Finding an ideal credit card can be a difficult task. We all are looking for the “perfect credit card” that would offer high rewards, cashback, insurance benefits, and our beloved complimentary benefits such as access to airport lounges, railway lounges, and golf rounds/lessons. Many of us desire to have access to all of these services without any charges. However, this is a rather unrealistic expectation as card issuers cannot afford to offer such a rewarding credit card at a nominal or no fee.

Instead, they offer credit cards with benefits in different categories to cater to the varying spending habits of individuals. Since everyone’s preferences differ based on their unique requirements and spending behavior, there is no single credit card that can be deemed the best for everyone. Therefore, to meet the needs of all segments of people, we have compiled a list of the best credit cards available in the Indian market. These top 10 cards are suitable for various kinds of spending, whether you’re looking for a budget card or a premium one, a lifetime free card or one with moderate fees, or one for online shopping or fuel. Our list of best and top credit card features the cream of the crop when it comes to credit cards in India. If you’re looking to apply for a credit card or are unsure which one to choose, our list will be of great benefit to you.

Top 10 Best Credit Cards in India 2024

1. HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card

Rating: 4.8/5

• Joining Fee: Rs. 1,000 + GST
• Renewal Fee: Rs. 1,000 + GST
• Best Suited For: Shopping
• Reward Type: Cashback

Features and Benefits

• Welcome Benefits: 1,000 CashPoints as a Welcome Benefit.
• Dining Benefits: Up to 20% discount at partner restaurants with Swiggy Dineout.
• Quarterly Spend Benefit: Spend Rs. 1 lakh or more each quarter to receive gift vouchers worth Rs. 1,000.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% of the fuel surcharge waived on a minimum payment of Rs. 400.
• Interest-Free Credit Period: Up to 50 days.

Rewards and Redemption

• Rewards Rate: 5% cashback (as CashPoints) at select partner online merchants and 1% cashback on all other spends.
• Reward Redemption: CashPoints can be redeemed for cashback, products, vouchers, and flight/hotel booking.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• High cashback rate on online shopping.
• Dining discounts.
• Quarterly spend benefits.

Cons:

• No international lounge access.
• CashPoints are valid only for 2 years.

2. IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card [Apply Online]

Rating: 4.7/5

• Joining Fee: Nil
• Renewal Fee: Nil
• Best Suited For: Movies, Shopping
• Reward Type: Reward Points

Features and Benefits

• Welcome Benefits: 5% cashback on first EMI spend up to Rs. 1,000 and additional welcome gift vouchers worth Rs. 500.
• Movie & Dining: Up to 20% discount at more than 1,500 Restaurants across India.
• Railway Lounge Access: Complimentary access to Railway Lounges four times a quarter.

Rewards and Redemption

• Rewards Rate: 3 Reward Points on each offline spend of Rs. 150, 6 RPs per online spend of Rs. 150, and 10 RPs on spends above Rs. 20,000.
• Reward Redemption: RPs do not expire and can be accumulated for future use.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• No annual fee.
• High reward rate on spends above Rs. 20,000.
• Complimentary railway lounge access.

Cons:

• No international lounge access.
• Redemption fee of Rs. 99 plus taxes for reward redemption.

3. Cashback SBI Credit Card

Rating: 4.7/5

• Joining Fee: Rs. 999 + GST
• Renewal Fee: Rs. 999 + GST
• Best Suited For: Shopping, Food
• Reward Type: Cashback

Features and Benefits

• Annual Fee Waiver: Waived on spending Rs. 2,00,000 or more in the previous year.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% waiver on transactions between Rs. 500 and Rs. 3,000.
• Foreign Currency Markup: 3.5% of the international transaction.

Rewards and Redemption

• Rewards Rate: 5% cashback for every online transaction and 1% cashback on other offline transactions.
• Reward Redemption: Cashback is automatically credited to the next month’s statement.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• High cashback rate on online transactions.
• Spend-based annual fee waiver.
• No redemption fee for cashback.

Cons:

• Several categories excluded from 1% cashback.
• No complimentary lounge access.

4. IndusInd Legend Credit Card

Rating: 4.5/5

• Joining Fee: Nil
• Renewal Fee: Nil
• Best Suited For: Travel, Shopping
• Reward Type: Reward Points

Features and Benefits

• Movie & Dining: BOGO on 1 movie ticket every month up to Rs. 200.
• Domestic Lounge Access: Complimentary access every quarter.
• Insurance Benefits: Complimentary Air Accidental cover of Rs. 25 Lakhs.

Rewards and Redemption

• Rewards Rate: 1 Reward Point per Rs. 100 spends on weekdays and 2 RPs per Rs. 100 on weekends.
• Reward Redemption: Can be redeemed for cash credit, Airmiles, and Club Vistara Points.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Lifetime free card.
• Complimentary Priority Pass Membership.
• Lower foreign currency markup fee of 1.8%.

Cons:

• Limited dining offers.
• Only one BOGO offer per month.

5. Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card

Rating: 5/5

• Joining Fee: Nil
• Renewal Fee: Nil
• Best Suited For: Shopping
• Reward Type: Cashback

Features and Benefits

• Welcome Benefits: Cashback and Discounts Up to Rs. 2,000 and Free 3-Month Prime Membership.
• Dining Benefits: A minimum of 15% discount on dining bills.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% waiver at all petrol stations across India.

