Credit cards
Match a card to how you actually spend
The best card is not the one with the biggest headline reward — it is the one that rewards the categories your money already goes to, at a fee you earn back. Compare on that basis, not on the brochure.
Card types
Start with the category that fits
Cashback cards
A flat or category-based percentage back on spends, credited to your statement. Simple to value — no points to convert.
Travel and miles
Reward points that transfer to airline or hotel programmes, usually with lounge access and low forex markup.
Lifetime free
No joining or annual fee for as long as you hold the card. Modest rewards, but nothing to earn back.
Fuel and commute
Surcharge waivers at fuel stations and accelerated rewards on transport spends.
Shopping and everyday
Higher reward rates at supermarkets, online marketplaces and food delivery, where most households actually spend.
Secured cards
Issued against a fixed deposit. A practical route to building a credit history from scratch, or rebuilding a damaged one.
Card listings, reward rates and fees from our partner issuers will appear here. [Wire this section to your card partner API before launch.]
Eligibility
What issuers look for
Criteria vary by card tier. Premium cards ask for considerably more than entry-level ones.
Salaried applicants
- Within the issuer's age limits
- A steady net monthly income that meets the issuer's minimum, higher for premium cards
- A good credit score and a clean repayment history
- Employment with an issuer-approved employer, for some cards
Self-employed applicants
- Within the issuer's age limits
- Recent income tax returns
- An established business with continuous operations
- A good credit score and a clean repayment history
Before you apply
How to compare cards honestly
Work from your own spending
Pull three months of statements and group your spending into categories — groceries, fuel, dining, online shopping, travel. Apply each card's reward rate to those real numbers. This single exercise usually overturns the ranking you would have guessed from advertising.
Count the fee against the benefit
An annual fee is worth paying only if the rewards and perks you will actually use exceed it. Lounge access you never claim and vouchers you forget to redeem are worth nothing. Be conservative about your own future behaviour.
Watch the interest rate if you ever revolve
Credit card interest is charged monthly and is among the most expensive borrowing available. If there is any chance you will carry a balance, the rate matters far more than the reward rate — and a personal loan at a fraction of the cost is usually the better way to handle a large expense.
Apply selectively
Every application triggers a hard enquiry on your credit report. Several in quick succession read as credit hunger and can lower your score. Choose one card, apply, and wait for the outcome before trying another.
FAQs
Credit card questions, answered
How do I choose the right credit card?
Start from your own statement, not from the card's marketing. Add up where your money actually goes over three months, then pick the card that rewards those categories. A high reward rate on a category you rarely use is worth less than a modest reward on everything you spend.
Is an annual fee ever worth paying?
Only when the benefits you will genuinely use exceed it. Work out the reward value on your real spending, add the joining bonus in the first year, and count lounge visits or vouchers only if you would otherwise have paid for them. If that total beats the fee, the card pays for itself.
How does a credit card affect my credit score?
Used well, it helps — on-time payments build the repayment history that scores weigh most heavily. The two things that hurt are carrying a high balance relative to your limit, and paying late. Keeping utilisation low and clearing the full statement each month is the whole discipline.
What happens if I pay only the minimum due?
The rest carries forward and starts accruing interest at the card's monthly rate, which is among the most expensive credit available. New purchases typically lose their interest-free period too. Paying the minimum should be an emergency measure, not a habit.
Can I get a credit card with no credit history?
Yes. A secured card issued against a fixed deposit needs no prior history, and a few issuers offer entry-level cards to salaried applicants at approved employers. Either route builds the record that unlocks better cards later.
Check your credit score first
Your score decides which cards you will actually be approved for. Checking it here is free and does not affect it.