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HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Credit Card credit card artwork

HDFC Bank • RuPay

HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Credit Card

★ New Card

CardIntel Score: 50/100

Verified on official issuer terms

Joining Fee

₹99 + GST

Annual Fee

₹99 + GST

Spend Waiver

Waived at ₹0L/yr

Lounge Access

No Complimentary Lounge

Forex Markup

3.50% + GST

Best Suited For

UPI & Everyday Spends

Rewards Rate

3% CashPoints on Groceries, Dining & PayZapp. 2% on Utility Bills. 1% on Other Spends. Each Tier Capped at 500 CP/Month

Welcome Benefits

₹250 Gift Voucher

Apply Now

CardIntel Score

Objective card quality

CardIntel Score v1.1 measures structural card quality against a fixed ₹6 lakh annual benchmark. It evaluates 9 factors including Net Ownership ROI, without affiliate commission, editorial preference, or card slug heuristics.

50/100

Limited

Rounded: 50/100

Reward Return0.4% Return

2/25

0.40% effective benchmark return

Net Ownership ROI₹0 Cost (Fee Waived)

12/15

Zero ownership cost with moderate net return

Reward Cap HeadroomUncapped

12/12

No monthly or category ceilings

Redemption LiquidityRewards Catalogue

7/10

Rewards Catalogue

Lounge UtilityNo Lounge

0/10

Domestic (0/5) + Intl (0/3) + Terms (0/2)

Forex Markup3.50% Forex

1/8

3.5% forex markup

Accessibility & EligibilityOpen Retail

8/8

Open retail availability

Benefit Breadth1 / 5 Pillars

1/5

1 benefit pillars qualified

Condition SimplicityFriction-Free

7/7

Zero material reward conditions (7/7 pts)

Why this score?

• Uncapped: 12/12

• Open Retail: 8/8

• Friction-Free: 7/7

Key drag: No Lounge: 0/10

Solid net ownership ROI, unrestricted reward cap headroom and broad consumer accessibility. The score is reduced by the lounge access terms, forex markup and restricted redemption options.

Version: v1.1Benchmark: ₹50,000/monthAnnual benchmark: ₹6,00,000Confidence: HIGH

Break-Even Recovery Spend: ₹21,000 / yearWaiver Met on ₹6L Benchmark

You need to spend at least ₹21,000 per year (₹1,750/mo) on this card to fully recover its annual fee.

Reconciliation Note: While ₹21,000/yr retail spend recovers the listed ₹99 annual fee via baseline rewards if the waiver is not met, our ₹6,00,000 universal benchmark spend exceeds the bank's waiver threshold, reducing the effective annual fee payable to ₹0.

4-Layer Financial Intelligence

Card Economics & Net ROI

Evaluating real economic return after accounting for benchmark spending (₹6,00,000/yr), effective annual fee, and verified category caps.

1. CardIntel Score

50/100

Limited Quality

2. Card Net ROI

N/A — ₹0 ownership cost

₹0 Effective Fee (Waived)

3. Estimated Net Value

₹2,400

Per year on ₹6L spend

4. Effective Cost

₹0

Annual fee waived on ₹6L spend

Estimated Gross Annual Rewards₹2,400

Effective Annual Cost₹0 (No annual fee)

Recurring Net Annual Value (Year 2+)₹2,400/year

CardIntel strictly separates first-year introductory welcome perks from ongoing recurring ROI. Lifetime Free cards show ₹0 ownership cost rather than infinite percentages.

🎁

Rewards and Benefits

Verified privileges, dining perks, reward redemption values, and airport lounge schedules.

Category	Details & Conditions
🍽️Movie & Dining	3% CashPoints on Dining & Restaurant spends via UPI merchant QR scan (part of Tier 1 sub-cap)
⚡Rewards Rate	3% on Groceries/Supermarket/Dining/PayZapp (500 CP cap), 2% on Utilities (500 CP cap), 1% on Other Spends (500 CP cap). Min transaction ₹100
💰Reward Redemption	1 CashPoint = ₹0.25 Statement Credit (Minimum 2,000 CashPoints / ₹500 required for redemption)
✈️Travel	N/A (Zero complimentary travel vouchers or privileges)
🛋️Domestic Lounge Access	N/A (No airport lounge access)
🌐International Lounge Access	N/A
⛳Golf	N/A
🛡️Insurance Benefits	N/A

💳

Fees & Charges

Transparent schedule of annual charges, spend-based reversals, finance APR, and cash advance rates.

