Best Credit Cards for Beginners in India 2026

Entry-level cards with low or zero fees and simple rewards — the safest first credit cards in India. We compared 154 cards81 of them lifetime free — on what you actually keep after fees, reward caps and exclusions. Our current top pick is CheQ AU Credit Card.

Top 20 Credit Cards for Beginners Ranked

#CardAnnual FeeBase EarnStandout
1CheQ AU Credit CardCheQ AU Credit CardAU Small Finance BankFree (LTF)5.0%Lifetime free
2AU Zaggle Credit CardAU Zaggle Credit CardAU Small Finance BankFree (LTF)4.0%Lifetime free
3IndusInd ePay Amex Credit CardIndusInd ePay Amex Credit CardIndusInd BankFree (LTF)1.4%Lifetime free
4BOBCARD EasyBOBCARD EasyBank of BarodaFree (LTF)1.3%Lifetime free
5BOBCARD SelectBOBCARD SelectBank of BarodaFree (LTF)1.3%Lifetime free
6BOBCARD VikramBOBCARD VikramBank of BarodaFree (LTF)1.3%Lifetime free
7Instant RuPay BOBCARDInstant RuPay BOBCARDBank of BarodaFree (LTF)1.3%Lifetime free
8Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit CardAmazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit CardICICI BankFree (LTF)1.0%Lifetime free
9ICICI HPCL Coral Credit CardICICI HPCL Coral Credit CardICICI Bank₹1992.0%₹199/yr fee
10Google Pay Flex Axis Bank Credit CardGoogle Pay Flex Axis Bank Credit CardAxis BankFree (LTF)1.0%Lifetime free
11IndianOil Easy Axis Bank Credit CardIndianOil Easy Axis Bank Credit CardAxis BankFree (LTF)1.0%Lifetime free
12Fibe Axis Bank Credit CardFibe Axis Bank Credit CardAxis BankFree (LTF)1.0%Lifetime free
13Axis Bank Freecharge Plus Credit CardAxis Bank Freecharge Plus Credit CardAxis BankFree (LTF)1.0%Lifetime free
14ACE Credit CardACE Credit CardYes Bank₹4992.0%₹499/yr fee
15CRED IndusInd Bank RuPay Credit CardCRED IndusInd Bank RuPay Credit CardIndusInd BankFree (LTF)1.0%Lifetime free
16slice UPI Credit Cardslice UPI Credit CardsliceFree (LTF)1.0%Lifetime free
17Jupiter Edge+ CSB Bank RuPay Credit CardJupiter Edge+ CSB Bank RuPay Credit CardJupiterFree (LTF)1.0%Lifetime free
18Utkarsh superCard (FD-backed)Utkarsh superCard (FD-backed)Utkarsh Small Finance BankFree (LTF)1.0%Lifetime free
19ICICI Platinum Chip Credit CardICICI Platinum Chip Credit CardICICI BankFree (LTF)0.8%Lifetime free
20IDBI Bank LIC CSL Lumine Platinum Credit CardIDBI Bank LIC CSL Lumine Platinum Credit CardIDBI BankFree (LTF)0.8%Lifetime free

Base earn = ₹ value earned per ₹100 of everyday spend at the card's standard rate, before category accelerators. Every card page shows caps, exclusions and the net value math for your own monthly spend.

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Disclaimer: Results are estimates for financial planning purposes only and do not constitute financial, tax, investment, or legal advice. Actual values may vary based on your lender, market conditions, and individual circumstances. Consult a qualified CA, CFP, or financial advisor before making any financial decisions.