Lifetime Free Credit Cards
These cards have no annual fee, making them cost-effective. They typically offer basic rewards like 1% to 5% cashback but lack premium perks such as lounge access or insurance.
Examples of Lifetime Free Cards
- Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card: Up to 5% reward rate on Amazon.
- IDFC FIRST Millenia Credit Card: Up to 2.5% reward rate.
Why Choose a Paid Credit Card?
Paid credit cards offer additional perks you don’t get with free cards, like:
- Complimentary airport lounge access
- Dining and movie benefits
- Travel perks
- Insurance coverage
Lifetime Free Credit Cards:
- Ideal for occasional users
- No need to worry about spending milestones
- Earn basic rewards
Paid Credit Cards:
- Great for pro users who meet spending thresholds
- Offer additional benefits like lounge access, travel perks, and insurance
The following table summarises whether you should opt for a lifetime free credit card or a paid credit card depending upon your spending habits and the benefits you wish to avail of-
| Opt for a lifetime free credit card if- | Opt for a paid credit card if- |
|---|---|
| You use your credit card only occasionally- i.e., you need to spend more to fulfill a paid credit card’s spend-based annual fee waiver condition. | You are a pro credit card user and spend enough to fulfill the annual fee waiver condition of the paid credit card. |
| You only want to earn Reward Points or cashback for using your credit card and are not very interested in the additional benefits of a paid credit card. | You wish to avail yourself of additional benefits such as complimentary airport lounge access and other travel benefits, dining benefits, complimentary golf games, and insurance benefits you get with a paid credit card. |