Cashback is the simplest form of benefit a credit card can offer. You spend money and you get real value back, instead of earning rewards and later redeeming them for cash, vouchers or other items. There are several cashback credit cards in India, most of them offering extra cashback on select spending categories. There is no single cashback card to match everyone’s needs so you should pick the right credit card based on how you spend your money.
Best Cashback Credit Cards in India for 2021
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1. Axis Bank ACE Credit Card
Best cashback credit card for utilities and food orders
Annual Fee: Rs. 499
Minimum Income: Communicated at the time of application
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 5% cashback on bill pay and recharge via Google Pay
- 5% cashback on BigBasket and Grofers
- 4% on Swiggy, Zomato and Ola
- 4 free lounge visits per year at select domestic airports
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations
- 20% discount at 4000+ partner restaurants in
WHY WE LIKE IT
Axis Bank Ace Credit Card comes with a 2% flat-rate cashback implying that you can earn good value back on all your purchases. This card offers up to 5% cashback on bill payments, DTH, and mobile recharges done via Google Pay, and 4% cashback on specific merchants such as Grofers, BigBasket, Swiggy, Zomato & Ola. All of these categories are quite practical for everyone. Also, there is no upper limit on maximum cashback that can be earned which becomes a very good deal for those who spend across all these categories frequently. With a low annual fee, this is one of the best entry-level cards for high overall value back, especially for people who have just started with their career.
2. Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card
Best cashback credit card with co-branded benefits
Annual Fee: Rs. 500
Minimum Income: Communicated at the time of application
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 5% cashback on Flipkart, Myntra and 2GUD
- 4% cashback on shopping with Preferred Merchants
- 1.5% cashback across all other categories
- 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits in a year
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver up to Rs. 500 per month
- Welcome benefits worth Rs. 3,300
For similar cashback benefits on Amazon, you can consider Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card. Click on the ‘Similar Card’ tab to learn more.
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WHY WE LIKE IT
Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card is one of the best co-branded credit cards in India. It is best suited for people who are active users of Flipkart, Myntra, and 2GUD, as it gives 5% cashback every time you shop on the given platforms. Besides, 4% cashback on other merchants like MakeMyTrip, PVR, Uber, and Cure.fit can also be availed. So, basically, this card covers the three very popular categories – shopping, travel, and lifestyle. Similar cards like Amazon Pay and Paytm SBI Card offer great benefits on their own respective platforms and some partner merchants. However, the partner merchants on Flipkart Card are among the most popular ones in their categories (such as MakeMyTrip and Goibibo in travel), making the card more practical. Hence, if you are someone who is seeking a credit card for discounts and offers on online shopping across multiple categories, this is the card for you.
SIMILAR CARD
Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card
Annual Fee: Nil
- 5% cashback on Amazon for Prime Customers
- 3% cashback on Amazon for Non-Prime Customers
- 2% cashback on 100+ partner merchants
- 1% cashback on all other transactions
3. HSBC Cashback Credit Card
Best cashback credit card for all online spends
Annual Fee: Rs. 750
Minimum Income: Rs. 4 Lakh per annum
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 5% cashback on all online spends (excluding transfer to online wallets)
- 1% on all other spends
- No maximum cap on cashback
- Cashback is also earned on Instant EMI as long it is used at listed merchant
- The cashback earned is credited back within 45 days of card statement date
- Up to 15% discount at partner restaurants
WHY WE LIKE IT
HSBC Cashback Credit Card offers unlimited 1.5% cashback on online purchases and 1% cashback on all other purchases. Hence, the bigger your spendings, the bigger cashback you can fetch. This works very well for those who like to shop online but do not want to be limited to a particular website. Since the card rewards you for ‘online’ expenses, it covers almost all the popular categories such as travel, food, shopping, lifestyle, etc. as long as you pay for them online. 1% flat cashback on offline expenses is also a good deal but not a great one as other cards like Axis Ace and Flipkart Axis give you better rates at lower annual fee.
