Types of Credit Cards and Which One Should You Go For

There are various credit cards divided across different categories in India. The very first step involves choosing the right credit card for yourself. The types of credit card vary from low Annual Fee or the one with lot of benefits. So if you are looking for a credit card and confused which one would be ideal for you, here is a list of various types of credit cards in India and which one you can consider to apply for.

1. Cashback Credit Cards

Cashback Credit Cards
HDFC Moneyback	HSBC Visa Platinum
Annual Fee : Rs.500 + applicable taxes	Annual Fee: Nil
Reward Points: 2x reward points on online spends and 2 reward points for every Rs.150 spent.	Reward Points: 2 Reward Points for every Rs.150 spent along with 5x accelerated rewards.
Key Benefit: Gift voucher worth Rs.500 on every retail purchase.	Key Benefit: Get up to Rs.2,000 cashback on spending Rs.10,000 or more within 3 months of card issuance.

HDFC Moneyback Credit Card

• Fuel Surcharge Waiver of 1% on transactions above Rs.400
• 50 Interest-Free days from the date of purchasing the card
• Welcome Gift of Rs.500 on making purchases of Rs.50,000 in every quarter

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card

• Lost card liability if your card is lost or stolen
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver for transactions between Rs.400 to Rs.4000
• Quick EMI facility on spending Rs.2000

2. Reward Points Credit Cards

Reward Points Credit Cards
HSBC Smart Value	American Express Membership Rewards
Annual Fee : Rs.499	Annual Fee: Rs.1,000 plus applicable taxes
Reward Points: Earn 1 reward Point for every Rs.100 spent along with 3x accelerated reward points on dining and shopping	Reward Points: Earn 1 Membership reward points on every Rs.50 spent along with 1000 bonus membership reward points on spending Rs.1000 or above
Key Benefit: Get swiggy voucher worth Rs.250 and Rs.2000 Cleartrip voucher as welcome gift	Key Benefit: Avail 4000 bonus membership reward points on every Rs.2000 spent within 60 days

HSBC Smart Value Credit Card 

• Earn 10% cashback on making minimum 5 transactions
• Annual Fee waiver on spending Rs.50,000
• Installments plan at 10.99% p.a. for EMI products purchased within 90 days of card issuance

American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card

• Bonus Reward Points on using the card 4 times in a month
• Convenience Fee waiver on transactions up to Rs.25,000
• Get travel voucher worth Rs.11,000 under Gold collection offer

3. Travel Credit Cards

Axis Vistara Signature Credit Card

• Complimentary Vistara Premium Economy Class ticket
• Get discounts at premium golf clubs
• 15% discount at more than 5000 restaurants

IRCTC SBI Credit Card

• Get 10% value back on AC1, AC2 and CC bookings
• Get Fuel Surcharge Waiver on spending between Rs.500 and Rs.3000
• Enjoy travel packages of wildlife tourism and other leisure tours

4. Credit Card for Beginners

HDFC Freedom Credit Card

• Get welcome benefit of 5000 reward points
• 250 as fuel surcharge waiver per statement cycle
• Annual Fee waiver on spending Rs.50,000 in a year

SBI SimplySave Credit Card

• Get welcome gift of Rs.100 as cashback on the first ATM cash withdrawal within 30 days
• Annual Fee Reversal on spending Rs.90,000 or more in the year
• 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions worth Rs.500 and Rs.3000

5. Credit Cards for Retail Shopping

Credit Cards for Retail Shopping
Citi Cashback	Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium
Annual Fee : Rs.500	Annual Fee: Rs.750
Cashback: Cardholders can earn 5% cashback on utility bills.	Cashback: The customers can avail 5% cashback on fuel, phone and utility bills up to a maximum of Rs.200 per month (max of Rs. 100 per transaction).
Key Benefit:Cardholders can convert their big purchases into easy EMIs.	Key Benefit: Get 5% cashback on fuel

