American Express SmartEarn Credit Card Vs. Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card

The first thing to come to mind while thinking about credit cards is their rewards program. We ask all kinds of questions like what will be the rewards? Is it going to reward points, cashbacks or anything else? What will be the reward rate and the redemption value? Every credit card comes with a specific type of reward programme whose job is to attract and give returns to the customers. Rewards can be considered as the standard returns on credit card expenses by an individual. American Express SmartEarn Credit Card and Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card are the two outstanding rewards credit cards in India that can bring you a decent range of returns on your expenses.

 As a myth, we always think that credit card is a liability, which can indeed be the case if you are irresponsible with it. But with a reasonable nature, you can convert this financial tool into an asset. Rewards are the visible result of your returns, even on expenses. But that is not the end, as there are many plausible features provided by both credit cards in different categories, and the redemptions are also great.

American Express SmartEarn Credit Card

The American Express SmartEarn Credit Card is a card based on reward points, providing a diverse range of offers and benefits. From the welcome cashback to accelerated membership reward points, this credit card is very well-suited for travel and shopping expenses.

Features and Benefits

Welcome :

Cashback of Rs. 500 upon spending more than Rs. 10,000 within the first 90 days.

Rewards :

• 10X Membership RPs on Amazon and Flipkart (max capped at 500 points per month, both platforms combined).
• 10X Membership RPs on Uber rides (max capped at 500 points per month).
• 5X Membership RPs on Paytm Wallet, Swiggy, BookMyShow, Big Bazaar, PVR, Myntra, Blink It and many other merchants (max capped at 250 points/month)
• 1 Membership RP on every Rs. 50 spent except for a few categories.
• Accumulated Membership RPs can be redeemed against credit card charges, bank catalogues, e-vouchers, or transfers to hotel and air miles programs.

Milestone :

Annual membership fee waived upon spending more than Rs. 40,000 in a year.

Spend -Based :

• Upon spending more than Rs. 1.20 Lakh, you get a voucher worth Rs. 500 by top brands.
• Additional voucher on crossing the spends over Rs. 1.80 Lakh in a year.
• On spending more than Rs. 2.40 Lakhs, you get another voucher worth Rs. 500.

Fuel :

• 1% fuel surcharge waiver at HPCL fuels on transactions over Rs. 5,000.

Fees and Charges :

• Joining/ Renewal Fee = Rs. 495 + GST
• Interest Rates = 3.5% per month
• Foreign Currency Markup = 3.50% on all international transactions
• Cash Advance Fee = 3.5% or a minimum of Rs. 250

The American Express SmartEarn Credit Card provides a reasonable reward rate on famous brands, which is one of the most convincing features of the card. People who are interested in shopping from Myntra, Flipkart, Amazon, etc, can use this credit card to its full potential.

Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card

The Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card is exclusively a reward credit card with no joining fee at all. This is targeted towards people who go for retail purchases a lot. This card has very decent reward rates and provides fantastic opportunities to earn accelerated rewards in different categories.

Features and Benefits

Rewards :

• 4 RPs on every Rs. 150 spent on retail purchases.
• 1 RP on every Rs. 150 spent on government and insurance.
• Accumulated reward points can be redeemed against the reward catalogue where 1 RP = 0.25.
• You can also redeem your rewards against the card’s statement balance, 1 RP = Re. 0.20.

Travel :

One complimentary domestic lounge access every quarter (4 in a year).

Milestone :

• Spending over Rs. 20,000 on retail will make you eligible to earn 4X bonus RPs on all the other retail expenses.
• Bonus is max capped at 2,000 in a month.

Spend-based :

Renewal fee of Rs. 1,000 will be waived upon spending more than Rs. 3 Lakhs in a year.

Fuel :

1% fuel surcharge waiver on all transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 2,000 (max capped at Rs. 400 per month).

Fees and Charges :

• Joining/Renewal Fee = Nil / Rs. 1000 + GST
• Interest Rate = 3.75% per month
• Foreign Currency Markup = 3.5% of the total transacted amount
• Cash Advance Fee = 3% or a minimum of Rs. 300

The Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card is considered an excellent option for those who have everyday retail purchases to make. This card allows you to earn exclusive RPs and accelerated rewards on reaching milestones.

Quick Comparison :

Here is a comparison between both these cards to understand the difference between them clearly :

Basics	American Express SmartEarn Credit Card	Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card
Joining Fee	Rs. 495 + GST	Nil
Renewal Fee	Rs. 495 + GST	Rs. 1000 + GST
Welcome	Cashback of Rs. 500 upon spending more than Rs. 10,000	N/A
Interest Rate	3.5% per month	3.75% per month
Rewards	10X Membership RPs on Amazon and Flipkart 10X Membership RPs on Uber rides 5X Membership RPs on Paytm Wallet, Swiggy, BookMyShow, Big Bazaar, PVR, Myntra, Blink It and many other merchants 1 Membership RP on every Rs. 50 spent except for a few categories Accumulated Membership RPs can be redeemed against credit card charges, bank catalogues, e-vouchers, or transfers to hotel and air miles programs.	4 RPs on every Rs. 150 spent on retail purchases. 1 RP on every Rs. 150 spent on government and insurance. Redeem against the reward catalogue where 1 RP = 0.25. Against the card’s statement balance, 1 RP = Re. 0.20.
Foreign Currency Markup	3.50% on all international transactions	3.5% of the total transacted amount
Travel	N/A	One complimentary domestic lounge access every quarter
Milestone	Annual membership fee waived upon spending more than Rs. 40,000 in a year	Spending over Rs. 20,000 on retail will make you eligible to earn 4X bonus RPs on all the other retail expenses. The bonus is max capped at 2,000 in a month.
Spend-Based Features	Upon spending more than Rs. 1.20 Lakh, you get a voucher worth Rs. 500 from top brands. Additional voucher on crossing the spends over Rs. 1.80 Lakh in a year. For spending more than Rs. 2.40 Lakhs, you get another voucher worth Rs. 500	A renewal fee of Rs. 1,000 will be waived upon spending more than Rs. 3 Lakhs in a year.
Fuel	1% fuel surcharge waiver at HPCL fuels on transactions over Rs. 5,000	1% fuel surcharge waiver on all transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 2,000
Cash Advance Fee	3.5% or a minimum of Rs. 250	3% or a minimum of Rs. 300

Also Read – AmEx Smart Earn vs Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium Credit Card: Which One is Better?

Conclusion

The American Express SmartEarn Credit Card and Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card are both rewards credit cards. The rewards are focused towards different categories, and there are also some attractive complimentary benefits as well. The American Express SmartEarn Credit Card is an excellent choice for those who prefer online shopping and shop a lot from different online platforms like Amazon, Myntra, etc. At the same time, the Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card is an ideal option for individuals with high retail expenses.