SIMILAR CARD
Standard Chartered DigiSmart Credit Card
Monthly Fee: Rs. 49
- 20% off on Myntra up to Rs. 700 per month
- 10% off on Grofers up to Rs. 1,000 per month
- 10% off on Zomato valid for 5 transactions of Rs. 150 each
- 15% cashback on Ola Cabs up to Rs. 600 per month
- Discount on travel and hotel booking on Yatra.com
- Buy One Get One offer on INOX Cinemas
4. HDFC Millennia Credit Card
Best cashback credit card with benefits across multiple categories
Annual Fee: Rs. 1,000
Minimum Income: Rs. 25,000 per month
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 5% cashback on Amazon and Flipkart
- 5% cashback on Flight & Hotel bookings on shopping via PayZapp and SmartBuy transactions
- 2.5% cashback on other online transactions of Rs. 2,000 or more
- 1% cashback on offline spends and wallet reloads
- Cashback will be earned in the form of Cash Points
- 8 free domestic lounge visits per year
WHY WE LIKE IT
HDFC Millenia is one of the credit cards that offer lucrative cashback on not just one, but multiple categories say online shopping, travel, wallet loading, and other offline transactions. You will get 5% cashback on popular websites like Amazon and Flipkart. And if you make travel bookings or purchases via HDFC SmartBuy or PayZapp, you will get 5% cashback. You will even get cashback on EMIs and wallet loading with this card, which is not so common among cashback credit cards. At an annual fee of Rs.1000, the multi-faceted features that this card offers is a pretty good deal for cashback & discount seekers. The only drawback of this card is that cashback is offered only if you exceed a pre-set transaction amount on that particular category. For example, on making a transaction worth a minimum of Rs.2000, you will get 5% cashback on Amazon and Flipkart. So, this card will be the perfect choice for those who usually make high-spending on the card.
SIMILAR CARD
Axis Bank Buzz Credit Card
Annual Fee: Rs. 750
- 10% instant discount on Flipkart from 1st to 5th of each month
- 5% instant discount on Flipkart from 6th to 31st of each month
- 2 Axis EDGE REWARD Points per Rs. 200
- 6 Axis EDGE REWARD Points per Rs. 200 spent on online shopping
- Flipkart Vouchers up to Rs. 2,500 as milestone benefit
- Minimum 15% discount at partner restaurants
5. Citi Cashback Credit Card
Best cashback credit card for movies and utilities
Annual Fee: Rs. 500
Minimum Income: Rs. 25,000 per month
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 5% cashback on movie tickets, telephone and other utility bill payments
- 0.5% cashback across all other categories
- 15% discount at partner restaurants of Citibank
- Convert high-ticket purchases into easy EMIs
WHY WE LIKE IT
Citi Cashback Credit Card is one of the oldest cashback credit cards in India designed to provide exclusive cashback on online as well as offline transactions. It offers 5% cashback on movie tickets, telephone and other utility payments and 0.5% cashback on all other spends. Having a low annual fee and no joining fee, CITI Cashback Credit Card is one of the most convenient options for individuals in the medium spending category. However, the basic rate of cashback stands too low at 0.5% when you compare it with newer cards like Axis Ace and Amazon Pay ICICI Card. You can get this card if you are specifically looking for a Citibank credit card otherwise there are other entry-level cashback cards that you can consider.
SIMILAR CARD
SBI Card PRIME
Annual Fee: Rs. 2,999
- 20 reward points per Rs. 100 for Utility Bill Payment through standing instruction
- 10 reward points per Rs. 100 on movies, dining, groceries and departmental store purchases
- Trident Privilege Red Tier Membership
- Club Vistara Silver Membership with 1 free lounge visit and 1 upgrade voucher
- Priority Pass Membership with 4 free visits to international lounges
SBI Card PRIME would find a better place in the list of best rewards credit cards in India.
