AU LIT Credit Card Review: Lifetime Free, Pay Only for Features You Use

The AU LIT Credit Card has no joining or annual fee, and you pay only for the features you switch on, each priced for 90 days. It suits a careful spender who wants grocery or milestone cashback for a few hundred rupees a quarter, but the base reward of 1 point per ₹100 has no published rupee value.

By Pankaj Pandey · Content Writer Updated 5 November 2026 Reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts

Key facts

Joining fee: Nil
Annual fee: Nil
Base reward: 1 Reward Point for every Rs.100 retail spends
Best category: Grocery or apparel: about 5% value
Lounge: Domestic: Only as a paid feature: 1 airport lounge visit for Rs.399, maximum 2 per 90 days International: None published
Forex markup: 3.49% of the amount
Network: Visa, RuPay

Apply on AU Small Finance Bank (AU Bank)'s site

Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.

In short

A good free card if you will switch on one or two paid features that match your spending, and a weak one if you leave it on base points.

Best for

Households that spend steadily on groceries and can use the 5% grocery feature
First-time card users who want a lifetime-free card with no spend target
People who like to change their benefits every quarter

Skip it if

You want lounge access or travel cover without paying per visit
You spend abroad often, where the forex mark-up is 3.49%
You will forget to switch off features that auto-renew

Highlights

No joining, annual or add-on fee
Features cost ₹49 to ₹399 per 90 days, plus GST
Cashback features capped at ₹500 per 30-day cycle
Forex mark-up 3.49%
Interest 3.75% a month (45% a year)

AU LIT in short: a free card you build yourself

LIT is AU Small Finance Bank's pick-your-own-benefits card. The card is lifetime free, with no joining or annual fee, and the extras sit in a menu in the AU 0101 app where each one are bought for 90 days at a time. Left alone it earns 1 Reward Point per ₹100, and AU does not publish what a point is worth, so the plain card is closer to a free credit line than a rewards card.

The three things that matter most

Cashback features with small caps. 5% on grocery or apparel, or an extra 5% or 2% milestone cashback, each capped at ₹500 per 30-day cycle by AU's LIT terms.
Fees per feature, not per year. From ₹49 for the fuel surcharge waiver to ₹399 for one lounge visit, every 90 days, and features renews on their own unless you switch them off.
Normal charges still bite. Interest is 3.75% a month, the forex mark-up is 3.49%, and AU's fair-usage fees on rent, fuel, utilities and transport apply to LIT too.

Who it is meant for

Think of a young earner or a household on budget who wants one or two targeted benefits and is happy managing them like a phone recharge. It is a poor fit for someone who wants free lounges, travel cover or a strong flat reward.

Status and recent changes

LIT is active and open for applications online. AU's MITC of 2 November 2026 (version 2.23) lists two fair-usage charges for all AU retail cards: from 14 June 2026, 1% on the whole month's transport spend (MCC 4111, 4112 and 4784) once it passes 50% of your limit or ₹25,000, whichever is lower; and from 1 July 2026, 1% on the month's entire fuel spend if one fill crosses ₹10,000 or the month's fuel cross ₹25,000.

AU's own documents also disagree on the milestone thresholds, the rewards tab explains. By the RBI's count AU had 1,165,360 credit cards outstanding in September 2026, against 956,080 a year before.

LIT fees and charges

Holding the card costs nothing: ₹0 joining fee, ₹0 annual fee and free add-ons (AU allows up to 3 lifetime-free add-on cards for family member), so there is no waiver target and no monthly spend to hit. What you pay for is the features.

Feature	Price per 90 days	What it does
Airport lounge visit	₹399 per visit	One visit, up to 2 per 90 days
5% milestone cashback	₹299	Extra 5% on retail spends after the 30-day threshold, up to ₹500
2% milestone cashback	₹199	Extra 2% on retail spends after the 30-day threshold, up to ₹500
5X or 10X Reward Points	₹199 or ₹299	5 or 10 points per ₹100, online or offline
5% grocery cashback	₹299	Up to ₹500 per 30 days
5% apparel cashback	₹199	Up to ₹500 per 30 days
Fuel surcharge waiver	₹49	1% waived on fills of ₹400 to ₹5,000
ZEE5 or Amazon Prime, 3 months	₹99 or ₹299	Membership

GST is extra. AU's MITC applies 18% GST on all fees and charges, so the ₹299 grocery feature really cost ₹352.82 (₹299 plus ₹53.82 of GST). The memberships carry a condition too: AU lists a ₹299 plus GST charge on Prime if you don't spend ₹10,000 in the 90 days, and ₹50 plus GST on ZEE5 if you don't spend ₹5,000. Note too that AU's Key Fact Statement lists no fuel surcharge waiver on LIT, so the ₹49 feature is the only way to get one.

