HDFC Freedom Credit Card is one of the best-suited credit cards for first-time users. The card offers bonus reward points on groceries, movies, food orders and more. You can also convert your earned reward points against statement credit, which is a great feature if you want to avail cashback instead of rewards. Here are all the details regarding this credit card to help you decide whether this is a right choice for you or not.
50+ Credit Cards from Top Banks
Compare Best Offers
Completely Digital Process
Exclusive Pre-Approved Cards waiting for you
50+ Credit Cards from Top Banks
Compare Best Offers
Completely Digital Process
Error: Please enter a valid number
Which bank’s credit card are you using?
×Top Banks
All Banks
Key Highlights of HDFC Freedom Credit Card |
|
 |
|
| Best Suited for | Rewards |
| Joining Fee | Rs. 500 |
| Renewal Fee | Rs. 500 (Waived off on spending Rs. 50,000 in a year) |
| Minimum Income Requirement |
|
| Welcome Benefits | 500 CashPoints after the payment of joining fee |
| Best Feature | 10X CashPoints on transactions via Big Basket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy & Uber |
| Paisabazaar’s Rating | ★★★★ (4/5) |
Top HDFC Credit Cards in India | Check Eligibility for Top Cards
HDFC Freedom Credit Card offers decent reward points which you can later redeem through catalogue purchases or cashback. However, this credit card also offers other benefits like fuel surcharge waiver, dining discount, annual fee waiver and more. Below mentioned are some of the major HDFC Freedom Credit Card benefits:
You can earn up to 10X CashPoints via this credit card on select purchases. Here are the details regarding the same:
Points to be noted:
Click here for detailed terms and conditions.
Also read: Best Credit Cards for Reward Points
The reward rate offered on HDFC Freedom varies from 0.1% to 0.6% (depending on the category), which is very low as compared to other similar cards available in the market. Cards like HDFC MoneyBack+ or SBI Simply CLICK comes with a better reward rate. HDFC MoneyBack offers a reward rate of 0.3% to 3.33% and SBI Simply CLICK has a reward rate of 0.25% to 2.5%, which are better than the reward rate offered on HDFC Freedom. Overall, this credit card has a very low rewards structure when compared to other options at similar annual fee.
Exclusive Card Offers from India’s top banks are just a click away
Error: Please enter a valid number
You can redeem the earned CashPoints against a variety of categories like flight bookings, shopping, hotel bookings, products from rewards catalogue, against statement credit and much more. Below mentioned are the details regarding the same:
HDFC Freedom, HDFC MoneyBack+ and SBI Simply CLICK are reward credit cards that let you earn reward points on every transaction. However, HDFC MoneyBack+ and SBI Simply CLICK has a better redemption value as compared to HDFC MoneyBack+. Let’s take an example to understand which one is better for reward points:
| Category | Spends (in Rs.) | HDFC Freedom – Points | HDFC MoneyBack+ – Points | SBI Simply CLICK – Points |
| Swiggy | 5,000 | 33 | 666 | 250 |
| BookMyShow | 8,000 | 533 | 106 | 800 |
| EMI | 15,000 | 500 | 1,000 | 150 |
| Amazon | 10,000 | 66 | 1,333 | 500 |
| Apparel | 10,000 | 66 | 133 | 100 |
| Travel | 20,000 | 133 | 266 | 1,000 |
| BigBasket | 10,000 | 10 | 1,333 | 500 |
| Online Purchase | 15,000 | 100 | 200 | 750 |
| Offline Transaction | 20,000 | 133 | 266 | 200 |
| Total | 1,05,800 | 1,574 | 5,303 | 4,250 |
| Value in Rupees | 236 | 1,326 | 1,062 | |
Suggested read: HDFC Credit Card Reward Points Redemption
Apart from rewards, some of the other HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card benefits are mentioned below:
Welcome/ Renewal Benefit: 500 CashPoints after the payment of joining and renewal fee.
Annual Fee Waiver: Annual fee waiver on spending Rs. 50,000 in a year.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver on your transactions between Rs. 400 to Rs. 5,000. You can avail a maximum waiver of Rs. 250 in a statement cycle.
Low Interest Rate: The lower interest rate of 0.99% for the first 90 days on non-EMI spends from the card issuance date. This is not applicable on insta loan, insta jumbo loan, SmartEMI, EasyEMI, balance transfer or cash transactions.
Dining Discount: Up to 15% off at 2,000+ premium restaurants in selected cities with a Dineout membership.
Suggested read: Popular Credit Cards in India
HDFC Freedom Credit Card is one of the popular credit cards for reward points. This credit card lets you earn up to 10X reward points on your transactions at select merchants. One of the great features is that you can also earn reward points on your EMI spends, which is generally not provided on entry-level credit cards. Additionally, its relaxed eligibility criteria make it a suitable option for people who are new to credit.
