Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card vs IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card
Axis Bank · IDFC FIRST Bank — side-by-side CardCheck comparison
CardCheck Score BattleDeterministic 0–100 Benchmark Rating
100% Unsponsored MITC Data
Axis BankScoreVery Good
Annual Fee₹1,000
Max Reward5%
IDFC FIRST BankScoreExcellent
Annual FeeFree
Max Reward5%
IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card leads overall with a CardCheck Score of 88/100 (+9 pts over Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card).
4-Pillar Head-to-Head Breakdown
Axis vs IDFCReward Power
35%Axis34/35
IDFC34/35
Tie (34/35)
Fee Value & ROI
25%Axis18/25
IDFC25/25
IDFC Wins
Lounge & Travel
20%Axis15/20
IDFC15/20
Tie (15/20)
Forex & Access
20%Axis12/20
IDFC14/20
IDFC Wins
01—CardCheck Score & Pillars
- CardCheck Score
- 79
- 88Best
- Rating Verdict
- Very Good
- Excellent
- Reward Power (35%)
- 34/35
- 34/35
- Fee Value & ROI (25%)
- 18/25
- 25/25
- Lounge & Travel (20%)
- 15/20
- 15/20
- Forex & Access (20%)
- 12/20
- 14/20
02—Basic Info
- Bank
- Axis Bank
- IDFC FIRST Bank
- Network
- Visa
- Visa
- Card type
- Regular
- Regular
- Best for
- Everyday reward points with accelerated earning on dining & shopping
- Lifetime-free mid-tier — 6X on select categories + 2 lounge/quarter
03—Fees
- Joining fee
- ₹1,000
- FreeBest
- Annual fee
- ₹1,000
- FreeBest
- Fee waiver
- ₹3,00,000
- —
- Interest-free days
- —
- 45
04—Interest
- APR (min)
- 52.86%
- 8.5%Best
- APR (max)
- 52.86%
- 46.2%Best
- Late payment fee
- ₹1,000Best
- ₹1,300
- Cash advance fee
- 2.5%
- —
05—Rewards
- Reward type
- points
- points
- Min rate
- 1%
- 1%
- Max rate
- 5%
- 5%
- Points / ₹100
- 5Best
- 0.5
- Point value
- ₹0.2
- ₹0.25
06—Travel & Lounge
- Domestic lounge / qtr
- 2
- 2
- Intl lounge / year
- 0
- 0
- Priority Pass
- DreamFolks
07—Forex & Fuel
- Forex markup
- 3.5%
- 1.5%Best
- Fuel surcharge waiver
08—Features
- Metal card
- Contactless
- UPI linked
09—Eligibility
- Min age
- 18
- 21
- Min income / month
- ₹25,000
- ₹50,000
- Min CIBIL
- 720
- 720
- Invite only
Rows won
02of 08
06of 08
| Attribute ↓ | Column A | ★ Overall pick Column B |
|---|---|---|
01—CardCheck Score & Pillars Differences highlighted | ||
| CardCheck Score | 79 | 88Best |
| Rating Verdict | Very Good | Excellent |
| Reward Power (35%) | 34/35 | 34/35 |
| Fee Value & ROI (25%) | 18/25 | 25/25 |
| Lounge & Travel (20%) | 15/20 | 15/20 |
| Forex & Access (20%) | 12/20 | 14/20 |
02—Basic Info Differences highlighted | ||
| Bank | Axis Bank | IDFC FIRST Bank |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
| Card type | Regular | Regular |
| Best for | Everyday reward points with accelerated earning on dining & shopping | Lifetime-free mid-tier — 6X on select categories + 2 lounge/quarter |
03—Fees Differences highlighted | ||
| Joining fee | ₹1,000 | FreeBest |
| Annual fee | ₹1,000 | FreeBest |
| Fee waiver | ₹3,00,000 | — |
| Interest-free days | — | 45 |
04—Interest Differences highlighted | ||
| APR (min) | 52.86% | 8.5%Best |
| APR (max) | 52.86% | 46.2%Best |
| Late payment fee | ₹1,000Best | ₹1,300 |
| Cash advance fee | 2.5% | — |
05—Rewards Differences highlighted | ||
| Reward type | points | points |
| Min rate | 1% | 1% |
| Max rate | 5% | 5% |
| Points / ₹100 | 5Best | 0.5 |
| Point value | ₹0.2 | ₹0.25 |
06—Travel & Lounge Differences highlighted | ||
| Domestic lounge / qtr | 2 | 2 |
| Intl lounge / year | 0 | 0 |
| Priority Pass | ||
| DreamFolks | ||
07—Forex & Fuel Differences highlighted | ||
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 1.5%Best |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | ||
08—Features Differences highlighted | ||
| Metal card | ||
| Contactless | ||
| UPI linked | ||
09—Eligibility Differences highlighted | ||
| Min age | 18 | 21 |
| Min income / month | ₹25,000 | ₹50,000 |
| Min CIBIL | 720 | 720 |
| Invite only | ||
| Rows won | 02of 08 | 06of 08 |
Quick Verdict & Key Differences
Verified MITC Data
| Key Specification | Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card | IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| CardCheck Score | 79/100Very Good | 88/100Excellent |
| Annual Fee | ₹1,000 | Free (₹0) |
| Fee Waiver Spend | ₹3L/yr | No waiver |
| Max Reward Potential | 5% | 5% |
| Domestic Lounge Access | 2 / quarter | 2 / quarter |
| International Lounge | None | None |
| Forex Markup Fee | 3.5% | 1.5% |
Choose Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card if:
Your spending centers around everyday reward points with accelerated earning on dining & shopping and you want direct partner rewards with Axis Bank.
Choose IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card if:
Your spending aligns with lifetime-free mid-tier — 6x on select categories + 2 lounge/quarter and you prioritize IDFC FIRST Bank's redemption benefits.
Frequently asked questions: Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card vs IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card
- Which is better: Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card or IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card?
- IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card holds a higher overall rating with a CardCheck Score of 88/100 (Excellent) compared to 79/100 (Very Good) for Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card (a lead of +9 points). IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card is classified in our Elite tier due to superior spend returns and comprehensive travel perks.
- How do annual fees and fee waiver spend rules compare?
- Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card charges an annual fee of ₹1,000 with an annual spend threshold of ₹3 Lakh for renewal fee waiver. In comparison, IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card charges an annual fee of ₹0 (Lifetime Free / Zero Fee) with no official annual spend waiver milestone.
- How do the reward rates and cashback compare between Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card and IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card?
- Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card offers a base reward rate of 1% and up to 5% on accelerated partner categories. Meanwhile, IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card offers a base rate of 1% and up to 5% on eligible spends. Compare net returns against your monthly spend in our Rewards Calculator.
- Which card has better airport lounge access: Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card or IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card?
- Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card provides 2 domestic lounge visit(s) per quarter. On the other hand, IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card provides 2 domestic lounge visit(s) per quarter. Note that most issuers now require meeting minimum quarterly spend criteria (typically ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 in the preceding quarter) to unlock lounge access.
- Which card is better for international foreign currency spends?
- Axis Bank Rewards Credit Card levies a foreign currency markup fee of 3.5%, while IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card charges 1.5%. Lower forex markup directly reduces costs when transacting overseas or on international e-commerce platforms.
- Is CardCheck's comparison data unbiased and verified against official bank MITC?
- Yes. All credit card fees, interest rates, lounge visit quotas, and reward calculations on CardCheck are 100% unsponsored and verified directly against each bank's official Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC).