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The annual/joining fee is an essential factor we all consider when looking for the perfect credit card. Everyone desires a credit card that offers maximum benefits with minimum charges. Everyone has different needs and requirements. While some would like a premium credit card, some would want to opt for a lifetime free card as they might occasionally use it or simply don’t want to pay charges for the same. Keeping such individual requirements in mind, almost all card issuers and financial institutions issue some lifetime free credit cards.

What is an LTF Credit Card?

As the term suggests, a lifetime free credit card is a card that comes with no annual fee. This means that you won’t have to pay any yearly charges for using this card. Many people choose to start their credit journey with an LTF card as it appears to be the most affordable and low-risk option. Best Lifetime Free Credit Cards LTF Credit Cards offer benefits similar to any other credit card. Some may provide BOGO offers on movies, while others offer free lounge access. All major credit card issuers in India offer some cards with no joining or renewal charges. However, these credit cards usually have fewer features and benefits compared to those with an annual fee. We have compiled a list of India’s top lifetime free credit cards below. These credit cards either come with no annual fee or the fee can be waived with a low yearly spend of Rs. 1.5 lakh (maximum) in a year. The cards on our list have an easy application process and come with no hidden charges.

Table of Contents

List of Top Lifetime Free Credit Cards in India 2024

With a bunch of lifetime-free credit cards available in the market, choosing one can be quite confusing. Some of you may also find it challenging to identify the best no-annual-fee credit cards, potentially missing out on the best offers. Keeping this in mind, we are here to assist you with a list of the top lifetime free credit cards in India. Considering all your requirements and spending habits, select the card that appears to be the most suitable for you.

AU Lit Horizontal card

(4.5/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Nil

Best Suited For

Movies

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

NIL

AU Small Finance LIT Credit Card is the first customizable credit card in India, which allows you to personalize the features of the card. With an LIT card, you can choose from five different categories of features that you want to use for a period of 90 days. These categories include travel benefits, OTT membership benefits, shoppers category, milestone cashback category, and other categories. Additionally, you will earn base reward points for every Rs. 100 spent with the card. The card also offers 10X or 5X accelerated reward points, 5% cashback three times over a 90-day period, and complimentary lounge access per quarter.

Axis Bank Neo Credit Card

(4.5/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Nil

Best Suited For

Shopping

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

Get 100% cashback up to Rs. 300 on your first utility bill payment within 30 days of getting the card.

The Axis Bank Neo Credit Card is ideal for young individuals who enjoy dining out and watching movies. With this card, you can avail great discounts on both. You will receive a 10% discount (up to Rs. 250) on a minimum spend of Rs. 750 on Blinkit once a month and a 10% discount on a minimum shopping of Rs. 500 on Myntra.

Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card

(5/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Nil

Best Suited For

Shopping

Reward Type

Cashback

Welcome Benefits

Cashback and Discounts Up to Rs. 2,000 and Free 3-Month Prime Membership

Amazon Pay ICICI Bank credit card is a card launched in collaboration with Amazon that provides you special cashback on your shopping spends. Prime members can get up to 5% cashback on shopping at Amazon, and non-prime members get up to 3% cashback on their spending. You will also receive a host of welcome benefits up to Rs. 2,000 with this card.

IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card

(4.7/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Nil

Best Suited For

Shopping

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

5% cashback on first EMI spend up to Rs. 1000 and additional welcome gift vouchers worth Rs. 500 on spending Rs. 15,000 inside 90 days of card generation

IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card is a trending beginner-level credit card that provides you with a host of lifestyle and travel benefits on your spending. You get up to 10x accelerated RPs on your spending of Rs 20,000 or above. The reward points earned with the Millennia card do not expire and can be carried forward to another term. Besides that, you get 4 complimentary railway lounge access.

ixigo AU Credit Card

(4.4/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Nil

Best Suited For

Travel

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

1000 RPs and Rs. 1000 ixigo Money Voucher on First Transaction Within 30 days of Card Issuance

AU Small Finance Bank has recently launched its first co-branded travel credit card in partnership with ixigo. The ixigo AU Credit Card comes with a lifetime free offer and primarily aims to provide customers with travel benefits. The card offers access to domestic and international airport lounges, along with railway lounges, making travel more comfortable. Although the card offers only one international lounge access, there are many benefits and discounts for travelers looking to explore India. Additionally, you can earn an accelerated 20 Reward Points on every train booking made through ixigo. Overall, the card is a great choice for frequent travelers who want to make their trips more enjoyable and convenient.