Interest, late fee and cash

Interest: 3.75% a month (45% a year) plus GST on balances carried. The interest-free period is up to 50 days, and cash withdrawals don't gets it.
Late payment: 15% of the Total Amount Due, minimum ₹10, maximum ₹1,300, plus 18% GST. A ₹6,000 bill draws ₹900, and since 15% of ₹8,667 is about ₹1,300, any bill above that pays the ceiling.
Cash advance: 2.5%, minimum ₹500, with interest from the day you withdraw. A ₹10,000 withdrawal costs ₹500, not ₹250, because of the minimum; the cash limit is 20% of your card limit.
Forex 3.49% plus GST; over-limit 2.5% (minimum ₹500) only if you opted in; payment return 2% of the total due or ₹500, whichever is higher.

Special category fees

Rent is where LIT gets costly price. Domestic rent (MCC 6513) attracts 1% with a ₹99 minimum per transaction, so ₹15,000 of rent costs ₹150 plus GST a month and earns no points. Utilities (MCC 4900) attract 1% once a calendar month's utility payments pass ₹50,000. Education fees paid through apps like CRED or PhonePe cost 1% (minimum ₹99), while paying the school directly is free. We found no wallet-load fee in AU's schedule.

LIT: fees and charges

Joining fee	Nil
Annual or renewal fee	Nil
Annual fee waiver	Lifetime free; benefits are bought as paid 90-day features
Add-on card fee	Nil
GST	Charged on top of the fees and charges listed
In the bank’s words	Lifetime Free Credit Card. Optional feature fees per 90 days (LIT product guide): airport lounge visit Rs.399 each (max 2), 5% milestone cashback Rs.299, 2% milestone cashback Rs.199, 5X reward points online or offline Rs.199, 10X online or offline Rs.299, 1% fuel surcharge waiver Rs.49, 5% grocery cashback Rs.299, 5% apparel cashback Rs.199, ZEE5 3 months Rs.99, Amazon Prime 3 months Rs.299 (card page shows memberships as '+ GST'). Membership penalties if spend not met: Amazon Prime Rs.299 + GST (Rs.10,000 in 90 days), ZEE5 Rs.50 + GST (Rs.5,000 in 90 days).
Interest on unpaid balances	Up to 3.75% a month (45% a year)
Late payment fee	15% of Total Amount Due (minimum Rs.10, maximum Rs.1,300), plus 18% GST
Cash withdrawal	2.5% of amount withdrawn, minimum Rs.500; interest (charges on revolving credit) from the date of withdrawal until full payment; cash limit 20% of card limit
Over-limit fee	2.5% of over-limit amount, minimum Rs.500 (over-limit only with the cardholder's explicit consent)
Forex markup	3.49% of the amount
Other fees	Rent (MCC 6513), domestic: 1% of transaction value, minimum Rs.99 per transaction (international rent: no charge) Utility (MCC 4900): 1% on aggregate utility spends above Rs.50,000 in a calendar month Fuel (from 1 July 2026): no charge if a single transaction is below Rs.10,000 or the monthly aggregate is below Rs.25,000; otherwise 1% on the entire aggregate fuel spend Education via third-party apps (CRED, PhonePe, Paytm, MobiKwik, Freecharge etc.): 1% of transaction value, minimum Rs.99 (direct payments to the institution: no charge) Transportation (MCC 4111, 4112, 4784; from 14 June 2026): 1% on the entire aggregate if monthly spends exceed 50% of the credit limit or Rs.25,000, whichever is lower (IRCTC and some travel partners excluded) Payment return: 2% of total amount due or Rs.500, whichever is higher Reward redemption fee Rs.99 + GST; card transfer Rs.199 + GST Xpress EMI: 1% of amount (minimum Rs.99) + GST; Instant EMI at POS/payment gateway Rs.199 + GST GST at 18% on all fees, interest and charges

How LIT rewards work

The base earn is 1 Reward Point per ₹100 of retail spend, up to 10,000 points a statement cycle. Utility and telecom earn 1 point per ₹100 but only up to 100 points a transaction, and insurance earns the base point only. Cash, BBPS, EMI, fuel, EV charging, rent, education and government, and quasi-cash earn nothing.