6. Standard Chartered Manhattan Platinum Credit Card
Best cashback credit card for supermarket spends
Annual Fee: Rs. 999
Minimum Income: Rs. 90,000 per month
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 5% cashback when shopping at supermarkets
- 3X reward points for all other expenses
- 25% off on INOX movie tickets and food & beverages
- 10% cashback on Ola Cabs, up to 12% discount at Hotels.com and 20% off at Millennium Hotels
- BookMyShow vouchers worth Rs. 2,000 as activation benefit
WHY WE LIKE IT
Standard Chartered Manhattan Platinum Credit Card thrives to offer everyday cashback and entertainment benefits to its users. This card is good for those who make big purchases at supermarkets, as there is no maximum cap on the amount of cashback. Other transactions are also rewarded with 3X points. Additionally, up to 15% cashback on travel and 25% off on movie tickets can be availed with this card. The multi-faceted offers on movies, dining and travel indeed make this credit card worth the annual fee of Rs.999, as compared to other cards that come with fewer benefits. Though the card offers cashback on only one specific category, it still rewards you for other expenses which is good. However, for someone looking only for cashback across all categories, this card may not be the perfect choice.
SIMILAR CARD
Kotak Essentia Platinum Credit Card
Annual Fee: Rs. 749
- 10 Saving Points per Rs. 100 on departmental and grocery transactions
- 1 Saving Point per Rs. 250 spent on other categories
- Redeem Saving Points for statement cash
- Get up to 6 PVR Tickets every 6 months
7. Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium Credit Card
Best cashback credit card for fuel and utilities
Annual Fee: Rs. 250
Minimum Income: Rs. 55,000 per month
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 5% cashback on fuel, phone and utility bills up to a maximum of Rs. 200 per month
- 1 reward point for every Rs. 150 spent
- 100% cashback, up to Rs.1,500 on the fuel spends in the first 90 days as welcome gift
- Renewal fee waiver on spending Rs. 90,000 in a year
WHY WE LIKE IT
Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium Credit Card is one of very few non-branded fuel credit cards in India. The card offers 5% cashback on fuel spent. At this fee range, the reward rate on the credit card is 1 Reward Point per Rs. 150 spent and it gives 5X reward points for overseas point-of-sale spend, which is satisfactory but the base rate could have been better. Like the Manhattan Card, this one also offers cashback on only one spending category i.e. fuel but still rewards other expenses. You should get this card if you want fuel benefits not limited to any particular brand.
SIMILAR CARD
SBI BPCL Credit Card
Annual Fee: Rs. 499
- 4.25% value back (13X reward points equivalent to 3.25% + 1% Fuel surcharge waiver) at BPCL Petrol Pumps
- 5X reward points on groceries, dining, movies and departmental store spend
- 5X reward points per Rs. 100 spent on standing instructions of utility bill payments
- 2,000 activation bonus reward points worth Rs. 500
8. Paytm SBI SELECT Credit Card
Best cashback credit card for Travel and Shopping
Annual Fee: Rs.1,499
Minimum Income: Communicated at the time of application
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 5% cashback on Paytm Mall, Movies and Travel
- 2% cashback on other purchases via Paytm App
- 1% cashback on any other spends on offline and online stores
- Complimentary Paytm Membership worth Rs.750
- 4 complimentary lounge access in 1 year
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India
WHY WE LIKE IT
Paytm SBI Select Credit Card holds great value for Paytm users not only in the form of cashback across different categories but also in the form of Paytm First Membership. It offers instant cashback and more savings upon using the cards on Paytm Mall and other offline/online platforms. Users of Paytm SBI Select card can fetch up to 5% cashback exclusively for booking travel or movie tickets, the minimum cashback offered is 1% on all other transactions done on offline and/or online platforms. Though the card is also available in a regular variant, we would suggest the ‘Select’ variant (if you are eligible) as it gives higher cashback on Paytm purchases The base rate, however, is the same with both cards.
