10 Best Zero Annual Fee Credit Cards in India for 2021

Paying a huge annual fee on your credit card is worth it only if you get substantial rewards in return. Otherwise, credit cards with no annual fee offer better value and more benefits in the long run. You can keep such credit cards active without incurring any extra cost. Also, if you do minimal spending on lifetime free credit cards, they can go a long way in improving your credit score as the credit utilization ratio will be lowered substantially.

Top Zero Annual Fee Credit Cards in India

Here is the list of best zero annual fee credit cards from the top bank in India-

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card

This is a zero annual fee credit card from HSBC and is loaded with numerous benefits, some of which are mentioned below-

• Get Rs. 2,000 voucher from Cleartrip on making your first successful transaction
• Get 10% cashback on transactions above Rs. 10,000 made within 90 days of card activation. Maximum cashback capped at Rs. 3,000
• Earn 2 reward points per Rs. 150 spent on the card; points valid for 3 years
• Enjoy 3X reward points on hotel, dining and telecom spends for the first 12 months
• Get 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions worth Rs. 400-4,000
• Avail up to 15% discount across partner restaurants in India
• Buy 1 movie ticket and get 1 free on BookMyShow

ICICI Platinum Chip Card – Visa

This is a lifetime free credit card from ICICI Bank. It is a contactless credit card and offers amazing benefits such as-

• Avail minimum 15% savings at over 800 restaurants under the Culinary Treats program of ICICI Bank
• Enjoy 1% fuel surcharge waiver at HPCL pumps for fuel transactions up to Rs. 4,000
• Earn 2 PAYBACK Points for every Rs. 100 spent on retail transactions except for fuel
• Redeem your accumulated reward points against a host of vouchers and products
• Get the convenience and safety of contactless cards

ICICI Bank Amazon Pay

ICICI Amazon Pay credit card is best for Amazon customers. This is a credit card with no annual fees or joining fees. Below mentioned are some features of this card-

• 5% cashback for Amazon Prime customers on shopping from Amazon
• 3% cashback for non-prime customers on shopping from Amazon
• 2% cashback on shopping at Amazon Pay partner merchants
• 1% cashback on other payments
• 15% discount on dining at select partner restaurants in India

Kotak Gold Fortune

This is a credit card with zero annual fee. Following are the unique features of the card-

• Fuel surcharge waiver on transactions made between Rs. 500 and Rs.3000
• Cash Withdrawal limit up to 50% of the credit limit
• 1 free Indigo ticket or 4 free PVR tickets on reaching the milestone program
• Insurance up to Rs.50,000 in case your card is lost or stolen

Axis Bank Insta Easy

This is lifetime free credit card by Axis Bank. Given below are the key features of the card-

• 1% fuel surcharge waiver on fuel purchases between Rs.400 and Rs.4,000
• 15% dining discount at select partner restaurants
• Earn eDGE loyalty points with Axis Insta Easy credit card
• 100% cash withdrawal facility from the first day

Best Annual Fee Waiver Credit Cards in India

Apart from the zero annual fee credit cards, here are some other credit cards that come with annual fee waiver that you can consider –

SBI SimplyClick

SBI Simplyclick is a good option for cardholders who like to shop online. The card comes with fee of Rs.499, which is waived off on spending Rs.1,00,000 in the previous year. Here are some other features-

• Get welcome e-gift card worth Rs.500 from Amazon
• Earn 5x reward points on all the online shopping
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver on fuel transaction between Rs.500 and Rs.3,000
• 10x reward points on shopping from Amazon, BookMyShow, Cleartrip, FoodPanda and Urbanclap

HDFC MoneyBack

HDFC MoneyBack is a beginner level credit card where you can earn cashback and reward points. The earned cashback can be utilized for online shopping.

• Earn 2 reward points on every Rs.150 spent
• Earn 2x reward points on the online shopping
• Get a gift voucher worth Rs.500 on making purchases of Rs.50,000 or more
• The annual fee is waived off on spending Rs.50,000 in an annual year

American Express Membership Rewards

American Express Membership Rewards is best suited for cardholders who are looking to earn reward points. Here are some other features of this credit card –

• Get 4,000 welcome bonus membership points on spending Rs.2000 in the first 60 days
• You will earn 1 membership point on every Rs.50 spent except for fuel, Insurance and utility bills
• Earn 1,000 bonus membership reward points on transacting Rs.1,000 or more 4 times in a month
• 0.3% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions more than Rs.25,000 or more
• 18 Karat and 24 Karat Gold collection offers including Taj and Tanishq Voucher

Citi Rewards Domestic

Citi Rewards Domestic comes with cashback and rewards on utility bills, travel benefits, air miles. On spending Rs.30,000 in a year, the annual fee of Rs.1,000 is waived off. Avail 5X Rewards on Rs.125 spent at Amazon India, Flipkart and Myntra.

• Earn 10 reward points for every Rs.125 spent on apparel and departmental stores
• Earn 1 reward point on every transaction of Rs.125 on all other categories
• 5X Rewards on Rs.125 spent at Amazon India, Flipkart and Myntra (Validity: 15th Feb’21 to 15th Aug’21). For net spends greater than INR 10,000 under this category, the customer will earn 1 reward point per INR 125 spent.
• 1500 reward points shall be awarded on the first spend within 30 days of card issuance. 1000 reward points shall be awarded on your first spend of INR 1000 within 60 days of card issuance
• Get up to 15% discount on select partner restaurants in India
• The reward points earned with Citi Rewards Domestic credit card never expire
• Get up to 15% cashback on duty-free shopping with Citi Credit cards issued in India

Looking for More Benefits on your Credit Card?

Zero annual fee credit cards typically don’t provide the benefits that cards with an annual fee and high income requirements can provide. Explore top cards in your income bracket.

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How to Apply for Zero Annual Fee Credit Card Online

If you want to opt for a zero annual fee lifetime free credit card in India online, follow these simple steps mentioned below:

• Click here to visit the Paisabazaar portal
• Fill a few details such as employment type, mobile number, monthly income, PIN code, etc. to view offers
• Select the zero annual fee credit card from the customised list and check your eligibility
• If eligible, you can apply for the card online by providing a few additional details
• The application gets approved in as less as one minute
• An executive will call you for documents pickup from your correspondence address
• Once the process is complete, a reference number is generated that can be used to track the status of your lifetime free credit card
• The card is generally delivered within 15 days from the approval of the credit card