Best credit cards with an annual fee under ₹2,500

On ₹50,000 a month on cards, a typical mix, the card that returns the most is PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK: about ₹18,360 a year after its fee, which is 3.06% of what you put on cards. HSBC Live+ Credit Card comes next at ₹16,200. The middle card out of the 135 we could score returns ₹3,060, so the choice matters.

How this was worked out: ₹50,000 a month on cards, a typical mix. Points counted as cashback. Only cards with an annual fee of ₹2,500 or less are shown. Figures are what each card returns in a year after its annual fee, read from the banks' own pages, last on 2026-09-30.

The top 10

  1. PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK (SBI Card, ₹1,499 a year): ₹18,360 a year, 3.06% back. Earns most on online shopping (₹6,000) and bills & utilities (₹4,920).
  2. HSBC Live+ Credit Card (HSBC, ₹999 a year): ₹16,200 a year, 2.7% back. Earns most on online shopping (₹4,645) and groceries (₹3,716).
  3. HSBC Premier Credit Card (HSBC, No annual fee): ₹14,760 a year, 2.46% back. Earns most on online shopping (₹3,600) and groceries (₹2,880).
  4. BOBCARD Cashback Credit Card (BOBCARD, ₹499 a year): ₹13,541 a year, 2.26% back. Earns most on online shopping (₹6,000) and travel & flights (₹3,000).
  5. Cashback SBI Card (SBI Card, ₹999 a year): ₹13,440 a year, 2.24% back. Earns most on online shopping (₹6,000) and travel & flights (₹3,000).
  6. Swiggy BLCK HDFC Bank Credit Card (HDFC Bank, ₹1,000 a year): ₹12,312 a year, 2.05% back. Earns most on online shopping (₹6,000) and food delivery (₹3,072).
  7. Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card (HDFC Bank, ₹500 a year): ₹12,312 a year, 2.05% back. Earns most on online shopping (₹6,000) and food delivery (₹3,072).
  8. BOBCARD Eterna Credit Card (BOBCARD, ₹2,499 a year): ₹11,970 a year, 2% back. Earns most on online shopping (₹4,500) and travel & flights (₹2,250).
  9. Swiggy Ornge HDFC Bank Credit Card (HDFC Bank, ₹500 a year): ₹11,640 a year, 1.94% back. Earns most on online shopping (₹6,000) and food delivery (₹2,400).
  10. PhonePe HDFC Bank Ultimo Credit Card (HDFC Bank, ₹999 a year): ₹11,400 a year, 1.9% back. Earns most on bills & utilities (₹4,800) and online shopping (₹4,286).

Your spending is not this spending. Put in your own numbers and the ranking re-sorts for you, with the working shown for every card.

Common questions

What is the best credit card for cards with an annual fee of ₹2,500 or less?

On ₹50,000 a month on cards, a typical mix, SahiCard ranks PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK first, returning about ₹18,360 a year after fees. Your own spending split can change the order, so check it on your numbers.

How are these figures worked out?

SahiCard takes each card's reward rates, monthly caps, excluded categories, foreign currency markup and annual fee from the bank's own pages and terms, applies them to the spending above, and shows the rupees left in a year. Cards are read from the banks' pages, last on 2026-09-30.

Will my result be different?

Probably, a little. Caps and bonus rates depend on where you spend, not just how much. Put in your own monthly spend by category on SahiCard to see your ranking.

Does a bank pay to be ranked higher?

No. SahiCard is independent: no bank pays us, sponsors us or sees what you type. The ranking is only the arithmetic.

Is this financial advice?

No. It is information worked out from each bank's published terms. Eligibility, approval and offers are set by the bank, so check the bank's own page before you apply.

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