IndusInd-Legend-Credit-Card

(4.5/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Nil

Best Suited For

Travel

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

N/A

The Legend Credit Card is a premium lifetime free credit card offered by IndusInd Bank. It is most suited for high-income individuals as it is packed with benefits ranging from shopping to travel. With this card, you would get 1 reward point for every Rs. 100 spent on weekdays and 2 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on weekends. You shall also get offers on movies and complimentary domestic lounge access with this card.

AU Bank Altura Plus Credit Card

(4.5/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Nil

Best Suited For

Shopping

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

N/A

The AU Small Finance Bank Altura Plus Credit Card is an upgraded version of the Altura Credit Card. This credit card comes with a lifetime free membership and offers 1.5% cashback on all your retail purchases made through POS machines. In addition, you can earn 2x reward points on all online purchases, with no maximum limit on the amount of reward points you can earn. You also have the chance to earn 500 bonus reward points every month by reaching the milestone spend.

IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card

(4.5/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Nil

Best Suited For

Travel

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

Get a welcome gift voucher worth Rs. 500 on spending Rs. 15,000 or more within the first 90 days. Also, get 5% cashback on the value of your first EMI transaction done inside 90 days of card generation.

IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card is a reward point-based credit card offering tons of points on every transaction, be it offline or online. The card welcomes you with a gift voucher (worth Rs. 500) and also offers great entertainment benefits. Apart from this, the card also offers many other benefits, like free roadside assistance and complimentary railway lounge access. You would get 10 RPs on each spend of Rs. 150 with this card, along with a discount on movie tickets.

Bank of Baroda Easy Credit Card

(4.6/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Nil

Best Suited For

Shopping

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

NA

The Bank of Baroda offers an Easy Credit Card, which has zero joining and renewal fees. This card is perfect for daily spending as it earns you reward points. You can earn 5 reward points for every Rs. 100 spent on movies, groceries, and departmental stores. Additionally, this card offers a cash-back of 0.5% on the payment of the card bill. Furthermore, this card provides zero liability protection in case of loss of the card.

Lifetime Free Credit Cards Based on Spends

SBI SimplyCLICK credit card

(5/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Rs. 499 + GST

Renewal Fee

Rs. 499 + GST

Best Suited For

Shopping

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

Amazon Gift Card Worth Rs. 500

SimplyCLICK Credit Card by SBI Card is a popular credit card in the Indian card market in the entry-level segment. It is a Reward Points-based credit card and earns accelerated Reward Points on online transactions (particularly at partner online merchants). The card earns you 10x Reward Points at partner online merchants, including Amazon, Cleartrip, BookMyShow, Lenskart, Apollo24x7, and Netmeds, while you get 5x Reward Points on all other online spends. Spend Rs. 1 Lakh to waive your joining fee on the SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card.

HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card

(4.8/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Rs. 1,000 + GST

Renewal Fee

Rs. 1,000 + GST

Best Suited For

Shopping

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

1,000 CashPoints as a Welcome Benefit.

HDFC Millennia Credit Card is one of the most popular credit cards offered in the mid-level segment. Millennia Credit Card is ideal for new-to-credit millennials as it offers an accelerated reward rate on spends at online merchants, including Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Zomato, and many more, which is one of the favorite spends categories for millennials. The card’s yearly fee of Rs. 1,000 is waived off on a minimum expenditure of Rs. 1 lakh in a year.

American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card

(4.4/5)

Fees

Joining Fee

Nil

Renewal Fee

Rs 4,500 + GST

Best Suited For

Shopping

Reward Type

Reward Points

Welcome Benefits

Welcome benefit of 4,000 Bonus Membership RPs can be availed on settling the joining fee of Rs. 1,000 and spending of Rs 15,000 within the first 90 days of the card issuance.

The American Express Membership Rewards card is a shopping credit card that is offered by American Express. With this card, you can earn 1 Membership Reward Point for every Rs. 50 spent. If you spend Rs. 1.5 lakhs or more in a year, you will receive a 100% waiver on the renewal fee. If you spend between Rs. 90,000 and Rs. 1,49,999 annually, you will receive a 50% waiver on the annual renewal fee.