Spend-Based Waiver

₹99 + GST

Spend target in anniversary year to reverse renewal fee.

Interest Rates / Finance Charges

3.75% Per Month (45.00% Annually)

Standard finance charge applicable on revolving retail balances and ATM cash advances until complete settlement (revised w.e.f. August 2024).

Late Payment Charges

Nil (Up to ₹100), ₹100 (₹101–₹500), ₹500 (₹501–₹1,000), ₹600 (₹1,001–₹5,000), ₹750 (₹5,001–₹10,000), ₹900 (₹10,001–₹25,000), ₹1,100 (₹25,001–₹50,000), ₹1,300 (Above ₹50,000)

Tiered late payment charge based on total outstanding balance if Minimum Amount Due is not paid by payment due date.

Foreign Currency Markup

3.50% + GST

Standard cross-currency conversion fee applicable on overseas transactions and foreign currency billing.

Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC)

1.00% + GST Markup Fee

Applicable on transactions carried out in Indian Currency (INR) at an international location or overseas-registered merchants.

Rewards / Cashback Redemption Fee

₹99 + GST per redemption request (₹50 for statement cashback)

Applicable on catalogue, gift voucher, or statement cashback redemptions via HDFC NetBanking or SmartBuy.

Fuel Surcharge Waiver

Not Applicable (No Fuel Surcharge Waiver)

Fuel surcharge waiver is not offered on this specific card variant as per official HDFC MITC.

High-Value Fuel Spend Surcharge

1% fee on fuel spends exceeding ₹15,000/month (Capped at ₹4,999/txn)

Applicable on cumulative fuel spends above the monthly threshold in a calendar month. Surcharge is capped at ₹4,999 per transaction.

Cash Advance Charges

2.5% of transaction amount or ₹500 (whichever is higher)

Domestic & International ATMs. Finance charge of 3.75% p.m. applies from the date of withdrawal until full payment.

Overlimit Charges

2.5% of Overlimit Amount (Min ₹550)

Applicable if retail or merchant transactions exceed the sanctioned credit limit (subject to explicit cardholder consent).

Rental Transaction Surcharge

1% fee capped at ₹4,999 per transaction

Processing fee levied on rental payments via platforms like CRED, Paytm, NoBroker, etc. (w.e.f. 1st July 2025).

Online Skill-based Gaming Surcharge

1% fee on spends exceeding ₹10,000/month (Capped at ₹4,999/month)

Applicable on online skill-based gaming transactions exceeding ₹10,000 cumulative in a calendar month (w.e.f. 1st July 2025).

Wallet Loading Surcharge (excl. PayZapp)

1% fee on loads exceeding ₹10,000/month (Capped at ₹4,999/month)

Applicable on wallet loading transactions exceeding ₹10,000 cumulative in a calendar month (PayZapp wallet loading is exempt, w.e.f. 1st July 2025).

Utility Payments Surcharge

1% fee on utility spends exceeding ₹50,000/month (Capped at ₹4,999/month)

Levied on cumulative utility bill payments (electricity, gas, water) exceeding the threshold in a calendar month. Capped at ₹4,999/month.

Third-Party Education Fee Surcharge

1% fee capped at ₹4,999 per transaction via third-party apps

Levied on school/college fee payments made via third-party apps (CRED, Cheq, NoBroker). Zero fee on direct school/college website or POS transactions.

Payment Dishonour / Bounce Charges

2% of payment amount (Min ₹450)

Charged if cheque, ECS, NACH, or auto-debit instruction towards credit card payment is returned or dishonoured.

Card Replacement Fee

₹100 + GST

Standard physical card re-issuance fee for lost, stolen, or damaged card.

Cash Payment at HDFC Branch / ATM

₹100 + GST per transaction

Service fee charged for paying credit card bill via physical cash deposit at HDFC Bank branches or ATMs.

