Best lifetime-free credit cards in October 2026

26. IDFC FIRST Millennia ₹3,400 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹4,200 a year
27. IDFC FIRST Classic ₹3,400 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹4,200 a year
28. IDFC FIRST Wealth ₹3,400 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹4,200 a year
29. LIC Axis Bank Platinum ₹6,400 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,000 a year
30. IDBI Bank LIC Lumine ₹7,400
31. AU CA Metal ₹4,500 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹2,700 a year
32. AU CS ₹4,500 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹2,700 a year
33. YES Bank Zagg Credit Card ₹6,800
34. IDFC FIRST WOW! ₹4,500 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,800 a year
35. RBL Paisabazaar Duet ₹6,000
36. AU Zaggle Credit Card ₹4,500 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,500 a year
37. IDFC FIRST Quantum+ ₹6,000
38. Paytm AU Credit Card ₹4,500 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
39. IndusInd Platinum ₹5,400
40. Edge CSB Bank RuPay Credit Card ₹3,600 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,700 a year
41. CheQ AU Credit Card ₹4,500
42. ICICI Bank Platinum Chip Credit Card ₹4,500
43. IndusInd Duo ₹4,500
44. EazyDiner IndusInd Platinum ₹5,200
45. Utkarsh Wish Credit Card ₹2,400 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,800 a year
46. ICICI Bank Parakram ₹2,300 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,800 a year
47. IndianOil Easy Axis Bank ₹1,800 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹2,200 a year
48. CUB CSK RuPay Platinum ₹3,000
49. CUB SRH RuPay Platinum ₹3,000
50. Niyo Global SBM Credit Card ₹0 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹3,600 a year
51. Google Pay Flex Axis Bank ₹14,400 · Ranked lower: includes a promotional reward rate
52. IDBI Bank Aspire Platinum ₹3,600
53. RBL BankBazaar SaveMax ₹2,300 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
54. Aditya Birla Capital AU Flex ₹2,300 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
55. Aditya Birla Capital AU Nxt ₹2,300 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
56. BOBCARD Select (FD Backed) ₹1,800 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
57. YES Bank FinBooster ₹2,300
58. BOBCARD Easy (FD Backed) ₹1,800 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,100 a year
59. Federal Bank Celesta ₹2,300
60. YES FinBooster RuPay ₹2,300
61. YES Bank anQ Pi ₹2,300
62. YES BANK RuPay Virtual ₹2,300
63. Federal Bank Imperio ₹2,700
64. AU LIT Credit Card ₹2,300
65. PNB VISA Classic ₹2,300
66. Federal RuPay Wave Credit Card ₹2,100
67. Federal Bank Signet ₹1,100
68. AU InstaPay RuPay Credit Card ₹1,200
69. IndusInd ePay Amex ₹1,100
70. Unity Bank BharatPe Credit Card ₹18,000
71. IndusInd Platinum Aura Edge ₹1,800 · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,100 a year
72. Kotak UPI RuPay ₹2,700
73. Axis Bank Kwik ₹1,800
74. Indian Overseas Bank RuPay Classic ₹1,500
75. Kotak Infinite ₹27,600 · Closed to new applicants
76. Axis Bank Vistara Infinite Credit Card ₹27,000 · Closed to new applicants
77. HSBC Advance Platinum ₹12,000 · Closed to new applicants · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹9,600 a year
78. Scapia (BOBCARD) ₹18,000 · Not confirmed on sale
79. Standard Chartered Priority Visa Infinite ₹18,000 · Invite only
80. Hutch Citibank Credit Card ₹18,000 · Closed to new applicants
81. Axis Bank Vistara Signature Credit Card ₹18,000 · Closed to new applicants
82. HSBC Smart Value ₹9,000 · Closed to new applicants · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹5,400 a year
83. Maruti Suzuki AutoCard ₹9,000 · Closed to new applicants · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
84. MagniFi (Federal Bank) ₹4,500 · Closed to new applicants · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹4,900 a year
85. Axis Bank Vistara Credit Card ₹9,000 · Closed to new applicants
86. UJJIVAN SFB Elite BOBCARD ₹4,500 · Invite only · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹4,500 a year
87. ICAI Exclusive BOBCARD ₹6,300 · Invite only · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹2,300 a year
88. ICSI Diamond BOBCARD ₹6,200 · Invite only · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹2,300 a year
89. PNB Parakram ₹8,300 · Not confirmed on sale
90. Poonawalla Fincorp IndusInd eLITE RuPay ₹6,000 · Closed to new applicants · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
91. Yatra Barclaycard Platinum ₹7,200 · Closed to new applicants
92. Barclaycard Gold ₹7,200 · Closed to new applicants
93. Barclays Premier League Barclaycard ₹7,200 · Closed to new applicants
94. Times Card from Barclaycard and TimesofMoney ₹7,200 · Closed to new applicants
95. Indian Army YODDHA BOBCARD ₹4,500 · Invite only · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹2,300 a year
96. Assam Rifles SENTINEL BOBCARD ₹4,500 · Invite only · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹2,300 a year
97. Coast Guard RAKSHAMAH BOBCARD ₹4,500 · Invite only · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹2,300 a year
98. Delhi Metro Citibank ₹6,300 · Closed to new applicants
99. Easyday Kotak Silver Card ₹4,500 · Closed to new applicants · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
100. SBI Platinum Card (2007) ₹5,600 · Closed to new applicants
101. IndianOil Citibank Credit Card ₹4,500 · Closed to new applicants
102. RBL IGU NHS Golf World Card ₹5,500 · Closed to new applicants
103. Reliance Gold Credit Card ₹4,200 · Closed to new applicants
104. Reliance Silver Credit Card ₹4,200 · Closed to new applicants
105. Canara Bank Select / World / Signature ₹4,500 · Not confirmed on sale
106. Canara Bank Platinum ₹4,500 · Not confirmed on sale
107. Canara Bank Classic / Standard ₹4,500 · Not confirmed on sale
108. Canara Bank Gold ₹4,500 · Not confirmed on sale
109. Citibank Gold Credit Card ₹4,200 · Closed to new applicants
110. Citibank Woman's Credit Card ₹4,200 · Closed to new applicants
111. MTV Citibank Credit Card ₹4,200 · Closed to new applicants
112. Varunah BOBCARD ₹2,300 · Invite only · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
113. BOBCARD VIKRAM ₹2,300 · Invite only · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
114. UJJIVAN SFB Platinum BOBCARD ₹2,300 · Invite only · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,400 a year
115. BOBCARD Prime ₹3,600 · Not confirmed on sale
116. Jet Airways Citibank Titanium ₹3,600 · Closed to new applicants
117. Jet Airways Citibank Silver ₹3,600 · Closed to new applicants
118. Citibank Silver Credit Card ₹3,200 · Closed to new applicants
119. CRY Citibank Credit Card ₹3,200 · Closed to new applicants
120. WWF Citibank Credit Card ₹3,200 · Closed to new applicants
121. PNB SALARY RuPay Select ₹3,000 · Not confirmed on sale
122. OneCard Metal ₹1,800 · Issuing paused · Ranked higher: its bonus category adds ₹1,100 a year
123. LIC Axis Bank Titanium ₹2,600 · Closed to new applicants
124. LIC Axis Bank Gold ₹2,600 · Closed to new applicants
125. BOBCARD ConQR ₹2,300 · Not confirmed on sale
126. PNB SALARY RuPay Platinum ₹2,300 · Not confirmed on sale
127. Toyota ICICI Bank Co-Branded ₹2,300 · Closed to new applicants
128. ICICI Bank Gitanjali Jewellery ₹2,300 · Closed to new applicants
129. SBI Doctors Card ₹2,300 · Closed to new applicants
130. PM SVANidhi BOBCARD ₹1,800 · Invite only
131. IOB Gold Credit Card ₹1,800 · Closed to new applicants
132. IOB Classic Credit Card ₹1,800 · Closed to new applicants
133. SBI Employee Card ₹1,800 · Closed to new applicants
134. Dhi CUB Visa Signature ₹11,300 · Invite only · Ranked lower: includes a promotional reward rate
135. IB-VISA-Bharat ₹0 · Not confirmed on sale

