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IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards review

Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026

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Our verdict

IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards suit adults with poor credit who want a cashback card they can use abroad without extra cost. The annual fee is INR 0 and the currency conversion fee is 0%, so most spending stays fee free.

Key facts

Best for
A cashback credit card for people in India building credit with no annual fee.
Annual fee
₹0 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
APR
8.5% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Currency conversion fee
0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Rewards type
Cashback (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Rewards rate
1% online up to INR 10,000 per statement cycle, 2% on incremental online spends above INR 10,000, 1% on UPI via the IDFC FIRST Bank app, 1% in-store, 0.5% on select categories, plus 1% bonus on hotel and flight bookings in the app; total capped at INR 500 per statement cycle (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Credit needed
Poor (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Perks
Personal accident cover of INR 200,000, Lost card liability cover of INR 25,000, UPI-enabled RuPay credit card auto-linked to the IDFC FIRST Bank app, No income proof or credit history required, Fixed deposit keeps earning interest while funding the card, Zero forex markup on international spends, Cash withdrawal interest-free for up to 45 days at a nominal fee of INR 199 plus GST (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Cashback rate
0.5% to 2% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Card kind
Credit (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Legal entity
IDFC FIRST Bank Ltd (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Headquarters
India (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Founded
2018 (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Support channels
Phone, Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Pricing model
No annual fee
Features
Rewards, Secured
Official website
idfcfirstbank.com

Apps and profiles

Get the app
App Store
Elsewhere
LinkedInX

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Annual fee of INR 0 makes it a no annual fee card, matching no annual fee.
  • Currency conversion fee of 0% means international spends carry no extra markup, ahead of the site median of 1%.
  • APR of 8.5% sits well under the credit card median of 20.85%.
  • No income proof or credit history is needed, which suits holders with poor credit.
  • Cashback runs 0.5% to 2% on everyday spends with a personal accident and lost card cover on top.

Cons

  • Cashback is capped each statement cycle, so heavy spenders earn less than the headline rate.
  • The deposit backing the card keeps earning interest, but the money stays tied up while it funds the limit.
  • Support runs on phone and help centre only, so there is no chat or email route listed.
  • Cash withdrawals carry a fee, and the interest free window is limited, so this card suits spend rather than cash.
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards

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Who it suits

  • Adults in India with poor credit who need a card without income proof or a credit history.
  • Anyone who spends online, on UPI through the app and abroad and wants cashback on it.
  • People with a RuPay credit card they want auto linked to the bank app.

Who should look elsewhere

  • Frequent cash withdrawers, because cash advances come with a fee and a short interest free window.
  • Chasers of points or miles, since the rewards are plain cashback.
  • Shoppers who want lounge access or travel insurance benefits in a single fee free card.

Fees and currency costs

The annual fee is INR 0, which makes this a no annual fee card, and the same is true of Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, Wise and Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card), whose annual fees are $0, £0 and $0. That sits inside a market where the annual fee median is €0 and the top quartile reaches €4.89. The APR is 8.5%. That is below the credit card median of 20.85% and the site wide median of 20.97%, so borrowing on this card costs less than on a typical card in the lists. It is also below the secured credit card median of 1.75%. Currency conversion is where the card stands out most. The currency conversion fee is 0%, so international spending is converted without a markup, compared with a site median of 1% and a credit card median of 1.85%. Cash withdrawals are different: they are interest free for a limited window and then charged a nominal fee plus GST, so treat this as a spending card rather than a cash card.

Rewards and perks

Rewards are paid as cashback, with a rate of 0.5% to 2%. The detail matters more than the headline. Online spending earns the base rate up to a monthly spend threshold, a higher rate applies to online spending above that threshold, and there are further rates for UPI payments made through the IDFC FIRST Bank app, for in store purchases and for a group of select categories. Hotel and flight bookings in the app earn a bonus rate on top. The total back each statement cycle is capped, which is the catch for heavy spenders. The card carries rewards and secured features together, and the security comes from a fixed deposit that keeps earning interest while it funds the limit. You can pay UPI through the card straight from the app because the card is UPI enabled and auto linked to the IDFC FIRST Bank app. On protection, there is personal accident cover and lost card liability cover, and support runs on phone and help centre. You do not need income proof or a credit history to be accepted.