Rewards and Redemption

• Rewards Rate: 5% cashback on Amazon for Prime members, 3% for Non-Prime members, 2% cashback on partner brands, and 1% cashback on all other payments.
• Reward Redemption: Automatically added to Amazon Pay balance.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• High reward rate on Amazon for Prime members.
• No expiry date on Reward Points.
• Lifetime free card.

Cons:

• Mainly beneficial for Amazon users.
• Limited benefits on other platforms.

6. Yes Bank Marquee Credit Card

Rating: 4.6/5

• Joining Fee: Rs. 9,999 + GST
• Renewal Fee: Rs. 4,999 + GST
• Best Suited For: Movies, Travel, Shopping
• Reward Type: Reward Points

Features and Benefits

• Welcome Benefits: 60,000 Reward Points.
• Domestic Lounge Access: 6 Free Visits Each Quarter.
• Insurance Benefits: Credit Shield Cover of Rs. 3 Lakh.

Rewards and Redemption

• Rewards Rate: 36 RPs for Each Spend of Rs. 200 on Online Shopping and 18 RPs for Each Offline Spend of Rs. 200.
• Reward Redemption: Redeem with Yes Rewardz.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Unlimited international lounge access.
• High reward rate on online shopping.
• Comprehensive insurance benefits.

Cons:

• High joining fee.
• Limited renewal benefits.

7. Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card [Apply online]

Rating: 4.5/5

• Joining Fee: Rs. 5,000 + GST
• Renewal Fee: Rs. 5,000 + GST
• Best Suited For: Travel
• Reward Type: Reward Points

Features and Benefits

• Welcome Benefits: 2,500 Edge Miles on Completing 1 Transaction.
• Dining Benefits: Discounts up to 25% up to Rs. 800 at partner restaurants.
• Domestic and International Lounge Access: Varies by membership tier.

Rewards and Redemption

• Rewards Rate: 5 Edge Miles for every Rs. 100 spent on travel spends, 2 Edge Miles for every Rs. 100 on all other transactions.
• Reward Redemption: Can be transferred to international and domestic loyalty program partners.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Accelerated reward rate on travel spends.
• Complimentary lounge access.
• Tier-based membership benefits.

Cons:

• High annual fee.
• Limited insurance benefits.

8. American Express Platinum Charge Card

Rating: 4.8/5

• Joining Fee: Rs. 60,000 + GST
• Renewal Fee: Rs. 60,000 + GST
• Best Suited For: Travel, Shopping
• Reward Type: Reward Points

Features and Benefits

• Welcome Benefits: SeleQtions, Taj, and Vivanta Hotels Vouchers Worth Rs. 45,000.
• Travel Benefits: Access to over 1,300 airport lounges, 24×7 global concierge service.
• Insurance Benefits: Personal air accident coverage worth Rs. 5 crore.

Rewards and Redemption

• Rewards Rate: 1 MR on every Rs. 40, 3X Rewards on all international spends, and 5X Rewards Points on transactions via the AmEx Reward Multiplier portal.
• Reward Redemption: Can be redeemed for dining, travel, and accessories.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Unlimited complimentary lounge access.
• Comprehensive insurance coverage.
• High reward rate on international spends.

Cons:

• Very high annual fee.
• No spend-based waiver for the annual fee.

9. SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card

Rating: 4.6/5

• Joining Fee: Rs. 499 + GST
• Renewal Fee: Rs. 499 + GST
• Best Suited For: Online Shopping
• Reward Type: Reward Points

Features and Benefits

• Welcome Benefits: Amazon gift voucher worth Rs. 500.
• Rewards Rate: 10x reward points on online spends at partner merchants.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% waiver on transactions between Rs. 500 and Rs. 3,000.

Rewards and Redemption

• Rewards Rate: 10 Reward Points per Rs. 100 spent at partner merchants, 5 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on other online spends.
• Reward Redemption: Can be redeemed for shopping vouchers and cashback.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• High reward rate on online shopping.
• Low annual fee with spend-based waiver.
• Attractive welcome benefits.

Cons:

• Limited benefits for offline spends.
• No complimentary lounge access.

10. Axis Bank Ace Credit Card [Apply online]

Rating: 4.7/5

• Joining Fee: Rs. 499 + GST
• Renewal Fee: Rs. 499 + GST
• Best Suited For: Bill Payments, Food Delivery
• Reward Type: Cashback

Features and Benefits

• Rewards Rate: 5% cashback on bill payments, 4% cashback on partner merchants.
• Complimentary Lounge Access: 4 complimentary domestic airport lounge access per year.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% waiver on transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 4,000.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• High cashback rate on utility bill payments.
• Complimentary lounge access.
• Low annual fee with spend-based waiver.

Cons:

• Limited international benefits.
• Lower cashback on non-partner spends.

Conclusion

Choosing the right credit card depends on your spending habits, lifestyle, and the specific benefits you value most. Whether you prioritize high cashback, travel perks, or minimal fees, the cards listed above cater to various needs and preferences. Be sure to consider the pros and cons of each card and select the one that aligns best with your financial goals and spending patterns.

Below is a table summarizing the key features of these top 10 credit cards for easy comparison:

By thoroughly evaluating the features, rewards, and benefits of these top credit cards, you can make an informed decision and select the best card to meet your financial needs and lifestyle preferences in 2024.