Best UPI Credit Cards in India 2026: RuPay Cards That Pay Back
Only RuPay credit cards can be linked to UPI, and only for paying merchants, so the best UPI credit card is a RuPay card that still earns well on UPI. On ₹15,000 of monthly UPI spend, HSBC RuPay Cashback returns the most at ₹400 a month, while AU SPONT, IDFC FIRST EARN and Tata Neu Plus HDFC Bank pay a flat 1% for ₹499 or less.
In short
HSBC RuPay Cashback earns the most on food and grocery UPI payments up to its ₹400 monthly cap, and AU SPONT and IDFC FIRST EARN pay a flat 1% for ₹499 or less.
Best for
- People who pay shops and restaurants by UPI QR and want rewards on it
- Students and new earners who can open a fixed deposit
- Tata Neu or PhonePe users who pay through that app
Skip it if
- You want to send money to friends or family, which credit card UPI does not allow
- You want to buy mutual funds or apply for IPOs this way, which NPCI blocks
- You often carry a balance, since 3.75% a month in interest outweighs 1% back
Highlights
- RuPay credit cards only, merchant payments only
- UPI limit ₹1 lakh a day per card, ₹2 lakh for some merchant categories
- HSBC RuPay Cashback: ₹400 a month on ₹15,000 of UPI
- HDFC UPI RuPay: ₹99 a year, waived from year two on ₹25,000
- Data verified on 5 November 2026
The cards on this page
| Card | Fees | Headline reward | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kotak UPI RuPay Credit Card Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) | Nil joining and annual | 3 Reward Points per ₹100 spent, on UPI and regular... | UPI payments (RuPay), Lifetime free |
| Scapia Federal Credit Card Federal Bank | Nil joining and annual | 4% value on travel booked on the Scapia app | Travel, Lifetime free, Reward points |
| HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Credit Card HDFC Bank | ₹99 + GST joining and annual | 3% value on groceries and supermarkets, dining and all PayZapp transactions | UPI payments (RuPay), Cashback, Groceries |
| AU SPONT Credit Card AU Small Finance Bank (AU Bank) | ₹299 + GST joining and annual | 1% value on most spends | UPI payments (RuPay), Cashback, First card |
| Dream Different Credit Card Kotak Mahindra Bank (Kotak) | ₹424 + GST joining, Nil annual | 2% value on most spends | Secured (against an FD), First card, Cashback |
| HSBC RuPay Cashback Credit Card HSBC India | ₹499 + GST joining and annual | 10% value on dining, food delivery and grocery | Cashback, UPI payments (RuPay), Dining and food delivery |
| FIRST EA₹N Credit Card IDFC FIRST Bank | ₹499 + GST joining and annual | 5% value on hotel bookings via 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' in the app | Cashback, UPI payments (RuPay), Secured (against an FD) |
| Tata Neu Plus HDFC Bank Credit Card HDFC Bank | ₹499 + GST joining and annual | 5% value on selected categories on the Tata Neu app or website | Online shopping, Reward points, UPI payments (RuPay) |
| Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank Credit Card HDFC Bank | ₹1,499 + GST joining and annual | 5% value on non-EMI spends on partner Tata brands | Online shopping, Reward points, UPI payments (RuPay) |
| PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK SBI Card | ₹1,499 + GST joining and annual | 10% value on phonePe app spends on recharges, utilities, bill payments, travel | Reward points, UPI payments (RuPay), Online shopping |
| Tata Neu Infinity SBI Card SBI Card | ₹1,499 + GST joining and annual | 5% value on non-EMI spends on Tata Neu app/website and partner Tata brands | Online shopping, Reward points, Travel |
The short answer for UPI
The best credit card for UPI is a RuPay card that keeps paying when you scan a QR, since only RuPay credit cards can be linked and several of them pays less on UPI than on a swipe. On our ₹15,000 test month HSBC RuPay Cashback earns the most, ₹400.
What UPI on a credit card allows
RBI announced on 8 June 2022 that credit cards could go on UPI, starting with RuPay, and the facility went live on 20 September 2022. NPCI's FAQ, in the September 2025 copy we could read, still say only RuPay credit cards can be linked and lists 23 issuers, among them HDFC Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak, SBI Cards, ICICI Bank, AU, IDFC, IndusInd, Federal Bank and RBL.
It is for paying merchants only: no person-to-person transfers, P2PM, card-to-card payments or cash withdrawal at a merchant, and NPCI also blocks digital account opening, lending platforms, ATM cash, e-RUPI, IPOs, foreign inward remittances and mutual funds. Each payment is approve with a UPI PIN and disputes go through UPI's online dispute resolution.
Limits works like this: the lowest of your card limit, your own set limit and the bank's risk limit, with a UPI cap of ₹1 lakh a day per card (₹2 lakh for some merchant categories), inside the available credit. There is no cap on the number of transactions or cards linked, and NPCI says linking and paying cost you nothing, though surcharges such as fuel can apply.
