A free Credit Card means a card without any annual fees or charges. These types of cards are free to hold for a lifetime. In other words, there are no annual fees or charges to hold this card. You just need to pay for what you use.
Free Credit cards help customers reduce the overall cost of owning a credit card. However, mostly all credit card companies waive annual fees only if customers spend a certain amount in a year. You should check the terms and conditions before opting for a credit card.
If you want to save money on annual fees and joining fees here are 10 Free Credit Cards in India with No annual fees.
10 Free Credit Cards in India – With No Annual Fee
The free credit cards in no particular order is given below.
- Citibank Rewards Domestic Credit Card
- Central Bank of India Titanium Credit Card
- HSBC Visa Platinum Card
- HDFC Moneyback Card
- ICICI Platinum Chip Credit Card
- ICICI Bank HPCL Coral Credit Card
- Kotak Royale Signature Credit Card
- Kotak League Platinum Credit Card
- SBI Simply Save
- Standard Chartered Platinum Reward Credit Card
Also Read – Best Credit Cards in India 2019
- Citibank Rewards Domestic Credit Card
The first free credit card in the list is Citibank Rewards Domestic Credit Card. No annual fee is applicable for this card if you spend annually Rs.30000 or above. If you don’t cross annual spend limit you need to pay Rs.1000 annual fees. The benefit offered by this card is given below.
Features and Benefits –
- 10X Reward Points for every Rs125 spent at Apparel and departmental store
- Up to 15% saving across participating restaurants
- 1000 bonus points on first Rs.1000 spend
- Personal Concierge Services
- Gift Vouchers Benefits
Citibank Rewards Domestic card is the Best card for Rewards.
- Central Bank of India Titanium Credit Card
Central Bank of India Titanium Credit card is premium credit card available with no issuance fee. This card is widely accepted at all merchant outlets across the world. You can even use this card for ATM withdrawal. The key features of this card are given below.
Features and Benefits –
- Highly secured card with OTP generation on every transaction.
- 55 days of credit free card usage facility.
- Auto Debit Facility available for this card.
- Complimentary airport lounge access facility
Central Bank of India Titanium Credit card is best suitable for low-income group people. To apply for this card gross annual income should be 1.5 Lakh per annum.
- HSBC Visa Platinum Card
HSBC Visa Platinum Card is one of the best cards without any annual or joining fees. This card offers multiple benefits such as cash back, free movie voucher & fuel surcharge waiver.
Features and Benefits –
- 10% cashback up to Rs.3000 with a minimum spend of Rs.30000.
- 15% discount as dining privileges in major cities.
- Fuel Surcharge Waiver
- Movie Voucher Offer
- Multiple reward and discount on selected products.
- Free Credit Period up to 52 days.
HSBC visa platinum credit card is best for rewards and cashback. No joining or annual fee is applicable for this card.
Also Read – 15 Types of Credit Cards in India and Usage
- HDFC Moneyback Card
HDFC Moneyback as the name suggests it is best suited free credit card in India for Money back purpose. Rs.1000 is annual fees applicable on this card. However, this fees can be waived off by spending Rs.50000 annually. Key features of HDFC Moneyback Card is given below.
Key Features and Benefits –
- 2x Reward Points on online shopping
- Redeem reward point as cashback
- Zero liability on lost card
- Fuel Surcharge waiver
- Spend Rs.50000 in a quarter and get Rs.500 E-Voucher
HDFC Moneyback card is best for cashback. This card is offered to both salaried and self-employed.
- ICICI Platinum Chip Credit Card
In free credit cards list, one of the top credit cards is ICICI Platinum Chip Credit Card. This card is value for money as it provides multiple benefits and rewards. This includes annual fee waiver. Key benefit detail of this card is given below.
Features and Benefits –
- Annual fee waiver on an annual spend of Rs.50000 or above
- 15% saving on dining bill
- Fuel surcharge 1% waiver
- Earn 2 payback point on every Rs.100 spent
- An extra PIN-based security feature
- Eligibility for this card is stringent and it is offered to eligible corporates only
This card is most suitable for first-time credit card user and corporate employees.