Where it sits among rivals

Ranked on annual fee, this card is 1 of 301 brands, so a free annual fee is a common feature rather than a differentiator. Wise, Varo Believe Secured Credit Card and Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card) all also charge £0, $0 and $0 for the year. On currency conversion the ranking is different: 1 of 181 brands, against a site median of 1%. This is the clearest reason to pick this card over a typical credit card. Interest cost is the one place the card is ordinary. It ranks 15 of 133 brands on APR, which is a middling position next to the credit card median of 20.85%. Overall the card scores 7.7 out of ten, and the cost part of that score is 7.7. The card sits in the cashback part of the market, where 100% of the listed brands pay cashback rather than points or miles.

Who runs it

The card is issued by IDFC FIRST Bank Ltd, which is headquartered in India and was founded in 2018. It is an Indian bank rather than a fintech wrapper, and the card itself is a credit card secured by a fixed deposit. Support runs on phone and help centre, meaning phone and a help centre. The card is also handled inside the bank's own app, and UPI payments through that app earn cashback at the app rate. If you want to compare, the alternatives in this group are also no annual fee products: $0 for Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, £0 for Wise and $0 for Chime Card (Secured Visa Credit Card).

How IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards compares

Where IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards is available

Available
India

Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)

Frequently asked questions

Does this credit card charge an annual fee?+

No. The annual fee is INR 0 and the card is listed as a no annual fee model, so holding it costs nothing across a year. Many cards in the lists are not so lucky, with an annual fee median of €0 and a top quartile of €4.89. A small cashback rate of 0.5% to 2% is the main reward on offer.

What interest rate will I pay if I carry a balance?+

The APR is 8.5%, which is below the credit card median of 20.85% and the site median of 20.97%. It is a low rate for a card aimed at people with poor credit, but it is not a balance free card, so carrying money month to month still costs you. Paying in full avoids the interest entirely.

What does it cost to spend abroad?+

The currency conversion fee is 0%, so international purchases are charged without a foreign exchange markup, and the bank lists zero forex markup on international spends as a card benefit. That compares with a site median of 1% and a credit card median of 1.85%. Cash withdrawals abroad are treated separately and are charged a fee.

Do I need a credit history or proof of income to get it?+

No. The card is aimed at applicants with poor credit, and no income proof or credit history is required. The limit is backed by a fixed deposit that keeps earning interest while it funds the card, so approval rests on the deposit rather than on your credit file. That deposit is money you cannot spend while it is tied to the limit.

How much cashback do I earn and is it capped?+

Cashback runs at 0.5% to 2% depending on how you spend. Online spending, UPI payments through the app, in store purchases and select categories all earn, with a higher rate on online spend above a monthly threshold and a bonus on hotel and flight bookings in the app. The total each statement cycle is capped, so a big spender earns less than the headline rate suggests.

How is the card protected against fraud?+

The bank lists personal accident cover and lost card liability cover with the card, so a lost card and an accident are covered to stated limits. Support runs on phone and help centre, so you can report a lost card by phone. The limit is also linked to a fixed deposit, which stays in the bank while it funds the card.

Can I use it for UPI payments and manage it in an app?+

Yes. The card is UPI enabled and auto linked to the IDFC FIRST Bank app, and UPI spends made through that app earn a cashback rate of their own. The app is also where you view the card and where the cash withdrawal terms are set. Support is by phone and through the help centre.

Is this a credit card or a debit card?+

It is a credit card, not a debit card, and specifically a secured one. The security comes from a fixed deposit that keeps earning interest while it funds the card limit. Because it is a credit line rather than your own money, an APR of 8.5% applies if you carry a balance.

Sources

  • idfcfirstbank.com/about-us/our-history checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Founded

    “IDFC FIRST Bank was founded by the merger of Erstwhile IDFC Bank and Erstwhile Capital First on December 18, 2018.”

  • idfcfirstbank.com/credit-card checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: APR

    “IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards offer competitive and dynamic Annual Percentage Rates (APR) starting at just 8.5% per annum or 0.7% per month.”

  • idfcfirstbank.com/credit-card/quantum-plus-credit-card checked September 26, 2026

    Backs: Annual fee, Card kind, Cashback rate, Credit needed, Features, Currency conversion fee, Headquarters, Legal entity, Pricing model, Perks, Rewards rate, Rewards type, Support channels

    “Quantum+ is a lifetime free credit card with no joining and annual fees.”

Compiled from 3 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.

IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards

IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards

A cashback credit card for people in India building credit with no annual fee.

8.8/10Visit