10 Different Types Of Credit Cards in India

To help you choose a card easily, we have classified credit cards into 10 broad categories as per the below details:

If you have never taken a loan and do not have a credit card, you may not be eligible for mid-range or premium cards due to limited credit history. This is where entry-level credit cards come in. They usually have easier eligibility criteria, low annual fees and may not require a credit score. Some of the key features and benefits of entry-level credit cards include:

• Easy eligibility criteria, making them suitable for first-time credit card users
• Low or no annual fees compared to premium credit cards
• May be available without a high or established credit score
• Offer basic rewards, cashback, discounts or other benefits on everyday spends
• Can help new-to-credit consumers establish a credit history through responsible usage

Popular Entry-level Credit Cards:

• YES BANK PaisaSave Credit Card
• Cashback SBI Card
• Axis Bank ACE Credit Card
• HDFC Millennia Credit Card
• FIRST Millennia Credit Card by IDFC FIRST Bank

Lifetime free credit cards are best suited for consumers who do not wish to pay any joining or annual fee. You can find free credit cards across different spending categories like travel, cashback, rewards are more. Some of the key features and benefits of lifetime free credit cards include:

• No joining fee or annual fee, reducing the overall cost of card ownership
• Available across categories such as cashback, rewards, travel and UPI
• Offer rewards or cashback on eligible everyday transactions
• Some cards provide additional benefits such as lounge access, discounts and milestone benefits

Popular Lifetime Free Credit Cards:

• Axis Neo Credit Card
• Federal Bank Scapia Credit Card
• CheQ AU Credit Card
• ixigo AU Credit Card
• FIRST Millennia Credit Card by IDFC FIRST Bank

If you frequently travel internationally or domestically or both, then you should consider applying for a travel credit card. These cards provide travel benefits, such as accelerated value-back on travel spends, complimentary lounge access and airport benefits, low foreign transaction fees, discount on airlines and hotel bookings and much more. Depending on the card, travellers can avail of a range of benefits, including:

• Complimentary domestic and/or international airport lounge access on eligible cards
• Accelerated rewards or cashback on travel-related spends and bookings
• Discounts or offers on flight, hotel and travel bookings
• Lower foreign currency transaction fees on selected premium travel cards
• May offer travel-focused benefits such as air miles, hotel privileges and travel insurance

Popular Travel Credit Cards:

• Axis Atlas Credit Card
• HSBC TravelOne Credit Card
• Axis Magnus for Burgundy Credit Card
• HDFC Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card
• Mayura Credit Card by IDFC FIRST Bank

Nowadays, several credit cards provide excellent value-back on online spends across e-commerce and quick commerce platforms, online food delivery, and other online spends. Some of these cards are co-branded with popular platforms like Flipkart, Swiggy and more. . Depending on the card and its partner platforms, consumers can benefit from features such as:

• Higher cashback or reward points on eligible online shopping transactions
• Additional value-back on popular categories such as food delivery, fashion and quick commerce
• Co-branded cards may offer exclusive discounts and benefits on partner platforms
• Suitable for consumers who make frequent online purchases
• May also offer rewards on offline and other everyday transactions

Popular Online Shopping Credit Cards:

• Cashback SBI Card
• HDFC Millennia Credit Card
• Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card
• HDFC MoneyBack+ Credit Card
• FIRST SWYP Credit Card by IDFC FIRST Bank

A number of travel credit cards are offered in collaboration with leading airlines like IndiGo, Etihad Airways, Singapore Airlines and more. These cards provide accelerated value-back in the form of loyalty points on making travel bookings with the associated platform along with other travel perks like lounge access, complimentary membership, etc. Depending on the airline and card variant, some of the key benefits include:

• Accelerated rewards or air miles on flight bookings with the associated airline
• Air miles or loyalty points can be redeemed for flights, upgrades or other eligible benefits
• Complimentary airport lounge access on select cards
• May provide complimentary or discounted airline loyalty programme membership
• Additional travel benefits such as priority services, discounts and milestone rewards may be available

Popular Airline Credit Cards:

• IndusInd Bank Avios Visa Infinite Credit Card
• IndiGo Kotak XL Credit Card
• Emirates Skywards ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card
• IndiGo IDFC FIRST Dual Credit Card
• BOBCARD Etihad Guest

Almost all leading credit card providers in India now offer several credit cards on the RuPay network. These cards can be linked with any UPI app like Google Pay, PhonePe and PayTM and used to make UPI payments by scanning a QR Code. This is especially helpful for consumers who spend a lot through UPI as they can earn rewards or cashback on everyday spends. Depending on the card, consumers can avail of the following benefits:

• Can be linked to supported UPI apps for making merchant payments
• Enable consumers to earn rewards or cashback on eligible UPI transactions
• Suitable for everyday UPI spends such as grocery, dining and other merchant payments
• May offer additional rewards across online and offline credit card transactions
• Available across multiple categories, including cashback, rewards, fuel and lifestyle cards

Popular RuPay Credit Cards:

• Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank Credit Card
• HDFC MoneyBack+ Credit Card
• Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card
• YES BANK PaisaSave Credit Card
• FIRST Digital Credit Card by IDFC FIRST Bank

