HDFC Freedom Credit Card – For First-Time Users

HDFC Freedom Credit Card offers decent reward points to its users 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 key features and benefits of this credit card:

Up to 10X CashPoints on your Purchases

You can earn up to 10X CashPoints via this credit card on selected purchases. Here are the details regarding the same:

• For credit cards issued on or before 30 September 2021:
  • 25X reward points on birthday spends
  • 10X reward points on PayZapp and SmartBuy spends
  • 5X reward points on dining, movies, groceries, railways and taxi payments
  • 1 reward point on spending Rs. 150 and above
• For credit cards issued on or after 1 October 2021:
  • 10X CashPoints on transactions via Big Basket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy & Uber (Maximum of 2,500 CashPoints can be earned in a calendar month)
  • 5X CashPoints on EMI spends at merchant locations (Maximum of 2,500 CashPoints can be earned in a calendar month)
  • 1 CashPoint for every Rs. 150 on other spends (Excluding fuel, wallet/ prepaid card loads or voucher purchases)

Note: Earned reward points can be redeemed through catalogue purchases or cashback.

Other Benefits

Apart from rewards, some of the other benefits of HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card are mentioned below:

Welcome/ Renewal Benefit: 500 CashPoints after the payment of joining and renewal fees.

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 and Rs. 5,000. You can avail a maximum waiver of Rs. 250 in a statement cycle.

Complimentary Gift Voucher: A gift voucher worth Rs. 1,000 on reaching an annual spend of Rs. 90,000*.

Other Benefits: A few of the other benefits for users whose credit cards are issued on or after 1 October 2021 are as follows:

• 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.
• Up to 15% off at 2,000+ premium restaurants in selected cities with a Dineout membership. Click here for more details.

*Applicable on cards sourced on or before 30 September 2021.

The fees and charges associated with this credit card are mentioned in the table below:

Click here for other fees and charges.

To be eligible for HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card, the applicants must meet the below eligibility criteria:

Read in detail: HDFC Credit Card Eligibility Criteria

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 selected 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 to its users.

Overall, this is an ideal option if you are looking for a rewards credit card and don’t want to pay a high annual fee. In case you want to avail cashback instead of reward points, then you can look for top cashback credit cards available in the market.

Some of the other credit cards that offer benefits similar to HDFC Freedom Credit Card are mentioned in the table below:

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 to process with the application.

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 can also impact your credit score.

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 the maximum of 2,500 CashPoints in a calendar month.