If you are looking for a card that offers good value for a reasonable fee, you have many entry-level credit card options. These cards are best suited for beginners who have just started with their career/credit journey and would like to build credit and avail benefits at the same time. The minimum income requirement on these cards usually ranges from 25,000 to 35,000 per month. Here we have listed the best entry-level credit cards in India offering varied benefits to the users.
Best Entry Level Credit Cards in India 2021
| Credit Card | Annual Fee | Card Category | Best Benefits on |
| Axis Ace Credit Card | Rs. 499 | Cashback | Google Pay, Swiggy, Zomato, Grofers, BigBasket and Ola |
| Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card | Rs. 500 | Cashback | Flipkart, Myntra, 2GUD, MMT, Goibobo, Uber and PVR |
| Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card | Nil | Cashback | Amazon and its partner merchants |
| Indian Oil Citibank Credit Card | RS. 1,000 | Fuel | Indian Oil |
| SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card | Rs. 499 | Shopping | Amazon, BookMyShow, Cleartrip, Lenskart and Netmeds |
| Citi PremierMiles Credit Card | Rs. 3,000 | Travel | Not specific |
| YES Prosperity Rewards Plus | Rs. 499 | Reward Points | Not specific |
| HDFC Platinum Times Credit Card | Rs. 1,000 | Movies and Dining | BookMyShow |
Axis Ace Credit Card: Great Value Back on All Spends; Low on Travel Benefits
Annual Fee: Rs. 499
Minimum Income: Communicated at the time of application
Axis Ace is one of the best entry-level credit cards in the market offering the highest default cashback rate of 2% on all* transactions. Its 5% uncapped cashback on all utility bill payments on Google Pay is also a generous offer. So, if you pay electricity bill of Rs. 5,000, you get a cashback of Rs. 250. Most of us pay huge amounts in utility bills and getting such a generous cashback on these essential payments is truly a good deal. The two main reasons why it is on top of our list is its generous rate and a simple cashback model. Comparing with other cashback cards like HDFC Millennia and HSBC Cashback, the earnings are much higher with Axis Ace Credit Card.
| Should you get this card? You must consider Axis Ace, especially if you are looking for good value back across all your spends instead of focusing on a particular category like travel, shopping or fuel. Moreover, the card has a simple cashback system and the amount is automatically credited to your card account in each billing cycle. A lot of people look for simple benefits like these instead of a reward earning and redemption model and this is an additional advantage with Axis Ace Card. |
Key Features of Axis Ace Credit Card:
- 5% cashback on utility bill payments like electricity, gas and internet on Google Pay
- 5% cashback on Grofers and Bigbasket (Till 28th Feb 2021)
- 4% cashback on Zomato, Swiggy and Ola
- 2% cashback on all other spends
- 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits in a year
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 4,000 (max. 500 waiver in a month)
*Fuel transactions, e-wallet loading, EMI transactions and cash advances are not eligible for the cashback benefit.
Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card: Good Cashback on Shopping & Travel (Only at Flipkart and its Partner Merchants)
Annual Fee: Rs. 500
Minimum Income: Communicated at the time of application
One of the key highlights of this Axis Bank credit card is its default cashback rate of 1.5%, which happens to be the second-highest in the market. This means that even on an offline purchase of Rs. 3,000, you will get Rs. 45 as cashback.
Moreover, the card substantially rewards you for your shopping and travel expenses offering 5% cashback on Flipkart, Myntra and 2GUD and 4% cashback on MakeMyTrip, Goibibo and Uber. Though limited to certain platforms, this is a substantial cashback rate for an entry-level card, not common among cards in this fee range. Also, since Flipkart does not have a wallet system like Amazon, the cashback is directly credited to your card account, making the cashback model simpler.
| Should you get this card? Flipkart Axis Bank Card will be the best choice for someone who shops a lot on Flipkart, Myntra and other partner merchants. Unlike Axis Ace card that offers no additional benefits on travel, the Flipkart card takes care of your travel needs as well. In addition to this, the 1.5% cashback across all other spends is a really good deal if you can make the most of the other benefits on this card. However, if you are not sure whether you would be able to avail the benefits on Flipkart, MMT, Myntra, etc., Axis Ace card could be a better choice for you owing to its higher default cashback rate. |
Key Features of Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card:
- Welcome benefit worth Rs. 2,900 in the form of coupons
- 5% cashback on Flipkart, Myntra and 2GUD
- 4% cashback on MakeMyTrip, Uber, PVR, Goibibo and Curefit
- 5% cashback across all other categories
- 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits in a year
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 4,000 (max. Rs. 500 waiver in a month)
Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card: Good for Amazon Loyalists, Low Default Cashback Rate
Annual Fee: Nil
Minimum Income for ICICI Bank Customers: 25,000 p.m.