However, this is a basic credit card that does not provide extensive benefits. The credit card has a very low reward rate as compared to other cards like HDFC MoneyBack+ and SBI Simply CLICK, which are offered at a similar annual fee. You can avail better reward benefits with these cards. You can consider this as an option if you are new to credit and looking for a basic rewards credit card.
| Pros | Cons |
|
|
| Planning to apply for this credit card? Read our detailed HDFC Freedom Credit Card review. |
The fees and charges associated with this credit card are mentioned in the table below:
| Type of Fee or Charge | Amount |
| Joining Fee | Rs. 500 |
| Annual/ Renewal Fee | Rs. 500 (Waived off on spending Rs. 50,000 in a year) |
| Finance Charges | 3.6% p.m. (43.2% p.a.) |
| Late Payment Charges | For Statement Balance:
|
Click here for other fees and charges.
To be eligible for HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card, you must meet the below-mentioned eligibility criteria:
| Criteria | Details |
| Occupation | Salaried or Self-employed |
| Age Requirement for Salaried Applicants | 21 to 60 years |
| Minimum Income for Salaried Applicants | Rs. 12,000 p.m. |
| Age Requirement for Self-employed Applicants | 21 to 65 years |
| Minimum Income for Self-employed Applicants | ITR> Rs. 6 lakh p.a. |
| Documents Required | Click here for the list of acceptable documents |
Read in detail: HDFC Credit Card Eligibility Criteria
Some of the other credit cards that offer benefits similar to HDFC Freedom Credit Card are mentioned in the table below:
| Credit Card | Annual Fee | Key Features |
| HDFC MoneyBack+ Credit Card | Rs. 500 | 10X CashPoints on Flipkart, Amazon, Swiggy, Reliance Smart SuperStore & BigBasket |
| SBI SimplyClick Credit Card | Rs. 499 | 10X reward points on online spends with partners (Amazon, BookMyShow, Lenskart, Apollo24X7, Netmeds, Cleartrip & Eazydiner) |
| HSBC Smart Value Credit Card | Rs. 499 | 1 reward point for every Rs. 100 spent and 3X accelerated reward points on online shopping, dining & telecom categories |
| American Express SmartEarn™ Credit Card | Rs. 495 | 10X Membership Rewards Points on every Rs. 50 spent on Flipkart, Amazon and Uber |
| Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards Credit Card | Rs. 250 | 5 reward points for every Rs.150 spent on dining, fuel and 1 reward point on other categories |
Q. How can I apply for HDFC Freedom Credit Card?
A. You can apply for this credit card online through the official website of the bank. All you need to do is open the page of this credit card and click on ‘Apply Now’ to fill out the application form. You can also apply offline for this credit card by visiting the nearest branch of the bank ad submitting a duly-filled application form.
Q. How can I redeem my HDFC Freedom Credit Card reward points?
A. You can redeem your earned reward points online via internet banking. You can log in to the internet banking portal and go to the ‘Online Redemption’ and choose the products as per your choice to redeem your reward points. Additionally, you can also redeem your earned reward points offline by posting the rewards redemption form to the HDFC card division.
Q. Can I check my HDFC Freedom Credit Card statement online?
A. Yes, you can check your credit card statement online by visiting the official website of HDFC Bank. Log in to your account and go to ‘Cards’ and select the ‘Enquire’ option to view your statement. You can also use HDFC mobile banking app to download your billed statement.
Q. What is the cash advance fee charged on HDFC Freedom Credit Card?
A. The bank charges a fee of 2.5% of the withdrawn amount or a minimum of Rs. 500 (whichever is higher) for withdrawing cash via HDFC Freedom Credit Card. Therefore, it is advisable not to withdraw cash using your credit card as it comes with higher charges.
Q. Who can apply for HDFC Freedom Credit Card?
A. All Indian nationals above the age of 21, whether salaried or self-employed, can apply for this credit card, provided that they meet the income criteria and other card-specific requirements. The maximum age requirement to apply for this credit card is 60 years for salaried applicants and 65 years for self-employed applicants.
Q. I already have a card. Can I apply for HDFC Freedom Credit Card?
A. Yes, the bank allows its customers to have more than one credit card. However, you must meet the set eligibility criteria to apply for this credit card. The minimum income requirement for salaried applicants is Rs. 12,000 per month.
Q. Can I earn 10X reward points on every transaction via HDFC Freedom Credit Card?
A. No, you can only earn 10X reward points on your transactions at Big Basket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy and Uber. However, you can earn a maximum of 2,500 CashPoints in a calendar month under these transactions.
हिंदी में पढ़े