Best Cards · Beginner

Best First Credit Cards for Beginners in India (2026)

Your first card should be easy to get, cheap to keep, and rewarding from day one. These beginner-friendly cards have low or zero fees, simple rewards, and gentle eligibility — the smart way to start building credit and earning at the same time.

9 cards make the cut Top pick: Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card

★ Our #1 pick for beginner

Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card

ICICI Bank · rated 4.3/5 — Amazon Prime members

Read review → Compare top 3 →

co brand

Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card

ICICI Bank · Visa

★★★★☆ 4.3/5

Annual Fee Free

Joining Fee Free

Forex 3.5%

Rewards 5% back on Amazon (Prime members); 3% on Amazon (non-Prime); 2% on partner merchants; 1% others

India's most popular lifetime-free card — over 5 million cardholders
Cashback credited as Amazon Pay balance (instant, no minimum)
No reward expiry

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SBI Visa

mid range

SBI Card Cashback

SBI Card · Visa

★★★★½ 4.5/5

Annual Fee ₹999

Joining Fee ₹999

Forex 3.5%

Rewards 5% cashback on all online transactions; 1% on offline

Best flat-rate online cashback card in India — 5% with NO merchant restrictions
Cashback auto-credited to card statement — no redemption needed
No cap on 5% cashback per month

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mid range

Axis Bank ACE Credit Card

Axis Bank · Visa

★★★★☆ 4.2/5

Annual Fee ₹499

Joining Fee ₹499

Forex 3.5%

Rewards 5% cashback on bill payments & recharges via Google Pay; 4% on Swiggy, Zomato, Ola; 1.5% others

Best card for utility bill payments and recharges in India — 5% cashback
Cashback auto-credited — no redemption hassle
Strong 4% on Swiggy, Zomato, and Ola

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mid range

HDFC Bank Millennia

HDFC Bank · Visa

★★★★☆ 4.1/5

Annual Fee ₹1,000

Joining Fee ₹1,000

Forex 3.5%

Rewards 5% cashback on Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Swiggy, Zomato, BookMyShow; 1% on other spends

Best entry-level card for online shopping
5% cashback is paid as CashPoints, redeemable against statement balance
No minimum transaction for 5% cashback (unlike some cards)

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mid range

HSBC Live+ Credit Card

HSBC India · Visa

★★★★☆ 4.1/5

Annual Fee ₹999

Joining Fee ₹999

Forex 3.5%

Rewards 10% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, Ola; 1.5% on all other spends

10% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, and Ola is the highest rate in this category
Cashback credited directly to statement
Cap: ₹3,000/month on partner cashback (still excellent value)

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mid range

AU Bank LIT Credit Card

AU Small Finance Bank · Visa

★★★½☆ 3.9/5

Annual Fee Free

Joining Fee Free

Forex 3.5%

Rewards User selects active features: cashback OR reward points OR EMI offers — customisable monthly

India's first customisable credit card — users choose which features to activate each month
Lifetime free with no conditions
Choose from: cashback (1.5%), reward points, EMI on spends, lounge access

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