Minimum Income for Others: 35,000 p.m.
Amazon Pay ICICI card was among the first cards launched with a major e-commerce brand. Though the card’s universal cashback rate is comparatively low at just 1%, it still offers good value back for Amazon Loyalists, especially PRIME Customers. Since Amazon Pay has 100+ merchants listed on it, the 2% cashback is also quite a decent deal. However, the cashback is not credited to your Amazon Pay Balance and not to your card account restricting the usage only through the platform.
| Should you get this card? You should consider getting Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card if you make frequent purchases on Amazon whether they are big purchases or regular essentials, as such transactions are generously rewarded. And it is a good idea to take PRIME membership if you don’t already have one, as PRIME members get 2% higher cashback on Amazon purchases. Even if you do not make payments like utility or phone bills via Amazon Pay Balance, you should start doing so when you get this card in order to make the most of its features. |
Key Features of Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card:
- 5% cashback on Amazon purchases for PRIME customers
- 3% cashback on Amazon purchases for Non-PRIME customers
- 2% cashback on 100+ partner merchants when using Amazon Pay as payment method and using this card
- 1% cashback on all other expenses
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel station
Indian Oil Citibank Credit Card: Best Fuel Credit Card for Indian Oil Loyalists
Annual Fee: Rs. 1,000
Minimum Income for ICICI Bank Customers: 25,000 p.m.
For a long time, IOC Citi Platinum Card has been one of the best fuel credit cards in India. Though the extra benefits are limited to Indian Oil Fuel Stations, the card allows you to earn rewards across all categories, which can be redeemed for fuel. Extra rewards are also offered on groceries and supermarket spends which are very practical categories for everyone. Rewards are earned as Turbo Points which never expire so you can earn and redeem at your own pace.
| Should you get this card? Most of the fuel credit cards in India are co-branded with popular fuel stations. These include BPCL SBI Card Octane and ICICI HPCL Credit Card. So, whether you should choose Indian Oil Citi Platinum Card depends on how loyal you are to Indian Oil outlets. Also, if you do not have any preference with respect to fuel stations, this card can be a good addition to your wallet. The minimum income requirement also stands quite reasonable at Rs. 25,000 per month, making it a good entry-level card. |
Key Features of Indian Oil Citi Platinum Credit Card:
- 4 Turbo Points per Rs. 150 spent on fuel purchases at authorized Indian Oil retail outlets
- 2 Turbo Points per Rs.150 for grocery and supermarkets spends
- 1 Turbo Point per Rs. 150 spent on all other spends
- Turbo Points can be redeemed at Indian Oil Petrol Pumps
- 1 Turbo Point = Re. 1 of Free Fuel
- Turbo Points never expire
- Full waiver of the fuel surcharge* (1%) on fuel purchases
SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card: Good for Online Shoppers; Extra Rewards with Partner Websites
Annual Fee: Rs. 499
Minimum Income for ICICI Bank Customers: 20,000 p.m.
The rewards programme of SBI SimplyCLICK is designed around online purchases with extra benefits on shopping with their exclusive partner brands. Though its basic reward rate of 1% stands lower than the MoneyBack card, 5% rewards across all online shopping is clearly a better deal. With exclusive partners including Amazon / BookMyShow / Cleartrip / Lenskart / Netmeds, you will get 10% rewards. The annual fee of this card is only Rs. 499 but the waiver condition is at 1 Lakh per annum. For this fee range, this spending milestone is high.
SBI Card does not offer credit cards to those who are new to credit so you would not be able to start your credit journey with SimplyCLICK. However, if you already have a basic credit card, this one could be a good second card to have, especially if you are a frequent online shopper. You can also consider SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card if your focus is on earning extra rewards mainly on offline expenses.
- Get Amazon gift card worth Rs. 500 as joining benefits
- Get e-voucher worth Rs. 2,000 each on reaching annual spends of Rs. 1 Lakh and Rs. 2 Lakh
- Earn 1 Reward Point for every Rs. 100 spent on the card
- Accelerate your rewards 5-times when shopping online
- Earn 10-times more rewards when shopping online with partners like BookMyShow, Amazon, UrbanClap, FoodPanda and Lenskart
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver for transactions worth Rs. 500 to Rs. 3,000
- Spend Rs. 1 Lakh in a year and get the annual fee reversed
Citi PremierMiles Credit Card: Good on Air Miles, Falls Short on Overall Benefits
Annual Fee: Rs. 3,000
Minimum Income: Rs. 25,000 p.m.
