Best Lifetime Free Credit Card in 2026
There are very few options in the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card category. Previously, bank lifetime free cards weren't taken seriously. There were barely 10-15 cards, and only 2-3 of them were worth purchasing—like Amazon Pay, ICICI Bank, Axis, Flipkart, etc.
Previously, these cards had annual fees, but about 3-4 years ago, they began being offered as lifetime free. Over time, the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card segment has changed rapidly.
The main reason behind this change is the linking of UPI to credit cards. This change has completely transformed not only the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card category but the entire credit card ecosystem in India. Now, across every spending category, you’ll find robust lifetime free options.
In this guide, we’ll cover the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card across six major categories:
Cashback
Food Delivery & Groceries
UPI
Travel
Online Shopping
Overall Best Lifetime Free Credit Card
Published July 21, 2025.
Best Lifetime Free Credit Card for Cashback.
Our pick for the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card in the cashback category is the Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card.
It may sound obvious, but this card still offers something rare — 5% cashback for Prime users on Amazon without any cap. And that “without any cap” is extremely important when choosing the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card.
Key Benefits:
5% cashback for Amazon Prime users
3% cashback for non-Prime users
2% cashback on 100+ Amazon partner merchants (Dunzo, MakeMyTrip, Uber, etc.)
1% cashback on all other spends (except fuel & gold)
2% cashback on insurance payments via Amazon Pay
Eligibility:
₹25,000 monthly salary (existing ICICI customer)
₹35,000 monthly salary (non-ICICI customer)
The only downside? Low approval rate. If you already have this Best Lifetime Free Credit Card, consider yourself lucky.
Best Lifetime Free Credit Card for Food Delivery & Groceries.
Our pick in this segment is the HDFC Bank Swiggy Credit Card.
Although it normally carries a ₹500 + GST fee, many users are currently getting it lifetime free via the Swiggy app, making it a strong contender for the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card for food and grocery spends.
Welcome Benefit:
3 months Swiggy One membership (or extension)
Key Benefits:
10% cashback on Swiggy (capped at ₹1,500/month)
5% cashback on Nykaa, BookMyShow, Ola, Myntra, Amazon, Uber (₹1,500/month cap)
1% cashback on other spends
Eligibility:
₹25,000 monthly salary
CIBIL score 700+
Another option is HSBC Live+, but it has a ₹1,000 + GST fee and is not lifetime free.
Best Lifetime Free Credit Card for UPI.
If you are searching for the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card for UPI transactions, our recommendation is the Yes Bank CreditPe UPI Credit Card.
This is a simple, no-nonsense card designed specifically for UPI users.
Benefits:
3% flat cashback on UPI (no cap)
5% cashback if monthly spends exceed ₹25,000
5% cashback on digital gold purchases
To earn cashback, payments must be made via the CreditPe app.
Many users compare it with SuperMoney cards, but those have complicated caps. That’s why this remains a strong Best Lifetime Free Credit Card option for UPI.
Eligibility:
Age 21+
₹25,000 monthly salary
CIBIL score 730+
Plus, you get ₹1,000 joining bonus via referral.
Best Lifetime Free Credit Card for Travel.
In the travel category, our pick is the AU Small Finance Bank AU Xcite Credit Card.
Earlier, we recommended Scapia, but after benefit devaluation, AU Xcite has become a better option for travelers looking for the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card for travel.
Benefits:
8 domestic lounge visits
8 railway lounge visits
1 international lounge visit
Zero forex markup
10 reward points per ₹200 online spend
5 reward points per ₹200 offline spend
Up to ₹1,000 monthly travel discounts
Domestic lounge access requires ₹20,000 quarterly spend.
Eligibility:
₹25,000 salary
CIBIL score 750+
Age 21+
Best Lifetime Free Credit Card for Online Shopping.
For online shopping, our pick is the Jupiter Edge+ Credit Card.
Currently offered lifetime free for new users, it is one of the most attractive Best Lifetime Free Credit Card options for brand-specific cashback.
Benefits:
10% cashback on Flipkart, Myntra, Ajio, Zara, Croma, Reliance, Nykaa (₹1,500 total monthly cap)
5% cashback on MakeMyTrip, Yatra, Cleartrip (₹1,000/month cap)
1% cashback on other spends
Instead of direct cashback, you earn Jewels (5 Jewels = ₹1).
Eligibility:
₹15,000 monthly salary
Age 21+
CIBIL score 700+
Overall Best Lifetime Free Credit Card.
If you want one single Best Lifetime Free Credit Card that works across most categories, then the Yes Bank CreditPe UPI Credit Card is a strong choice.
It offers:
Simple reward structure
High UPI cashback
No annual fee
₹1,000 joining bonus
If your goal is to choose the Best Lifetime Free Credit Card in 2026, pick one based on your spending habits — cashback shoppers should prefer Amazon ICICI, food lovers should go for Swiggy HDFC, and heavy UPI users should consider Yes Bank CreditPe.
Stay financially smart.
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