IDFC FIRST Bank review
Updated September 28, 2026 · DebitCue Editorial Team · Facts checked September 26, 2026
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Our verdict
IDFC FIRST Bank suits readers who want cashback and a low borrowing rate without paying an annual fee. Its secured credit card pairs an annual fee of INR 0 with an APR of 8.5%, asks for no income proof or credit history, and puts UPI spending in the same app as the debit account.
Key facts
- Best for
- A secured cashback card with an annual fee of INR 0, a foreign transaction fee of 0% and no credit check.
- Currency conversion fee
- 0% (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Card type
- Debit (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
- Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Features
- Rewards, Secured
- Official website
- idfcfirstbank.com
Credit cards
- 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
- Help-centre (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
- Pricing model
- No annual fee
- Features
- Rewards, Secured
Apps and profiles
- Get the app
- App Store
Pros and cons
Pros
- Annual fee of INR 0 on the credit card, alongside an APR of 8.5%.
- Foreign transaction fee of 0%, so international spends carry no currency markup.
- Cashback of 0.5% to 2% for applicants with poor credit, and no income proof or credit history needed.
- The bank issues a debit account as well, so everyday spending and short term borrowing sit with the same provider.
Cons
- The rewards rate is capped each statement cycle, so the headline rate pays on part of your spend rather than all of it.
- A fixed deposit has to fund the card, so that money is committed rather than free to spend.
- Support runs on help centre only, with no phone or email line listed for card queries.
Who it suits
- People with poor credit who want cashback rewards and no annual charge.
- Heavy UPI and online spenders, who earn the top of the 0.5% to 2% cashback range.
- Travellers who pay in other currencies, since the foreign transaction fee is 0%.
Who should look elsewhere
- Readers who want a large credit line, because a fixed deposit is what secures the limit.
- Spenders chasing uncapped cashback, since the rewards rate is limited each statement cycle.
- People who want phone or email help, because support runs on help centre only.
The company behind it
The legal entity behind the card is IDFC FIRST Bank Ltd, based in India. The bank was founded in 2018, so it is a recent entrant among the lenders listed here. Support runs on help centre, which keeps routine account work self serve and puts card queries through the app and the help centre.
How IDFC FIRST Bank compares
8.8 vs 9.4
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Where IDFC FIRST Bank is available
- Available
- India
Countries from the brand (Source, checked September 26, 2026)
Frequently asked questions
What does it cost to hold this card?+
The credit card carries an annual fee of INR 0 and an APR of 8.5%. A fixed deposit secures the limit and keeps earning interest while the card is in use, so the deposit is not idle money. Cash withdrawals stay interest free for a period, with a nominal charge on top.
What do I pay for spending abroad?+
The foreign transaction fee on the credit card is 0%, so international spends carry no currency markup. The published perks also list no forex markup on international spends. That makes this a low cost card for readers who pay in other currencies on a regular basis.
Do I need a credit check or income proof?+
No income proof or credit history is required. The card is aimed at applicants with poor credit, and it is secured rather than underwritten on a credit file. A fixed deposit funds the limit, so the decision rests on the deposit instead of on your past borrowing.
How much cashback do I earn?+
This is a cashback card, paying 0.5% to 2% across its categories, with the top of the range weighted towards online spends, UPI through the bank app and hotel and flight bookings. The total is capped each statement cycle, so a heavy month earns less than the headline rate suggests.
How do I pay with the card day to day?+
The RuPay credit card works over UPI as well as for in store and online spends, and it links to the IDFC FIRST Bank app, so repayments and cashback run in the same place. Borrowing costs 8.5%, so the card earns its keep when the balance is cleared each cycle.
What protection and extras come with it?+
The perks listed with the card cover Personal accident cover of INR 200,000, Lost card liability cover of INR 25,000 and UPI enabled RuPay credit card auto linked to the IDFC FIRST Bank app. They come as part of the card rather than as a paid add on, so there is nothing to opt into separately. The deposit that secures the limit keeps earning interest throughout, which offsets some of the cost of tying that money up.
How do I get help if something goes wrong?+
Support runs on help centre only, with routine questions answered there and account actions taken in the app. People who need someone to talk to about a disputed card transaction will not find a line listed, so it pays to keep the app and the help centre to hand.
Sources
- idfcfirst.bank.in checked September 26, 2026
Backs: Card type, Support channels
“Cards”
- 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
“Quantum+ is a lifetime free credit card with no joining and annual fees.”
Compiled from 4 source pages, checked September 26, 2026. We did not open an account.
Not confirmed yet: Monthly fee, Free ATM withdrawals, Protection.
IDFC FIRST Bank
A secured cashback card with an annual fee of INR 0, a foreign transaction fee of 0% and no credit check.