How we chose
We took every active card in our data with a RuPay variant that runs on UPI and checked what it pays on a UPI payment, its cap, fee and published eligibility. Figures are from card files verified on 5 November 2026, fees are before 18% GST, and no bank paid to be on this page.
Ten RuPay cards that pay on UPI
Sorted by fee, each with the figure that decide if it's worth linking.
No annual fee
- Kotak UPI RuPay, lifetime free and virtual only: 3 Reward Points per ₹100 on UPI and card spends. A point is worth ₹0.07 as cash value since 1 June 2025 or ₹0.10 in the catalogue, so 0.21% to 0.3% (3 x ₹0.07 or 3 x ₹0.10 per ₹100). Only existing Kotak credit card holders can get it, it works more like a free add-on.
- Scapia Federal, lifetime free: the RuPay card earns 5% as Scapia Coins on eligible spends above ₹500, UPI included, and 5 coins make ₹1, so about 1%. Fees are nil per the November 2024 MITC, as Federal's current one could not be read. Coins can be use only for travel in the Scapia app, and since the agreement says "more than ₹500" and Scapia's blog "₹500 or more", small payments may earn nothing.
Fee up to ₹500
- HDFC UPI RuPay, ₹99, waived from the second year on ₹25,000 a year, virtual only: 3% CashPoints on groceries, supermarkets, dining and PayZapp, 2% on utilities and 1% on the rest, each capped at 500 CashPoints a calendar month. A CashPoint is worth ₹0.25 against the bill, so the real rates are 0.75%, 0.5% and 0.25%, and each cap is worth ₹125.
- AU SPONT, ₹299 with no published waiver: 1% cashback on every transaction, UPI through any app included, capped at ₹500 a statement cycle. That cap only bite above ₹50,000 of spend in a cycle.
- Kotak Dream Different, ₹424 joining fee from 1 September 2026, no annual fee, against a Kotak FD of at least ₹10,000: 2% cashback in billing cycles with ₹15,000 or more of eligible spends, UPI only through the Kotak 811 app and capped at ₹200 a cycle.
- HSBC RuPay Cashback, ₹499, reversed above ₹2,00,000 a year: 10% on dining, food delivery and groceries and 1% on the rest, UPI included, under one ₹400 monthly cap.
- IDFC FIRST EARN, ₹499 per the MITC (₹0 joining is a limited-period offer), annual fee waived on ₹1 lakh, against an FD from ₹5,000: 1% on UPI through the IDFC FIRST Bank app for cards issued from 16 December 2025, 0.5% through other apps, capped at ₹500 a statement cycle.
- Tata Neu Plus HDFC Bank, ₹499, waived on ₹1,00,000: 1% as NeuCoins with the Tata Neu UPI ID (0.25% from the bank, 0.75% from Tata Neu), 0.25% with any other, capped at 500 NeuCoins a month.
Fee ₹1,499
- Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank, ₹1,499, waived on ₹3,00,000: 1.5% through the Tata Neu UPI ID, 0.5% through others, same 500-NeuCoin monthly cap. The SBI Card version of Tata Neu Infinity also pay 1.5% on UPI, capped at 500 NeuCoins a month.
- PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK, ₹1,499, reversed on ₹3 lakh: 1% back on Scan and Pay inside the PhonePe app, 1 point to the rupee. Since 1 July 2026 UPI outside PhonePe earn nothing.
₹15,000 of UPI spend on every pick
The test month is ₹15,000 paid by UPI QR at merchants: ₹6,000 at grocery shops, ₹3,000 at restaurants and ₹6,000 at other stores. Each card goes through its best UPI route (the Tata Neu UPI ID, PhonePe Scan and Pay, the IDFC FIRST app, the Kotak 811 app) and every payment is above ₹500, which matter for Scapia.
