Five beginner-friendly credit cards shortlisted from official bank pages and scored: IDFC FIRST Millennia, AU LIT, IDFC FIRST WOW!, Axis My Zone and SimplyCLICK SBI.
Quick Verdict
The best first credit card in India for most salaried beginners is the IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card. It is lifetime free with no spend condition, has zero forex markup, and asks for an annual income of ₹3 lakh or more. If you have no income proof or credit history, start with the IDFC FIRST WOW! Credit Card, which is issued against a fixed deposit of ₹20,000 or more.
The right pick depends on your situation. If you like to fine-tune benefits, AU LIT scores highest on our framework. If you mostly order food and watch movies, Axis My Zone is free on Visa for a limited period. If you shop online a lot, SimplyCLICK SBI Card costs ₹499 but returns it as a gift card.
Card | Annual fee (as of November 2026) | Best for | Score |
|---|---|---|---|
IDFC FIRST Millennia | Lifetime free | Most salaried beginners | 77/100 |
AU LIT | Lifetime free; paid add-on features | Beginners who will customise | 80/100 |
IDFC FIRST WOW! | Lifetime free (FD-backed) | No income proof or credit history | 73/100 |
Axis My Zone | ₹NIL on Visa, limited period | Swiggy and movie users | 68/100 |
SimplyCLICK SBI Card | ₹499 + GST, waived at ₹1 lakh | Heavy online shoppers | 60/100 |
Apply with Axis Bank: Check Axis Bank credit cards
Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. BenchmarkSutra may earn a commission if you apply through it, at no extra cost to you. It does not change our analysis.
Apply with SBI Card: Check SBI Card credit cards
Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. BenchmarkSutra may earn a commission if you apply through it, at no extra cost to you. It does not change our analysis.
Apply with AU Small Finance Bank: Check AU Small Finance Bank credit cards
Disclosure: this is an affiliate link. BenchmarkSutra may earn a commission if you apply through it, at no extra cost to you. It does not change our analysis.
How We Picked the Best First Credit Cards
A first card has one main job: help you build a clean credit history without costing you money. We shortlisted cards from official bank pages using these tests.
Test | Why it matters for a first card |
|---|---|
Low or no annual fee | A fee you cannot recover is a loss while you learn |
Open eligibility | Beginners rarely have high income or long credit history |
Simple rewards | You should not need a spreadsheet to earn value |
Few traps | Spend-linked perks and auto-renewing charges catch beginners out |
Good app controls | Turning off international or online use helps you stay safe |
Not sure you need a card yet? Read Is a Credit Card Right for You? and Credit Card vs Debit Card.
The Best First Credit Cards in India, Card by Card
1. IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card: best overall first card
Millennia is lifetime free, with no minimum spend needed to keep it free. IDFC FIRST's May 2026 notice confirms the card stays lifetime free.
Eligibility: annual income of ₹3 lakh or more
Rewards: 3 points per ₹200 on most spends (about 0.375%); from 18 June 2026, 10 points per ₹200 (about 1.25%) on dining, travel and international spends from the first transaction; 1 point per ₹200 on utilities, insurance, railways and FASTag
Point value: ₹0.25, with ₹99 + GST per redemption
Extras: zero forex markup; 25% off movie tickets up to ₹100 once a month; 4 railway lounge visits a quarter if you spend ₹20,000 in the previous month
Watch for: no points on fuel, EMI or cash withdrawals
Benchmarksutra Score: 77/100 — B Tier
2. AU LIT Credit Card: best for beginners who like to customise
LIT is lifetime free, and you switch on only the benefits you want, each for 90 days. Prices run from ₹49 for a fuel surcharge waiver to ₹399 for one airport lounge visit.
Eligibility: salaried 21 to 60 years, self-employed 25 to 65 years, resident Indian
Base rewards: 1 point per ₹100 spent
Paid features: 5% extra cashback (₹299, up to ₹500 on ₹7,500 spend per 30 days), 2% extra cashback (₹199, up to ₹1,000 on ₹10,000 spend), 5X or 10X points online or offline (₹199 or ₹299)
Watch for: features auto-renew every 90 days unless you turn them off; ZEE5 and Amazon Prime features carry a penalty if you miss the spend target; 3.49% forex markup
LIT tops our scores, but only if you track features. If you want a set-and-forget card, choose Millennia.