Points last 2 years, though AU forfeits them if the card sits unused for 12 months. Each redemption costs ₹99 plus GST, and with no rupee value per point, the 5X and 10X features cannot be priced either. At 10X the 10,000-point cap arrives after ₹1,00,000 of spend in a cycle (10,000 divided by 10 points per ₹100).

The cashback caps

Grocery and apparel cashback stop at ₹500 per 30-day cycle, which is 5% of ₹10,000. The product guide says ₹1,000, but the LIT terms say ₹500 and the terms is what governs. Milestone cashback adds 5% (₹299) or 2% (₹199) on retail spends above a threshold, also capped at ₹500. The card page puts that threshold at ₹10,000 for 5% and ₹15,000 for 2%, the product guide shows other numbers, so check in the app before you pay.

Cashback lands 5 days after each 30-day cycle. There is no welcome gift.

Three worked examples

Feature prices are counted four times a year with 18% GST. Base points are left out because they have no published value.

Light spender: ₹8,000 a month

₹3,000 groceries and ₹5,000 other spends, with the grocery feature only.

Item	Working	Per year
Grocery cashback	5% of ₹3,000 = ₹150 a month, x 12	₹1,800
Feature cost	₹299 x 4 = ₹1,196, plus 18% GST of ₹215.28	₹1,411.28
Net against a ₹0 annual fee	₹1,800 minus ₹1,411.28	₹388.72

A small win. Below ₹2,352 of groceries a month the feature stop paying, because ₹352.82 for 90 days is about ₹117.61 a 30-day cycle, and ₹117.61 is 5% of ₹2,352.

Typical spender: ₹20,000 a month

₹6,000 groceries and ₹14,000 other retail, with the grocery and 5% milestone features.

Item	Working	Per year
Grocery cashback	5% of ₹6,000 = ₹300 a month, x 12	₹3,600
Milestone cashback	5% of ₹14,000 = ₹700, capped at ₹500 a month, x 12	₹6,000
Total cashback	₹3,600 + ₹6,000	₹9,600
Feature cost	(₹299 + ₹299) x 4 = ₹2,392, plus 18% GST of ₹430.56	₹2,822.56
Net against a ₹0 annual fee	₹9,600 minus ₹2,822.56	₹6,777.44

The milestone row is where the cap bites: we counted only the non-grocery ₹14,000 to stay on safe side, and AU still pays ₹200 less than 5% would give.

Heavy spender: ₹50,000 a month

₹10,000 groceries, ₹4,000 fuel in two fills of ₹2,000 and ₹36,000 other retail, adding the ₹49 fuel waiver.

Item	Working	Per year
Grocery cashback	5% of ₹10,000 = ₹500, exactly the cap, x 12	₹6,000
Milestone cashback	5% of ₹36,000 = ₹1,800, capped at ₹500, x 12	₹6,000
Fuel surcharge saved	1% of ₹4,000 = ₹40 a month, x 12	₹480
Total value	₹6,000 + ₹6,000 + ₹480	₹12,480
Feature cost	(₹299 + ₹299 + ₹49) x 4 = ₹2,588, plus 18% GST of ₹465.84	₹3,053.84
Net against a ₹0 annual fee	₹12,480 minus ₹3,053.84	₹9,426.16

Both ₹500 ceilings are hit early, so ₹26,000 of the month's spend (₹36,000 minus the ₹10,000 that fills the milestone cap) earns base points only. Fuel stay clear of the 2026 charge since each fill is under ₹10,000 and the month is under ₹25,000.

LIT: higher-reward categories

Category	Rate	Cap
Online or offline spends (paid 5X/10X feature)	5X Reward Points (Rs.199 per 90 days) or 10X Reward Points (Rs.299 per 90 days); base point included	Maximum of 10,000 Reward Points can be accrued in a statement cycle, ₹10,000, statement cycle
Grocery or apparel (paid category cashback feature)	5% cashback, about 5% value	Max. Cashback of INR 500 ... for each 30 days' cycle/period (LIT T&C), 30-day feature cycle
Milestone cashback (paid feature)	Additional 5% (Rs.299) or 2% (Rs.199) cashback on retail spends when the 30-day spend threshold is met	Max. Cashback of INR 500 is applicable for each 30 days' cycle/period (LIT T&C), 30-day feature cycle

