Best Credit Cards for Beginners

List of 10 Best First Credit Cards for Beginners

From the first to the tenth, here are the most rewarding credit cards available for beginners in India. Each of these cards has a unique and individual rewarding ability. While some might offer accelerated reward points on specific online brands, some would offer cashback on overall spends. In the end, each individual has to research and apply for the one most suited to them.

Compare Some of the Most Popular Entry-Level Credit Cards

All of the credit cards mentioned below can be easily availed of by those who are just starting their card journey. It’s best to compare the features of all the available options and select the best one.

Features	Swiggy Ornge HDFC	IndusInd Bank Tiger	Axis Neo	HDFC Bank MoneyBack Plus	AU LIT
Joining/Annual Charges	₹500 + GST	Lifetime Free	Lifetime Free	₹500 + GST	Lifetime Free
Welcome Benefits	Free 12-Month Swiggy One Membership	N/A	100% Cashback Up to ₹300 on First Utility Bill Payment	500 CashPoints	N/A
Rewards Rate	5% Cashback on Swiggy App Spends (Food Delivery, Instamart, Dineout) and Select Online Categories Such as Apparel, Pharmacies, Pet Stores, Personal Care, Electronics, Entertainment, Travel, Discount Stores & Local Cabs; 1% Cashback on Other Eligible Spends	Up to 6 Accelerated Reward Points on Every ₹100 Spent on Eligible Transactions	1 EDGE REWARD Point/₹200 on All Eligible Spends (Reward Rate 0.10%)	10X CashPoints/₹200 on Flipkart, Amazon, Swiggy, BigBasket, and Reliance Smart SuperStore, and 2 CashPoints/₹200 on Retail Purchases	1 Reward Point/₹100 Spent. 10X or 5X Accelerated Reward Points and Additional Cashbacks (Paid Features)
Dining/Movies	N/A	2 Complimentary Movie Tickets on BookMyShow per Year	Discounts on EazyDiner and Zomato	Up to ₹200 on Dining Bills With Swiggy Dineout	3 Months of Complimentary Membership of Zee5 and Amazon Prime (Paid Feature)
Airport Lounge Access	N/A	8 Complimentary Domestic Lounge Access per Year and 2 Complimentary International Lounge Access per Year Through the Priority Pass Program	N/A	N/A	1 Complimentary Airport Lounge Access Every Quarter (Paid Feature)

In-Depth Review of Best Credit Cards for Beginners

Swiggy Ornge HDFC Bank Credit Card

The HDFC Swiggy Orange Credit Card is one of the two co-branded credit cards offered by HDFC Bank in partnership with Swiggy. The card comes with an annual fee of ₹500 + GST, making it a much more affordable option compared to the premium HDFC Swiggy Black Credit Card, which carries a higher annual fee.

While the Swiggy Black Card is better suited for users with high spending requirements, the Swiggy Orange Credit Card is an excellent choice for beginners looking for a well-rounded cashback card.

Apart from offering attractive cashback on Swiggy transactions, the card also rewards spending across several online merchants, including shopping, apparel, and other popular categories. This makes it a great option for those starting their credit journey while also helping them save on food delivery, grocery orders, and payments made through Swiggy Dineout.

IndusInd Bank Tiger Credit Card

The IndusInd Tiger Credit Card is one of the better lifetime free credit cards available for beginners. With zero joining and annual charges, it offers a wide range of lifestyle benefits, including complimentary domestic and international airport lounge access, golf privileges, free movie tickets, and more. While the card packs several premium lifestyle features, its rewards program is more rewarding for high spenders, as the highest reward rate is unlocked only after annual spends of ₹5 lakh or more. Even so, considering its lifetime free nature and the range of benefits on offer, the Tiger Credit Card remains a solid all-round choice for both beginners and frequent travelers.

Axis Bank Neo Credit Card

The Axis Bank Neo Credit Card offers decent and straightforward rewards. Cardholders shall earn 1 Reward Point for each spend of ₹200. This is a lifetime free credit card and offers 100% cashback up to ₹300 on the first utility bill payment. Apart from the base reward points, this card offers discounts on popular brands and platforms like Amazon, Myntra, and Blinkit. Get up to ₹150 on DTH and mobile payments each month via Amazon, and 10% off on Myntra and Blinkit purchases. Since this credit card is available on the RuPay network, it can also be linked to UPI applications.

HDFC Bank MoneyBack Plus Credit Card

The HDFC MoneyBack Plus Credit Card is an excellent choice for beginners due to its affordable annual fee of ₹500 and generous rewards system, offering 10X CashPoints on purchases from popular brands like Amazon, Flipkart, and Swiggy. With each ₹200 spent, beginners can earn up to 20 CashPoints on partner brands and 2 CashPoints on regular retail purchases. These points can be redeemed for cashback, product purchases, or even Airmiles, making it easy to maximize savings.

