Your first credit card should be easy to get, cheap (ideally free) to keep, and simple to use. Its real job is to build your credit history, so that bigger cards and loans become easier to get later.
If you don't have a salary slip or credit history yet, start with an FD-backed card: you open a small fixed deposit and get a credit card against it — approval is almost guaranteed.
⚡ High approval🆓 Lifetime free
Roarbank × Unity SFB
RuPay
★ 4.1 / 5
Up to 20% cashback on 2 categories you pick each month
- 🎯Up to 20% back on 2 categories you choose
- 📲2-in-1 with UPI savings + credit in one app
- ⏳62 days interest-free credit
Annual feeLifetime Free
RewardsUp to 20% cashback
Apply Now — it's free →
⚡ High approval
Axis Bank
Flipkart
★ 4.3 / 5
7.5% back on Myntra, 5% on Flipkart — zero joining fee
- 👗7.5% Myntra fashion at a discount
- 🛍️5% Flipkart & Cleartrip
- ♾️4% unlimited on preferred partners
Annual fee₹500/yr
Rewards1% – 7.5% cashback
Apply Now — it's free →
⚡ High approval
SBI Card
Flipkart
★ 4.3 / 5
7.5% on Myntra, 5% on Flipkart, 4% on Zomato & Uber
- 👗7.5% Myntra quarterly cashback
- 🛍️5% Flipkart & Cleartrip
- 🍕4% back Zomato, Uber, PVR, Netmeds
Annual fee₹500/yr
Rewards1% – 7.5% cashback
Apply Now — it's free →
⭐ Top pick
SBI Card
SimplyCLICK
★ 4.0 / 5
Best starter card — 10X rewards on top shopping apps
- 🔟10X points Amazon, Myntra, BookMyShow…
- 🎁₹500 Amazon voucher on fee payment
- 🎟️₹4,000 vouchers on ₹1L & ₹2L online spend
Annual fee₹499/yr
Rewards0.25% – 2.5% value back
Apply Now — it's free →
⭐ Top pick🆓 Lifetime free
Axis Bank
Neo RuPay
★ 4.0 / 5
10% off Blinkit, Myntra & BookMyShow — lifetime free
- 🛒10% off Blinkit up to ₹250/month
- 🎬10% off BookMyShow up to ₹100/month
- 🍔₹120 off Zomato twice a month
Annual feeLifetime Free
RewardsUp to 10% off on partners
Apply Now — it's free →
⭐ Top pick
4.25% back on BPCL fuel for just ₹499
- ⛽4.25% back at BPCL pumps
- 🛒5X points dining, grocery, movies
- 🎁2,000 points welcome gift (₹500)
Annual fee₹499/yr
RewardsUp to 4.25% on BPCL fuel
Apply Now — it's free →
🎯 Not sure which card to pick?Answer 3 quick questions and get your best match.
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⭐ Top pick
SBI Card
SimplySAVE
★ 3.9 / 5
10X points on dining, movies & groceries
- 🛒10 points / ₹150 dining, movies, grocery, dept stores
- 🎁2,000 points welcome bonus
- 📲RuPay on UPI use credit on UPI
Annual fee₹499/yr
Rewards~0.17% – 1.7% value back
Apply Now — it's free →
⭐ Top pick
SBI Card
IRCTC RuPay
RuPay
SBI Card
IRCTC RuPay
★ 3.9 / 5
10% back on AC train tickets booked on IRCTC
- 🚆10% back on AC & chair car bookings
- 🛋️4 railway lounges every year
- 📲UPI ready RuPay card
Annual fee₹300/yr
RewardsUp to 10% on IRCTC AC bookings
Apply Now — it's free →
⭐ Top pick
Axis Bank
MY Zone
★ 3.8 / 5
Free SonyLIV Premium + buy-1-get-1 movie tickets
- 📺SonyLIV Premium 1 year free (₹1,499 value)
- 🎬Buy 1 Get 1 movie tickets on District
- 🍽️15% off dining Axis Dining Delights
Annual fee₹500/yr
Rewards≈0.5% value back + offers
Apply Now — it's free →
HDFC Bank
Millennia
★ 4.2 / 5
5% cashback on Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato & more
- 💸5% cashback on 10 popular brands
- 🛒1% cashback on all other spends
- 🎁₹1,000 voucher every ₹1L quarter
Annual fee₹1,000/yr
Rewards1% – 5% cashback
Apply Now — it's free →
🆓 Lifetime free
IDFC FIRST Bank
FIRST Classic
★ 4.2 / 5
Lifetime free card with up to 10X rewards and railway lounges
- 🔟Up to 10X on spends above ₹20k/month
- 🚆16 railway lounges 4 every quarter
- 🆓Lifetime free no annual fee ever
Annual feeLifetime Free
Rewards3X – 10X reward points
Apply Now — it's free →
HDFC Bank
Credit Card
Visa
HDFC Bank
Credit Card
★ 4.2 / 5
Not sure which HDFC card? Apply once and HDFC matches you to one
- 🏦India's largest credit card issuer
- 🎯Matched to you based on your income & profile
- 📱Apply online paperless KYC
Annual feeVaries
RewardsDepends on the card
Apply Now — it's free →
🆓 Lifetime free
Lifetime free card whose points transfer to 20 airlines & hotels
- 🆓Lifetime free no spend conditions
- ✈️Up to 6X on travel via HSBC portal
- 🔁20 partners airline & hotel transfers
Annual feeLifetime Free
Rewards2 – 10 points / ₹150
Apply Now — it's free →
🆓 Lifetime free
IDFC FIRST Bank
FIRST WOW!
