Table of Contents
Key Takeaways
- HDFC has the deepest portfolio depth and the most powerful premium cards (Infinia, Diners Club Black), but its best cards are invite-only or require high income eligibility.
- SBI offers the widest geographic reach, the easiest approvals, and the strongest IRCTC-linked card - but its reward programme is less flexible than HDFC or Axis.
- Axis leads in travel-linked reward programmes with the Atlas card's transferable miles structure, making it the strongest choice for international travel outside of an airline co-brand.
- BOBCARD wins on co-branded utility: the HPCL Energie (fuel savings), IRCTC card (train travel), and Etihad Guest Premium (international travel with 0% forex) are the three cards that outperform category equivalents at their respective fee points.
- No single bank wins across all categories. The best wallet setup for most urban Indian professionals is one general-spend card + one category-specific card.
How We Are Comparing
We are comparing across four categories that drive most household credit card spend:
- Everyday spend (groceries, utilities, dining, online shopping)
- Fuel
- Train travel
- International travel
For each category, we identify the strongest card from each issuer and compare it on fees, earn rate, and real rupee value per ₹1 lakh spent.
Category 1 - Everyday Spend
HDFC: Millennia Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹1,000 + GST (waived at ₹1,00,000 annual spend)
- Earn: 5% cashback on Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, and select online merchants; 1% on all other spends
- Best for: Heavy online shoppers who concentrate spend on 4–5 specific platforms
SBI: SimplyCLICK Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹499 + GST (waived at ₹1,00,000 annual spend)
- Earn: 10x points on Amazon, BookMyShow, Cleartrip; 5x on Swiggy, Zomato; 1x base earn
- Best for: Diverse online spend across multiple Indian platforms; easy fee waiver
Axis: ACE Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹499 + GST (waived at ₹2,00,000 annual spend)
- Earn: 5% cashback on Google Pay bill payments; 4% on Swiggy, Zomato, Ola; 2% on everything else
- Best for: High-frequency bill payments via Google Pay, food delivery, and ride-hailing
BOBCARD: Eterna Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹2,499 + GST (waived at ₹1,50,000 annual spend)
- Earn: 5X rewards on travel and dining, 2.5X on online spends, 1X base; 2% forex markup
- Best for: Cardholders who want one card for domestic and some international use with travel perks
The verdict for everyday spend: SBI SimplyCLICK at ₹499 has the broadest accelerated earn across Indian daily-use platforms (Amazon, Swiggy, Zomato, Cleartrip) and the lowest effective fee. Axis ACE is the strongest for bill payments and food delivery if you route spends through Google Pay. HDFC Millennia outperforms on online-only concentrated spends. BOBCARD Eterna is premium-priced for this category - better suited to its travel benefits than everyday cashback.
Category 2 - Fuel
HDFC: Indian Oil HDFC Bank Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹500 + GST
- Earn: 5% fuel points on Indian Oil petrol pumps (via HPCL-linked mechanism); 1 RP/₹150 base
- Fuel brand: Indian Oil (IOCL)
SBI: BPCL SBI Card Octane
- Annual fee: ₹1,499 + GST
- Earn: 25 RP per ₹100 at BPCL petrol pumps (6.25% return at ₹0.25/RP); 1% fuel surcharge waiver
- Fuel brand: BPCL
Axis: No dedicated fuel card in the mainstream portfolio
Axis does not have a widely distributed fuel co-branded card equivalent to HPCL Energie or BPCL Octane.
BOBCARD: HPCL Energie Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹499 + GST (waived at ₹50,000 annual spend - the lowest waiver threshold of the four)
- Earn: Up to 6.5% combined savings at HPCL (24 RP/₹150 + 1% surcharge waiver + 1.5% HP Pay cashback)
- Fuel brand: HPCL (Hindustan Petroleum)
| Card | Fuel Brand | Max Fuel Saving | Annual Fee | Fee Waiver Spend |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Indian Oil | IOCL | ~5% | ₹500 | Check MITC |
| SBI BPCL Octane | BPCL | ~6.25% | ₹1,499 | ₹3,00,000 |
| BOBCARD HPCL Energie | HPCL | ~6.5% | ₹499 | ₹50,000 |
The verdict for fuel: BOBCARD HPCL Energie has the lowest annual fee, the lowest fee waiver threshold, and the highest headline saving - provided you use HPCL pumps. The choice between Energie, Indian Oil HDFC, and BPCL Octane should come down to which fuel brand is most accessible near your home and commute route. Brand loyalty to HPCL gives BOBCARD a clear win at its price point.
Category 3 - Train Travel
HDFC: IRCTC HDFC Bank RuPay Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹500 + GST
- Earn: 5X reward points on IRCTC bookings via SmartBuy + 5% additional cashback; 1 RP/₹100 base
- Lounge: 4 railway lounge visits/year
SBI: IRCTC SBI Card Platinum RuPay
- Annual fee: ₹500 + GST (waived at ₹1,00,000 annual spend)
- Earn: 10% value-back on IRCTC bookings as reward points; 1 RP/₹125 on retail
- Lounge: 4 railway lounge visits/year
Axis: No IRCTC co-branded card
Axis Bank does not have an IRCTC co-branded credit card.
