Infinia Metal Credit Card vs ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
HDFC Bank · ICICI Bank — side-by-side CardCheck comparison
CardCheck Score BattleDeterministic 0–100 Benchmark Rating
100% Unsponsored MITC Data
HDFC BankScoreExcellent
Annual Fee₹12,500
Max Reward10%
ICICI BankScoreExcellent
Annual Fee₹12,000
Max Reward4%
Infinia Metal Credit Card leads overall with a CardCheck Score of 85/100 (+1 pts over ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card).
4-Pillar Head-to-Head Breakdown
Infinia vs ICICIReward Power
35%Infinia35/35
ICICI34/35
Infinia Wins
Fee Value & ROI
25%Infinia18/25
ICICI18/25
Tie (18/25)
Lounge & Travel
20%Infinia20/20
ICICI18/20
Infinia Wins
Forex & Access
20%Infinia12/20
ICICI14/20
ICICI Wins
01—CardCheck Score & Pillars
- CardCheck Score
- 85Best
- 84
- Rating Verdict
- Excellent
- Excellent
- Reward Power (35%)
- 35/35
- 34/35
- Fee Value & ROI (25%)
- 18/25
- 18/25
- Lounge & Travel (20%)
- 20/20
- 18/20
- Forex & Access (20%)
- 12/20
- 14/20
02—Basic Info
- Bank
- HDFC Bank
- ICICI Bank
- Network
- Visa
- Visa
- Card type
- Premium
- Premium
- Best for
- Travel and lifestyle benefits
- Super-premium lifestyle — unlimited lounge, golf, spa & concierge
03—Fees
- Joining fee
- ₹12,500
- ₹12,000Best
- Annual fee
- ₹12,500
- ₹12,000Best
- Fee waiver
- ₹10,00,000Best
- ₹15,00,000
- Interest-free days
- 50
- 50
04—Interest
- APR (min)
- 42%
- 42%
- APR (max)
- 42%
- 42%
- Late payment fee
- ₹50,000
- ₹1,200Best
- Cash advance fee
- —
- 2.5%
05—Rewards
- Reward type
- points
- points
- Min rate
- 3.3%Best
- 1%
- Max rate
- 10%Best
- 4%
- Points / ₹100
- —
- 4
- Point value
- —
- ₹0.5
06—Travel & Lounge
- Domestic lounge / qtr
- Unlimited
- —
- Intl lounge / year
- —
- 8
- Priority Pass
- DreamFolks
07—Forex & Fuel
- Forex markup
- 2%
- 1.5%Best
- Fuel surcharge waiver
08—Features
- Metal card
- Contactless
- UPI linked
09—Eligibility
- Min age
- 21
- 21
- Min income / month
- ₹3,00,000
- ₹3,00,000
- Min CIBIL
- 800
- 800
- Invite only
Rows won
04of 08
04of 08
| Attribute ↓ | ★ Overall pick Column A | Column B |
|---|---|---|
01—CardCheck Score & Pillars Differences highlighted | ||
| CardCheck Score | 85Best | 84 |
| Rating Verdict | Excellent | Excellent |
| Reward Power (35%) | 35/35 | 34/35 |
| Fee Value & ROI (25%) | 18/25 | 18/25 |
| Lounge & Travel (20%) | 20/20 | 18/20 |
| Forex & Access (20%) | 12/20 | 14/20 |
02—Basic Info Differences highlighted | ||
| Bank | HDFC Bank | ICICI Bank |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
| Card type | Premium | Premium |
| Best for | Travel and lifestyle benefits | Super-premium lifestyle — unlimited lounge, golf, spa & concierge |
03—Fees Differences highlighted | ||
| Joining fee | ₹12,500 | ₹12,000Best |
| Annual fee | ₹12,500 | ₹12,000Best |
| Fee waiver | ₹10,00,000Best | ₹15,00,000 |
| Interest-free days | 50 | 50 |
04—Interest Differences highlighted | ||
| APR (min) | 42% | 42% |
| APR (max) | 42% | 42% |
| Late payment fee | ₹50,000 | ₹1,200Best |
| Cash advance fee | — | 2.5% |
05—Rewards Differences highlighted | ||
| Reward type | points | points |
| Min rate | 3.3%Best | 1% |
| Max rate | 10%Best | 4% |
| Points / ₹100 | — | 4 |
| Point value | — | ₹0.5 |
06—Travel & Lounge Differences highlighted | ||
| Domestic lounge / qtr | Unlimited | — |
| Intl lounge / year | — | 8 |
| Priority Pass | ||
| DreamFolks | ||
07—Forex & Fuel Differences highlighted | ||
| Forex markup | 2% | 1.5%Best |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | ||
08—Features Differences highlighted | ||
| Metal card | ||
| Contactless | ||
| UPI linked | ||
09—Eligibility Differences highlighted | ||
| Min age | 21 | 21 |
| Min income / month | ₹3,00,000 | ₹3,00,000 |
| Min CIBIL | 800 | 800 |
| Invite only | ||
| Rows won | 04of 08 | 04of 08 |
Quick Verdict & Key Differences
Verified MITC Data
| Key Specification | Infinia Metal Credit Card | ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| CardCheck Score | 85/100Excellent | 84/100Excellent |
| Annual Fee | ₹12,500 | ₹12,000 |
| Fee Waiver Spend | ₹10L/yr | ₹15L/yr |
| Max Reward Potential | 10% | 4% |
| Domestic Lounge Access | Unlimited | Check terms |
| International Lounge | Priority Pass (Select) | 8 / year |
| Forex Markup Fee | 2% | 1.5% |
Choose Infinia Metal Credit Card if:
Your spending centers around travel and lifestyle benefits and you want direct partner rewards with HDFC Bank.
Choose ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card if:
Your spending aligns with super-premium lifestyle — unlimited lounge, golf, spa & concierge and you prioritize ICICI Bank's redemption benefits.
Frequently asked questions: Infinia Metal Credit Card vs ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card
- Which is better: Infinia Metal Credit Card or ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card?
- Infinia Metal Credit Card holds a higher overall rating with a CardCheck Score of 85/100 (Excellent) compared to 84/100 (Excellent) for ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card (a lead of +1 points). Infinia Metal 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?
- Infinia Metal Credit Card charges an annual fee of ₹12,500 with an annual spend threshold of ₹10 Lakh for renewal fee waiver. In comparison, ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card charges an annual fee of ₹12,000 with an annual spend threshold of ₹15 Lakh.
- How do the reward rates and cashback compare between Infinia Metal Credit Card and ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card?
- Infinia Metal Credit Card offers a base reward rate of 3.3% and up to 10% on accelerated partner categories. Meanwhile, ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card offers a base rate of 1% and up to 4% on eligible spends. Compare net returns against your monthly spend in our Rewards Calculator.
- Which card has better airport lounge access: Infinia Metal Credit Card or ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card?
- Infinia Metal Credit Card provides standard lounge access terms subject to bank quarterly spend criteria. On the other hand, ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card provides standard lounge access terms subject to bank quarterly spend criteria. 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?
- Infinia Metal Credit Card levies a foreign currency markup fee of 2%, while ICICI Bank Emeralde 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).