Read More About: Paytm SBI Card SELECT
SIMILAR CARD
Paytm SBI Credit Card
Annual Fee: Rs. 499
- Up to 3% Cashback on Paytm Mall, Movies, and Travel
- Up to 2% cashback on all other spends via Paytm App
- Up to 1% cashback on all other spends
- Rs. 2,000 gift voucher on achieving Annual Retail spend of Rs. 4 Lakhs
- Rs. 4,000 gift voucher on achieving Annual Retail spend of Rs. 6 Lakhs
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver on every transaction
- Insurance cover of Rs.1,00,000 for financial loss due to fraudulent usage of a credit card
Read more about Paytm SBI Card
9. YES Prosperity Cashback Plus Credit Card
Best cashback credit card for all your Bill Payments
Annual Fee: Rs.1,499 + Taxes
Minimum Income: Rs.25,000 per month
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 5% cashback on Movie ticket bookings
- 5% cashback on grocery shopping
- 0.75% cashback on all other retail spends
- 5% cashback on bill payments via YES PayNow
- Welcome cashback of Rs.250 on spends of Rs.2500
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India
- Discounts and cashback on travel, dining, shopping, etc. under YES Privileges
WHY WE LIKE IT
YES Prosperity Cashback Credit Card offers 5% cashback on bills including rent payments, mobile recharge, telephone bill payment, gas and electricity bill payment via YES Bank’s PayNow service. Besides, there is 5% cashback on groceries. These two categories are quite sensible for a larger customer segment as utilities and groceries are non-discretionary expenses and getting such generous rewards for these categories is actually quite beneficial. .
Another card with similar benefits is Axis Ace and it comes with a higher universal cashback rate of 2%, thus beating YES Prosperity Cashback. However, if you are not eligible for Axis Bank Ace Credit Card but specifically looking for a card that rewards you for heavy utility bill payments every month, YES Prosperity Cashback can be a great alternative. Its cashback rate for utility bills and groceries is the same as Axis Ace (5%). The platforms, however, are different.
Read More About: YES Prosperity Cashback Plus Credit Card
SIMILAR CARD
Paytm SBI Credit Card
Annual Fee: Rs. 499
- Up to 3% Cashback on Paytm Mall, Movies, and Travel
- Up to 2% cashback on all other spends via Paytm App
- Up to 1% cashback on all other spends
- Rs. 2,000 gift voucher on achieving Annual Retail spend of Rs. 4 Lakhs
- Rs. 4,000 gift voucher on achieving Annual Retail spend of Rs. 6 Lakhs
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver on every transaction
- Insurance cover of Rs.1,00,000 for financial loss due to fraudulent usage of a credit card
Read more about Paytm SBI Card
10. Kotak Delight Platinum Credit Card
Best cashback credit card for dining and movies
Annual Fee: Rs. 299
Minimum Income: Communicated at the time of application
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
- 10% cashback on dining and movies on spending Rs. 10,000 or more in a month on categories other than these two
- Maximum monthly cashback is capped at Rs. 600 for each category
- 4 free PVR tickets or Rs. 750 cashback on spending Rs. 1.25 Lakh in 6 months
- Railway surcharge waiver of Rs. 500 annually
Best Cashback Credit Cards in India 2021- Summary
Credit Card | Best Suited For | Key Feature |
Axis Bank ACE Credit Card | Utilities and Food Orders | 5% cashback on bill pay and recharge via Google Pay |
Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card | Co-branded Benefits | 5% cashback on Flipkart, Myntra and 2GUD |
HSBC Cashback Credit Card | Online Shopping | 5% cashback on all online spends* |
HDFC Millennia Credit Card | Overall Cashback Benefit | 5% cashback on Amazon and Flipkart; 1% cashback on offline spends and wallet reloads |
Citi Cashback Credit Card | Movies and Utilities | 5% cashback on movie tickets, telephone and other utility bill payments |
Standard Chartered Manhattan Platinum Credit Card | Supermarket Spends | 5% cashback when shopping at supermarkets |
Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium Credit Card | Fuel and Utilities | 5% cashback on fuel, phone and utility bills* |
Kotak Delight Platinum Credit Card | Dining and Movies | 10% cashback on dining and movies* |
*Terms and Conditions Apply.
