Is the IDFC FIRST EA₹N 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
- Travel card
- ₹589 fee a year (with GST)
- Fee waived from ₹8,333 a month
- 0.5% on most spends; 2.5% only at partner merchants
- Pays in cashback
- travel only at Flight and hotel bookings made through the FIRST Rewards Gallery in the IDFC FIRST Bank app: 2.5% back, up to ₹2,000 a month
- spending ₹8,333 or more a month: the ₹589 fee is waived
- spending abroad: 0% markup, most cards add 3.5%
- you spend less than ₹8,333 a month (₹1,00,000 a year, rent and wallet loads not counted): the ₹589 fee is then charged
- you spend a lot on government payments: the card's terms do not state a rate there, so we count nothing
- you rarely spend on Flight and hotel bookings made through the FIRST Rewards Gallery in the IDFC FIRST Bank app: the 2.5% rate applies only there, everything else earns 0.5%
Your spend a month, by kind
Terms on the normal rate: 1% cashback on UPI spends via the IDFC FIRST app; 0.5% on UPI via third-party apps and on other eligible online spends (fuel included); total cashback capped at ₹500 a statement cycle
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) | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Online shopping | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Dining and food delivery | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Groceries | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 0.5% | No cap | Anywhere else in the category | - |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains, only at listed merchants | 2.5% | ₹2,000 | Only at: Flight and hotel bookings made through the FIRST Rewards Gallery in the IDFC FIRST Bank appTerms: 5.5% on hotels and 2.5% on flights booked via the app's FIRST Rewards Gallery (0.5% base plus a 5%/2% bonus). The bonus is over and above the usual cashback, under its own ₹2,000 per calendar month ceiling separate from the ₹500/cycle cap, and pays the statement after you travel. | - |
| Fuel | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Bills and recharges | 0.5% | ₹500, shared with other bonus rates | All merchants in the categoryTerms: 0.5% cashback on utilities, insurance and wallet loads; shares the single ₹500/cycle total cashback cap with all other categories | - |
| Rent | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Insurance premiums | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| School and college fees | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Wallet top-ups | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| 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 | 0.5% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Everything else | 0.5% | 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.
Credit CardsTata Neu HDFC Credit Card: Claim Your NeuCoins from 25 November 2026From 25 November 2026, NeuCoins earned on a Tata Neu HDFC Bank credit card no longer reach your Tata Neu account by themselves. You claim them in the Tata Neu App within 12 months, or they expire. Here is what changes, how to claim, and the dates that matter.Read the guide →- GuidesBest Credit Cards Under ₹500 a Year in India (2026)Credit cards with an annual fee of ₹500 or less (before GST) in 2026, ranked by the reward rate each bank states, with fee waivers.Read the guide →
GuidesNo-Cost EMI: What It Really Costs You, With a Worked ExampleNo-cost EMI is not a trick, but it is rarely free. Here is where the money goes: the discount you give up, the processing fee, and GST on the interest, worked out on a Rs 30,000 phone.Read the guide →