- ICICI Bank HPCL Coral Credit Card
The next best free credit card by ICICI bank is HPCL Coral Credit Card. This card is best suitable for getting extra savings on fuel. The features of ICICI platinum chip card and this card is somewhat similar. This card also offers annual fee waivers on annual spent of Rs.50000 or above.
Key Features
- Get Rs.100 off on movie tickets twice per month.
- 15% saving on dining bill
- 2.5% cashback on fuel spent on HPCL petrol pump
- Fuel surcharge 1% waiver
If you are spending a lot on fuel you can use this card to reduce your fuel bill.
- Kotak Royale Signature Credit Card
Kotak Royale Signature Credit card is a lifestyle credit card. This card is offered with an annual fees of Rs.999. However, these fees can be waived at an annual spend of 1 Lakh.
Features and Benefits –
- 4x and 2x Reward points
- Fuel Surcharge Waiver
- Free access to Airport Lounge
- 5 Lakh cover against fraudulent usage
Kotak Royale Signature Credit Card is best suitable for lifestyle expenses.
- Kotak League Platinum Credit Card
Another best free credit card from Kotak is Kotak League Platinum Credit Card. Kotak League Platinum Credit card is also a lifestyle credit card with multiple reward benefits. The joining fee for this card is NIL. The annual fee is Rs.499 which can be waived off if you spend Rs.50000 in a year. The key features of this card is given below.
Key Features
- You can Earn up to 8X reward points on every Rs. 150 spent
- Rs.500 movie Voucher as joining gift
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Credit Card League shield – Protection cover for card
- Easy Reward Redemption
This card is best suited for middle-class people. The annual income requirement for this card is Rs.5 Lakh.
- SBI Simply Save
SBI Simply Save is another best free credit cards. An annual fee is applicable on this card. The fee can be waived if your annual spend is 1 Lakh or above. Key Features and benefit details of this card are given below.
Features and Benefits
- Enjoy 10x Reward per Rs.100 spent on Dining, Movies, Department stores, and Grocery
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Auto utility bill payment
- Cash on the Go Facility
SBI Simply Save is the best card for saving extra money.
Also Read – Credit Card Loan or Personal Loan – Its your Choice
- Standard Chartered Platinum Reward Credit Card
Standard Chartered Platinum Reward Credit card is one of the best free credit cards. A special advantage of the Standard Chartered Platinum Reward Credit card is the card provides a lucrative offer of 20% cashback per month on Uber rides. This means you can save sa ustainable amount on Uber rides per year. An additional benefit offered by this card is given below.
Additional Benefits
- No Annual and Joining Fees
- Earn 5 reward points for every Rs.150 spent on dining outlets and on fuel.
- 20% discount for first-time user of the big basket.
- 1000 reward points on the first transaction of a credit card.
- Additional 500 reward points for registering online banking.
Note –
There is no free lunch in this world. Everything is charged or bundled with hidden charges. You should go through the most important terms and conditions before opting for any credit card.
Final Thoughts
Finding a free credit card in India doesn’t mean you have to compromise on perks. These cards offer fantastic benefits like cashback, rewards, fuel waivers, and discounts — all without an annual fee. Whether you shop online, travel, or simply want a backup payment option, there’s a perfect zero annual fee credit card for you.
FAQs
1. What does “lifetime free credit card” mean?
A credit card with no annual or joining fee for the entire tenure.
2. Can I apply for multiple free credit cards?
Yes, but managing multiple cards can be tricky. Choose wisely!
3. Do free credit cards have hidden charges?
Most have no hidden charges, but always read the terms & conditions.
4. Can students apply for these credit cards?
Some banks offer student-friendly credit cards, but they usually require a fixed deposit.
5. Do free credit cards offer airport lounge access?
Yes! Some, like Yes Bank Prosperity Rewards Plus, provide lounge access.
6. How do I improve my credit limit?
Regular spending, timely bill payments, and a good credit score can help.
7. Are these free credit cards accepted worldwide?
Most Visa and Mastercard credit cards are internationally accepted.
8. What happens if I don’t use my credit card?
If inactive for a long time, banks may deactivate or reduce the credit limit.
9. Do these credit cards offer EMI options?
Yes, most allow EMI conversion on large purchases.
10. How do I check my credit card application status?
Visit the bank’s website and use your application reference number to track it.
