Card picks · checked 1 Oct 2026
Hot cards to get in your wallet right now
Credit cards I'd recommend, with the fees, rewards and lounge rules in one place.
At a glance
| Scapia | Kiwi Neon | |
|---|---|---|
| Fees | ₹0, lifetime | Card ₹0; Neon ₹999 + GST a year |
| Best for | Travel and foreign spends | UPI scan & pay |
| Top reward | 4% on travel booked in the Scapia app | 5% at ₹1.5 lakh a year, with Neon |
| Lounges | Unlimited domestic, after ₹20,000 a month | 3 domestic passes a year, with Neon |
| Issued by | Axis Bank, Federal Bank or BOBCARD | YES Bank, AU Small Finance Bank or PNB |
| Network | Mastercard or Visa, RuPay for UPI | RuPay on UPI |
- joining & annual fee
- ₹0
- forex markup
- 0%
- back on travel
- 4%
Referral link. Details checked 1 Oct 2026; confirm on the apply page before you apply.
Axis Bank, Federal Bank or BOBCARD · Mastercard (Axis Bank) or Visa Signature, with RuPay for UPI
Scapia Credit Card
Lifetime free, zero forex markup, and coins you spend on travel.
- No joining fee and no annual fee, for life
- Zero forex markup on international spends
- 10% back in Scapia Coins on card spends, 20% on travel booked in the Scapia app
- Unlimited domestic lounge access in months after you spend ₹20,000
- Pay on UPI with the RuPay variant
- Now also from Axis Bank (launched September 2026), on Mastercard and RuPay
Rewards
| Spend | Scapia Coins | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Flights, hotels and more booked in the Scapia app | 20% | 4% |
| Other card spends (Visa or Mastercard) | 10% | 2% |
| RuPay / UPI spends of ₹500 or more | 5% | 1% |
5 Scapia Coins = ₹1. Coins are uncapped and redeemed against flights, hotels, trains, buses and visa fees in the Scapia app. Minimum transaction amounts can differ slightly by bank.
Airport privileges
Spend ₹20,000 in a statement cycle and the next month unlocks Airport Privileges at Indian airports.
For each departure, pick one: unlimited domestic lounge access, or dining, shopping or spa credit worth up to ₹1,000 at major airports (Delhi, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Bengaluru, Chennai, Kolkata, Hyderabad) and ₹500 at others.
Book an international ticket of ₹50,000 or more through the Scapia app and you get ₹2,000 of privileges at your departing Indian airport. International lounges aren't included.
Fees and charges
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹0 |
| Annual fee | ₹0, lifetime |
| Forex markup | 0% |
| Fuel surcharge | 1% waived on the Axis Bank card |
| Interest on unpaid balance | Set by your bank; Federal Bank charges 3.75% a month (45% a year) |
| Cash withdrawal | Federal Bank: 2.5% or ₹500, whichever is higher |
| Late payment | Federal Bank: ₹0 to ₹1,000, depending on the amount due |
Not rewarded and eligibility
Education, fuel, rent, wallet loads, government and business payments, insurance, utilities above the eligible limit and gift cards earn no coins.
Age 21 to 65 and an Indian resident. The bank is chosen when you apply in the Scapia app; existing Federal Bank or BOBCARD credit card holders may not be eligible for those versions.
Good for you if
- You travel abroad or pay in foreign currency
- You book flights and hotels and want your rewards to pay for them
Skip it if
- You want rewards as cash: coins only go towards travel in the Scapia app
- You need international lounges: access is domestic only
Sources: Scapia, Axis Bank launch (Business Today)
- card fee, lifetime
- ₹0
- + GST a year for Neon
- ₹999
- back at top milestone
- 5%
Referral link. Details checked 1 Oct 2026; confirm on the apply page before you apply.
YES Bank, AU Small Finance Bank or PNB, through the Kiwi app · RuPay, made for UPI
Kiwi RuPay Credit Card with Neon
A free credit card for UPI. Neon membership lifts it to as much as 5% back.