Railway Ticket Booking Surcharge

1% of transaction amount + GST

Standard IRCTC transaction fee charged on railway ticket purchases.

Product Details

✓

Virtual-first RuPay credit card instantly provisioned in MyCards & PayZapp for UPI payments.

✓

3% CashPoints on groceries, supermarket purchases, dining, and PayZapp transactions (up to 500 CP/mo).

✓

2% CashPoints on utility bill payments (up to 500 CP/mo).

✓

1% CashPoints on other eligible retail and UPI merchant QR payments (up to 500 CP/mo).

✓

₹250 welcome gift voucher upon completing the first transaction within 37 days of issuance.

✓

Annual renewal fee waived on achieving ₹25,000 annual retail spend.

Pros & Cons

Pros

+Ultra-accessible ₹99 annual fee with low ₹25,000 spend-based waiver

+Earn rewards on small everyday scan-and-pay UPI merchant QR payments (₹100 minimum)

+Instant digital setup and seamless linking with Google Pay, PhonePe, Paytm, and PayZapp

+Three distinct bonus categories providing up to 1,500 CashPoints monthly across tiers

Cons

−1 CashPoint = ₹0.25 (3% CashPoints yields an effective 0.75% monetary return)

−Strict independent cap of 500 CashPoints per month on each category tier

−High minimum redemption threshold of 2,000 CashPoints (₹500 value)

−Zero airport lounge access, golf games, or travel insurance protections

−No CashPoints on fuel, rent, wallet reload, EMI, or education transactions

HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Credit Card Features and Benefits

Comprehensive overview of welcome benefits, quarterly spend bonuses, dining privileges, and renewal fee waiver milestones.

UPI Enabled

Virtual-First RuPay UPI Linking

Engineered for seamless linking with PayZapp, GPay, PhonePe, and Paytm. Execute secure tap-and-pay or QR scan payments across millions of merchant outlets in India directly from your credit line.

3% Groceries & Dining

Tier 1: 3% CashPoints on Daily Essentials

Earn 3% CashPoints on groceries, supermarket shopping, dining out, and transactions on PayZapp, capped at 500 CashPoints per calendar month.

2% Utilities

Tier 2: 2% CashPoints on Utility Bills

Earn 2% CashPoints on electricity, water, gas, and telecom utility bills paid via credit card or UPI, capped at 500 CashPoints per calendar month.

1% Base UPI

Tier 3: 1% CashPoints on Other Retail Spends

Earn 1% CashPoints on all other eligible retail purchases and merchant UPI transactions above ₹100, capped at 500 CashPoints per calendar month.

Welcome Gift

Welcome Gift Voucher

Receive a complimentary ₹250 gift voucher upon executing your first transaction within 37 days of card issuance.

Fee Waiver

Spend-Based Renewal Fee Reversal

The modest annual maintenance charge of ₹99 + GST is completely waived when you spend ₹25,000 or more in the anniversary year.

⚡

HDFC UPI RuPay CashPoints Structure (Three-Tier Category Architecture)

CashPoints are calculated on eligible retail and UPI merchant transactions with a minimum spend of ₹100 per transaction. CashPoints remain valid for 2 years from accrual.

10 Partner Merchants (Accelerated Rate):

Groceries, Supermarket, Dining & PayZapp

3% CashPoints (Capped at 500 CP/mo)

Utility Bill Payments

2% CashPoints (Capped at 500 CP/mo)

Other Eligible Retail & Merchant UPI

1% CashPoints (Capped at 500 CP/mo)

•1% CashPoints on retail purchases above ₹100 (up to 500 CP per month).

•Each tier has an independent 500 CashPoints cap per calendar month. Maximum possible earnings across all 3 tiers is 1,500 CashPoints (₹375 value) per month.

Value of CashPoints / Points on Redemption

Comparative monetary conversion rates across cashback, flight tickets, product catalog, and airline miles.

