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Best UPI Credit Cards (RuPay) in India 2026

RBI's 2022-24 UPI-credit linkage opened a new card category — RuPay credit cards now earn rewards at every QR-code merchant. Kirana, fuel pumps, auto-rickshaws, neighbourhood food joints — places only debit cards reached before now generate 2-5% credit-card rewards.

Reviewed May 2026● New category
What changed in 2024

Until RBI's framework expansion, UPI was a debit-only rail in India — every QR scan pulled directly from your bank account. Credit cards weren't in the picture for the ₹2 lakh crore monthly UPI volume routed through neighbourhood merchants.

In Sept 2022 RBI permitted RuPay credit cards to be linked to UPI handles. By 2024 the floodgates opened — HDFC UniGo, SBI Aurum, Tata Neu cards, RBL DUET, ICICI Sapphiro UPI, Axis Flipkart UPI all launched as RuPay-UPI hybrids. Every credit-card reward scheme now applies to your kirana / Swiggy / Uber spends paid via QR scan.

Editor's note: Our catalog now covers 8 of the 15+ UPI RuPay cards launched 2024-25, spanning ₹0 (Kotak League) to ₹10K (SBI Aurum) annual fees + the dual-network breakthrough (RBL DUET). IndusInd Tiger UPI, Yes Bank Wellness RuPay, and Federal Scapia UPI are queued for next quarter onboarding.

Top 8 UPI credit cards for 2026

Every card is RuPay UPI-enabled — link to your UPI app + earn rewards on every QR scan. Ranked by reward economics × annual fee × dual-network availability.

Editor's Pick· Best Overall · Dual-Network (Visa + RuPay)
R
RBL Bank

RBL Bank DUET Credit Card

Reviewed by InvestingPro Credit Team
Only dual-network card in India — Visa + RuPay in one piece of plastic
5X (~5%) effective rewards on UPI spends — among the highest UPI reward rates
Quarterly domestic lounges + movie BOGO offers add ₹2-4K/year value
₹2,000 annual fee — viable only for ₹2L+/year UPI spenders
Reward redemption catalog skewed to RBL-partner brands
86/100
APPLY NOW on RBL Bank's website
Pro
Only dual-network card in India — Visa + RuPay in one piece of plastic
Pro
5X (~5%) effective rewards on UPI spends — among the highest UPI reward rates
Pro
Quarterly domestic lounges + movie BOGO offers add ₹2-4K/year value
Our Take

₹2,000 fee. India's first dual-network card — one piece of plastic with both Visa (international) + RuPay (UPI). 5X rewards (~5%) on UPI spends, 2X on Visa side. Eliminates the 'one card for UPI, one for abroad' trade-off most users face. Launched 2024.

Editor's #1 pick
Editor's Pick· Best Premium RuPay UPI (₹10K fee tier)
SBI Card AURUM
SBI Card

SBI Card AURUM

Reviewed by InvestingPro Credit Team
Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access worldwide
Premium golf access at 450+ courses globally
4x base reward rate — among the best for super-premium
Annual fee of ₹10,000 + GST — premium pricing
Requires ₹30L+ annual income
94/100
APPLY NOW on SBI Card's website
Pro
Unlimited Priority Pass lounge access worldwide
Pro
Premium golf access at 450+ courses globally
Pro
4x base reward rate — among the best for super-premium
Our Take

₹10,000 fee. SBI's flagship RuPay UPI — 6 reward points per ₹200 on all UPI spends (effective 3%), 4 international lounges, ₹15,000 e-voucher welcome benefit. The most decorated UPI credit card launched 2024.

Editor's Pick· Best for Tata-Ecosystem Heavy Users
HDFC Tata Neu Infinity Credit Card
HDFC Bank

HDFC Tata Neu Infinity Credit Card

Reviewed by InvestingPro Credit Team
Exceptional value if you shop across Tata ecosystem
NeuCoins have clear 1:1 value — no confusing point system
Complimentary airport lounge access (8 per quarter)
High annual fee of ₹1,499 + GST
Value drops significantly if you don't use Tata brands
88/100
APPLY NOW on HDFC Bank's website
Pro
Exceptional value if you shop across Tata ecosystem
Pro
NeuCoins have clear 1:1 value — no confusing point system
Pro
Complimentary airport lounge access (8 per quarter)
Our Take

₹1,499 fee. RuPay variant has UPI enabled. 5% NeuCoins on Tata brands (BigBasket, Croma, AirAsia, IHCL, Westside, Tata 1mg, Tata CLiQ) + 1.5% on UPI/non-Tata spends. NeuCoins redeem at 1:1 across Tata ecosystem.