Unlike rewards credit cards that offer value-back in the form of reward points, cashback credit cards provide direct cash credit into the statement. This makes them suitable for consumers who do not want the hassle of earning and redeeming reward points. Among these, some are co-branded with popular platforms whereas other offer higher value-back on certain spending categories. Some of the key benefits that make cashback credit cards suitable for everyday spending are:

• Provide cashback directly as a statement credit, depending on the card's terms
• Higher cashback rates may be offered on select spending categories
• Some co-branded cards offer enhanced cashback on partner platforms
• Simplify the redemption process as cashback does not generally require reward-point redemption
• May also provide additional discounts, rewards or lifestyle benefits

Popular Cashback Credit Cards:

• YES BANK PaisaSave Credit Card
• Cashback SBI Card
• HDFC Millennia Credit Card
• Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card
• Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank Credit Card

Fuel credit cards, co-branded with refineries like IOCL, HPCL and BPCL, allow the cardholders to save a significant amount on their fuel spends. The returns come in the form of accelerated reward points which can later be utilized for fuel purchases and fuel surcharge waiver and participating fuel stations. Some of these cards also provide additional benefits on categories like groceries and utility bill payments. Key benefits offered by fuel credit cards include:

• Offer accelerated rewards or cashback on eligible fuel transactions
• Fuel surcharge waiver can help reduce the effective cost of fuel purchases
• Some cards offer higher rewards at partner fuel stations such as IOCL, BPCL or HPCL
• May provide additional rewards on groceries, utility bills and other everyday spends
• Suitable for consumers with regular fuel expenses and frequent vehicle usage

Popular Fuel Credit Cards:

• IndianOil RBL Bank XTRA Credit Card
• BPCL SBI Card Octane
• FIRST Power+ Credit Card by IDFC FIRST Bank
• ICICI HPCL Super Saver Credit Card
• IndianOil Axis Bank Credit Card

Entertainment credit cards are designed for consumers who frequently spend on movies, dining, events, OTT subscriptions and other lifestyle experiences. These cards offer benefits such as complimentary movie tickets, discounts on ticket bookings, dining privileges, cashback on entertainment spends and exclusive offers on partner platforms. Some of the benefits offered by entertainment credit cards include:

• Complimentary movie tickets or discounts on eligible movie bookings
• Offers and discounts on dining, events and other entertainment spends
• Cashback or accelerated rewards on select entertainment categories
• May provide benefits on OTT subscriptions and lifestyle platforms

Popular Entertainment Credit Cards:

• Axis Neo Credit Card
• PVR INOX Kotak Credit Card
• RBL Bank Play Credit Card
• Axis Bank MY ZONE EASY Credit Card
• FIRST Wealth Credit Card by IDFC FIRST Bank

Secured credit cards are issued against a fixed deposit (FD) and are ideal for first-time credit users or those looking to build or improve their credit profile. Since the credit limit is backed by the FD amount, these cards usually have relaxed eligibility criteria and can be obtained even without an established credit history. In addition to helping users build credit responsibly, many secured cards also offer rewards, cashback and other benefits on everyday spends. Some of the key benefits of secured credit cards include:

• Issued against a fixed deposit, making them accessible to consumers with limited or no credit history
• Usually have relaxed eligibility criteria compared to unsecured credit cards
• Credit limit is generally linked to the FD amount, subject to the issuer's terms
• Responsible usage and timely repayment can help establish or build a credit history
• Secured cards also offer rewards, cashback, UPI benefits or other features on everyday spends

Popular Secured Credit Cards:

• SBM Bank Paisabazaar Paisa+ Credit Card
• Utkarsh SuperCard RuPay Credit Card
• FIRST WOW! Black Credit Card by IDFC FIRST Bank
• SBM ZET Credit Card
• FIRST EARN Credit Card by IDFC FIRST Bank

There are numerous credit cards available in the market for every user. However, while choosing the right credit card, you must consider the below-mentioned things in order to maximize your benefits:

Identify your needs

Credit cards come under multiple categories, such as travel, shopping, dining and more. The best credit card for you would be the one that fulfills your needs. In order to find the best credit card, it is important to identify your needs and spending pattern. For example, if you frequently shop online, a credit card that offers discounts or cashback on online shopping would be a perfect choice for you.

Check for eligibility before applying

You might get attracted to rich rewards and perks offered by premium credit cards. However, there might be a possibility that you won’t be able to qualify for such credit cards. These premium credit cards are offered to people who have a good credit score and longer credit history. You should always start your credit journey with a basic credit card that comes with relaxed eligibility and is offered to people with low or no credit history. To do so, you have to research different credit cards available in the market that best match your needs.

Look for fees and charges before applying

Besides eligibility, you must look for interest rates, fees and charges associated with the credit card before you apply. There can be a variety of charges that are applicable to your card. The things you need to keep a check on include finance charges, joining fees, annual/ renewal fees, transfer fees, foreign transaction charges, etc. Considering these charges can help you find better options than others as per your repayment capacity.

Remember, there is a wide variety of credit cards available in India. It is up to you to make the right decision. Know your needs, do your research and then choose a card.