₹0 joining, then ₹150/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (2): Suryoday SFB RuPay Platinum , Suryoday SFB RuPay Select .

₹500 joining, then ₹750/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (2): PNB Patanjali RuPay Select , PNB RuPay Select .

₹0 joining, then ₹500/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (2): PNB Patanjali RuPay Platinum , PNB RuPay Platinum .

₹30,000/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): Axis Magnus for Burgundy .

₹1,00,000/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): Axis Burgundy Private .

₹12,000 joining, then ₹20,000/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): HSBC Premier (Metal) .

₹15,000 joining, then ₹25,000/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): Standard Chartered Beyond .

₹0 joining, then ₹25,000/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): Kotak Solitaire .

₹2,500/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): RBL Signature Banking .

₹1,500/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): RBL Aspire Banking .

₹250/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards .

₹300/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): PNB VISA Gold .

₹500/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): PNB VISA Platinum .

₹299/yr on paper, commonly waived on a relationship or a standing offer — free for some holders, not free by right (1): Standard Chartered Bandhan One .

IndusInd Tiger. 135 of the 651 priced travel cards we track charge nothing to take and nothing to keep — no joining charge, no renewal fee, no spend target to hit for a waiver — and at ₹75,000 a month IndusInd Tiger returns ₹38,000 a year and ranks first of them. Every rupee of that is profit: there is no fee to earn back.

135 of the 990 Indian personal cards we track are ranked here. 17 are listed unranked with the computed reason — free only if the bank says so — because a card we can't rank honestly gets named, not hidden. A further 339 are carried but not valued at all — 51 with no annual fee any issuer document states, 241 whose issuer has not published how the card earns, 47 with neither — because scoring an unknown as ₹0 is a claim, not a gap. Business and corporate cards are ranked apart from these: 70 priced ones sit on /cards/best/business, because pricing an MSME card against a personal wallet answers a question nobody asked.

The records behind this board — the card records this ranks and the house valuations their points are priced at — carry re-verification dates from 9 Jul 2026 to 26 Oct 2026; the ranking is recomputed from them on every build. Nothing on this page is typed by hand: the podium, the table and the numbers in this answer are all recomputed from those records every time the site builds, so a devaluation moves the ranking the day we log it.

On what this board ranks — net ₹/yr at ₹75,000/mo — yes: ₹38,000 against ₹18,000. That is the whole claim, and a narrow one. Scapia (Federal Bank) takes our lounges board instead. No card wins overall: 24 boards, 24 questions.