HDFC Freedom Credit Card vs HDFC Regalia First Credit Card

The HDFC Bank, being the largest private sector bank & a popular credit card issuer, is trusted by millions of people and they prefer having an HDFC Bank Credit Card over the credit cards from any other bank or issuer. HDFC Bank offers a wide range of credit cards targeted at different segments of individuals and one such segment is the people who want basic credit cards with decent benefits. When we talk about basic credit cards offered by HDFC Bank, the HDFC Freedom Card and HDFC Regalia First Credit Card are two of the most sought-after options. Though there are lots of differences between the fees & charges and features of these credit cards, some individuals are still confused about which one they should go with.

On one hand, the Freedom Credit Card charges a lower annual fee and offers a decent reward rate, which might be sufficient for someone who just wants to save on his/her spends. On the other hand, the Regalia First Card offers some additional privileges with a slightly higher annual fee. So, it becomes difficult to decide which one will suit you the best. To help you out make the right decision, we are here with this comparison article where we will discuss the features of both these cards in detail and then will compare them on the basis of various important factors:

Read More: HDFC MoneyBack Plus vs HDFC Regalia First Credit Card

HDFC Freedom Credit Card

The HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card is one of the most basic cards issued by the bank that is targeted at individuals who are not much experienced in the world of credit cards. It comes with a nominal joining and annual fee of Rs. 499, which can be waived off (second year onwards) on the basis of a cardholder’s total annual spends. It comes with a decent reward rate on retail spends and offers accelerated reward points on utility and telephonic bills. Other than the rewards, the card has a few more advantages, which are as follows:

• The cardholders get 500 bonus Cash Points as a welcome gift after payment of the joining fee.
• The Card offers 1 Cash Point on every spend of Rs. 150.
• You can earn 5x Cash Points on EMI transactions at selected merchant locations and 10x Cash Points on utility & telephonic bills.
• These Cash Points can be redeemed against several options including travel-related bookings, shopping, vouchers, or cash at a rate of 1 CP = Re. 0.15.
• With this card, you can get up to a 20%  discount on all your dining spends at over 20k premium restaurants across the country.
• The card also offers a 1% fuel surcharge waiver on all fuel transactions.
• The annual fee of Rs. 499 is waived off if a cardholder has spent Rs. 50,000 or more in the previous anniversary year.
• The Freedom Card also comes with a low-interest rate as an introductory offer, i.e, you are charged an interest of only 0.99% per month for the first 90 days of the card membership. After that, an interest of 3.6% per month is chargeable.

HDFC Regalia First Credit Card

The HDFC Regalia First Credit Card is the toned-down version of one of the most popular credit cards in the Indian market, i.e, the HDFC Regalia Credit Card. The Regalia First Card comes with an annual fee of Rs. 1,000 and welcomes you with 1,000 bonus Reward Points. This card comes with a decent Reward Rate and several other benefits, including free lounge access, discounts on dining, insurance covers, and many more. This card is best suited for those who want to get complimentary lounge access with a low annual fee credit card. For more detailed information about the features and benefits of the Regalia First Card, refer to the following information:

• The cardholders get a welcome benefit of 1,000 bonus Reward Points.
• The Regalia First Card offers 4 Reward Points on every spend of Rs. 150.
• These Reward Points can be redeemed against a host of options including shopping, vouchers, travel-related booking, and many more. 1 RP = Re. 0.30 for redemption against travel bookings, Re. 0.25 for redemption against products, vouchers, and Re. 0.15 for redemption against cashback.
• You get 8 complimentary domestic lounge access every year.
• You get 3 complimentary international lounge access every year.
• The cardholders can enjoy a discount of up to 30% on dining at over 2,000 participating restaurants.
• You also get insurance covers worth up to Rs. 50 lakhs.
• This card also offers a 1% fuel surcharge waiver on all fuel transactions.
• The annual fee of Rs. 1,000 is waived off on spending Rs. 1 lakh or more in the previous anniversary year.

Quick Comparison

Now, after understanding the features and benefits of both the cards, let us compare them on the basis of different factors via the following table:

Factors	HDFC Freedom Credit Card	HDFC Regalia First Credit Card
Annual Fee	Rs. 500 (waived off on spending Rs. 50,000 in the previous year)	Rs. 1,000 (waived off on spending a minimum of Rs. 1 lakh in the previous year)
Welcome Benefits	– 500 bonus Cash Points.	– 1,000 bonus Reward Points.
Reward Rate	– 1 Cash Point in every spend of Rs. 150. – 5x Cash Points on EMI purchases at merchant locations. – 10x Cash Points on Swiggy, OYO, BigBasket, BookMyShow, etc.	4 Reward Points on every spend of Rs. 150.
Reward Redemption	1 Cash Point = Re. 0.15 for redemption against products, vouchers, and cashback.	1 RP = Re. 0.30 for redemption against travel bookings, Re. 0.25 for redemption against products, vouchers, and Re. 0.15 for redemption against cashback.
Complimentary Lounge Access	NA	– 8 complimentary domestic lounge access every year (1 per quarter). – 3 complimentary international lounge access every year.

Bottom Line

The features of the Regalia First and the Freedom Credit Card are entirely different. The Freedom Card is a very basic card that is a great option for those who just want an affordable credit card with a decent reward rate. However, if you are looking for other benefits, like complimentary lounge access, insurance benefits, etc, as well, then the Regalia First Credit Card is definitely a better choice. Also, it becomes an important step to check your eligibility criteria before you apply for a credit card. Here, the income required to get approved for the Regalia First Card might be a bit higher than that required for the freedom card. One should also keep this particular factor in mind. So, this is how you can compare the two cards based on different factors and make a wise decision.