Benchmarksutra Score: 80/100 — A Tier
3. IDFC FIRST WOW! Credit Card: best with no income proof
WOW! is a card against a fixed deposit. IDFC FIRST says it needs no income proof and no credit history, which makes it a strong pick for students, first jobbers without payslips and homemakers.
Eligibility: age 18 to 80, Indian citizen, FD of at least ₹20,000 with IDFC FIRST Bank
Limit: at least 100% of the FD; the FD keeps earning interest
Rewards: 4 points per ₹200 (about 0.5%) on online, offline and international spends; ₹0.25 a point, ₹99 + GST per redemption
Extras: zero forex markup; no interest on ATM cash for up to 45 days, with a ₹199 + GST fee
Watch for: your FD is locked as security; the UPI digital card costs ₹199 + GST a year if you add it
Benchmarksutra Score: 73/100 — B Tier
4. Axis Bank My Zone Credit Card: best for Swiggy and movies
Axis Bank lists My Zone with a ₹NIL joining and annual fee as a limited period offer on the Visa network. The card's value is in offers rather than points.
Offers: ₹120 off Swiggy orders of ₹500 or more, twice a month; buy-one-get-one movie tickets on District up to ₹200 a month
Rewards: 4 EDGE points per ₹200, roughly 0.4% at Axis Bank's own value chart
Watch for: from 1 November 2026, the movie offer needs ₹25,000 of spends in the previous three months; the lounge visit needs ₹50,000; 3.5% forex markup
Check: that the Visa variant still shows ₹NIL on the day you apply
Benchmarksutra Score: 68/100 — C Tier
5. SimplyCLICK SBI Card: best for heavy online shoppers
SimplyCLICK costs ₹499 + GST a year, but SBI Card gives a ₹500 Amazon Pay gift card when you pay the first fee. The renewal fee is waived if you spend ₹1 lakh in the preceding year.
Rewards: 10 points per ₹100 at listed online partners; 5 points per ₹100 on other online spends; 1 point per ₹100 elsewhere
Partners: SBI Card's April 2025 notice lists Apollo 24X7, BookMyShow, Cleartrip, Dominos, IGP, Myntra, Netmeds and Yatra; check the current list
Caps: 10,000 points a month on partner spends and 10,000 on other online spends
Milestones: ₹2,000 Cleartrip or Yatra e-voucher at ₹1 lakh and again at ₹2 lakh of yearly online spends
Watch for: SBI's documents we read do not state a rupee value per point; no points on rent, government or gaming spends; 3.5% forex markup
Benchmarksutra Score: 60/100 — C Tier
Side-by-Side Comparison
Feature | Millennia | AU LIT | WOW! | My Zone | SimplyCLICK |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annual fee | ₹0 | ₹0 + features | ₹0 | ₹0 (Visa, limited period) | ₹499 + GST |
Income criterion | ₹3 lakh+ a year | Not published | None (FD ₹20,000+) | Check Axis page | Check SBI Card page |
Base reward | ~0.375% | 1 pt/₹100 | ~0.5% | ~0.4% | 1 pt/₹100 |
Forex markup | 0% | 3.49% | 0% | 3.5% | 3.5% |
Redemption fee | ₹99 + GST | ₹99 + GST | ₹99 + GST | Check Axis terms | ₹99 on physical, statement credit |
Which First Credit Card Fits You?
Your situation | Start with |
|---|---|
Salaried, ₹3 lakh+ income, want simple and free | IDFC FIRST Millennia |
Student, no payslip, or no credit score | IDFC FIRST WOW! (FD-backed) |
Want to choose benefits each quarter | AU LIT |
Order on Swiggy and watch movies often | Axis My Zone |
Spend ₹1 lakh+ a year online | SimplyCLICK SBI Card |
Plan to travel abroad soon | Millennia or WOW! (zero forex) |
Best First Credit Card Benchmarksutra Scores
We rate every card on the same fixed 100-point framework, using official bank data. See how the Benchmarksutra Credit Card Score works.