Editor's Pick· Best for India-Bank Ecosystem Users
ICICI Sapphiro Credit Card
ICICI Bank

ICICI Sapphiro Credit Card

Reviewed by InvestingPro Credit Team
4% reward rate on all spends — among the best
Unlimited international lounge access via Dreamfolks
Complimentary golf at 100+ courses
Annual fee of ₹6,999
Needs high income for approval
92/100
APPLY NOW on ICICI Bank's website
Pro
4% reward rate on all spends — among the best
Pro
Unlimited international lounge access via Dreamfolks
Pro
Complimentary golf at 100+ courses
Our Take

₹3,500 fee. ICICI's RuPay UPI-enabled Sapphiro — 4pt/₹100 on dining + grocery + departmental, 2pt/₹100 base. UPI spends earn at base rate. Lounge access + golf benefits. Single-bank relationship if you already use ICICI for NetBanking.

Editor's Pick· Best Sub-₹500 Fee UPI Card
H
HDFC Bank

HDFC UniGo Credit Card

Reviewed by InvestingPro Credit Team
Lowest entry fee for a UPI-credit RuPay card from a top-4 bank
2% UPI rewards meaningful for daily kirana + food + transport spend
Issued instantly for existing HDFC account holders
RuPay only — does NOT work for international transactions
Reward rate drops to 1% outside the 4 named categories
84/100
APPLY NOW on HDFC Bank's website
Pro
Lowest entry fee for a UPI-credit RuPay card from a top-4 bank
Pro
2% UPI rewards meaningful for daily kirana + food + transport spend
Pro
Issued instantly for existing HDFC account holders
Our Take

₹500 fee. HDFC's mainstream UPI entry — 2% rewards on apparel + dining + grocery + travel UPI spends, 1% on others. CIBIL 700+ entry-friendly. The right starter UPI card for HDFC-account holders.

Editor's Pick· Best Lifetime-Free RuPay UPI Card
K
Kotak Mahindra Bank

Kotak League 811 Credit Card

Reviewed by InvestingPro Credit Team
Lifetime free — zero fee burden makes it the right starter UPI card
Lower CIBIL eligibility (680+) than most premium UPI cards
Instant approval via Kotak app for existing 811 customers
Reward rate on offline non-UPI spends is weak (0.67%)
No lounge / travel / international benefits
82/100
APPLY NOW on Kotak Mahindra Bank's website
Pro
Lifetime free — zero fee burden makes it the right starter UPI card
Pro
Lower CIBIL eligibility (680+) than most premium UPI cards
Pro
Instant approval via Kotak app for existing 811 customers
Our Take

₹0 fee for life. Linked to Kotak 811 zero-balance digital account. 4 League Points per ₹150 online/UPI (~2.67%), 1pt/₹150 offline. CIBIL 680+ accepted — among the easier entry-tier RuPay UPI cards for first-time credit users.

Editor's Pick· Best for Health-Conscious UPI Users
SBI Card PULSE
SBI Card

SBI Card PULSE

Reviewed by InvestingPro Credit Team
Unique health and wellness positioning — 10x on gyms/pharmacies
Good dining and grocery acceleration at 5x
Domestic airport lounge access (4 per quarter)
Annual fee of ₹1,499 (waivable on ₹2L spend)
Health/wellness merchant coding may not always trigger 10x
78/100
APPLY NOW on SBI Card's website
Pro
Unique health and wellness positioning — 10x on gyms/pharmacies
Pro
Good dining and grocery acceleration at 5x
Pro
Domestic airport lounge access (4 per quarter)
Our Take

₹1,499 fee. SBI's lifestyle-focused RuPay variant — Fitpass Pro membership (₹2,400 value) + Netmeds vouchers + 10X rewards on dining / movies / department / grocery via UPI. Niche but strong if you'd use the fitness/health benefits.

Editor's Pick· Best Step-Down for Tata-Light Users
T
HDFC Bank

Tata Neu HDFC Credit Card

Reviewed by InvestingPro Credit Team
90/100
APPLY NOW on HDFC Bank's website
Our Take

₹499 fee. Entry tier of the Tata Neu RuPay UPI duo. 1.5% NeuCoins on UPI + 2% on Tata brands. The right alternative to Tata Neu Infinity for users with under ₹3L/year Tata-ecosystem spend.

What works, what doesn't

UPI-credit: read the small print

UPI-credit rewards are real, but not universal. Categories commonly excluded from credit-card rewards still don't earn even when paid via UPI:

  • Fuel pumps — most cards exclude fuel from base reward rate (separate surcharge waiver applies)
  • Government / utility bills via BBPS — 0% or capped rewards on most cards
  • Education fees, insurance premiums — usually 0% rewards on every card
  • Rent via dedicated rent apps — 0% rewards on CRED / NoBroker rent payments
  • Wallet loads (Paytm / PhonePe wallet) — 0% rewards
  • MF / equity / crypto via UPI — 0% rewards (regulator carve-out)

What does earn: retail (Kirana, supermarket, electronics), food (Swiggy, Zomato, restaurants, cafes), travel (Uber, Ola, metro), entertainment (movies, OTT), and most online merchants. For most urban Indian users this is 60-70% of monthly UPI spend.

Compare 8 cards

Side-by-side: RuPay UPI credit cards

Annual fees range ₹0 (Kotak League) → ₹10K (SBI Aurum). RBL DUET is dual-network (Visa + RuPay). All earn rewards on UPI QR scans.

