Best Credit Cards in India (2026): Top Picks by Category

Last reviewed: October 2026

There's no single best credit card in India for everyone. The best card is the one that matches how you spend and that you'll pay off in full every month. To make it easier, we've grouped popular cards by what they're best at.

Important: banks changed many card benefits in 2026. The details below are as of October 2026. Always check the bank's website before you apply.

Quick picks

Best for cashback

Cashback SBI Card

A simple card for online spends: 5% cashback on online spends and 1% offline, with exclusions such as rent, wallet loads, fuel and utilities. From April 2026 the cashback is capped per statement cycle at a lower level than before, so check the current cap. The fee (₹999 + GST) is waived if you spend ₹2 lakh in a year. See Cashback SBI Card

HSBC Live+ Credit Card

10% cashback on dining, food delivery, groceries and eligible shopping and utility spends (capped at ₹1,200 a month in total, per HSBC) and 1.5% on most other spends. Fee ₹999 + GST, waived on ₹2 lakh annual spend. Good if food is a big part of your monthly spends. See HSBC Live+

Best for online shopping

Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card

5% back on Amazon for Prime members (3% without Prime), 2% at Amazon Pay partner merchants and 1% on most other spends, paid as Amazon Pay balance. It's widely offered as lifetime free. See Amazon Pay ICICI

Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card

7.5% on Myntra and 5% on Flipkart, each capped at ₹4,000 a quarter, plus 4% at some partners and 1% elsewhere. Fee ₹500 + GST. See Flipkart Axis

Best for travel

Scapia Federal Bank Credit Card

Zero forex markup on international spends and no joining or annual fee. Rewards are in Scapia Coins for travel bookings. Since February 2026, domestic lounge access needs ₹20,000 of spend in the previous month. See Scapia

Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card

A miles card: 5 EDGE Miles per ₹100 on travel (up to a monthly limit) and 2 EDGE Miles per ₹100 on other spends. Miles can be moved to airline and hotel partners, but Axis has cut transfer partners and added caps, so it suits people who'll actually use miles. Fee ₹5,000 + GST. See Axis Atlas

Read more in our guide to travel credit cards.

Best premium cards

HDFC Regalia Gold Credit Card

A popular all-rounder with reward points, accelerated rewards on some partner brands and lounge access. In 2026 HDFC lowered its reward rate and made domestic lounge access depend on your spend in the previous quarter: 3 lounge visits in India per quarter if you spent ₹60,000 or more in the previous quarter (as of October 2026). Fee ₹2,500 + GST, waivable on high annual spend. See Regalia Gold

HDFC Infinia and HDFC Diners Club Black Metal

Super-premium cards for high spenders: around 3.3% value back when points are redeemed for flights and hotels through HDFC's SmartBuy, plus unlimited lounge access. Infinia is by invitation. Fees: Infinia ₹12,500 + GST; Diners Club Black Metal ₹10,000 + GST, both waivable on high annual spend. Note that Diners Club cards are accepted at fewer places abroad than Visa or Mastercard. See Infinia · See Diners Club Black Metal

How to choose the best credit card for you

1. Look at your last 3 months of spending. Where does most of your money go: online shopping, food, travel, fuel or bills?
2. Pick a card that rewards those spends. A 5% card is worthless if you never shop where it gives 5%.
3. Check the caps and exclusions. Many cards cap rewards or exclude rent, fuel, wallets and utilities.
4. Do the fee maths. Will the rewards you'll actually earn beat the annual fee? Can you meet the waiver spend?
5. Check eligibility (income, age, credit score) before applying, so you don't collect rejections.
6. Read the Key Fact Statement. Under the RBI's credit card rules, the issuer must give you a Key Fact Statement with the card's fees and charges when you apply.

For more help, read how to choose the right credit card.

The bottom line

The best credit card is the one that fits your spending, costs less than it gives back and gets paid in full every month. Start with your spending, shortlist two or three cards, and check the latest terms on the bank's site.

Ready to compare? Compare credit cards on PaisaSimple →

Sources

• RBI Master Direction – Credit & Debit Cards (2022, amended)
• Cashback SBI Card
• HSBC Live+

Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not financial advice. Card fees, rewards, caps and lounge rules are set by each bank, change often and are summarised here as of October 2026. Check the bank's official terms before applying.

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