Card | Score | Tier | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
AU LIT | 80/100 | A Tier | Beginners who will customise features |
IDFC FIRST Millennia | 77/100 | B Tier | Most salaried beginners |
IDFC FIRST WOW! | 73/100 | B Tier | No income proof or credit history |
Axis My Zone | 68/100 | C Tier | Swiggy and movie offers |
SimplyCLICK SBI Card | 60/100 | C Tier | Heavy online shoppers |
Scores reflect official terms as of 4 November 2026. Banks can change fees, rewards and conditions, so check the latest terms before applying.
Checklist
Check your income proof: payslip, ITR or Form 16. If you have none, go FD-backed.
Confirm the fee on the bank's page on the day you apply.
Read the Key Fact Statement for the interest rate and charges.
Note which spends earn nothing (fuel, rent, EMI, wallet loads).
Activate the card within 30 days, or it may be closed.
Set autopay for the full amount due before your first bill.
Keep spending well within your limit.
For the basics of using a card well, read Credit Card 101. To compare other cards yourself, use How to Compare Credit Cards in India.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Mistake 1: Choosing a first card for its rewards
Your first card is for building history. A free card you pay in full beats a rewards card with a fee.
Mistake 2: Applying to many banks at once
Each rejection is a setback. Pick the one card you are most likely to get.
Mistake 3: Paying only the minimum
HDFC Bank and SBI Card charge 3.75% a month on most cards. Pay in full.
Mistake 4: Forgetting auto-renewing features
On AU LIT, paid features renew every 90 days unless you turn them off.
Mistake 5: Counting on a limited-period free offer
Axis My Zone's ₹NIL fee is a limited period offer. Keep a dated screenshot of the fee when you apply.
FAQs
Which is the best first credit card in India?
For most salaried beginners, IDFC FIRST Millennia: lifetime free, zero forex, and open to incomes of ₹3 lakh a year. With no income proof, IDFC FIRST WOW! against an FD is the easier start.
Which credit card is easiest to get for a beginner?
A card against a fixed deposit. IDFC FIRST WOW! needs an FD of ₹20,000 or more and no income proof or credit history.
Is a lifetime free card a good first credit card?
Yes. A lifetime free card costs nothing to keep, so you can hold it for years and build a long credit history.
Can a student get a first credit card?
Yes, through an FD-backed card. IDFC FIRST WOW! accepts applicants from age 18.
What income do I need for my first credit card?
It varies. IDFC FIRST Millennia asks for ₹3 lakh a year. FD-backed cards need no income proof.
Should my first credit card have an annual fee?
Ideally not. If it does, the fee should be easy to recover, like SimplyCLICK's ₹499 offset by a ₹500 gift card.
How long should I keep my first credit card?
As long as it costs you nothing. RBI rules let banks close cards unused for over a year after notice, so use it now and then.
Official Sources and Editorial Note
Data checked as of: 4 November 2026
IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Millennia Credit Card page
https://www.idfcfirst.bank.in/credit-card/millennia
IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Millennia update notice, May 2026
FIRST Millennia notice (PDF)
IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST WOW! Credit Card page
https://www.idfcfirst.bank.in/credit-card/wow
AU Small Finance Bank LIT Credit Card page, product guide and terms
https://www.au.bank.in/personal-banking/credit-cards/lit-credit-card
AU LIT product guide (PDF)
https://www.au.bank.in/lit-terms-and-conditions
AU Small Finance Bank credit card schedule of charges (forex, redemption fee)
AU schedule of charges (PDF)
Axis Bank My Zone Credit Card page
https://www.axis.bank.in/cards/credit-card/axis-bank-my-zone-credit-card
SimplyCLICK SBI Card terms and reward point terms
SimplyCLICK T&C (PDF)
SimplyCLICK reward point T&C (PDF)
SBI Card MITC and customer notices (fees, waiver, forex, partner changes)
SBI Card MITC (PDF)
https://www.sbicard.com/en/customer-notices.page
Important source note:
This article is written from official sources and does not rely on third-party wording. Percentage reward rates are our conversions from each bank's published points and point values.
Editorial note:
Fees, rewards and limited-period offers change. Confirm the latest terms on the bank's page before applying.
