Updated September 29, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
Higher score in this comparison
What sets them apart
| Compare | IDFC FIRST Bank Credit CardsReviewVisitVisit | Varo Believe Secured Credit CardReviewSee alternativesSee alternatives |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹0 | $0 |
| APR | 8.5% | 0%Lower |
| 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 | Offer-based, varies by merchant offer; up to $750 per calendar month |
| 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 | Reports to all three credit bureaus, Free credit score tracking in the Varo app, No credit check to apply, No minimum security deposit; cardholder sets own spending limit, Cashback offers at select merchants with the card, Free out of network free Allpoint ATM access |
| Cashback rate | 0.5% to 2% | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Currency conversion fee (0%), Rewards type (Cashback), Credit needed (Poor), Card kind (Credit).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings.
Key differences
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card scores higher overall: 9.1 vs 8.8.
- Founded is lower at Varo Believe Secured Credit Card: 2015 vs 2018.
- APR is lower at Varo Believe Secured Credit Card: 0% vs 8.5%.
- Perks: only IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards offers 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.
- Perks: only Varo Believe Secured Credit Card offers Reports to all three credit bureaus, Free credit score tracking in the Varo app, No credit check to apply.
- Support channels: only Varo Believe Secured Credit Card offers Email, Chat.
Our verdict on each
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards
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.
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card suits anyone with poor credit who wants a credit card and a bank account without annual or interest charges. Its annual fee is $0 and its APR is 0%, so nothing is owed for keeping it open, and the spending limit stays under the cardholder's control.
Score breakdown
| Area | IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 9.5Annual fee of INR 0, APR of 8.5% and currency conversion fee of 0% keep the running costs low. | 9.6HigherAnnual fee $0, APR 0% and currency conversion fee 0% on a secured card aimed at poor credit. |
| Offer | 8.9 | 9.6Higher |
| Trust | 8.1 | 8.3Higher |
Where each is licensed and available
| Country | IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Not confirmed | FDIC FDIC cert 59190 |
Additional countries for IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards: 1. Additional countries for Varo Believe Secured Credit Card: 1.
What we checked
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards
- idfcfirstbank.com: 15 facts, checked September 26, 2026
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
- varomoney.com: 11 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- banks.data.fdic.gov: 2 facts, checked September 26, 2026
- support.varomoney.com: 1 fact, checked September 26, 2026
How they place
| Ranking | IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Credit cards | 32 of 1020 | 172 of 1020 |
| Bad credit and credit builder cards | 3 of 23 | 14 of 23 |
| Cashback cards | 11 of 203 | 64 of 203 |
| Secured credit cards | 5 of 27 | 13 of 27 |
Every fact side by side
| Fact | IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Features | Rewards, Secured | Rewards, Secured |
| Legal entity | IDFC FIRST Bank Ltd | Varo Bank, National Association |
| Headquarters | India | United States |
| Founded | 2018 | 2015Lower |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre | Email, Chat, Phone, Help centreCovers more |
Debit cards
| Fact | IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Card type | Not confirmed | Debit |
| Card network | Not confirmed | Visa |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 8.5%lowest quarter | 0%lowest quarter | 19.39% |
| Currency conversion fee | 0%below the median | 0%below the median | 1% |
| Cashback rate | 0.5% to 2%above the median | Not confirmed | 1.5 |
Median across 312 listed cards.
Pros and cons
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards
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%.
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.
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
Pros
- The annual fee is $0 and the APR is 0%, so a card built for poor credit carries no holding or interest cost.
- There is no credit check to apply, and there is no minimum security deposit because the cardholder sets the spending limit.
- The card reports to all credit bureaus, with free credit score tracking in the Varo app.
Cons
- The cashback rate is offer-based and moves with the merchant offer, so the return cannot be planned as a flat rate.
- The 0% and $0 figures are for the secured credit card, while the debit card and the bank account carry their own terms.
Who each suits
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards
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.
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
Who it suits
- Anyone with poor credit who wants a credit card without a deposit or a credit check.
- People who want free out-of-network Allpoint ATM access and a visa card from the same bank.
- Customers who want their card payments reported to all credit bureaus with score tracking in the app.
Who should look elsewhere
- Wise, for anyone who mainly wants an everyday card rather than a credit-building one; its annual fee is £0.
- Starling Personal Account Debit Card, for a plain debit card with an annual fee of £0 and no secured credit record to build.
- AXI Card Tarjeta y Credito, for readers who prefer a combined debit and credit card; its annual fee is €0.
Current offers
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards
Current offer
Bonus
Cashback on 1st transaction with the Hello Cashback Credit Card: INR 250
Applies to the first transaction on the Hello Cashback Credit Card; up to 1% cashback on UPI spends
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards | Varo Believe Secured Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| India | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards
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.
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card
What does the Varo Believe Secured Credit Card cost to hold?+
The secured credit card carries an annual fee of $0 and an APR of 0%, which means no interest on a balance that is repaid in full. The bank account in the same setup has a monthly fee of $0. No deposit is tied up either, since the cardholder sets the spending limit, so opening the account costs nothing in fees.
Is there a currency conversion fee on the Varo card?+
The currency conversion fee listed for the secured credit card is 0%, so a purchase in another currency does not add a conversion charge on the card. DebitCue places it at 1 of 181 brands on that measure, putting it in the cheapest group among the cards compared.
Other options to compare
Other matchups
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Nexo
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Petal
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Petal
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Ocean Finance Card
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Varo Visa® Debit Card
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Capital One UK
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Capitec Bank
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Cashably
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Access Bank Cards
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs U.S. Bank
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Mission Lane
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Bitpanda
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Bitpanda Card
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Current Build Card
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Compass
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Current
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Coinbase
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs Rahalaitos luottokorttikampanja
- IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards vs N26 Go
IDFC FIRST Bank Credit Cards
Varo Believe Secured Credit Card