LIT: how rewards work

Earned as	Reward Points and cashback (feature-based)
Base rate	1 Reward Point for every Rs.100 retail spends; maximum 10,000 Reward Points in a statement cycle
Minimum spend rules	Milestone cashback needs a spend threshold in each 30-day cycle (card page: Rs.10,000 for 5%, Rs.15,000 for 2%)
No rewards on	Cash withdrawal BBPS EMI Fuel EV charging Rent Education & Govt Quasi cash
Lower rewards on	Utility & telecom: 1 Reward Point per Rs.100 (max 100 per transaction); insurance: 1 Reward Point per Rs.100 (not accelerated)
Value of a point	AU Rewardz redemption: Not published
Redemption fee	Rs.99 + GST per successful redemption
Expiry	2 years from the date of accrual
Welcome benefits	None published
Milestone benefits	Paid milestone cashback features (see accelerated)
Lounge access	Domestic: Only as a paid feature: 1 airport lounge visit for Rs.399, maximum 2 per 90 days International: None published Condition: Paid feature in the AU 0101 app
Fuel surcharge waiver	Not included by default (KFS: 'Fuel surcharge waiver not applicable on LIT Credit Card'); 1% waiver on Rs.400 to Rs.5,000 available as a Rs.49 90-day feature
Insurance cover	Card liability up to Rs.1.5 lakh; credit shield up to Rs.1.5 lakh

Who can get LIT and how to apply

Salaried applicants must be 21 to 60 years old and self-employed applicants 25 to 65, and you need to be a resident Indian. Add-on cardholders should be over 18. AU publishes no income figure for LIT, only "as specified by the bank", so you know whether you qualify only once AU review the application.

The documents are valid proof of identity, address and income. Apply through the Apply Now link on the LIT page, which opens AU's online onboarding portal where you can track the status; branches and the AU 0101 app helps with any queries.

What AU looks at

The RBI's 2025 card Directions require the bank to assess credit risk on your independent financial means, and to set the limit after counting the limits you already hold, from your declaration or bureau data. The RBI fixes no minimum age or income. Your credit report matter here: Experian India calls scores above 750 generally good on its 300 to 900 scale.

You should get a one-page Key Fact Statement with the application, and written reasons if AU rejects it. The decision and the limit are AU's alone. If you don't activate a new card within 30 days, AU must seek your OTP consent and close it free of cost if you decline.

LIT: eligibility and documents

Age (salaried)	21 to 60 years
Age (self-employed)	25 to 65 years
Income (salaried)	Minimum monthly income as specified by the bank (no figure published)
Income (self-employed)	Minimum monthly income as specified by the bank (no figure published)
Other conditions	Resident Indian; add-on cardholder over 18 years. Criteria are indicative; AU decides on approval.
Documents	Valid proof of identity Valid proof of address Valid proof of income
How to apply	Online through the 'Apply Now' link on each card page (AU credit card onboarding portal, cconboarding.au.bank.in); application status can be tracked online. NOMO needs an AU fixed deposit. Support also at branches and on the AU 0101 app.
Card customer care	1800 1200 1500

These are the bank's published conditions. Meeting them does not guarantee a card: approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.

LIT against other lifetime-free cards

All three cards below also charge no annual fee. The comparison table on this tab has the side-by-side numbers; this is what they mean in use.

IDFC FIRST Millennia

The IDFC FIRST Millennia earns 3 points per ₹200, and at ₹0.25 a point that is ₹0.75 per ₹200; dining and travel earn 10 points per ₹200, or ₹2.50, with no published cap. Forex is 0% against LIT's 3.49%, though the bank's notice of 9 September 2026 stop points on international spends from 26 October 2026. Add-ons cost ₹499 plus GST, and it wants ₹3 lakh a year of income.

OneCard

The One Credit Card gives 1 point per ₹50 and 5X in your top two categories each month with no feature fee, but no published point value either. Forex is 1%, OneCard says no income proof is needed, and a FD-backed version is there for new-to-credit users. Its fees differ by partner bank.

Amazon Pay ICICI Bank

The Amazon Pay ICICI Bank card is simpler: 5% on Amazon for Prime members, 3% for others, 2% at Amazon Pay partners and 1% elsewhere, and no menu to manage. It is invite only, wants ₹30,000 a month of income and charges 1.99% on forex.

On lounges, none of the three lists a free airport lounge visit; Millennia gives 4 railway lounge visits a quarter after a ₹20,000 month, which is still more than LIT gives without paying.

Which to pick

Pick LIT if groceries or a milestone are your lever and you will manage features each quarter, Millennia if you eat out a lot, OneCard if you lack income proof, and Amazon Pay ICICI if most of your shopping happen on Amazon. For AU's premium end there is the AU Zenith+, the rest of the range is on our AU Small Finance Bank cards page. Our card comparison tool and the credit cards hub help you shortlist.

