The rulebook

Reward rules for 46 Indian credit cards

What each card actually pays: every rate with the spend it stops at, the categories that earn nothing, and the fee and what waives it. Transcribed from each bank's own terms and dated, the same rules the Zenidhi audit replays your swipes against. No rankings, no referral links.

American Express

American Express Membership Rewards® Credit Card

≈3.33% on Select brands

American Express® Platinum Reserve℠ Credit Card

≈0.66% on everything else

American Express® Platinum Travel Credit Card

≈0.4% on everything else

Axis Bank

Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card

25% on Airtel Mobile/Broadband/DTH via Airtel Thanks App

Axis Bank ACE Credit Card

5% on Bill payments, DTH, mobile recharge — via Google Pay only

Axis Bank Atlas Credit Card

≈5% on Transport

Axis Bank HORIZON Credit Card

≈5% on Direct airline

Axis Bank MAGNUS Credit Card

≈6% on Axis travel edge portal

Axis Bank MAGNUS for Burgundy Credit Card

≈6% on Axis travel edge portal, Grab deals gyftr

Axis Bank Neo Credit Card

≈0.1% on everything else

Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card

7.5% on Myntra

IndianOil Axis Bank Premium Credit Card

≈0.8% on IOCL fuel

HDFC Bank

HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Metal Edition Credit Card

≈10% on Smartbuy portal

HDFC Bank Diners Club Privilege Credit Card

≈2% on Online food ordering (online)

HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Credit Card

≈0.75% on Groceries, Food (UPI)

HDFC Millennia Credit Card

5% on Amazon, BookMyShow, Cult.fit, Flipkart, Myntra, Sony LIV, Swiggy, Tata CLiQ, Uber, Zomato

HDFC MoneyBack+ Credit Card

≈2.5% on 10X partner merchants

Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card

10% on Swiggy app

Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank Credit Card

≈5% on Tata Neu app / partner Tata brand merchants (in store / online)

HSBC India

HSBC Live+ Credit Card

10% on Food, Groceries, Shopping, Bills

HSBC RuPay Cashback Credit Card

10% on Food, Groceries

HSBC RuPay Platinum Credit Card

≈0.53% on everything else

HSBC Taj Credit Card

≈3.33% on Taj, SeleQtions, Gateway, Vivanta hotels and amã Stays & Trails bungalows

HSBC TravelOne Credit Card

≈9.6% on Hotels via hsbc travel portal

HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card

≈0.53% on everything else

ICICI Bank

Amazon Pay ICICI (Prime)

5% on Amazon.in purchases

ICICI Bank Coral Credit Card

≈0.5% on Transport

ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card

≈14.4% on Ishop portal

ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver Credit Card

≈5% on Bills, Groceries

ICICI Bank Platinum Chip Credit Card

≈0.5% on Transport

ICICI Bank Rubyx Credit Card

≈1% on International spend

ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card

≈1% on International spends

MakeMyTrip ICICI Bank Credit Card

6% on Hotel bookings on MakeMyTrip

IDFC FIRST Bank

Ashva Credit Card

≈6.67% on Hotel bookings via idfc first mobile app

IDFC FIRST Wealth Credit Card

≈6.25% on Hotels via first rewards gallery

RBL Bank

RBL Bank World Safari Credit Card

≈1.25% on Transport

SBI Card

BPCL SBI Card OCTANE

≈6.25% on BPCL fuel, MAK lubricants, Bharatgas, BPCL In&Out stores

Cashback SBI Card

5% on everything else (online)

Flipkart SBI Credit Card

7.5% on Myntra

PhonePe SBI Card BLACK

≈10% on PhonePe spends — Insurance

PhonePe SBI Card PURPLE

≈3% on PhonePe spends — Insurance

SBI Card ELITE

≈2.5% on Food, Groceries

SBI Card PRIME

≈5% on Birthday spends

SBI SimplyCLICK Credit Card

≈2.5% on Exclusive online partners (online)

SimplySAVE SBI Card

≈1.67% on Food, Entertainment, Groceries

YES Bank

YES BANK Klick Credit Card

≈0.2% on Bills (in store / online)