Top 5 Credit Cards To Maximize Online Shopping Rewards In India

If your shopping preference is online over offline, then you should consider getting an online shopping credit card. These cards specifically reward you for online purchases in the form of cashback, rewards or direct discounts. Amongst multiple options available, some of these cards are co-branded with popular online shopping platforms like Amazon, Flipkart and Myntra while others offer general cashback benefit across multiple brands or on online shopping in general.  Choosing a card as aligned with your preferences can help you gain substantial savings on your frequent shopping spends. To help you find the right card, here is a compiled list of 5 best online shopping credit cards in India.

1. Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card

As Amazon is one of the leading online marketplaces, the first card in this list is the co-branded Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card. It is a great option for Amazon Prime members as they get accelerated and unlimited cashback of 5% on Amazon purchases. For non-prime users the cashback is limited to 3%. The best part is that the card is lifetime-free and covers benefits on often-excluded categories like wallet reloads and utility bill payments. However, the card offers a cashback rate of only 1% for other online and offline transactions, which can be quite low for users owning a single credit card.

Annual Fee: Nil
Key Features:

●        5% cashback on Amazon  for Prime members

●        3% cashback on Amazon for Non-prime members

●        2% cashback on Amazon Pay partner merchants like - Yatra.com, Faasos, Haptik, BookMyShow, redBus, FreshMenu, Chumbak, etc.

●        2% cashback on transactions made for flight bookings, recharges, bill payments and gift card spends

●        1% cashback on all other transactions

●        Complimentary Amazon Prime membership for 3 months and Eazydiner Prime membership for 1 month

●        Bill payment benefits worth Rs. 2,000 on card activation

2. Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card

Next on the list is Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card. The card is the closest competitor to Amazon Pay ICICI based on its cashback structure and brand similarities to Amazon. However, unlike Amazon card that keep the benefits specific to Amazon, this card also extends a similar 5% benefit to Cleartrip. Additionally, the value back on four partner merchants is also a good deal for users seeking multi-brand benefits. The card takes it a notch higher than shopping, with accelerated cashback on Cleartrip and complimentary lounge access.

Annual Fee:Rs. 500 (Waived off on spends of Rs. 3.5 Lakh in the preceding year)
Key Features:

●        5% cashback on Flipkart and Cleartrip

●        4% cashback on Cure.fit, Swiggy, PVR and Uber

●        1% cashback on all other categories

●        Welcome benefits worth Rs. 600 from Flipkart and Swiggy

●        4 complimentary domestic lounge visits every year, subject to spending Rs. 50,000 in the previous quarter

3. Myntra Kotak Credit Card

Myntra Kotak Credit card is a co-branded card with Myntra but offers a good 5% cashback on other popular merchants like Swiggy, PVR and Cleartrip. The 7.5% discount offered on Myntra is among the highest value-back offered by co-branded cards in the market. It is a suitable choice for people who prefer shopping online at Myntraover other brands.

Annual Fee:Rs. 500 (Waived off on spends of Rs. 2 lakh in a year)
Key Features:

●        Up to 7.5% discount on spends at Myntra

●        5% cashback on spends at other partner merchants- Swiggy, SwiggyInstamart, PVR, Cleartrip and Urban Company

●        Unlimited 1.25% cashback on spends at other categories/offline spends

●        Complimentary Myntra Insider Membership

●        Myntra voucher worth Rs. 500 on card activation, on completing the first transaction worth Rs. 500 or more within 30 days of card issuance

●        2 complimentary PVR tickets every quarter on spending Rs. 50,000 in a quarter

●        1 complimentary domestic lounge access per quarter

4. HDFC Millennia Credit Card

As the name suggests, this credit card is designed to meet the needs of millennials. It is a good option for users who frequently shop online across multiple brands like Flipkart, Myntra, Amazon etc. However, instead of direct cashback the card rewards in cash points that can be redeemed against multiple options like flights and hotel bookings through the SmartBuy Portal, product catalog, etc. But the best value can be redeemed against statement balance for 1:1. 

Annual Fee:Rs. 1,000 (Waived off on spends of Rs. 1 Lakh in the preceding year)
Key Features:

●        1,000 Cash Points on payment of the membership fee

●        Rs. 1,000 gift voucher on spending at least Rs. 1 lakh in each calendar quarter

●        5% cashback on Amazon, BookMyShow, Cult.fit, Flipkart, Myntra, Sony LIV, Swiggy, Tata CLiQ, Uber and Zomato               

●        1% cashback on all other spends (except fuel)   

●        8 complimentary domestic lounge access per calendar year (2 in a quarter)

5. Cashback SBI Card

While most cards in this list are co-branded with popular online shopping platforms, Cashback SBI Card offers cashback benefits on all online transactions without any merchant restrictions. Offline transactions and utility bill payments will also earn 1% cashback. This makes it suitable for people who choose online shopping over offline purchases but do not want to limit their earnings to select brands. Though the annual fee is on the higher side, its benefits will easily surpass the fee, if the card benefits are utilized wisely. Users can earn a maximum of Rs. 5,000 as cashback across all categories.

Annual Fee:Rs. 999 (Waived off on spends of Rs. 2 Lakh in the preceding year)
Key Features:

●        5% cashback on online spends

●        1% cashback on offline spends

●        1% fuel surcharge waiver across all petrol pumps in India, on transactions between Rs. 500 to Rs. 3,000

6. YES Bank PaisabazaarPaisaSave Credit Card

The latest launch in the card segment - YES Bank PaisabazaarPaisaSave credit card is a close competitor to the Cashback SBI Credit Card. This card also offers accelerated cashback without any merchant restrictions. Users are rewarded with cashback points that are redeemable as 1:1 against statement credit. In comparison to most cards in this list, here the base cashback rate is the highest at 1.5% across offline spends. 

Annual Fee:Rs. 499 (Waived off on spends of Rs. 1.2 lakh in the preceding year)
Key Features:

●        3% back as cashback points on all online spends without any merchant restrictions

●        1.5% back as cashback points on other card transactions

●        Annual fee reversal on spending Rs. 1.2 lakh in a year

●        1% fuel surcharge waiver across all petrol pumps in India

Also Read: YES BANK and Paisabazaar Launch Feature-rich 'PaisaSave' Cashback Credit Card

These were some of the best credit cards for online shopping. Before choosing a credit card, you must identify your needs, analyze your spending habits and go for a card that matches your brands and other preferences and offers the highest cashback on your major spending categories.

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