LIT against similar cards

Term	AU LIT Credit Card This card	FIRST Millennia Credit Card	One Credit Card	Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card
Bank	AU Small Finance Bank (AU Bank)	IDFC FIRST Bank	OneCard	ICICI Bank
Joining fee	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Annual fee and waiver	Nil	Nil	Nil	Nil
Base reward	1 Reward Point for every Rs.100 retail spends	3X Reward Points on eligible spends (about 0.375% value)	1 Reward Point on every purchase of ₹50	1% Reward Points on all purchases on non-Amazon platforms (about 1% value)
Best category	Grocery or apparel: about 5% value	Hotel bookings via 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' in the IDFC FIRST Bank app: about 5% value	Top 2 spend categories each month: 5 times the reward points (5 points per ₹50) on purchases in the month's top 2 categories	Amazon.in purchases, Amazon Prime members: about 5% value
Lounges	Domestic: Only as a paid feature: 1 airport lounge visit for Rs.399, maximum 2 per 90 days International: None published	Domestic: No airport lounge. 4 complimentary railway lounge visits every quarter. International: None	Not published by the bank	Domestic: None stated on card page International: None stated on card page
Forex markup	3.49% of the amount	0% (no markup)	1% of the amount	1.99% of the amount
Network	Visa, RuPay	Not stated by the bank	Visa, Mastercard, RuPay	Visa
Published minimum income	Minimum monthly income as specified by the bank (no figure published)	₹25,000 a month	No income proof required (per OneCard)	₹30,000 a month
Status	Taking applications	Taking applications	Taking applications	Taking applications

Frequently asked questions

Is the AU LIT Credit Card really free?

Yes. AU's MITC lists LIT as lifetime free, with no joining fee, no annual fee and no fee for add-on cards, so there is no spend target for a waiver. You pay only for the features you choose, from ₹49 to ₹399 per 90 days, and AU adds 18% GST on fees. Interest, late fees and fair-usage charges still apply if you trigger them.

How much is a LIT Reward Point worth?

AU does not publish a rupee value for LIT points redeemed on AU Rewardz, so they cannot be priced. You earn 1 point per ₹100, up to 10,000 points a statement cycle, points last 2 years and each redemption costs ₹99 plus GST. The cashback features are easier to value: 5% back, capped at ₹500 per 30-day cycle.

What income do I need for the AU LIT card?

AU does not publish an income figure for LIT; its listing page says only that the minimum monthly income is as specified by the bank. Salaried applicants must be 21 to 60 years old and self-employed applicants 25 to 65, and you must be a resident Indian. You need proof of identity, address and income, and approval rests with AU.

Does AU LIT give airport lounge access?

Not for free. Lounge access is a paid feature: ₹399 plus GST buys one airport lounge visit, and you can add at most 2 visits per 90 days. No international lounge benefit is published. For foreign spends, LIT charges a 3.49% forex mark-up plus GST, so it is not built as a travel card.

What changed on AU credit cards in 2026?

Two fair-usage charges now apply to all AU retail cards, LIT included. From 14 June 2026, transport spends attract 1% on the month's total once they pass 50% of your limit or ₹25,000, whichever is lower. From 1 July 2026, fuel attracts 1% on the month's whole fuel spend if one fill tops ₹10,000 or the month tops ₹25,000.

Do LIT features renew automatically?

Yes. Each feature runs for 90 days and auto-renews, with the fee charged again, unless you disable it in the AU 0101 app before renewal. Review your active features every quarter, because an unused ₹299 feature costs ₹352.82 a quarter once 18% GST is added. Cashback is credited 5 days after each 30-day cycle ends.

Sources

AU Small Finance Bank: LIT Credit Card Terms and Conditions (Internet Archive copy); Key Fact Statement, Version 1.9; Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC) with Schedule of Charges, Version 2.23; AU LIT Credit Card page (Internet Archive copy; live page refused automated fetch with a Cloudflare check); AU LIT Credit Card product guide (PDF, modified 23 Sep 2026); Cardmember Agreement (AU Small Finance Bank Credit Card); Credit Cards listing page (Internet Archive copy, 23 Oct 2026; live page refused automated fetch with a Cloudflare check)

Last verified: 5 November 2026

Written by Pankaj Pandey, reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts

BankCreds does not sell cards or take applications. Fees and rewards change; the bank's own terms on the day you apply are what count, and approval is the bank's decision.