Are you wondering how many credit cards you should have? Or which is the best credit card for you based on your life stage – whether you are a salaried employee, a student, or a freelancer?
In this article, I’ll share with you the 5 best credit cards in India 2025 across different categories, and I’ll also tell you which card is perfect for which kind of spender. There are even two new entries in this list! So, let’s get started.
1. Best Credit Card for Online Spending – SBI Cashback Credit Card
If you regularly shop online, the SBI Cashback Credit Card is currently one of the best choices.
Why SBI Cashback?
- 5% cashback on almost all online shopping platforms (Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato, Myntra, etc.)
- 1% cashback on offline spends
- Cashback cap: ₹5,000 per month – which is more than enough for 99% of people because it requires about ₹1 lakh monthly spending to max it out.
Fees & Waiver
- Joining/Annual fee: ₹999 + GST
- Annual fee waiver: Spend ₹2 lakh per year
If you spend even around ₹17,000 per month, your annual fee will be waived, and you can easily earn ₹10,000 cashback per year.
Verdict: A must-have card if you shop online for ₹2,000–₹3,000 per month or more.
2. Best RuPay & UPI Credit Card – Kiwi Credit Card
If most of your spending happens through UPI, the Kiwi Credit Card is a great option, especially because it is a lifetime free card.
Why Kiwi Credit Card?
- 1.5% flat cashback on all offline UPI spends – whether it’s your local tea shop, salon, ice cream cart, or vegetable vendor.
- No complicated rewards or conditions – cashback is credited directly to your account, and you can use it instantly.
- 0.5% cashback on online spends
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver
What makes Kiwi unique is that it grows with your needs. As your spending increases, you can upgrade to their premium plan (KV Non Membership) for ₹999 annually and unlock:
- Up to 5% cashback on UPI spends
- 3 complimentary domestic airport lounge accesses
Cashback Milestones
- ₹50,000 annual spend – 3% cashback + 1 lounge access
- ₹1 lakh annual spend – 4% cashback + 2 lounge accesses
- ₹1.5 lakh annual spend – 5% cashback + 3 lounge accesses
If you spend around ₹12,000–₹15,000 per month, this card becomes a no-brainer. With no cap at 5% cashback, you can even earn ₹25,000 cashback if your annual UPI spend reaches ₹5 lakh.
Verdict: The best choice for UPI spenders looking for lifetime free or premium cashback benefits.
3. Best Credit Card for Travel – Axis Atlas
If you love travelling, the Axis Atlas Credit Card is our top pick.
Key Benefits
- Joining fee: ₹5,000 + GST
- Welcome benefit: 2,500 Edge Miles (worth approx. ₹9,000 in Accor points)
- 5 Edge Miles per ₹100 on hotel & flight bookings via Axis Travel Edge Portal
- 2 Edge Miles per ₹100 on regular spends (approx. 4% reward rate)
Renewal & Milestones
- Renewal fee: ₹5,000 + GST (non-waivable)
- Spend ₹15 lakh annually to earn 40,000 Edge Miles (worth approx. ₹1.44 lakh)
- Complimentary domestic lounge visits based on annual spending
Verdict: Perfect for frequent travellers who want to maximise hotel & flight bookings.
4. Best Credit Card for Groceries – HSBC Life Plus Credit Card
A new entry in this list, the HSBC Life Plus Credit Card, is great for groceries, food delivery, and dining.
Benefits
- 10% cashback on groceries, food delivery & dining (online & offline)
- 1.5% cashback on other spends
- Joining & annual fee: ₹999 + GST
- Spend ₹20,000 in the first 30 days to earn ₹1,000 cashback
- Annual fee waiver: Spend ₹1 lakh per year
Maximum cashback: ₹1,000 per month, which can save you ₹10,000–₹12,000 per year.
Also comes with 1 complimentary domestic lounge access per quarter.
Verdict: Must-have if you spend ₹4,000–₹5,000 per month on groceries and dining.
5. Best Credit Card for Utility Bills – Airtel Axis Credit Card
For Wi-Fi, electricity, DTH, rent, and other monthly bills, the Airtel Axis Credit Card offers good benefits.
Benefits
- 25% cashback on Airtel mobile/DTH/broadband/Wi-Fi payments via Airtel Thanks app (₹250 cap/month)
- 10% cashback on gas & electricity bills via Airtel Thanks app (₹250 cap/month)
- 10% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, BigBasket (₹500 cap/month)
- 1% cashback on other spends
- 4 complimentary domestic lounge accesses per year
Joining/annual fee: ₹500 + GST (comes with a ₹500 Amazon voucher).
Annual fee waiver: Spend ₹2 lakh/year.
Verdict: A solid card for those who pay regular utility bills and want to earn cashback on them.
Final Thoughts
So, these are the 5 best credit cards of 2025.
- If you want a lifetime free card with flexible cashback, go for Kiwi Credit Card.
- If you’re a heavy online shopper, choose SBI Cashback.
- For travel lovers, the Axis Atlas is unbeatable.
- If you spend a lot on groceries or dining, pick HSBC Life Plus.
- And for utility bills, the Airtel Axis Credit Card is a smart choice.
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