BOBCARD: IRCTC BOBCARD RuPay Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹350 + GST (no waiver, but the lowest absolute fee)
- Earn: Up to 40 RP/₹100 (peak season), 16 RP/₹100 (off-peak) on IRCTC bookings in AC classes; 4 RP/₹100 on departmental stores
- Lounge: 4 railway lounge visits/year
- Flexibility: Points redeemable as statement credit (₹0.25/RP) OR IRCTC tickets
| Card | Annual Fee | IRCTC Earn Rate | Redemption Flexibility | Lounge Access |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC IRCTC RuPay | ₹500 | 10% (via SmartBuy) | Via HDFC SmartBuy | 4/year |
| SBI IRCTC Platinum RuPay | ₹500 | 10% value-back | IRCTC tickets primarily | 4/year |
| BOBCARD IRCTC RuPay | ₹350 | Up to 10% (seasonal) | Statement credit OR IRCTC tickets | 4/year |
The verdict for train travel: All three are closely matched on earn rate. BOBCARD wins on lowest annual fee (₹350 vs ₹500 for SBI and HDFC) and redemption flexibility - statement credit option makes accumulated points useful even when you are not booking travel. SBI's fee waiver at ₹1 lakh spend is a useful option for high-frequency travellers. If you book IRCTC regularly in AC classes, BOBCARD is the most cost-effective entry point.
Category 4 - International Travel
HDFC: Regalia Gold Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹2,500 + GST (waived at ₹4,00,000 annual spend)
- Earn: 5X rewards on international spends and travel; 1X on domestic
- Forex markup: 2%
- Lounge: 12 domestic + 6 international visits per year (Priority Pass / Dreamfolks)
- Best for: Frequent international travellers who want broad travel insurance coverage and lounge access without airline loyalty lock-in
SBI: SBI Card ELITE
- Annual fee: ₹4,999 + GST (waived at ₹10,00,000 annual spend)
- Earn: 5 RP/₹100 on dining, entertainment, departmental stores; 2 RP/₹100 base
- Forex markup: 1.99%
- Lounge: Unlimited domestic (Priority Pass); 6 international per year
- Best for: High spenders who want premium lounge access and travel insurance
Axis: Atlas Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹5,000 + GST (waived at ₹7,50,000 annual spend)
- Earn: 5 EDGE Miles/₹100 on travel, 2 EDGE Miles/₹100 on everything else. Miles transferable to 10+ airline frequent flyer programmes at 1:1 or better
- Forex markup: 3.5%
- Lounge: Unlimited domestic; 8 international per year via Priority Pass
- Best for: Frequent international travellers who want flexible miles transferable to multiple airlines - the most versatile airline miles card in India outside of AmEx
BOBCARD: Etihad Guest Premium Credit Card
- Annual fee: ₹5,000 + GST (waived at ₹5,00,000 annual spend)
- Earn: 6 miles/₹100 on Etihad flights; 2 miles/₹100 on all other spend (domestic and international)
- Forex markup: 0% - the only card in this comparison with zero forex markup
- Lounge: 12 domestic (3/quarter) + 8 international (2/quarter) - no spend-based conditions
- Best for: Etihad frequent flyers from India, international travellers who want zero forex and Etihad miles
| Feature | HDFC Regalia Gold | SBI Elite | Axis Atlas | BOBCARD Etihad Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹2,500 | ₹4,999 | ₹5,000 | ₹5,000 |
| Fee waiver spend | ₹4,00,000 | ₹10,00,000 | ₹7,50,000 | ₹5,00,000 |
| Forex markup | 2% | 1.99% | 3.5% | 0% |
| Miles/points programme | Flexible (SmartBuy) | Flexible (SBI) | 10+ airline transfers | Etihad Guest (locked) |
| Domestic lounge | 12/year | Unlimited | Unlimited | 12/year |
| International lounge | 6/year | 6/year | 8/year | 8/year |
| Lounge spend condition | Yes (quarterly) | Via Priority Pass | Via Priority Pass | No condition |
The verdict for international travel: Each card has a distinct strongest point.
Axis Atlas is the best card for international travel flexibility - the ability to transfer EDGE Miles to 10+ airline programmes at 1:1 or better means you are not locked to a single airline. If you fly different airlines for different destinations, Atlas delivers the best redemption utility.
BOBCARD Etihad Premium is the best card if you fly Etihad regularly from any of India's 11 Etihad gateways. The 0% forex markup means zero international transaction cost - a saving of 2–3.5% on every overseas transaction compared to other cards in this list. The lounge access requires no spend condition, and the Gold tier fast-track gives Etihad airport status on a single etihad.com transaction.
HDFC Regalia Gold is the most accessible - lowest fee, lowest fee waiver, broad acceptance and travel insurance.
SBI Elite is best justified for ultra-high spenders (₹10L+/year) who want unlimited Priority Pass lounge access.
For Indian travellers to Dubai and Abu Dhabi specifically - where Etihad is the primary carrier - the BOBCARD Etihad Premium's 0% forex markup, Abu Dhabi lounge access, and Etihad miles earn form a uniquely strong combination.
Overall Summary: Which Bank for Which Profile
| Your Spending Profile | Recommended Card | Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy online shopper | SimplyCLICK or Millennia | SBI / HDFC |
| Daily bill payments + food delivery | ACE Credit Card | Axis |
| HPCL fuel user | HPCL Energie | BOBCARD |
| Regular train traveller (AC class) | IRCTC BOBCARD RuPay | BOBCARD |
| International travel, multi-airline | Atlas Credit Card | Axis |
| Etihad flyer from India | Etihad Guest Premium | BOBCARD |
| Premium all-rounder | Regalia Gold | HDFC |
Frequently Asked Questions
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. All fees, earn rates, and card features are sourced from official bank websites and verified aggregator sources as of May 2026. Card features are subject to change - verify current terms directly with the issuer before applying. BOBCARD Limited (formerly BOB Financial Solutions Limited) is a 100% subsidiary of Bank of Baroda and an RBI-regulated entity.