- Scan any UPI QR and pay with your credit card from the Kiwi app
- Without Neon: flat 1.5% back on UPI scan & pay
- With Neon: 2% on scan & pay, topped up to 3%, 4% and 5% as you hit yearly milestones
- A domestic lounge pass at each Neon milestone, 3 a year
- New: brand gift cards in the Kiwi app at a discount
Rewards
| Spend | With Neon | Without Neon |
|---|---|---|
| UPI scan & pay (QR codes) | 2% | 1.5% |
| Online UPI (collect / intent) | 0.5% | – |
Neon milestones (eligible spends in a membership year)
| Spend | Your cashback | Bonus |
|---|---|---|
| ₹50,000 | Topped up to 3% (₹1,500) | 1 lounge pass |
| ₹1,00,000 | Topped up to 4% (₹4,000) | 1 lounge pass |
| ₹1,50,000 | Topped up to 5% (₹7,500) | 1 lounge pass |
Cashback arrives as Kiwis in the app. Regular cashback is capped each month at 1% of your credit limit; milestone top-ups sit outside that cap.
Lounge access
Neon gives one domestic lounge pass at each milestone, so up to 3 a year.
Each pass admits one person for up to 2 hours and stays valid for 6 months from the day it's issued in the app.
Gift cards in the Kiwi app
Kiwi now sells brand gift cards inside the app. Each one shows its discount before you pay, so the saving is upfront.
Any cashback Kiwi adds on top for your card shows at checkout. Kiwi's Neon terms list gift cards among spends that don't earn regular cashback, so go by what the app shows on the purchase.
Fees and charges
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Card joining & annual fee | ₹0, lifetime |
| Neon membership | ₹999 + GST a year (₹1,178.82), non-refundable |
| Interest, late fees and other charges | Set by the issuing bank and shown in the app before you accept |
Not rewarded and eligibility
Fuel, utilities, jewellery, insurance, real estate, gift cards, tolls and government services earn no cashback.
Offered in the Kiwi app by its partner banks, subject to their checks.
Good for you if
- You pay by UPI QR at shops, cafes and restaurants most days
- You'll put ₹1 lakh or more a year through it, where Neon clearly pays for itself
Skip it if
- Most of your UPI spending is online: Neon pays 0.5% there
- You'll spend under about ₹1 lakh a year on it: the free card's 1.5% usually works out better than paying for Neon
Sources: Kiwi Neon terms, Kiwi
Card questions
Is the Scapia credit card really free?
Yes. There's no joining fee and no annual fee, for life. You only pay charges if you carry a balance, pay late or withdraw cash.
Does the Scapia card give lounge access?
Domestic lounges only, in the month after you spend ₹20,000 in a statement cycle. Each departure you can pick lounge access, or dining, shopping or spa credit instead.
Is Kiwi Neon worth ₹999?
It pays for itself if you'll put roughly ₹1 lakh a year through Kiwi's UPI scan & pay. Below that, the free Kiwi card's 1.5% cashback usually works out better.
Which banks issue the Scapia card?
Axis Bank, Federal Bank and BOBCARD. Axis Bank's version launched in September 2026 on Mastercard and RuPay; the core benefits are the same: lifetime free, zero forex markup and Scapia Coins.
Can I use a credit card on UPI?
Yes, with a RuPay credit card. The Kiwi card is RuPay, and Scapia offers a RuPay variant for UPI payments.
Do you earn from these links?
Yes. These are my referral links, so I may get a reward if you're approved. It doesn't change the card or its fees for you.
Card details come from each issuer's published terms and can change; the issuer's own page is final. This is a summary, not financial advice. See the affiliate disclosure.
About Anurag
Fashion and tech creator, Myntra Glam Clan trendsetter. I share things I've used, tested or would happily buy myself: gadgets, clothes and everyday stuff at the right price.