This Citibank credit card has continued to be one of the best travel credit cards in India for years because of its great air miles program and the feature to transfer the miles to a number of airlines and hotel chains. The general air mile earning rate is 4%, which is better than many other air mile cards like HDFC Diners Clubmiles and Axis Vistara Signature Credit Card. However, the redemption rate of these air miles could have been better. Currently, Miles to Air Miles transfer rate is 2:1 so for 2 miles earned on your card, you get 1 Air Mile with an airline of your choice. All-in-all, PremierMiles is still a good pick if you are looking for a simple and rewarding air miles program. Also, since the miles never expire, you can choose to accumulate miles and redeem at your own pace.
| Should you get this card? You should consider getting Citi PremierMiles credit card if you frequently travel via flight and would like to be rewarded for the same. Ultimately, with your savings (air miles), you will be able to get a significant discount on your next trip or even get one for free. However, the card still falls short on some other travel benefits such as lounge access, memberships, etc. So, if you are specifically looking for air miles to weigh over all of these, PremierMiles is the card for you. |
Key Features of Citi PremierMiles Credit Card:
- Earn 4 miles for every Rs. 100 spent
- Get 10,000 bonus miles on activation and 3,000 miles on renewal
- Earned air miles never expire
- Travel and Lifestyle Concierge Service from Visa/Mastercard
YES Prosperity Rewards Plus: High Reward Rate; Good for Groceries
Annual Fee: Rs. 499
Minimum Income: Rs. 25,000 p.m.
When it comes to reward points, this YES Bank credit card is a great option for those earning Rs. 25,000 or more in a month. The card offers extra rewards on groceries and supermarket spends which are among the most common spends for a larger segment. All other categories get 4 points for every Rs. 200 spent which is also quite generous for this fee range. Though reward points can be converted into air miles (only Intermiles and Club Vistara), the conversion ratio stands too low at 8:1.
| Should you get this card? The card is best suited for people who want to get a low-fee high-rewards card. The base rate is better than most cards and hence it makes sense for everyone. Also, if you wish to get value back for your indispensable expenses like groceries and supermarket spends, this card will help you save big. However, if rewards are not your thing and you would prefer getting direct cashback, you should probably look for cashback credit cards like Axis Bank Ace or Amazon Pay ICICI Card. |
Key Highlights of YES Prosperity Rewards Plus Card:
- 6 reward points per Rs. 200 on groceries and supermarket spends
- 4 reward points per Rs. 200 on all other spends
- Redeem rewards against items from rewards catalogue and air miles (Intermiles or Club Vistara)
- 12,000 bonus reward points on spending Rs. 3.6 Lakh in a year
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver across all fuel stations
HDFC Platinum Times Credit Card: Movie Credit Card for Beginners
Annual Fee: Rs. 1,000
Minimum Income: Rs. 30,000 p.m.
This is a popular entry-level card by HDFC Bank, mainly focused on movies and dining. You will get 25% off on booking movie tickets on BookMyShow which is a really good deal if you are a frequent movie watcher. Your dining expenses during weekdays earn 10 reward points for every Rs. 150 spent as opposed to the general reward rate of 3 points per Rs. 150. HDFC Times Platinum is quite a simple card with straightforward benefits.
| Should you get this card? You should consider getting this card if your focus is on movies and dining. Other expenses will also earn you 1.33% rewards, which is not a bad deal for cards in this fee range. |
Key Highlights of HDFC Platinum Times Credit Card:
- Welcome vouchers from shopping, apparel, dining, and other categories
- 25% off on movie ticket booking on BookMyShow
- Earn 3 Reward Points per Rs. 150 spent
- Earn 10 Reward Points per Rs. 150 spent on dining during weekdays
- Get annual fee waived off on spending Rs. 2.5 Lakh in the previous year
More Cards to Consider for Income above Rs. 25,000 p.m.
In addition to the 7 best credit cards shown above, you can also consider the following cards that match your income requirement.
| Credit Card | Annual Fee | Minimum Monthly Income | Best Suited For |
| HSBC Cashback Credit Card | Rs. 750 | Rs. 33,333 | Online Shopping |
| HDFC Diners Clubmiles | Rs. 1,000 | Rs. 30,000 | Air Miles |
| RBL World Safari | Rs. 3,000 | Rs. 25,000 | International Travel |
| YES Prosperity Rewards Credit Card | Rs. 299 | Rs. 25,000 | Reward Points |
| Standard Chartered Digismart Credit Card | Rs. 49 per month | Rs. 50,000 | Shopping |
Related Read: Credit Cards for income below Rs. 25,000