Credit cards have become a true necessity in today’s world. However, with so many different types of credit cards in India to choose from, making the right decision can be daunting. This is precisely why knowing all the basics about these plastic cards that have become so important in our daily lives is important.
First, the basics. Credit cards are essentially plastic cards that help cardholde₹make purchases by borrowing money from their banks. This borrowed ‘credit’ then needs to be paid back to the bank and the interest incurred on the card in instalments. Credit cards can be used in place of cash at any time but they do come with their spending limits and fees, similar to debit cards but with more flexibility.
List of Credit Cards in India
To help you pick the right credit card for your needs, below is the list of the top 10 credit cards in India.
Categories
| Top Credit Cards
|
For Salaried Individuals
| 1. Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards Card
2. Axis Bank Insta Credit Card
3. Citibank Cashback Credit Card
|
For Students
| 1. ICICI Instant Platinum Card
2. SBI Student Plus Advantage Card
|
For General and Online Shopping
| 1. Standard Chartered Manhattan Credit Card
2. SBI Simply Click Credit Card
3. Citibank Cashback Credit Card
|
For Travelling
| 1. Indian Oil Titanium Citibank Credit Card
2. HDFC Platinum Plus Credit Card
|
Factors To Consider Before Opting For A Credit Card
Once you have decided on which credit card to pick, you would also need to keep a few things in mind before taking the final leap. Some of these factors are listed below:
Credit Score
When picking a credit card, your credit score will be taken into account. This qualification will also depend on the kind of credit card that you might select. For example, if you are looking to apply for a credit card specifically for shopping or travelling purposes, then the higher your credit score, the more the chances of you qualifying for the card.
However, if this is your first time applying for a credit card, opting for a credit card that you can easily qualify for would be a better approach.
Fees
Credit cards come with quite a few fees attached to them. If you are looking to carry your credit card balance from one month to another, this could add up and become difficult to pay off later. To add to this, if the credit card has a high interest rate, the dues will just keep piling up. This is why when you decide to pick a credit card, you need to compare all the fees and rates involved to ensure you pick one that will not end up burdening you.
To make it more attractive for potential credit card owners, many cards also offer cash-back rewards or similar benefits. These come with annual fees or interest rates. Do keep all these aspects in mind when picking a credit card for you.
Interest Rates
The interest rates on credit cards are usually higher making it a very important factor to keep in mind when choosing a credit card. The interest rate that a credit card holder pays depends on the state they live in and for how long they have been using the card.
To make applying for a credit card more attractive, a lot of banks provide offe₹where they charge no fees or interest in the first few months of use. However, after this period, a regular rate percentage is charged, which usually varies from 0% up to 27%.
Key Features of Opting for the Best Credit Card in India
Keeping the main features of a credit card in mind when applying or selecting one is very important. Some of these features are listed below:
How You Plan to Use the Card
Before applying for a credit card in India, it is important to determine what you’d be using the card for. When used the right way, credit cards help holde₹build their credit history and designate them as an income earner. Of course, credit cards can be used for multiple purposes, but determining their use will help you become more aware of their limits before applying.
Annual Percentage Rates (APRs)
Annual percentage rates or AP₹are the interest rates that banks and financial institutions charge on the credit cards that they provide. AP₹depend on many facto₹like the money outstanding on the credit card, the time it might take you to repay it and your income stability.
Credit Limit
The credit limit of a credit card determines how much you can borrow from the bank or financial institution issuing the card. If you are someone who is looking to use the card only on rare occasions, then you do not need to worry about the credit limit on it. On the other hand, if you plan to regularly use the card then having a higher credit limit is better. This will help accommodate your purchases better while still helping you pay the full balance off every month.
Rewards
As previously mentioned, many credit cards come with a rewards scheme. However, don’t let this feature alone make you decide to pick a card. Rewards like a cashback might eventually become difficult to redeem leading to loss. Pick a card that provides you with rewards that are easier to use.
Penalties
The last feature that needs to be considered when picking a credit card is the penalty they might charge if you miss out on a payment. Though there might be a grace period, some banks or companies will charge a higher fee if you are late on your payment.
10 Best Credit Cards in India 2024: Overview and Comparison of Credit Cards
To make the selection process easier for you, here is an elaborate list of the best credit cards in India which have been categorised according to the needs of a potential cardholder.
Credit Card Category
| Credit Card
| Details
| Advantages
|
For Students
| ICICI Instant Platinum Card
| This card is ideal for students, housewives and even non-salaried individuals having a lower credit card score.
A savings account with ICICI then you can easily get approved for this card against a fixed deposit.
There is no annual fee.
| 2 PAYBACK Points /₹100 spent.
Minimum 15% discount on dining at 800+ restaurants.
₹100 off on bookmyshow.com on a max of 2 tickets/month.
2.5% fuel surcharge waiver on a minimum of ₹4000 spent on fuels at HPCL pumps.
Interest earning on FD and low-interest rate credit cards of 2.49%/month.
|
| SBI Student Plus Advantage Card
| Designed specifically for those who opted for the SBI Education Loan.
