Rewards maximizers compare cards by effective reward rate and redemption value, not just headline numbers. The best rewards come from matching card categories to your actual spending.
Our top pick for cards for maximizing rewards is the Scapia Federal Credit Card from Federal (no annual fee). Best lifetime-free option: Standard Chartered Priority Visa Infinite (SC). Best premium pick: Ultimate Credit Card (SC, ₹5,000 fee). Ranked from 156 Indian credit cards Vyaya tracks, with fees and earn rates re-verified against issuer terms (October 2026).
Federal · No annual fee · 5% rewards
SC · ₹5,000 annual fee · 3.33% rewards
HSBC · ₹20,000 annual fee · 3% rewards
Axis · ₹10,000 annual fee · 3% rewards
Kotak · ₹2,500 annual fee · 2% rewards
SC · No annual fee · 2% rewards
HSBC · ₹4,999 annual fee · 2% rewards
YES · ₹399 annual fee · 2% rewards
Axis · ₹5,000 annual fee · 2% rewards
HDFC · ₹2,500 annual fee · 2% rewards
SBI · ₹4,999 annual fee · 2% rewards
SC · ₹25,000 annual fee · 2% rewards
Axis · ₹3,000 annual fee · 2% rewards
IDFC First · ₹4,999 annual fee · 1.6% rewards
Axis · ₹499 annual fee · 1.5% rewards