111	Private

Features and Benefits of Top 10 Credit Cards in India

Do you know?

There are various types of credit cards in India 2024-

• Cashback Credit Cards: You can earn cash rewards on purchases.
• E-commerce Credit Cards: These offer rewards and discounts for online shopping.
• Entertainment Credit Cards: They provide discounts on movies, events, etc.
• Fuel Credit Cards: These offer cashback or discounts on fuel purchases.
• Travel Credit Cards: You can earn points for travel-related expenses.
• Fine Dine-in Credit Cards: These provide discounts or rewards at restaurants.
• Club Membership Credit Cards: Offer benefits at clubs and social events.
• Credit Cards with Airport/Railway Lounge Access: You can enjoy access to airport or railway lounges.

Let us understand the key features of the best credit cards in India offered by the public and private banks.

HDFC Bank Pvt Ltd| Best Credit Cards in India

When you sign up for an HDFC Bank Credit Card, you get special benefits as a new cardholder. You can earn extra rewards for spending over a certain limit each year. If you shop abroad, selected HDFC Bank Credit Cards offer competitive foreign currency rates, helping you save more.

HDFC Bank offers the best credit card in India for salaried persons.

• Millennia Credit Card

This is one of the best credit cards for students in India. It offers 5% cashback on Amazon, BookMyShow, Cult.fit, Flipkart, Myntra, Sony LIV, Swiggy, Tata CLiQ, Uber, and Zomato.

What’s more?

You can get ₹1,000 worth of gift vouchers for spending ₹1,00,000 or more each quarter.

• Paytm HDFC Bank Digital Credit Card

This card gives up to 2% accelerated cashback on Scan & Pay. You get up to 2% cashback on Swiggy and Uber spends

• MoneyBack Credit Card

This card gives you two reward points for every ₹150 spent. You get 2x reward points for shopping online.

STATE BANK OF INDIA- SBI| Best Credit Cards in India

Second on the list of the best credit cards in India, SBI offers some unique credit cards.

• SBI Card ELITE

When you join, you get a welcome e-gift voucher worth Rs. 5,000. You also get free movie tickets worth Rs. 6,000 every year.

• SBI Card PULSE

When you join, you earn 5X reward points for spending at chemists, pharmacies, dining, and movies. Receive an e-voucher worth Rs. 1,500 by spending Rs. 4 lakh in one year.

• Doctor’s SBI Card (in association with IMA)

This card offers a professional indemnity insurance cover of Rs. 20 lakhs. You get an e-gift voucher worth Rs. 1,500 when you join.

SBI Card ELITE Advantage

This card offers a welcome e-gift voucher worth Rs. 5,000 when you join. You also get free movie tickets worth Rs. 6,000 each year. 

ICICI| Best Credit Cards in India

Discover some of the best credit cards in India offered by ICICI Bank.

• Platinum Credit Card

There are no joining or annual fees. You will earn 2 reward points per Rs. 100 spent, except on fuel.

• Coral Credit Card

You can get a 25% discount on movie tickets twice a month on BookMyShow and Inox. You also receive one complimentary railway and domestic airport lounge access per quarter.

Axis Bank Ltd| Best Credit Cards in India

Axis Bank has various credit cards for different needs like shopping, movies, lifestyle, and travel.

Here are some popular credit cards for salaried individuals:

Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card

• Great for shopping.
• Offers Rs 600 as welcome benefits.
• Has a joining and annual fee of Rs 500 each.

Neo Credit Card

• No joining and annual fee (limited offer on selected channels).

Indian Oil Axis Bank Credit Card

• Get up to Rs 250 cashback on fuel spending.
• Has a joining and annual fee of Rs 500 each.

Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd | Best Credit Cards

Here are some of the best credit cards for online shopping from Kotak Mahindra:

• Myntra Kotak Credit Card

You must pay INR 500 as a membership fee and annual fee. The benefits of credit card include a 7.5% instant discount on Myntra. Earn 5% cashback on Swiggy, Swiggy Instamart, PVR, Cleartrip, and Urban Company.

• PVR INOX Kotak Credit Card

Ranked one of the best credit cards in India, this one charges no joining fee and INR 499 annual fee. You can also get one free movie ticket for every INR 10,000 spent.

• Kotak UPI RuPay Credit Card

There is no joining fee or annual fee. It’s a virtual lifetime free credit card.

RBL Bank| Best Credit Cards

RBL Bank offers over 25 credit cards across categories like cashback, entertainment, rapid rewards, and travel/lifestyle. 

The best credit cards in India by RBL Bank includes:

• ShopRite Credit Card: 10% movie discount.
• World Safari Card: 0% markup on foreign transactions.
• Platinum Maxima Plus Credit Card: 10,000 welcome points.

Other options:

• LazyPay Credit Card: Lifetime free.
• Movies and More Credit Card: ₹500 monthly benefit on spending ₹15,000.
• Blockbuster Credit Card: 4 free domestic airport lounge visits yearly.

IndusInd Bank| Best Credit Cards

Ranked among one of the top credit card companies in India, IndusInd Bank offers various types of credit cards

• Nexxt Credit Card: India’s first interactive card with EMI, Rewards, or Credit options.
• Platinum Visa Credit Card: Rewards on all purchases, enhanced for travel, dining, and shopping.
• Platinum RuPay Credit Card: Works with UPI for convenient payments.
• Legend Credit Card: Earn 1 reward point per ₹100 spent.

