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Best Cashback Credit Cards in India (2026)
Updated 23 September 2026 · Compares 6 cards
Cashback cards are the simplest way to earn from your spending. There are no points to track and no redemption catalogues, just money credited back to your statement or wallet. For most people spending ₹20,000–₹60,000 a month, a good cashback card beats a complicated rewards card.
The key numbers to compare are the cashback rate, the monthly cap, and the excluded categories. Several popular cashback cards were cut in 2026, so older 'best card' lists are often out of date.
Quick comparison
| Card | Fee | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Cashback SBI Card | ₹999 / year | 5% cashback on almost all online spends, no merchant restriction |
| HSBC Live+ | ₹999 / year | 10% cashback on dining, food delivery, groceries, shopping & utilities (cap Rs 1,200/month) |
| Amazon Pay ICICI Bank | Lifetime free | Lifetime free |
| Flipkart Axis Bank | ₹500 / year | 5% on Flipkart & Cleartrip, 7.5% on Myntra (each capped Rs 4,000/quarter) |
| Swiggy HDFC Bank BLCK | ₹1,000 / year | 10% on Swiggy (Food, Instamart, Dineout) - cap Rs 1,500/month |
| Standard Chartered Smart | ₹499 / year | 2% cashback on all online spends |
Our picks in detail
Cashback SBI Card
Still the simplest high-cashback card: 5% on almost any online spend, with no merchant restrictions. From April 2026, online cashback is capped at ₹2,000 per statement cycle and offline cashback (1%) has its own ₹2,000 cap. Rent, fuel, utilities and wallet loads earn nothing.
Highlights
- 5% cashback on almost all online spends, no merchant restriction
- 1% offline
- Cashback auto-credited to statement
Keep in mind
- Online 5% capped at Rs 2,000/cycle, offline at Rs 2,000 (from Apr 2026)
- No rewards on rent, fuel, utilities, wallets, gaming
Fee waiver: spend ₹2,00,000 a year · Forex markup: 3.5% · Lounge: None
See details on the SBI Card website →HSBC Live+
Pays 10% on dining, food delivery, groceries, shopping and utilities, up to ₹1,200 a month, then 1.5% unlimited on everything else. That 1.5% base rate is one of the best in India. It's only issued in selected cities.
Highlights
- 10% cashback on dining, food delivery, groceries, shopping & utilities (cap Rs 1,200/month)
- 1.5% unlimited on everything else
- Auto-credited cashback
Keep in mind
- Available only in select Indian cities
- 10% cap hits at Rs 12K/month
Fee waiver: spend ₹2,00,000 a year · Forex markup: 3.5% · Lounge: 1 international visit/year (from Jul 2026)
See details on the HSBC India website →Amazon Pay ICICI Bank
Lifetime free: 5% on Amazon (Prime), 2% on partners and bills, 1% elsewhere with no cap. The best free cashback card.
Highlights
- Lifetime free
- 5% on Amazon for Prime members (3% otherwise)
- 2% on Amazon Pay partner merchants and bill payments
- 1% on everything else, no cap
Keep in mind
- No lounge access
- Cashback credited as Amazon Pay balance
Fee waiver: not available · Forex markup: 1.99% · Lounge: None
See details on the ICICI Bank website →Flipkart Axis Bank
5% on Flipkart and Cleartrip, 7.5% on Myntra (each capped at ₹4,000 a quarter), 4% on Swiggy, Uber and PVR, and 1% elsewhere. Lounge access was removed in 2025.
Highlights
- 5% on Flipkart & Cleartrip, 7.5% on Myntra (each capped Rs 4,000/quarter)
- 4% on Swiggy, PVR, Uber, Cult.fit
- 1% unlimited elsewhere
- Auto-credited cashback
Keep in mind
- No lounge access
- No cashback on utilities, fuel, rent, gift cards
Fee waiver: spend ₹3,50,000 a year · Forex markup: 3.5% · Lounge: None (removed Jun 2025)
See details on the Axis Bank website →Swiggy HDFC Bank BLCK
10% on Swiggy and 5% on many online categories, each capped at ₹1,500 a month. Great if food delivery is a big part of your spending.
Highlights
- 10% on Swiggy (Food, Instamart, Dineout) - cap Rs 1,500/month
- 5% on popular online categories - cap Rs 1,500/month
- 5% on Cleartrip (cap Rs 1,500)
- 1% elsewhere - cap Rs 500/month
Keep in mind
- Swiggy orders must be Rs 249+
- No lounge access
Fee waiver: spend ₹2,00,000 a year · Forex markup: 3.5% · Lounge: None
See details on the HDFC Bank website →Standard Chartered Smart
A simple card with 2% on all online spends and 1% offline, with a modest cap. Suits people who want flat online cashback without choosing specific apps.
Highlights
- 2% cashback on all online spends
- 1% on offline
- Low-cost EMI options
Keep in mind
- Online cashback capped Rs 1,000/month
Fee waiver: spend ₹1,20,000 a year · Forex markup: 3.5% · Lounge: None
See details on the Standard Chartered website →A simple way to pick
Add up your monthly spending in each category, multiply by each card's rate, apply the caps, then subtract the annual fee if you won't reach the waiver threshold. That's exactly what the CardWise recommender does for you in about a minute.
Many people get the most value from two cards: one broad cashback card (SBI Cashback or HSBC Live+) and one for their favourite shopping app (Amazon Pay ICICI or Flipkart Axis).
Frequently asked questions
Is cashback taxable in India?
Credit card cashback on your own spending is generally treated as a discount on purchases, not income, for individuals. Check with a tax adviser if you have large or business-related amounts.
What's better, cashback or reward points?
Cashback is better for most people because the value is clear and guaranteed. Points can be worth more if you redeem them for flights or hotels, but that takes effort and point values change often.
How we pick: we compare fees, fee waivers, reward rates, monthly caps and exclusions from each bank's published terms, including 2025–26 changes. Estimates assume typical redemption values. CardWise is independent, and card rankings are not influenced by any bank.