Redemption Option	Monetary Value (per Point)	Notes
Statement Balance Credit	1 CashPoint = ₹0.25 (Minimum 2,000 CashPoints = ₹500 credit)	Direct adjustment against outstanding credit card bill via NetBanking / MyCards.
SmartBuy Flight / Hotel Bookings	1 CashPoint = ₹0.25 (Up to 50% points payment)	Redeemable through HDFC SmartBuy travel portal.
Product Catalogue & Gift Vouchers	1 CashPoint = up to ₹0.25	Subject to catalogue redemption charges of ₹99 + GST.

Eligibility Criteria for HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Credit Card

The following table illustrates the income-based and age-based underwriting criteria:

Criteria	Salaried Employees	Self-Employed Individuals
Age	21 – 60 Years	21 – 65 Years
Income Proof	Existing HDFC Bank Cardholders or Net Monthly Income > ₹25,000	ITR > ₹6,00,000 Per Annum
Credit Score (CIBIL)	720+ recommended

HDFC UPI RuPay vs. Other Starter & UPI Credit Cards

Side-by-side comparison of rewards, merchant partner rates, monthly caps, and annual fees.

Feature / Card	HDFC UPI RuPay Current Card	HDFC MoneyBack Plus	HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card
Reward Structure	3% Groceries/Dining / 2% Bills / 1% Other (1 CP = ₹0.25)	CashPoints (2 CP/₹150, 1 CP = ₹0.25)	CashPoints (1 CP = ₹1.00)
Reward Rate at Partner Merchants	3% on groceries/dining	10X on Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, BigBasket (3.33%)	5% cashback on 10 top digital brands (Visa/MC/RuPay UPI)
Cap on Rewards	500 CP/mo per tier (1,500 CP total)	2,500 CP/mo	1,000 CP/month
Additional Benefits	Instant digital provisioning, UPI scan & pay	₹500 quarterly milestone vouchers + RuPay UPI	1:1 direct statement credit redemption
Annual Fee & Waiver	₹99 + GST (Waived on ₹25k spend)	₹500 + GST (Waived on ₹50k spend)	₹1,000 + GST (Waived on ₹1L spend)

Latest News & Program Updates

Verified policy adjustments, convenience surcharges, and MITC revisions implemented by the issuer:

May 2026Verified Regulatory Notice

Formalized Sub-Category Monthly Caps

HDFC Bank reaffirmed the separate 500 CashPoints monthly sub-caps across Tier 1 (3%), Tier 2 (2%), and Tier 3 (1%), limiting total possible monthly CashPoints to 1,500.

May 2026Verified Regulatory Notice

Card Replacement and DCC Fee Update

HDFC Bank updated card replacement fees to ₹199 + GST and implemented a 1.75% Dynamic Currency Conversion (DCC) fee for international INR transactions.

HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Review: The Lowest-Cost UPI Credit Card Companion

The HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Credit Card is designed as a virtual-first add-on specifically for UPI scan-and-pay transactions. At just ₹99 + GST per year—waivable on modest ₹25,000 annual spends—it offers a friction-free way to monetize everyday QR payments on PhonePe, GPay, and PayZapp.

The card categorizes spends into three tiers: 3% on dining/groceries/PayZapp, 2% on utilities, and 1% on other merchant spends. However, cardholders must note that 1 CashPoint equals ₹0.25, making the effective monetary return 0.75% on groceries and 0.25% on base spends. For higher spenders or those looking for 1:1 cashback value, HDFC Millennia remains the superior choice.

Financial Punctuality Advisory:

Each tier is strictly capped at 500 CashPoints per calendar month, and a minimum of 2,000 CashPoints (₹500 value) is needed before any statement credit redemption can be requested.

Similar Top-Rated Alternative Cards:

HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card

Flat 1% cashback on UPI via RuPay with 1:1 statement credit value, plus 5% on top digital apps.

HDFC MoneyBack Plus Credit Card

Comprehensive 10X reward multipliers on Amazon, Flipkart, and Swiggy with RuPay UPI support.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Official guidance on applications, reward redemptions, credit limit assignments, and customer support.

The joining and annual renewal fee is ₹99 + GST. The renewal fee is completely waived if you spend ₹25,000 or more in retail transactions within the 12-month card anniversary year. It is also frequently offered Lifetime Free (LTF) to existing HDFC cardholders.