HDFC Bank Launches Swiggy ORNGE and Swiggy BLCK Credit Cards

The Swiggy HDFC Credit Card quickly rose to become one of the most sought-after cashback credit cards in the country. What started as a card offering cashback on food delivery and grocery orders eventually became useful for a variety of online purchases, even including gold coins. However, as with many popular offerings, the reign of the Swiggy HDFC Credit Card has now come to an end.

HDFC Bank has announced two new variants of its Swiggy co-branded credit cards that will replace the earlier version. The Swiggy ORNGE and Swiggy BLCK Credit Cards come with a refreshed design and a revised cashback structure. The Swiggy ORNGE offers a base 5% cashback, while the Swiggy BLCK offers 10% cashback on Swiggy purchases.

The Swiggy BLCK Credit Card comes with a joining and annual fee of ₹1,000 + GST and, as the name suggests, offers more premium benefits such as a complimentary 3-month Swiggy BLCK membership, along with higher cashback rates. Meanwhile, the Swiggy ORNGE Credit Card comes with a joining and annual fee of ₹500 + GST and offers 5% cashback on Swiggy and other online spends, along with benefits such as a 12-month complimentary Swiggy One membership.

About Swiggy ORNGE

The Swiggy ORNGE Credit Card appears to be the successor to the previously issued Swiggy HDFC Credit Card. Although it follows a similar fee structure and cashback limits, it no longer offers the higher 10% cashback that was available earlier. One important change is that 5% cashback will now be provided only on transactions of ₹249 or above. Transactions below this amount will not be eligible for cashback.

• 5% Cashback on Swiggy App Spends (Food Delivery, Instamart, Dineout)
• 5% Cashback on Select Online Categories – Apparel, Pharmacies, Pet Stores, Personal Care, Electronics, Entertainment, Travel, Discount Stores, Local Cabs

All of the above categories have a combined cashback cap of ₹1,500 per billing cycle. All other eligible spends will earn 1% cashback, capped at ₹1,000 per billing cycle.

About Swiggy BLCK

While the Swiggy ORNGE may feel familiar, the Swiggy BLCK is an entirely new offering. For the first time, it provides a complimentary three-month Swiggy BLCK membership, which allows cardholders to enjoy benefits such as additional discounts, priority offers, and more.

Earlier, it was mentioned that the Swiggy ORNGE Credit Card will offer 5% cashback only on transactions of ₹249 or above. Similarly, to earn 10% cashback using the Swiggy BLCK HDFC Bank Credit Card, the cardholder must make a minimum transaction of ₹249. For the 5% and 1% cashback categories on the Swiggy BLCK Credit Card, the minimum transaction amount required is ₹100.

The introduction of Swiggy BLCK has created a clear distinction between the two food-focused cards, positioning ORNGE as the basic offering and BLCK as the more premium option.

• 10% Cashback on Swiggy App Spends (Food Delivery, Instamart, Dineout) – Up to ₹1,500 per billing cycle
• 5% Cashback on Online Shopping Categories – Apparel, Pharmacies, Pet Stores, Personal Care, Electronics, Entertainment, Travel, Discount Stores, Local Cabs – Up to ₹1,500 per billing cycle
• 1% Cashback on Other Spends – Up to ₹1,000 per billing cycle

In terms of cashback capping, the Swiggy BLCK is far more generous than the Swiggy ORNGE, although it also comes with a higher fee.

Bottom Line

While the bank has clearly devalued the original card and introduced new variants with revised benefits, the old Swiggy HDFC Credit Card still offered better overall value for many users. Since a large number of customers, including myself, received the card as lifetime free, it made the proposition even more rewarding.

What remains to be seen is how existing Swiggy HDFC Credit Card users will be treated. It is currently unclear whether they will be migrated to the new ORNGE or BLCK variants. The bank has updated the following information for Swiggy HDFC users.

All in all, while things may seem a bit confusing right now, the launch of these two new credit cards is likely to create a lot of buzz among food lovers. The cards still offer rewarding cashback along with useful benefits and additional perks such as complimentary golf games and lessons.

It is also worth noting that this move has prompted some users to shift back to the Airtel Axis Credit Card, which continues to offer 10% cashback on Swiggy food orders.

What are your thoughts on this latest restructuring and introduction of new Swiggy credit cards by HDFC Bank?