WHY WE LIKE IT
Kotak Delight Platinum Credit Card is a great option for frequent diners and movie enthusiasts as it offers a top-class 10% cashback on dining and movie tickets. As an anniversary bonus, this card provides Rs.750 cashback or 4 free PVR tickets on spending Rs. 1.25 lakhs in 6 months. Moreover, it also provides benefits on online food delivery orders made via Swiggy and Zomato. The biggest deal-breaker with this card is that during the same payment period, you have to spend Rs.10,000 a month on categories other than restaurant and entertainment to get the 10 percent cashback.
SIMILAR CARD
RBL Bank Edition Classic Credit Card
Annual Fee: Rs. 500
- Complimentary Zomato Gold Membership for one year with automatic renewal
- 5 Edition Cash on every Rs. 100 spent on dining
- 5 Edition Cash on every Rs. 100 spent online and 1 Edition Cash on all other spends
- 1 Edition Cash = Re. 1
- Use Edition Cash directly through Zomato
You are FEW CLICKS AWAY from getting the RIGHT CARD
How we picked these cashback credit cards?
The main criterion for us has been the value back that each of these cards offer. We have also covered different spending categories from supermarket spends, fuel and groceries to those with comprehensive cashback benefits across multiple categories. Most of the cards in our list are from ‘low to moderate’ fee range and thus suited to the needs of many. You can read our reviews of the listed cards to get an unbiased opinion on each of them.
How to choose the right cashback credit card?
The choice of right cashback credit card depends on how you plan to use the card. Since credit card benefits are usually inclined towards one or two specific categories, understanding your need is very important while choosing any type of card. For example, if you plan to use the card mainly for groceries, the Standard Chartered Manhattan Platinum Credit Card would be good for you. However, if you wish to be rewarded for fuel expenses, their Super Value Titanium Credit Card would be better.
Once you have narrowed down your options, you should compare the cards on the basis of annual fee, cashback rate, bonus categories, etc.
Not sure about going for a Cashback Credit Card? Have a look at the best credit cards for different needs:
Which is better- cashback or rewards?
The idea behind cashback and rewards is the same- they are simply an incentive for using your card. While cashback is simple to understand and manage, reward points are a bit complicated because of the extra step of first accumulating them and then redeeming at a later stage. Some cards allow you to convert the reward points into cash but the rate may not be the same. At the same time, there are rewards credit cards that allow conversion into miles which could be better than cashback, especially if you travel often. So, you must make a choice depending on your needs.
Is a cashback credit card worth it?
Any credit card would be worth only if you manage to get benefits at least equivalent to the annual fee charged. Most cashback cards charge low annual fee so it is likely that you would be able to make the most of it even if you do not put every expense on the card. However, you should always pay your bills on time so that the extra charges do not eat into your benefits.
How to maximize cashback on your card?
The easiest way to maximize the benefits on your cashback credit card is to use it for the bonus category of expenses. For example, if your cashback credit card offers fuel benefits, you must put your fuel expenses on this card to make the most of it.
I already have a rewards credit card. Should I get a cashback card too?
You should consider getting a cashback credit card if your rewards card does not cover a particular spending category. Even if you are happy with your rewards credit card, getting a low or no annual fee cashback credit card does not hurt.
Is 2% cash back good?
Yes. This is because rewards may look like a lot but their actual value back is low. Mostly, the monetary value of 1 reward point ranges from Re. 0.25 to Re. 0.50. But when you get real and direct cashback, even 2% is better.