Lifetime Free Credit Cards Review by CardInsider

Best LTF Credit Card – IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card

The IDFC First Classic Credit Card is our top choice for the best lifetime credit card in India. With this card, you can earn 6X and 3X Reward Points on online and offline purchases (up to Rs. 20,000). Additionally, you can earn 10X Reward Points on incremental spends above Rs. 20,000. In the entertainment arena, this card offers a 25% discount on movie ticket bookings made with Paytm movies.

Why We Choose This Card?

This credit card provides a decent reward rate for spends up to Rs. 20,000, and after that, you can enjoy an exceptional reward rate of 20X RP. In addition to entertainment benefits, this card also offers complimentary roadside assistance and free railway lounge access (4 each quarter). It is easily accessible to everyone as it has a simple application process and requires an annual income of at least Rs. 3 lakh. The best part? The Reward Points awarded with the IDFC Select Credit Card never expire.

Best Entry Level LTF Credit Card – Axis Bank Neo Credit Card

Axis Bank provides a credit card that is suitable for entry-level users who are avid shoppers. In addition to earning Edge Reward Points on all of your purchases, you also receive fantastic savings on partner brands like Paytm, Myntra, and Zomato. Speaking of entertainment perks, using this card to reserve films at BookMyShow gets you a 10% discount. This card also comes with interesting discount offers and partner brand partnerships. You will also earn 1 EDGE Reward Point on each spend of Rs. 200.

Why We Choose This Card?

Zomato, Paytm, Myntra, and Blinkit are some of the most popular apps on our mobile phones. By using the Axis Bank Neo Credit Card, you can enjoy great discounts while making purchases on these platforms. Additionally, you can get a 5% discount on utility bills. Moreover, you can link your Neo RuPay Credit Card to UPI apps like Google Pay, PhonePe, or Paytm.

Best Shopping LTF Credit Card – Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card

The Amazon ICICI Bank Credit Card is a shopping credit card that is ideal for frequent shoppers who use the Amazon platform. With this card, you can enjoy great discounts in the form of cashback, which will be credited to your Amazon Pay balance account. There are no hidden charges associated with this card, and you can easily apply for it online.

Why We Choose This Card?

Any list of LTF credit cards would be incomplete without the Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card, which is one of the most popular credit cards in India. With this card, you can get 5% cashback in your Amazon Pay account on all purchases. Even if you are a non-Prime member, you are still eligible for a 3% cashback. This card provides simple benefits for all types of spending, whether online or offline. Additionally, you can take advantage of great welcome benefits and offers on utility bill payments.

Best LTF Credit Card (Spend-Based) – HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card

The HDFC Millennia Credit Card is a highly sought-after cashback credit card in India. It has a reasonable joining fee of Rs. 1,000 and offers a range of useful benefits, including 5% cashback on popular platforms like Amazon, Zomato, BookMyShow, Flipkart, and Myntra.

Why We Choose This Card?

When it comes to compiling a list of the best credit cards, it’s important to consider our younger audience. That’s why the Millennia Credit Card is a top contender. Not only does it offer a 5% discount on popular brands and 1% on offline spends, but it also includes one free airport lounge visit every quarter.

Comparison of Lifetime Free Credit Cards

Lounge access is regarded as one of the most exclusive benefits offered by credit cards, typically associated with premium cards. At the same time, Reward Points earned on various categories of spends also matter. The following table displays the value of reward points earned and complimentary lounge access available for various free credit cards.

Credit Card Reward Redemption Rate Airport/Railway Lounge Access
IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card 1 Reward Point = Rs. 0.25. 4 Complimentary Railway Lounge Access Per Quarter
LIT Credit Card 1 Reward Point = Rs. 0.25. 4 Free Domestic Airport Lounge Access Per Quarter
Axis Bank Neo Credit Card 1 Reward Point = Rs. 0.25. None
IndusInd Legend Credit Card 1 Reward Point = Rs. 0.75. 1 Complimentary Domestic Airport Lounge Access Per Quarter
IDFC Bank Millennia 1 Reward Point = Rs. 0.25. 4 Complimentary Railway Lounge Access Per Quarter
Bank of Baroda Easy Credit Card 1 Reward Point = Rs. 0.25. None
Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card Direct Cashback None
SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card 1 Reward Point = Rs. 0.25. None
HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card 1 Cash Point = Rs. 1. 1 Complimentary Domestic Airport Lounge Access Per Quarter
American Express Membership Rewards Credit Card 1 Reward Point = Rs. 0.25. None

Pros and Cons of a Lifetime Free Credit Card

By looking at the points below, you can clearly see that the benefits of a lifetime free credit card clearly outweigh the drawbacks.