| Card | How the ₹15,000 earns | A month | A year | Annual fee (GST extra) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HSBC RuPay Cashback | 10% of ₹9,000 is ₹900, plus 1% of ₹6,000 is ₹60; cap ₹400 | ₹400 | ₹4,800 | ₹499 |
| Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank | 1.5% with the Tata Neu UPI ID | ₹225 in NeuCoins | ₹2,700 | ₹1,499 |
| Kotak Dream Different | 2% is ₹300; UPI cap ₹200 a cycle | ₹200 | ₹2,400 | ₹424 joining, once |
| AU SPONT | 1% of ₹15,000 | ₹150 | ₹1,800 | ₹299 |
| IDFC FIRST EARN | 1% through the IDFC FIRST app | ₹150 | ₹1,800 | ₹499 |
| Tata Neu Plus HDFC Bank | 1% with the Tata Neu UPI ID | ₹150 in NeuCoins | ₹1,800 | ₹499 |
| PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK | 1% on PhonePe Scan and Pay | ₹150 | ₹1,800 | ₹1,499 |
| Scapia Federal | 5% is 750 coins; 5 coins = ₹1 | ₹150 in coins | ₹1,800 | Nil |
| HDFC UPI RuPay | 3% of ₹9,000 is 270 CashPoints, plus 1% of ₹6,000 is 60; 330 at ₹0.25 | ₹82.50 | ₹990 | ₹99 |
| Kotak UPI RuPay | 3 points per ₹100 is 450 points at ₹0.07 | ₹31.50 | ₹378 | Nil |
The fee and the waiver
A year of this UPI spend is ₹1,80,000 (₹15,000 x 12). That waives HDFC UPI RuPay's fee from year two (₹25,000 needed) and the fees on IDFC FIRST EARN and Tata Neu Plus (₹1 lakh each), but not HSBC's ₹2,00,000 or the ₹3 lakh on Tata Neu Infinity and PhonePe SELECT BLACK, and AU SPONT have no waiver at all. Before GST, HSBC still leave ₹4,301 (₹4,800 less ₹499), Tata Neu Infinity ₹1,201, AU SPONT ₹1,501 and PhonePe SELECT BLACK just ₹301.
The route matters
Pay from a different UPI ID and the Tata Neu numbers fall: 0.25% on Plus is ₹37.50 a month and 0.5% on Infinity is ₹75, against ₹150 and ₹225 through the Tata Neu UPI ID. IDFC FIRST EARN drops to ₹75 at 0.5% outside its own app, and on Kotak Dream Different, UPI through a third-party app earn nothing.
Cashback from HSBC, AU, IDFC FIRST and Kotak Dream Different is plain rupees, though the Kotak cashback expire 30 days after it's made available. NeuCoins work only on Tata Neu and Scapia Coins only on Scapia travel, and HDFC UPI RuPay charges ₹50 plus GST per cashback redemption, so cash its ₹990 once a year rather than every quarter.
The fine print on UPI rewards
- Lower rates on UPI. Kotak Cashback+ pays 0.5% on UPI even in its 5% categories, IndianOil Kotak gives 0.5% on UPI in every category, and SBI Card's Reliance Prime earns only 2 points per ₹100 on UPI at Reliance stores. BOBCARD's HPCL Energie and Prime give only core points on UPI, and HPCL Energie's UPI spends don't count for its fee waiver.
- Caps on HDFC cards. HDFC's MITC caps reward points on UPI purchases at 500 a calendar month, and the Tata Neu cards cap UPI NeuCoins at 500 a month.
- Small offline payments. NPCI sets nil MDR on RuPay credit card UPI payments up to ₹2,000 at small offline merchants, and RBL's IndianOil Xtra give no points on offline UPI under ₹2,000 at small merchants.
- Fuel. NPCI says fuel surcharges can apply on UPI. SBI Card's fuel surcharge waiver on SimplySAVE does not cover fuel paid by UPI, and the IndianOil Kotak waiver also leave UPI out.
- A "lifetime free" label that isn't. IndusInd markets its Platinum RuPay card as lifetime free, but its MITC lists a ₹10,000 joining fee, which very much changes the maths.
- Credit lines are not cards. Since 4 September 2023 RBI lets banks offer pre-sanctioned credit lines through UPI, with limit, period and interest set by each bank's policy, so read those terms on their own.
- Interest. Most picks charge 3.75% a month (45% a year) and IDFC FIRST EARN 3.85%. Leave ₹15,000 unpaid for 30 days at 45% and the interest is about ₹554.79 (30 x ₹15,000 x 45% / 365), more than any pick earn in a month.
- Cuts. Kotak cut UPI RuPay's cash value from ₹0.10 to ₹0.07 a point on 1 June 2025, and PhonePe SELECT BLACK lowered its caps on 1 July 2026.
Which UPI card for which reader
- Food and grocery by UPI, ₹6,00,000 a year or more, in an HSBC city: HSBC RuPay Cashback, whose ₹400 cap is reached at ₹4,000 of food and grocery (₹4,000 x 10%).
- Everything on UPI, no tracking: AU SPONT for a flat 1% up to ₹500 a cycle. AU publishes no income figure, so the decision rest fully with the bank.
- No income proof, student or first card: IDFC FIRST EARN (FD from ₹5,000, limit 100% of the FD, age 18 to 80) or Kotak Dream Different (FD from ₹10,000, age 18 to 75, limit 80% of the FD under the MITC, though Kotak's 811 page says up to 90%). Our secured cards guide explains how FD cards works.
- Smallest fee: HDFC UPI RuPay at ₹99, though its eligibility page looks copied from Millennia, so HDFC hasn't really published separate criteria for it.