IDFC First Bank| Best Credit Cards

IDFC First Bank is one of the most favoured top credit card companies in India

• First Wealth Credit Card- Up to 36 Reward Points on online spends, 6 domestic lounge visits quarterly, Buy 1 Get 1 Free on BookMyShow.
• RESERVE Credit Card- Up to 24 Reward Points, 3 domestic lounge visits quarterly, 25% off on BookMyShow.
• ELITE Premium Card- Up to 12 Reward Points, 2 domestic lounge visits quarterly, 25% off on BookMyShow.

Bank of Baroda| Best Credit Cards in India

Bank of Baroda offers a diverse range of credit cards. 

• BoB VIKRAM Credit Card

This is specifically designed for Defence Personnel and veterans. It offers 5X Rewards on Grocery, Movies, and Departmental stores, plus a free 3-month Disney Hotstar subscription on activation.

• IRCTC BoB Credit Card

This is the best travel credit card. You can earn up to 40 reward points per ₹100 spent on IRCTC train bookings, along with rewards on grocery and departmental store purchases.

• EASY Credit Card

This is ideal for your everyday savings. You can get 5X Rewards on Departmental stores and movies, plus a 1% Fuel Surcharge Waiver at all fuel stations nationwide.

YES Bank| Best Credit Cards

The best credit cards in India by YES Bank include:

• Lifetime-Free Credit Card: No annual or joining fees.
• Power of UPI Payments: Use UPI directly with your credit card.
• Accelerated Reward Points: Earn more rewards on UPI and other spending.
• Instant EMI and EMI on Call: Flexible options for transactions starting from INR 1500.

Best Credit Cards for Students in India

Students in India have several options for credit cards.

Here are some of the best credit cards for students in India

1. IDFC FIRST WOW! Credit Card
   

Benefits of credit cards:

• Earn 7.5% interest on Fixed Deposit (FD).
• Get 4X Reward Points on all credit card transactions.
• The high credit limit with no joining or annual fees.
• Immediate 100% ATM cash withdrawal limit.
• Activation bonus of 500 reward points after spending Rs. 5,000.

2. ICICI Student Forex Prepaid Card
   

Benefits of credit card:

• Joining benefits totalling INR 5,000.
• This includes an International Student Identity Card (ISIC) membership worth INR 999.
• Complimentary international SIM card for overseas travel.
• It also offers coverage for lost or counterfeit cards, with liability protection up to INR 5,00,000.

3. Kotak Mahindra 811 #DreamDifferent Credit Card
   

Credit card benefits:

• Interest-free cash withdrawals for up to 48 days.
• High credit limit, known upfront at the time of application, up to Rs. 16 lakhs..

Best Credit Card for Online Shopping in India

If you are looking for the best credit card for online shopping, you can choose one from below. 

There are multiple types of cards issued by these credit card companies in India.

HDFC Bank Ltd

• HDFC Millennia Credit Card, HDFC Moneyback+ Credit Card, HDFC Diners Club Privilege Credit Card, etc.

State Bank of India

• Cashback SBI Card, Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card, SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card.

ICICI Bank Ltd

• Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card, ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card.

Axis Bank Ltd

• Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card, Axis Bank ACE Credit Card, Axis Bank Buzz Credit Card.

Kotak Mahindra Bank Ltd

• Kotak PVR Platinum Credit Card, Kotak Indigo Ka-Ching 6E Rewards Credit Card, Kotak White Credit Card, Kotak Cookies Credit Card

RBL Bank Ltd

• ShopRite Credit Card, Icon Credit Card, Platinum Maxima Plus Credit Card

YES Bank Ltd

• YES FIRST Preferred Credit Card, YES FIRST Exclusive Credit Card, YES Premia Credit Card, YES Prosperity Edge Credit Card

Premium Credit Cards in India- 2024

Some of the card companies in India offer premium credit cards, too!

Take a look!

• HDFC Bank offers cards like the Infinia Credit Card Metal Edition and Diners Club Black Credit Card. These offer you unlimited lounge access and high reward points on travel and shopping.
• ICICI Bank offers Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card, which includes unlimited lounge visits.
• Axis Bank offers Magnus Credit Card and Reserve Credit Card, which also provide unlimited lounge visits and luxury hotel memberships.
• SBI offers the Elite Credit Card, which includes an e-gift voucher and other premium benefits.

This ends our list of best credit cards in India.

However, there’s more to learn before you choose the best credit card in India.

How to Choose the Best Credit Card in India

Some of the features to watch out for before applying for the best credit card in India are:

• Credit Score:

The higher your credit score, the more likely you will get approved for a credit card and get better offers and rewards.

Check out the five reasons that might be affecting your credit score!

•  Annual Fee:

Some credit cards have no annual fee, while others may charge a high fee. You should compare the annual fee with the benefits that the credit card offers.

•  Credit limit: 

This is the maximum amount of money that you can borrow from your credit card at any given time. It depends on your income, credit score, and other factors. You should choose a credit card with a credit limit that suits your spending habits and needs.

•  Interest Rate: 

This is the rate of interest that you have to pay on the money that you borrow from your credit card. Some credit cards offer a low or zero interest rate for a certain period of time, such as 6 months or 12 months.

•  Rewards:

Don’t forget about rewards—these are the treats you get for using the card.

And be aware of penalties for late payments; they’re not fun.

Rewards are the benefits that you get for using your credit card. They can include points, miles, cashback, vouchers, discounts, or other perks. . You should choose a credit card that offers rewards that match your preferences and lifestyle.

Credit Card Companies in India| Fees and Charges

Credit cards come with a list of fees and charges. There’s usually an annual fee just for having the card. If you’re late on a payment, you might get hit with a late payment fee.

You must also be aware of the foreign transaction fees if you are using your card abroad.

FAQs | Best Credit Cards for Salaried Persons and Students

Source- rbi.org.in

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Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risks; read all the related documents carefully before investing.