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HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card

HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card is a basic entry-level credit card by HDFC Bank targeted primarily at first-time cardholders. It is a Reward Points-based card and comes with a nominal membership fee of just ₹500 per annum. The renewal fee can also be waived on minimum spends of ₹50,000 in an anniversary year. Earn 1 Cash Point/₹200 spent with this card and an extra 10X CashPoints on BookMyShow, OYO, Uber, BigBasket, and Swiggy. This is an ideal credit card for those who are just beginning their credit journey and have low incomes. Read on to learn more about this entry-level offering by HDFC. Explore all about the HDFC Freedom Credit Card in our article below.

HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card

( 4.2 / 5 )
HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card
  • Joining Fee₹500 + GST
  • Annual Fee₹500 + GST
  • Best Suited ForShopping
  • Reward TypeReward Points

Rewards Rate

10x CashPoints on Big Basket, Swiggy, BookMyShow, Oyo, and Uber, and 1 CashPoint/₹200 Spent on All Other Purchases

Welcome Benefits

500 CashPoints

Movie & Dining

10% Off Up to ₹200 With Swiggy Dineout (Twice Each Month)

Rewards Rate

10x CashPoints on Big Basket, Swiggy, BookMyShow, Oyo, and Uber, and 1 CashPoint/₹200 Spent on All Other Purchases

Reward Redemption

1 CashPoint = ₹0.15 for Various Redemption Options

Travel

N/A

Domestic Lounge Access

N/A

International Lounge Access

N/A

Golf

N/A

Insurance Benefits

N/A

  • Spend-Based Waiver

    Rs. 50,000 spent in the previous year

    Rewards Redemption Fee

    ₹99 + GST

    Foreign Currency Markup

    3.5%

    Interest Rates

    3.75% Monthly and 45.0% Annually

    Fuel Surcharge Waiver

    1% Surcharge Waived for Fuel Transactions Between ₹400 and ₹5,000

    Cash Advance Charges

    2.50% of the withdrawn amount (subject to a minimum charge of Rs. 500)

    • Complimentary 500 Cash Points as a welcome benefit.
    • Low interest rate of 0.99% for the first 90 days from the card issuance date.
    • 10X CashPoints on various popular brands.
    • 1 CashPoint/₹200 on all other spends with the card.

    Pros

    • Easy redemption of CashPoints against an array of categories.
    • Up to 10% off on partner restaurants via Swiggy Dineout

    Cons

    • CashPoints expire after 2 years and are not valid for life.
    • This card does not offer benefits for entertainment or golf, nor does it provide access to domestic or international lounges.

  • Freedom Credit Card Features and Benefits

    The Freedom Credit Card is one of the most basic HDFC Bank Credit Cards and is still sought by individuals looking for an affordable card with decent rewards and features. It comes with a great welcome and annual benefits, along with a good reward rate. To understand all the features and benefits of the card in detail, refer to all the points mentioned below:

    Welcome/Renewal benefit

    You get 500 bonus Cash Points after successfully paying the joining fee.

    Fuel Surcharge Waiver

    A 1% fuel surcharge is waived at all filling stations across India for transactions between ₹400 and ₹5,000 (the maximum waiver per statement cycle is ₹ 250).

    Spend-Based Waiver

    The ₹500 renewal fee is waived if you spent ₹50,000 or more in the previous anniversary year.

    HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card Reward Points

    • You get 1 Cash Point for every amount spent of ₹200.
    • You get 10 Cash Points for every ₹200 spent on BigBasket, OYO, Swiggy, Uber, and BookMyShow. The maximum Cash Points under this category are capped at 2,500 Cash Points every month.

    CashPoints Redemption

    • The Reward Points earned on the HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card can be redeemed for cash back, products (from the HDFC product catalog), or hotel/flight bookings on Smartbuy.
    • 1 Cash Point = ₹0.15 for redemption against all the categories as mentioned above.
    • You need a minimum of 500 Cash Points for redemption against cashback.
    • Rent payments, fuel spending, EMI transactions, wallet loads, gift card purchases, cash advances, and government transactions are excluded from the redemption of reward points.
    Redemption Value of 1 Reward Point (RP)
    Product Catalogue ₹0.15
    SmartBuy ₹0.15
    Cashback ₹0.15
    Airmiles ₹0.15

    HDFC Freedom Credit Card Eligibility Criteria

    To be approved for the HDFC Bank Freedom Card, applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria that depend on factors such as age, income, and credit history. The basic eligibility requirements for the HDFC Freedom Credit Card are mentioned below in the table:

    Applicant Age Salary/Income Requirement
    Salaried Employees 21 – 60 years Net Monthly Income of ₹12,000 or Above
    Self-Employed Individuals 21 – 65 years Annual Income of ₹6,00,000 or Above

    HDFC Freedom Credit Card Features

    HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card Review

    Given its not-so-strict eligibility criteria, low membership fee, and decent reward rate across almost all spending categories, the Freedom Credit Card by HDFC Bank is a good pick for first-time cardholders. Another card that can be considered very similar to this is the Swiggy Ornge HDFC Bank Credit Card, which has a similar annual fee and many more features, such as a high 5% cashback on Swiggy.

    The Freedom Credit Card is only helpful for those who spend the most on the accelerated reward category brands.

    All these benefits combined make it one of the best offerings in the entry-level segment. What do you think of the HDFC Freedom Credit Card? Do let us know in the comments. And if you’re an existing cardholder, feel free to share your experience.

    FAQs:

    No, HDFC Bank doesn’t provide complimentary domestic or international airport lounge access with the Freedom Credit Card.

    HDFC Bank does not charge any fee for issuing up to 3 add-on credit cards.

    HDFC Bank charges an interest of 3.75% per month on the HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card.

    HDFC charges 3.5% of the transaction amount as a foreign currency markup fee on the Freedom Credit Card.

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