FeatureRBL Bank DUET Credit Card
RBL Bank
SBI Card AURUM
SBI Card
HDFC Tata Neu Infinity Credit Card
HDFC Bank
ICICI Sapphiro Credit Card
ICICI Bank
HDFC UniGo Credit Card
HDFC Bank
Kotak League 811 Credit Card
Kotak Mahindra Bank
SBI Card PULSE
SBI Card
Tata Neu HDFC Credit Card
HDFC Bank
Annual fee₹2,000₹10,000₹1,499₹6,500₹500₹0₹1,499
Joining fee₹2,000₹10,000₹1,499₹6,500₹500₹0₹1,499
Reward rate5 reward points per ₹100 on UPI (RuPay side), 2 pts/₹100 on Visa side3.75%5%10X dining, 4% base2% on Apparel/Dining/Grocery/Travel UPI spends, 1% on others4 League Points per ₹150 online/UPI (~2.67%), 1pt/₹150 offline (~0.67%)2%
Reward typeReward PointsCashbackReward Points
Lounge access2 domestic lounges/quarterUnlimited international + domestic
Fuel waiver
Min income₹25K/mo₹2L/mo₹40K/mo₹1.5L/mo₹15K/mo₹15K/mo₹30K/mo
Min CIBIL
APR (per annum)
InvestingPro rating4.3/54.7/54.4/54.6/54.2/54.1/53.9/54.5/5
ApplyReviewReviewReviewReviewReviewReviewReviewReview

Data refreshed daily from issuer websites. Annual fee waivers, reward caps, and category-specific carve-outs are detailed on each card's review page. Use the full comparison tool to add any card to a side-by-side view.

Frequently asked questions

What is a UPI credit card?
A RuPay credit card that the issuer has enabled for UPI transactions per RBI's 2022 framework (expanded 2024). When linked to a UPI app (BHIM / Google Pay / PhonePe / Paytm), QR-code scans at any UPI merchant draw from your credit-card limit (not bank account), earning credit-card rewards on spends that previously could only be debit-card payments.
Which banks offer UPI-enabled credit cards in India 2026?
13+ banks have launched UPI-RuPay credit cards: HDFC (Tata Neu range, UniGo), SBI (Aurum, Pulse), ICICI (Sapphiro UPI, Coral UPI), Axis (Flipkart UPI, Tata Neu Axis), RBL (DUET), Kotak (League 811), IndusInd (Tiger UPI), Federal (Scapia), IDFC FIRST (Power+), Yes Bank (RuPay variants), PNB (RuPay Select), Canara (RuPay Platinum), and Union Bank. Premium picks: SBI Aurum (₹10K fee, 3% UPI rewards) and HDFC Tata Neu Infinity (₹1.5K fee, 5% on Tata brands).
Do I earn rewards on UPI transactions through credit cards?
Yes — but check the issuer's UPI-spends carve-out. Most issuers EXCLUDE the following from rewards even when paid via UPI-credit: fuel transactions, government/utility payments (BBPS), education fees, insurance premiums, rent (via dedicated rent apps), wallet loads, mutual fund / equity purchases. Effective UPI reward rate is 1.5-3% on retail / food / travel / grocery merchants — meaningful but not on every spend.
Is the interest-free period preserved on UPI-credit transactions?
Yes — UPI spends on credit are treated as regular credit-card transactions for billing purposes. The standard 18-50 day interest-free period (varies by card and statement cycle) applies. UPI does NOT convert to instant-debit or fast-debit; you pay in the next billing cycle like any other credit-card spend.
Are there per-transaction limits on UPI credit cards?
Standard UPI limit: ₹1 lakh per transaction (RBI cap). Some issuers cap UPI-credit at ₹50,000 per transaction by default — adjustable in the issuer app. For high-value purchases (jewellery, electronics), the merchant may also impose lower per-txn UPI caps. The credit limit itself acts as the daily ceiling.
Can NRIs use UPI credit cards from abroad?
UPI itself is India-resident-only as of May 2026. NRIs returning to India can use UPI-credit cards normally during their stay; outside India, the card functions as a regular international RuPay (limited acceptance vs Visa/Mastercard) but UPI itself does not work cross-border. Watch this space: RBI is piloting UPI in UAE / Singapore / Bhutan / Nepal / France — full international UPI is 12-24 months away.
RBI regulatory notice

Regulated by Reserve Bank of India.

Credit cards in India are issued by banks and NBFCs licensed by the Reserve Bank of India. Card issuance, credit limit, interest rate (APR), fees, and reward structures are at the sole discretion of the issuer subject to KYC, credit profile, and internal policy. Rates and benefits shown on this page are issuer-published and may change without notice — verify on the issuer's official website before applying.

Risk note: Carrying revolving credit-card balances at typical APRs of 36–48% per annum is one of the most expensive forms of debt in India. Always pay the total amount due, not just the minimum.

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