An FD will have to be opened in the bank to avail of this card.
The card can be used in India and abroad in more than 24 million outlets.
| Reward with every transaction above ₹100 which can be used to pay off your outstanding balance
2.5% fuel surcharge waiver on spending between ₹500-₹3000.
10x reward points to pay your utility bills.
|
For Salaried Employees
| Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards Card
| No annual fees or joining fees.
Provides the best offers possible and makes for the best card for first-time credit card holders.
Can be upgraded to the Standard Chartered Manhattan Credit Card.
However, this upgrade will depend on how your credit usage has been and the stability of your salary.
| Transactions carried out in the first 60 days earn you 1000 reward points.
Spend ₹150 on dining or fuel and earn 5x reward points.
20% cashback on Uber rides.
500 extra reward points when you sign up for internet banking.
Several discounts and offers across shopping, dining, travel and more.
|
| Axis Bank Insta Credit Card
| Can be availed even with a poor credit rating as long as you have an FD with the bank.
| 100 reward points on every online transaction
2.5% waiver on fuel-related spending between ₹400 - ₹4000
The joining fee of ₹500, is waivered off if ₹5000 is spent within the first 45 days.
Points can be redeemed in the form of gifts from their catalogue.
|
| Citibank Cashback Credit Card
| Provides cashback and discounts with every transaction. Helps salaried individuals save money.
| Payments of up to ₹2000 without entering PIN.
5% cashback on utility bills like electricity, etc.
This cashback can be redeemed to pay the money borrowed
|
For Travelling
| Indian Oil Titanium Citibank Credit Card
| Best for office goers who travel via their car or someone who refills his car twice a month.
Offers benefits for cardholders who refill petrol through IndianOil fuel stations in India.
No annual fee but holders need to spend at least ₹30,000/year. Else ₹1000 will be charged as an annual fee
| 4 Turbo Points at Indian Oil fuel stations/₹150 spent.
2 Turbo Points/₹150 spent on groceries and supermarkets picked from the approved list of supermarkets provided.
1 Turbo point/₹150 spent on shopping/dining.
The fuel surcharge on purchased fuel gets waived.
|
| HDFC Platinum Plus Credit Card
| Helps save money on fuel by redeeming the reward points.
No annual fee and comes with an extra facility of providing up to 3 credit cards for spouses, children, parents, etc
| 2 reward points/₹150 spent.
2.5% fuel surcharge waiver.
Can be used for 50 days interest-free from the purchase date.
|
For Online Shopping
| Standard Chartered Manhattan Credit Card
| 5% cashback on grocery spending.
Best for salaried individuals with expenses between 1 to 2 Lakh/annum.
Grocery stores like Big Bazaar, More, Spencers, etc. are included in their approved list.
| 5% cashback on spending in supermarkets and departmental stores. This cashback cannot exceed ₹500/month.
3x rewards points on other expenses.
Discounts and offers on lifestyle stores and hotels.
20% cashback on Uber rides.
|
| SBI Simple Click Credit Card
| Best for salaried individuals and those who like shopping online.
Easier to avail of a credit card if you have a salary account with SBI.
The annual fee is ₹499 which can be waived off if per annum spending is more than ₹1,00,000.
Tie-ups with online stores help customers.
| On joining, you receive a ₹500 Amazon gift card for free.
10x reward points on online transactions with Amazon, Cleartrip, Foodpanda, Lenskart, Bookmyshow, and UrbanClap.
5x reward points on other shopping sites.
Cleartrip e-voucher worth ₹2000 on online spending of ₹1 lakhs.
1% waiving off of fuel surcharge for transactions between ₹500 and ₹3000.
|
| Citibank Cashback Credit Card
| Good for individuals who make payments online or book movie tickets regularly.
Comes with an annual fee of ₹500.
| 5% cashback on movie ticket purchases
Telephone bill payments have a 5% cashback.
5% cashback on paying utility bills through Citibank Online Bill Pay.
5% cashback on other spending.
Discounts and offers on dining and shopping
|
Risks of Opting For A Credit Card in India
While there are benefits of using a credit card in India, there are also certain risks involved. One of the biggest risks in this aspect is that of credit card fraud. A hacker could fraudulently use your credit card to make purchases or transfer money to other accounts. This usually happens when you decide to use your credit card at stores that don’t accept cards or online purchases. This can also happen when you do not have the two-factor authentication in place.
The second risk involved is that of high interest rates, where, if the balance keeps on adding up each month, the interest rate can turn into a fee.
Conclusion
With many credit card options available for potential card holders, we hope that the top 10 credit cards in India listed above, with all their details, will help provide clarity in deciding which one to opt for. However, before taking the plunge, it is important to consider all aspects related to a credit card to not end up losing too much money or the card itself turning into more of a liability than a solution.
Disclaimer: Investments in the securities market are subject to market risk, read all related documents carefully before investing.
This content is for educational purposes only. Securities quoted are exemplary and not recommendatory.
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