Marketing pages often quote the highest possible reward percentage. On CardCheck we instead estimate how many rupees per year a card returns for a fixed, published spend mix — using the same benefit and cap logic as our Rewards Calculator tool.
This ranking uses our reference budget of ₹50,000/month (the "Working Professional" preset: online ₹10,000, dining ₹8,000, fuel ₹5,000, grocery ₹8,000, travel ₹5,000, bills ₹7,000, other ₹7,000). Annual fees in the database are applied when they are not waived under the waiver rules we model.
Figures below are estimates from MITC-sourced fields (rates, caps, fees) in our database — not a bank guarantee. Your real cashback depends on merchant category codes, exclusions, and how you actually spend.
Cards in this comparison
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Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card
Annual fee: ₹500
Standard Chartered DigiSmart Credit Card
Annual fee: ₹588
HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card
Annual fee: ₹1,000
Axis Bank Neo Credit Card
Annual fee: ₹250
Axis Bank MY Zone Credit Card
Annual fee: ₹500
Axis Bank ACE Credit Card
Annual fee: ₹499
Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card
Annual fee: ₹500
IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card
Annual fee: ₹500
How this ranking is different from bank ads
We do not pick a single "5% on everything" headline. The engine allocates your monthly spend across categories, matches platform-specific benefit lines where possible, applies per-benefit monthly caps, then subtracts a modeled annual fee when applicable.
If two cards advertise the same headline rate, the one with higher effective rupees after caps and category fit rises in this list.
Reference spend profile (₹50,000/month)
Total ₹50,000/month split as: online ₹10,000, dining ₹8,000, fuel ₹5,000, grocery ₹8,000, travel ₹5,000, bills ₹7,000, other ₹7,000.
Change these numbers in our Rewards Calculator to personalise results for your own budget.
Top cashback cards by estimated net rupees per year
Estimated net rupees per year after modeled annual fee (Working Professional spend):
- 1. Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card (Axis Bank) — ₹17,154/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹500/yr · reward type cashback · up to 25% · monthly cap field —
- 2. Standard Chartered DigiSmart Credit Card (Standard Chartered Bank) — ₹16,524/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹588/yr · reward type cashback · up to 2% · monthly cap field —
- 3. HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card (HDFC Bank) — ₹15,936/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹1,000/yr · reward type cashback · up to 5% · monthly cap field —
- 4. Axis Bank Neo Credit Card (Axis Bank) — ₹15,360/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹250/yr · reward type cashback · up to 10% · monthly cap field —
- 5. Axis Bank MY Zone Credit Card (Axis Bank) — ₹14,394/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹500/yr · reward type cashback · up to 5% · monthly cap field —
- 6. Axis Bank ACE Credit Card (Axis Bank) — ₹13,602/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹499/yr · reward type cashback · up to 5% · monthly cap field —
- 7. Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card (Axis Bank) — ₹13,167/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹500/yr · reward type cashback · up to 5% · monthly cap field —
- 8. IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card (HDFC Bank) — ₹12,240/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹500/yr · reward type cashback · up to 5% · monthly cap field —
- 9. Titan SBI Credit Card (SBI Card) — ₹12,000/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹2,999/yr · reward type cashback · up to 7.5% · monthly cap field —
- 10. HSBC Live+ Credit Card (HSBC Bank) — ₹12,000/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹999/yr · reward type cashback · up to 10% · monthly cap field ₹1,000
- 11. HSBC Cashback Credit Card (HSBC) — ₹12,000/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹999/yr · reward type cashback · up to 10% · monthly cap field ₹1,000
- 12. Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card (HDFC Bank) — ₹11,116/yr estimated · published annual fee ₹500/yr · reward type cashback · up to 10% · monthly cap field —
Open any card on CardCheck to see full key benefits lines and exclusions as stored from issuer MITC / official sources.
1. Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card
Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card ranks #1 on our reference spend with about ₹17,154/year after modeled fee effects.
Category mix contribution (approximate, from the same engine as the calculator):
- online: ₹150/yr
- dining: ₹387/yr
- fuel: ₹75/yr
- grocery: ₹209/yr
- travel: ₹75/yr
- bills: ₹429/yr
- other: ₹105/yr
Published annual fee in our data: ₹500. Reward rate (max %) field: 25%. Monthly reward cap field: —.
2. Standard Chartered DigiSmart Credit Card
Standard Chartered DigiSmart Credit Card ranks #2 on our reference spend with about ₹16,524/year after modeled fee effects.
Category mix contribution (approximate, from the same engine as the calculator):
- online: ₹282/yr
- dining: ₹408/yr
- fuel: ₹50/yr
- grocery: ₹296/yr
- travel: ₹50/yr
- bills: ₹70/yr
- other: ₹70/yr
Published annual fee in our data: ₹588. Reward rate (max %) field: 2%. Monthly reward cap field: —.
3. HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card
HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card ranks #3 on our reference spend with about ₹15,936/year after modeled fee effects.
Category mix contribution (approximate, from the same engine as the calculator):
- online: ₹500/yr
- dining: ₹368/yr
- fuel: ₹50/yr
- grocery: ₹80/yr
- travel: ₹50/yr
- bills: ₹70/yr
- other: ₹210/yr
Published annual fee in our data: ₹1,000. Reward rate (max %) field: 5%. Monthly reward cap field: —.
4. Axis Bank Neo Credit Card
Axis Bank Neo Credit Card ranks #4 on our reference spend with about ₹15,360/year after modeled fee effects.
Category mix contribution (approximate, from the same engine as the calculator):
- online: ₹577/yr
- dining: ₹224/yr
- fuel: ₹50/yr
- grocery: ₹176/yr
- travel: ₹50/yr
- bills: ₹70/yr
- other: ₹133/yr
Published annual fee in our data: ₹250. Reward rate (max %) field: 10%. Monthly reward cap field: —.
5. Axis Bank MY Zone Credit Card
Axis Bank MY Zone Credit Card ranks #5 on our reference spend with about ₹14,394/year after modeled fee effects.
Category mix contribution (approximate, from the same engine as the calculator):
- online: ₹150/yr
- dining: ₹426/yr
- fuel: ₹75/yr
- grocery: ₹204/yr
- travel: ₹75/yr
- bills: ₹105/yr
- other: ₹165/yr
Published annual fee in our data: ₹500. Reward rate (max %) field: 5%. Monthly reward cap field: —.
Methodology & limitations
- Data source: CardCheck database fields sourced from issuer MITC / official disclosures, not user reviews.
- Cashback universe: Cards included here have reward_type = cashback in our database, or hybrid with "cashback" in the product name / best-for text. Pure points or miles cards are excluded from this article.
- Estimates: Merchant coding, bank promotions, and limited-time offers can change real-world results.
- Not advice: Compare options and read the issuer's terms before you apply.
FAQ
Why is my favourite cashback card missing?
We only ranked cards with reward_type = cashback in our database, or hybrid products that mention cashback in the name or best-for field. Pure points or miles cards are excluded even if they are strong products.
Can I use my own spend amounts?
Yes. Use the CardCheck Rewards Calculator with your monthly spends — the same engine powers these estimates.
Are the rupee numbers guaranteed?
No. They are modelled from published rates and caps. Banks can change terms; exclusions and MCC coding affect actual cashback.