CheQ AU Credit Card vs AU Prathama Credit Card
Calculate exact net annual returns in ₹ after fee waivers, milestone rewards, categories, and caps. Card terms verified 2026-07.
Quick Key Takeaways & Fact Summary
- Overall Winner: CheQ AU Credit Card earns higher net annual returns at standard spend tiers.
- Annual Fee: CheQ AU Credit Card (Lifetime Free) vs AU Prathama Credit Card (₹100/yr).
- Base Reward Rate: CheQ AU Credit Card (5 pts/₹100) vs AU Prathama Credit Card (1 pts/₹100).
- Lounge Access: CheQ AU Credit Card (0 dom) vs AU Prathama Credit Card (0 dom).
Interactive Net Returns Calculator
Adjust spend profiles to compare total net value, annual fee waivers, category earnings, and milestone bonuses.
Your Monthly Spend
₹50,000/moE-Commerce & Online
Daily Essentials
Most cards earn ₹0 rewards on fuel (surcharge waiver only).
Frequently excluded from rewards in India.
Lifestyle, Bills & Other
Almost always earns ₹0 and may carry a fee.
Often excluded or capped.
1AU Small Finance Bank · fee waived
2AU Small Finance Bank · fee waived
Smart verdict
Get the CheQ AU Credit Card — it earns you +₹7,395/yr over the AU Prathama Credit Card, mostly from your groceries spend.
How Your Spends Convert to Rewards
Live calculation breakdown for CheQ AU Credit Card
| Spend Category | Monthly Spend | Reward Rate | Points Earned | Monthly Value | Annual Value | Status / Caps |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Fuel | ₹4,000/mo | 0 Pts / ₹100 | 0 pts0 pts/yr | ₹0 | ₹0/yr | Excluded |
Rent | ₹10,000/mo | 0 Pts / ₹100 | 0 pts0 pts/yr | ₹0 | ₹0/yr | Excluded |
Insurance | ₹1,500/mo | 0 Pts / ₹100 | 0 pts0 pts/yr | ₹0 | ₹0/yr | Excluded |
Other Online Shopping | ₹6,000/mo | 5 Pts / ₹100 | 300 pts3,600 pts/yr | ₹75 | ₹900/yr | Active Earn |
Amazon Spends | ₹3,500/mo | 12 Pts / ₹100 | 420 pts5,040 pts/yr | ₹105 | ₹1,260/yr | Active Earn |
Flipkart Spends | ₹2,000/mo | 12 Pts / ₹100 | 240 pts2,880 pts/yr | ₹60 | ₹720/yr | Active Earn |
Dining & Food Delivery | ₹5,000/mo | 12 Pts / ₹100 | 600 pts7,200 pts/yr | ₹150 | ₹1,800/yr | Active Earn |
Groceries | ₹7,000/mo | 12 Pts / ₹100 | 840 pts10,080 pts/yr | ₹210 | ₹2,520/yr | Active Earn |
Utilities & Bills | ₹4,000/mo | 12 Pts / ₹100 | 480 pts5,760 pts/yr | ₹120 | ₹1,440/yr | Active Earn |
Travel (Flights/Hotels) | ₹4,000/mo | 5 Pts / ₹100 | 200 pts2,400 pts/yr | ₹50 | ₹600/yr | Active Earn |
Other / Offline | ₹3,000/mo | 2.5 Pts / ₹100 | 75 pts900 pts/yr | ₹19 | ₹225/yr | Active Earn |
Net annual value across spend levels
All ₹ values exclude GST. Perks like lounge access are shown separately and not added into net value. Rewards use your selected redemption mode (cashback / statement credit).
Card features side by side
Use the table for product rules; use the calculator above for value based on your actual spending.
| Feature | CheQ AU Credit CardAU Small Finance Bank | AU Prathama Credit CardAU Small Finance Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Joining fee | Nil | ₹100 |
| Annual fee | Lifetime free | ₹100/yr |
| Fee waiver | Spend ₹3,00,000/yr | Spend ₹75,000/yr |
| Base reward | 5 pts / ₹100 | 1 pts / ₹100 |
| Top reward categories | 12x amazon, 12x flipkart, 12x dining | 2x other |
| Redemption friction | Easy | Moderate |
| Point expiry | 24 months | Never expire |
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| Fuel surcharge | 1% waiver, up to ₹150/mo | 1% waiver, up to ₹100/mo |
| Min income · salaried | Not stated | Not stated |
| Min income · self-employed | Not stated | Not stated |
| Eligibility (as stated) | Not published by bank | Not published by bank |
| Recent devaluations | None recorded | None recorded |
| Verified against | Updated 2026-07Official AU Small Finance Bank Credit Card Page | Updated 2026-07Official AU Small Finance Bank Credit Card Page |
Verdict at a Glance
Choose CheQ AU Credit Card if your monthly spending is focused on amazon, flipkart and you want a 100% Lifetime Free card without fee waiver anxiety.
Choose AU Prathama Credit Card if you spend heavily on other.
CheQ AU Credit Card vs AU Prathama Credit Card Spend Tier Breakdown
Simulated net annual returns across typical Indian monthly spending profiles.
CheQ AU Credit Card
At ₹25,000/month, CheQ AU Credit Card nets ₹5,108/yr vs AU Prathama Credit Card at ₹1,095/yr — a ₹4,013 edge.
CheQ AU Credit Card
At ₹50,000/month, CheQ AU Credit Card nets ₹9,465/yr vs AU Prathama Credit Card at ₹2,070/yr — a ₹7,395 edge.
CheQ AU Credit Card
At ₹1,00,000/month, CheQ AU Credit Card nets ₹17,805/yr vs AU Prathama Credit Card at ₹4,050/yr — a ₹13,755 edge.
* Spend tier verdicts use standard category splits (cashback redemption mode). Actual net value depends on your specific spending categories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better, CheQ AU Credit Card or AU Prathama Credit Card?▼
At a typical ₹50,000/month spend (cashback redemption), CheQ AU Credit Card comes out ahead by about ₹7,395 per year, driven mostly by groceries spend. Your own split can change the answer — use the calculator above to plug in your numbers.
Which card is better for online shopping, CheQ AU Credit Card or AU Prathama Credit Card?▼
CheQ AU Credit Card earns 5 pts/₹100 as a base, while AU Prathama Credit Card earns 1 pts/₹100. Check the accelerated online/Amazon/Flipkart rates and monthly caps in the table above, since caps often decide the winner for heavy online spenders.
What are the annual fees for CheQ AU Credit Card and AU Prathama Credit Card?▼
CheQ AU Credit Card: lifetime free, waived on ₹3,00,000 annual spend. AU Prathama Credit Card: ₹100 + GST per year, waived on ₹75,000 annual spend.
Do CheQ AU Credit Card and AU Prathama Credit Card earn rewards on rent, fuel and utilities?▼
Like most Indian cards, several everyday categories are excluded. CheQ AU Credit Card excludes fuel, insurance, rent; AU Prathama Credit Card excludes none noted. The calculator shows these as ₹0 earners so your net value stays honest.
Is AU Prathama Credit Card ever the better pick over CheQ AU Credit Card?▼
Within a normal spend range at ₹50,000/month, CheQ AU Credit Card stays ahead. AU Prathama Credit Card can still win on specific perks (lounge, forex, redemption ease) that aren't counted in the net-value maths.