The Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card is widely regarded as one of the best credit cards in the country. I’d even place it in the top five. It’s popular because of its simplicity and ease of use. No complicated redemptions, no confusing reward structures, just shop, transact, and earn cashback.
One of the biggest advantages of this card was that there were hardly any exclusions, apart from the usual fuel transactions. Whether it was gold purchases or insurance payments, you could always swipe the card and earn 1% unlimited cashback straight into your Amazon Pay balance.
But as the saying goes, nothing good lasts forever. Slowly and steadily, exclusions started making their way in. First, rent payments were excluded, and now ICICI Bank has announced a fresh set of major changes, including an extension of the list of categories where cashback will no longer apply. These changes shall be applicable from 11th October 2025.
There are two significant changes to the Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card.
- Forex Charges Have Been Lowered – Positive Change
- List of Exclusions Has Been Extended – Negative Change
Revised Spend Exclusions
Certain transactions will no longer be eligible for cashback:
- On Amazon.in, Amazon Pay & Amazon Partners – No cashback on gold coins, EMI transactions, rent, tax payments, and education spends.
- On All Other Merchants – No cashback on EMI transactions, rent, fuel, tax payments, education spends, utilities, and international transactions.
Lowered Forex Charges
The Forex charges for Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card have been lowered from 3.5% to 1.99% this is considered to be a good move, especially for those who make international transactions with this card.
Updated Benefits Can Be Viewed Here
Bottom Line
Should you close your card? Is the Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card no longer rewarding?
The answer is NO, nothing like that. The card continues to offer the same 5% cashback for Prime members and 3% cashback for non-Prime users, and now it even comes with a low forex markup fee.
The only change is the expanded list of exclusions, which honestly isn’t too worrying. Almost every credit card these days has a similar set of exclusions, so the Amazon Pay ICICI Card still remains a strong contender in the rewards space.
The only clear downside is that earlier cardholders could easily swipe the card and earn 1% unlimited cashback on spends like education and more, but that will no longer be possible, as these categories have now been excluded.
In my opinion, the Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card is still one of the greatest cashback cards, especially for regular Amazon users. With zero joining and annual charges, this is a must-have card for all.
14 comments
AEZAZAHMED BUKHARI I L
In short government dnt wnt to give people mre cashback and rewards n all .
MUBARAKBHAI PATEL
I Love Amazon pay icici credit card.
Thank you so much.
MUBARAKBHAI PATEL
Insurance premium Payment And Electricity Bills will Live Old Types.
Thank you so much
S Chatterjee
The cashback on this card is tricky as unlike some other cards of similar category, the cashback does not get credited into next month’s card billing to enjoy its direct benefit. It gets deposited into the wallet thereby forcing the consumer to make another purchase in order to get the benefit, which once again is not eligible to get the 5% cashback benefit, had it been made using the card itself. Amazon is also not offering any interest on the deposit in the wallet, no matter how long it remains deposited. Thus, the benefit is not what people actually thinks it to be but much lower than that.
Deepak Nanjundaiah
Not really. Look at SBI cashback card, it offers 5% on all online spends which is by far the best reward card out there in the market.
Prince Jain
It will get cashback on amazon app bill payment any other bill payment outside application on other merchant then no cashback alloted…
Suri
What about insurance and ulip payments? Are they excluded?
R2M
Now Sbi cashback card stands better than amazonpay icici card
Sachin
Can Amazon Pay bill payments via Amazon’s app still get cashback, or is that now excluded too?
Anamika
It feels like cashback is losing its value since more and more categories are being excluded.
Sahil Kumar
Thanks for summarising this, the lowering of forex charges from 3.5% to 1.99% is a solid win, especially for those of us doing international purchases. Even with the exclusions, this card still holds value for Amazon users.
Atishay Jain
No, utility bill payment via Amazon or Amazon pay will continue to earn 2% cashback, If you use card outside Amazon then no cashback.
Rahul Agarwal
Utilities payment is also excluded, does that means no more 2% cashback on Amazon pay bill payments?
Debajit roy
Yes im interested amazon pay credit card