Pros

  • You can take advantage of exciting offers like BOGO on movies and discounts on bill payments.
  • Special discounts like with the Amazon ICICI Credit Card, you shall get a 5% discount on Amazon.
  • Income requirements for LTF Cards are low, and the application process is simple and easy.

Cons

  • LTF Cards have fewer benefits than those with a fee.
  • There are only a select few LTF Cards in the Indian market.
  • Some LTF cards offer additional features that can be unlocked by paying a small fee. For instance, the LIT Credit Card provides access to certain reward plans and features for a fee.

How We Complied the Best List of Credit Cards in India?

We have a team of dedicated and experienced writers and researchers who conduct in-depth studies of various credit cards. Our editor then finalizes the list, keeping in mind the benefits and drawbacks of each lifetime free credit card. Only after verifying the latest features of credit cards do we come up with a list.

Who Shall Benefit from Our List?

  • New Credit Cardholders- If you are a first-time applicant, a no-annual-fee card is an excellent option to start your credit journey.
  • Build Credit Background- A no-annual-fee credit card is suitable for those with a low credit score or limited credit history, as it’s easier to obtain other types of cards.
  • Occasional Users- For those who use credit cards infrequently, a no-annual-fee card is a more economical choice.

Conclusion

Whether you are a first-time or an experienced credit card user, a lifetime credit card would add benefits and consistent value to your finances. While it’s true that free credit cards generally offer fewer benefits compared to premium cards with an annual fee, you would get more than what you paid for since it’s free. Whether it’s purchasing from online platforms or paying bills, each card offers its own unique benefit and would immensely benefit you.

Applying for a lifetime free credit card with CardInsider is easy, and once the card arrives, you can start taking advantage of it right away. No-fee credit cards can be a great option for those looking for an affordable card that offers maximum savings opportunities.

FAQs:

Lifetime-free credit cards are cards that do not carry any joining and renewal fees. These cards are not different from other credit cards; they just don't carry any annual fee with them. Though the membership fee for such cards is zero, the cardholders would still incur and face other fees associated with the card, such as finance charges, late payment fees, cash withdrawal fees, etc.
Yes, the lifetime free credit cards are actually free in terms of their membership charges. However, this doesn't mean that you will not face other charges that a card carries. That is, you will still face cash withdrawal charges, interest rates, foreign markup fees, etc.
It is really hard to categorize a credit card as the best card over other credit cards, as the needs of an individual are different. However, according to CardInsider IDFC First CLASSIC Credit Card is one of the best out there.
Almost every credit card issuer offers a lifetime free credit card. Banks like ICICI, AU Small Finance, HSBC, IDFC, BoB, and many more have offered lifetime free credit card options for the applicants.
Yes, you can use your no-annual-fee credit card for foreign transactions just like a normal credit card.
Yes, you can use an LTF credit card to make cash withdrawals at ATMs.

5 Comments

  1. Kashish Reply

    i was planning to get a credit card as I shop online alot and i think even if i get a little bit of benefit. I like the IDFC CLASSIC card gonna apply for that.

  2. Dalip Reply

    Bank of Broda offers good reward points on very rs100 spend. can you explain a bit more about Spend based waiver section it says to spend rs6000 in 60 days for joining fee waiver and why there is no offers for movies and dining.

  3. Aditi Reply

    Which credit card is better for railway lounge access? IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card or IDFC Bank Millennia

  4. Arjun Reply

    I particularly love the Flipkart axis card. I have been using it for about a year and I got it at a LTF offer.

    • 5% cashback on Flipkart and Myntra
    • 4% cashback on preferred merchants like Swiggy, Uber.
    • 1.5% on all other transactions

    You get the cashback amounts transferred monthly back to credit card and also mentioned in statement so it’s also very transparent.

  5. Rahul Kumar Reply

    Indusind Legend maybe ok as well, used to be paid earlier, but now it is lifetime free. Spends must be on weekends only, and they give 4k bonus reward points on 6L spends in a year. 1 RP = 1 CV Point for redemption against Club Vistara Points. Few other features include domestic lounge access, but i love this card for the buy one get one free ticket on bookmyshow.

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