- Tata Neu shoppers: Tata Neu Plus (gross monthly income above ₹25,000) or Infinity (above ₹1 lakh), always through the Tata Neu UPI ID.
- PhonePe-only users: SELECT BLACK, if you will also spend ₹3 lakh a year to waive the ₹1,499.
- Travellers: Scapia Federal, where UPI coins go into trips booked on its app.
- Existing Kotak cardholders: Kotak UPI RuPay, a free UPI line with low earn.
Families who pay most grocery bills by card can compare our grocery credit card picks, and the credit cards hub lists every bank we cover.
Getting a RuPay card onto UPI
- Get a RuPay credit card or a RuPay variant. Some banks issue it as a second card on the same limit, like Scapia Federal's Visa and RuPay pair on one statement, and IDFC FIRST sells a FIRST Digital RuPay card just for UPI.
- Add the card in a UPI app that supports RuPay credit cards and set a UPI PIN for it. The UPI ID is linked to the card, never built from the card number.
- Check the bank's UPI earn rate and the app it want you to use. On the Tata Neu, PhonePe, IDFC FIRST and Kotak 811 cards the route decides the reward.
RBI asks banks to judge your independent financial means and give written reasons for a rejection, but sets no minimum income. Published floors: HSBC ₹6,00,000 a year salaried in 21 cities; Tata Neu Plus ₹25,000 and Infinity ₹1 lakh gross a month; Kotak UPI RuPay only for existing Kotak cardholders aged 18 or more. AU and SBI Card publish no income figure, and SBI Card doesn't say where to apply for PhonePe SELECT BLACK.
Card apps often use Video KYC because RBI allows Aadhaar OTP e-KYC alone only for term loans up to ₹60,000 a year. Whatever the app shows, approval stay the bank's decision.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Pay any merchant QR on credit, with the interest-free period if last month's bill was paid in full
- HSBC RuPay Cashback pays 10% on dining and groceries by UPI, up to ₹400 a month
- AU SPONT and IDFC FIRST EARN pay 1% on UPI for ₹299 and ₹499 a year
- FD-backed IDFC FIRST EARN and Kotak Dream Different need no income proof
- Linking and paying cost the customer nothing, according to NPCI
Cons
- Only RuPay credit cards work, and only for merchant payments, never person-to-person
- Mutual funds, IPOs, lending platforms and cash withdrawals are blocked
- Several cards pay less on UPI than on a swipe, such as Kotak Cashback+ at 0.5%
- Tata Neu, PhonePe and IDFC FIRST cards pay their best UPI rate only through their own app
- Caps are low: 500 NeuCoins a month on Tata Neu cards and ₹200 a cycle on Dream Different UPI
Frequently asked questions
Can I link a Visa or Mastercard credit card to UPI?
Can I send money to a friend from a credit card on UPI?
Is there a charge for using a credit card on UPI?
What is the UPI limit on a credit card?
Which RuPay credit card for UPI works without income proof?
What changed for UPI credit card rewards in 2026?
Related
- Best Grocery Credit Cards in India 2026: The Monthly Cap Decides
- Secured Credit Cards Explained: FD-Backed Limits, Costs and Catches
- HSBC RuPay Cashback Credit Card Review: 10% on Food, ₹400 Total Cap
- HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Credit Card Review: ₹99 Fee, Points Worth 25 Paise
- AU SPONT Credit Card Review: 1% Cashback on UPI, Capped at ₹500
- Credit Cards in India 2026: Choose by Spend, Know the Costs and Rules
Sources
- Kotak Mahindra Bank: Most Important Terms & Conditions and Cardholder Agreement, Retail Cards (English); Key Fact Statement - Kotak UPI Rupay Credit Card (version KFSKUR12032026)
- Federal Bank (document hosted by Scapia): Federal Scapia Credit Card Most Important Terms & Conditions (Nov 2024 version)
- Scapia Technology Pvt. Ltd. (co-brand partner): Scapia homepage
- Scapia Technology Pvt. Ltd.: Scapia Launches 'Scapia Pay' to Turn Everyday UPI Payments into Travel Rewards (press release)
- HDFC Bank: Part I Key Fact Statement cum Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC), English, Version 4.18
- AU Small Finance Bank: Most Important Terms and Conditions (MITC) with Schedule of Charges, Version 2.23
- The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India (HSBC India): Most Important Terms and Conditions - HSBC RuPay Platinum and RuPay Cashback
- IDFC FIRST Bank: Most Important Terms & Conditions - Credit Cards (MITC and Schedule of Charges)
- SBI Cards and Payment Services Ltd: Most Important Terms & Conditions (PDF 'MITC- Common-30OCT26', Ver FY 27, 16)
Last verified: 5 November 2026
Written by Rashmi Mandana, 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.