Best Lifetime Free Credit Cards in India

This is a co-branded credit card best suited to the needs of Amazon loyalists. You should consider getting this card if:

• You prefer online shopping than store purchases
• You are more frequent on Amazon than other online shopping platforms
• You are an Amazon Prime user
• You would want cashback instead of reward points

Even if you do not agree with the above statements, you can consider getting the Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card because it is free of cost. Even if you do not use the card, it will not harm your finances. In fact, the unused credit limit would work well for your credit score.

If you wish to get better benefits than the Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card and are ready to pay a small fee for it, Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card would be a good option. However, since this is also a co-branded card, you must choose it only if you are loyal to Flipkart.

How is this card better?

• Annual Fee: Rs. 500
• The card offers cashback not only on Flipkart but also on partner websites like Myntra and 2GUD
• The universal rate of cashback stands better at 1.5% as compared to the 1% rate on Amazon Pay credit card
• You get the cashback directly into the statement
• No need to take any memberships for earning extra rewards

Read Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card Review

This lifetime free credit card from HSBC Bank is suited for the heavy spenders across all categories. The card offers movie benefits but that is also available only on reaching the set milestone. You should consider this card if:

• You put most of the expenses on your credit card
• You would like to get benefits in the form of cashback and rewards both
• You wish to get movie benefits on the card
• You do not want to pay any annual fee

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card is a good option for movies only if you are sure of reaching the spend limit every month and availing that free movie ticket. If not, HDFC Times Credit Cards could stand as better alternatives.

HDFC Times Credit Cards are offered in two variants- Platinum and Titanium. The Platinum variant charges an annual fee of Rs. 1,000 while the Titanium variant charges only Rs. 500.

How are these cards better?

• 25% off on movie tickets on BookMyShow without any milestone condition
• 50% off on tickets booked via Sunset Cinema Club website
• Welcome benefits from EaseMyTrip, ZoomCar, Shoppers Stop, Firstcry and more
• 2 Reward Points per Rs. 150 on Titanium and 3 Points per Rs. 150 on Platinum
• Annual fee waiver condition has been set at only Rs. 1.5 Lakh for Titanium and Rs. 2.5 Lakh for Platinum Card

Read HDFC Times Credit Card Review

Kotak Aqua Gold Credit Card is a good option for those who wish to start their credit journey or want to improve a poor credit score. You should opt for this credit card if:

• You can afford to start a term deposit of above Rs. 25,000
• You want regular benefits on the card
• You can spend Rs. 1.5 Lakh in a year to avail the free PVR Tickets
• You wish to improve a bad credit score or build one
• You are not eligible for an unsecured credit card

Kotak Aqua Gold is a secured card and comes with regular benefits. If you wish to get some more privileges on PVR and dining, you can consider Kotak PVR Gold Credit Card.

How is this card better?

• Annual Fee: Rs. 499
• The Aqua Gold card only gives you 4 free PVR tickets in a year
• With Kotak PVR Gold Credit Card, you can get up to 2 free movie tickets per month on reaching the set spending milestone
• You get 15% cashback on F&B at PVR and 5% cashback on movie tickets booked at PVR Box Office
• There is no joining fee on the card

Bank of Baroda Prime is a secured credit card offered against fixed deposit of Rs. 15,000 and above. It is best suited for you if:

• You cannot get approved for an unsecured credit card
• You do not want to pay any annual fee or joining fee on the card
• You would prefer getting cashback for your spends
• You frequently make big-ticket purchase and want to pay back in EMIs

If it is about earning cashback for all your spends, you should go for Citi Cashback Credit Card.

How is this card better?

• Annual Fee: Rs. 500
• 5% cashback on telephone bill payment, utility bill payment and movies
• 5% cashback on all other spends
• Get cashback directly in the statement in multiples of Rs. 500

Read Citi Cashback Credit Card Review

Though this is a lifetime free credit card, it is not for everyone; only RBL Insignia Preferred Banking customers are eligible for this card. You can consider getting this card if:

• You are a Insignia Member of RBL Bank i.e. you maintain a monthly Total Relationship Value of Rs. 30 Lakh in Savings Account, Term Deposits and Investment or Rs. 10 Lakh in Current Account
• You need a premium credit card

Since RBL Insignia Preferred Banking World Credit Card is not for everyone, you can get similar benefits with HDFC Regalia First Credit Card.

• Annual Fee: Rs. 1,000
• Complimentary Priority Pass Membership for International Lounge Access
• Low Foreign Currency Mark-up Fee of only 2%
• 4 Reward Points per Rs. 100 spent
• Redeem Reward Points against Air Tickets and merchandise
• 1% Fuel Surcharge Waiver

Read Full Review of HDFC Regalia First Credit Card

Since this is a secured credit card, it is best suited for those who would like to invest in a fixed deposit and get a card against it. You can consider getting Axis Insta Easy Credit Card if:

• You can make a minimum deposit of Rs. 20,000
• You do not want to pay any annual fee on the card
• You want to get guaranteed approval
• You need no other category benefits on the card

Axis Insta Easy Credit Card is a very basic card with no benefits in any category of spending whatsoever. It does not even offer reward points for card usage. If you want a better secured credit card, you can go for SBI Card Unnati available for a fixed deposit of Rs. 25,000 and above.

How is this card better?

• The card is free for the first 4 years; after that Rs. 499 will be charged
• Earn 1 Reward Point per Rs. 100
• Redeem rewards against a wide array of gift vouchers and merchandise
• Spend Rs. 50,000 in a year and get Rs. 500 cashback every year
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver for transactions between Rs. 300 and Rs. 5,000 up to Rs. 100 per month

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The most important feature of Kotak Gold Fortune Credit Card is that it gives interest-free cash withdrawal facility. Only a few cards in the market come with this feature. You should get this card only if you need an extra cash in hand which you can easily withdraw from the ATM without the burden of paying hefty interest charges. The cash withdrawal limit is up to 50% of the total credit limit.

Kotak Fortune Gold is quite a basic credit card with the only feature of interest-free cash withdrawal and 4 free PVR tickets as milestone benefit. If you wish to get these two benefits, you can consider Bajaj Finserv Platinum Choice Supercard.

How is this card better?

• Annual Fee: Rs. 499
• Get 2,000 bonus reward points as welcome gift
• 10% discount on movie tickets booked on BookMyShow (up to Rs. 100)
• 1 reward point for every Rs. 100
• 2X rewards on online spends
• Spend Rs. 75,000 and get 5,000 bonus reward points