★ 4.1 / 5
Lifetime free FD card with 0% forex and guaranteed approval
- ⚡Instant approval against an FD
- 🌍0% forex on international spends
- 🆓Lifetime free no joining or annual fee
Annual feeLifetime Free
Rewards3X – 10X reward points
Apply Now — it's free →
HDFC Bank
Swiggy Ornge
Mastercard
HDFC Bank
Swiggy Ornge
★ 4.0 / 5
5% on Swiggy + free Swiggy One for a full year
- 🍔5% on Swiggy Food, Instamart, Dineout
- 🛍️5% online Amazon, Flipkart, Nykaa, Netflix
- 🎉Swiggy One free for 12 months
Annual fee₹500/yr
Rewards1% – 5% cashback
Apply Now — it's free →
🆓 Lifetime free
ZET × SBM Bank
ZET
★ 4.0 / 5
No income proof needed — build your credit score with an FD-backed card
- 🛍️5% back on Amazon & Flipkart vouchers
- 📲2% on UPI with ZET Plus membership
- 🏦FD-backed from ₹2,000, earns ~7%
Annual feeLifetime Free
RewardsUp to 5% on vouchers, 2% on UPI
Apply Now — it's free →
HDFC Bank
Pixel Go
★ 4.0 / 5
Simple 1% cashback on everything, including UPI
- ♾️1% unlimited on all eligible spends
- 🛒5% on SmartBuy HDFC's shopping portal
- 📲1% on UPI RuPay variant
Annual fee₹250/yr
Rewards1% – 5% cashback
Apply Now — it's free →
🆓 Lifetime free
Kotak Mahindra Bank
League Platinum
Visa
Kotak Mahindra Bank
League Platinum
★ 4.0 / 5
Lifetime free card with up to 8 free PVR tickets a year
- 🎬8 PVR tickets a year, spend-linked
- ⭐8 points / ₹150 on select categories
- 🆓Lifetime free on current offer
Annual feeLifetime Free
Rewards4 – 8 points / ₹150
Apply Now — it's free →
IDFC FIRST Bank
FIRST WOW! Black
★ 4.0 / 5
FD-backed card with 0% forex and 4 airport lounge visits
- 🌍0% forex on international spends
- ✈️4 lounges/year domestic airports
- 🏨Bonus points on IDFC FIRST travel bookings
Annual fee₹750/yr
RewardsUp to 16.7% on travel via IDFC app
Apply Now — it's free →
🆓 Lifetime free
Novio × DCB Bank
Novio
RuPay
Novio × DCB Bank
Novio
★ 3.9 / 5
Instant FD-backed card with up to 10% novio coins on UPI
- ⚡Instant approval against an FD from ₹2,000
- 📲Up to 10% coins on UPI spends
- ✈️4 lounges/year with FD ₹25,000+
Annual feeLifetime Free
RewardsUp to 10% in novio coins
Apply Now — it's free →
IDFC FIRST Bank
FIRST Power
★ 3.9 / 5
Up to 5% savings on HPCL fuel for just ₹199
- ⛽Up to 5% on HPCL fuel
- 🛒5% savings on grocery & utility bills
- 📲Rewards on UPI & retail spends
Annual fee₹199/yr
RewardsUp to 5% on HPCL fuel
Apply Now — it's free →
HDFC Bank
UPI RuPay
RuPay
HDFC Bank
UPI RuPay
★ 3.8 / 5
Use credit on UPI and earn CashPoints on groceries & dining
- 📲UPI ready scan & pay with credit
- 🛒3% CashPoints grocery, dining & PayZapp
- 💡2% CashPoints on utility bills
Annual fee₹99/yr
Rewards0.25% – 0.75% value back
Apply Now — it's free →
🆓 Lifetime free
AU Small Finance Bank
Altura Plus
Visa
AU Small Finance Bank
Altura Plus
★ 3.8 / 5
1.5% cashback in shops + reward points online
- 🏪1.5% cashback on offline (POS) spends
- 🛒2 pts / ₹100 on online spends
- 🚆Railway lounges complimentary access
Annual feeLifetime Free
Rewards0.5% – 1.5% value back
Apply Now — it's free →
🆓 Lifetime free
AU Small Finance Bank
LIT
Visa
AU Small Finance Bank
LIT
★ 3.7 / 5
India's first build-your-own credit card — lifetime free
- 🧩Pick features from ₹49 per 90 days
- 🆓Lifetime free base card costs nothing
- 🛒5% cashback on grocery & apparel add-on
Annual feeLifetime Free
RewardsUp to 10X points / 5% cashback
Apply Now — it's free →
How do I get my first credit card with no credit history?
Apply for an FD-backed card, or a lifetime free beginner card from a bank where you already have an account. Both are designed for first-time users.
Will applying hurt my credit score?
Each application causes a small, temporary dip. Apply for one card at a time, and only for cards you're likely to be approved for.
How should I use my first card?
Spend only what you can repay, keep usage under ~30% of your limit, and always pay the full bill by the due date.
Approval is at the bank's discretion. Check final terms on the bank's page before applying.