Citi Cashback Credit Card

• Get 15% dining discount across the partner restaurants
• Save benefits up to Rs.3300 in the first year
• The cashback earned is never expired with this credit card

Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium Credit Card

•  The customers can transfer balance up to Rs. 5,00,000 from other bank credit card  at low interest rate
• Earn 1 Reward Point for every Rs.150 spent
• Avail loan up to Rs. 7,50,000 with this credit card

 7. Airline Credit Cards

Standard Chartered Emirates World Credit Card

• Balance Transfer up to Rs.5,00,000 at low interest rates
• Complimentary Lounge Access to 25 domestic airport lounges
• Earn 6 Skyward miles on every Rs.150 spent on international transactions and 4 Skyward Miles on the same amount spent domestically

Air India SBI Platinum Credit Card

• Fuel Surcharge Waiver of 1% on amount ranging from Rs.500 and Rs.4000
• Convert big purchases into monthly installments
• Get 8 airport complimentary visits every year

8. Fuel Credit Cards

Fuel Credit Cards
BPCL SBI	ICICI Bank HPCL Coral
Annual Fee : Rs.499	Annual Fee: Nil
Reward Points: Earn 5X reward points when you shop for groceries at departmental stores, book movie tickets or dine out, 5X reward points per Rs. 100 spent on standing instructions of utility bill payments	Reward Points: Earn 2 PAYBACK points on every Rs.100 spent on retail purchases except fuel and redeem 2000 PAYBACK points for fuel worth Rs. 500
Key Benefit: Get 2,000 activation bonus reward points worth Rs. 500 on payment of joining fee	Key Benefit: The customers can enjoy 2.5% cashback and savings of 1% fuel surcharge on fuel purchases at HPCL pumps.

BPCL SBI Credit Card

• The users can avail 4.25 % value back (13X reward points equivalent to 3.25% + 1% Fuel surcharge waiver on every transaction of up to Rs. 4,000), at any BPCL petrol pump across the country.
• One can get a 4.25% value back (13X reward points on fuel purchases at BPCL petrol pumps, 3.25% + 1% fuel surcharge waiver on every transaction up to Rs.4,000
• One can convert his/her big-ticket purchases into easy EMIs using the Flexipay feature

ICICI Bank HPCL Coral Credit Card

•  Enjoy Rs. 100 discount on up to 2 movie tickets per month at BookMyShow
•  avail 15% discount on dining at over 800 restaurants via Culinary Treats program
• Reduce fuel bills with 2.5% cashback

8. Business Credit Cards

Business Credit Cards
YES Prosperity Business	YES First Business
Annual Fee : Rs.2500	Annual Fee: Rs.5000
Reward Points: Get 10,000 reward points on spending Rs.6 lakh annually	Reward Points: Earn 20,000 bonus reward points on spending Rs.12 lakh annually
Key Benefit: Cardholders earn 12,000 reward points on the first transaction within 30 days of card issuance	Key Benefit: Cardholders can earn 24,000 reward points on the first transaction within 30 days of card issuance

YES Prosperity First Business Credit Card

• Fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs.400 and Rs.5000
• Green Fee Waiver at selected Golf courses in India
• Air accident cover up to Rs.50 lakh

YES First Business Credit Card

• Fuel surcharge waiver on transactions between Rs.400 and Rs.5000
• Redeem the reward points against hotel and flight bookings
• Access to 3 domestic airport lounges and 6 international lounge access

9. Entertainment Credit Cards

RBL Platinum Maxima Credit Card

• Get complimentary airport lounge visits per quarter
• Internationally acceptable with 5x reward points on international transactions
• Earn 2 Reward Points on every Rs.100 spent

Kotak PVR Platinum Credit Card

• Set the desired spend limit on the Add-on credit card
• Shop anywhere with this credit card and get free PVR movie tickets
• Track your spends with all the Add-on credit cards