Additional perks include a 20% discount at premium restaurants, fuel surcharge waivers, and spend-based fee waivers, making the card a valuable option for managing everyday expenses.

AU LIT Credit Card

The LIT Credit Card is a unique and rewarding offering by AU Bank. Users can select different categories where they believe they can earn the most rewards. While there are no annual or joining fees for this card, users will have to pay for the features they select. This card is highly customizable and offers the best benefits tailored to individual needs at a competitive price. Here are some of the features one can opt for with the AU Credit Card.

• 1% Fuel Surcharge Waiver for ₹49, valid for 90 days. Applicable on transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000.
• One visit to domestic airport lounges in India for ₹199, valid for 90 days.
• Two visits to domestic airport lounges in India for ₹299, valid for 90 days.
• 5% Additional Cashback for ₹299, valid for 30 days. Eligible on spending a minimum of ₹7500, excluding fuel, cash advance, and rent spends. Maximum cashback of ₹500 per month.
• 2% Additional Cashback for ₹199, valid for 30 days. Eligible on spending a minimum of ₹10,000, excluding fuel, cash advance, and rent spends. Maximum cashback of ₹100 per month.

SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card

The SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card is an excellent choice for beginners, particularly for those who frequently shop online. With an affordable annual fee of ₹499, it offers significant rewards on online purchases, such as 10X reward points on popular partner websites like Myntra, Swiggy, and BookMyShow, and 5X points on other online spends. First-time cardholders can benefit from a simple reward structure, earning points that can be redeemed for vouchers or used to offset their credit card balance. Additionally, new users receive a ₹500 Amazon voucher as a welcome gift, making it an attractive entry-level option for online shoppers.

Scapia Credit Card

The Scapia Credit Card is an excellent choice for beginners who travel frequently and want to enjoy airport and travel-related benefits without paying any annual fee. Being a lifetime free card, it offers great value with unlimited domestic airport lounge access on meeting a reasonable monthly spending requirement of ₹20,000. The card also comes with zero forex markup, making it a useful companion for international trips. In addition, cardholders earn Scapia Coins on both travel bookings and regular spending, which can be redeemed for flights and hotel bookings through the Scapia app. For those starting their credit card journey and looking for a travel-focused card with strong airport perks, the Scapia Credit Card is one of the best options available.

PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno Credit Card

The PhonePe HDFC Uno Credit Card is a good option for beginners who are looking for an affordable and easy-to-use credit card. With an annual fee of just ₹499, the card offers rewards on everyday spending categories such as UPI, utility bill payments, mobile recharges, online shopping, and travel bookings through PhonePe. The joining fee is effectively recovered through welcome benefits, making it even more attractive for first-time cardholders. While it does not offer premium perks like airport lounge access, it provides decent value for users who regularly use the PhonePe app and want to earn rewards on their daily transactions.

Flipkart SBI Credit Card

The Flipkart SBI Credit Card comes with a joining and annual fee of ₹500 + GST. It offers 5% cashback on purchases made through Flipkart and Cleartrip, along with a 7.5% discount on Myntra, making it a great choice for frequent online shoppers. The card is particularly well-suited for young users who regularly shop for fashion, electronics, and travel bookings through these platforms. In addition to the regular cashback benefits, cardholders can also enjoy periodic offers and discounts on Flipkart, Myntra, and Cleartrip. As a welcome benefit, customers receive a Flipkart Gift Card worth ₹250 on payment of the joining fee, which helps reduce the effective cost of getting the card.

IDFC FIRST EARN Credit Card

The IDFC FIRST EA₹N Credit Card is a good option for those who are new to credit cards or looking to build their credit score. Since it is backed by a fixed deposit starting from just ₹5,000, getting approved is relatively easy. The card rewards everyday spending with 1% cashback on UPI transactions made through the IDFC FIRST Bank app and 0.5% cashback on other eligible spends, including utility bills, insurance, and wallet loads. It also offers useful benefits like discounts on movie tickets and complimentary roadside assistance. While it does not provide lounge access or travel perks, it remains a solid entry-level card for users who frequently make UPI payments and want to earn cashback on their daily transactions.

Bottom Line

Many in our society still consider credit cards a debt trap. Some are afraid to even apply for a card. However, it’s all about financial freedom and fiscal responsibility on the user’s part. Those with credit cards can enhance their savings by spending wisely. While debit cards and UPI offer convenience and rewards on spending, they simply cannot match the rewards offered by credit cards.

Our list of some of the best credit cards for beginners aims to help those who need clarification make the right choice. However, only proper research about an individual’s spending behavior can help them get a card that maximizes their spending. For example, if someone spends a lot on Swiggy, the Swiggy HDFC Credit Card would be most suitable, while someone who shops at Tata-associated brands would benefit from a credit card in the Tata Neu series.

Keep your individual behavior, financial needs, and spending in mind when applying for your first credit card.