Is the HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card Worth It?
Enter what you spend where this card pays more, and the benefits you would use. See what it is worth to you in rupees, after its fee.
- 207Cards to check
- FreeCost
- Shopping card
- Needs ₹12,000 a month income
- ₹590 fee a year (with GST)
- Fee waived from ₹4,167 a month
- 0.08% on most spends; 0.75% only at partner merchants
- Pays in reward points
- online shopping only at BigBasket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy, Uber: 0.75% back, up to ₹375 a month
- spending ₹4,167 or more a month: the ₹590 fee is waived
- you spend less than ₹4,167 a month (₹50,000 a year, rent and wallet loads not counted): the ₹590 fee is then charged
- you pay mostly by UPI: a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI
- you spend a lot on fuel, rent, insurance or education: the card's terms do not state a rate there, so we count nothing
- you rarely spend on BigBasket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy, Uber: the 0.75% rate applies only there, everything else earns 0.08%
- you often pay in foreign currency: 3.5% is added to every foreign spend
- you sometimes pay only the minimum due: interest of 3.75% a month (45% a year) outweighs any reward
Your spend a month, by kind
Terms on the normal rate: 1 CashPoint per ₹200 (~0.075%) on all other spends, 1 CashPoint ≈ ₹0.15
Total on the card: ₹0 a month
Abroad and benefits
Every rate on this card, and what your spend earns
| Spend category | Rate | Monthly cap | Where it applies | Your spend earns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPI payments (scan and pay) | Earns nothing | - | a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI | - |
| Online shopping | 0.08% | No cap | Anywhere else in the category | - |
| Online shopping, only at listed merchants | 0.75% | ₹375 | Only at: BigBasket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy, UberTerms: 10X CashPoints (10 per ₹200, ~0.75%) on five brands, capped 2,500 CashPoints a month | - |
| Dining and food delivery | 0.08% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Groceries | 0.08% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 0.08% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Fuel | Not stated | - | the card's exclusions are not published, and many cards pay nothing here | - |
| Bills and recharges | 0.08% | ₹300 | All merchants in the categoryTerms: Utility bills earn the base 1 CashPoint per ₹200, capped 2,000 CashPoints a calendar month since 1 September 2024 (MCC 4900). Telecom and cable carry their own separate 2,000-point monthly cap. | - |
| Rent | Not stated | - | the card's exclusions are not published, and many cards pay nothing here | - |
| Insurance premiums | Not stated | - | the card's exclusions are not published, and many cards pay nothing here | - |
| School and college fees | Not stated | - | the card's exclusions are not published, and many cards pay nothing here | - |
| Wallet top-ups | Not stated | - | the card's exclusions are not published, and many cards pay nothing here | - |
| Taxes and government payments | Not stated | - | the card's terms state no rate here; many cards pay nothing on these | - |
| Spend abroad or in a foreign currency | 0.08% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Everything else | 0.08% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in, India Credit Card Facts, CC BY 4.0, adapted by SkyloFin.
Common Questions
When is a credit card worth its annual fee?
When the rewards you actually earn in a year are more than the fee plus 18% GST, or when you spend enough for the bank to waive the fee. This calculator works out both from the card's own published terms.
Why is GST added to the fee?
Card fees carry 18% GST, so a ₹1,000 fee costs ₹1,180. Where the bank already quotes the fee with GST, it is not added twice.
What does 'capped' mean?
Many cards limit the reward you can earn in a month in a category. Spending above the cap earns nothing extra, so the calculator stops counting there.
Is a lifetime free card always better?
Not always. A paid card with higher rewards can leave you with more once you spend enough. The break-even line shows the monthly spend where that starts.
Guides in Plain Words
Short reads that explain how it works before you decide.
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