AU Xcite Ultra vs Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card Compared
Which credit card suits you? Side by side on the numbers that decide it. A blank means the provider has not published that figure, not that it is zero. Data last verified: 11 October 2026.
| Feature |  AU Xcite Ultra Credit CardAU Small Finance Bank5 recent changes → |  Federal Bank Celesta Credit CardFederal Bank3 recent changes → | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewards by spend | |||
| Rewards | 1% base, up to 3% on foreign spends | 0.25% base, up to 0.75% on foreign spends | |
| UPI payments (scan and pay) | 1% | Earns nothing | |
| Online shopping | 2% | 0.25% | |
| Dining and food delivery | 1% | 0.5% | |
| Groceries | 1% | 0.25% | |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 1% | 0.75% | |
| Fuelsame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Bills and rechargessame | 0.25% | 0.25% | |
| Rentsame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Insurance premiumssame | 0.25% | 0.25% | |
| School and college fees | Earns nothing | 0.25% | |
| Wallet top-ups | 1% | Earns nothing | |
| Taxes and government paymentssame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Spend abroad or in a foreign currency | 3% | 0.75% | |
| Everything else | 1% | 0.25% | |
| Card identity | |||
| Card typesame | International | International | |
| Network | RuPay | Visa | |
| Card tier | Mid | Premium | |
| Fees | |||
| Joining fee | ₹749 + GST | Free | |
| Annual fee | ₹749 + GST | Free | |
| Lifetime free | No | Yes | |
| Fee waived at | ₹2,00,000 | ₹0 | |
| Eligibility | |||
| Min agesame | 21 years | 21 years | |
| Max age | 65 years | - | |
| Employment typesame | BOTH | BOTH | |
| Rewards | |||
| Reward typesame | Reward points | Reward points | |
| Point valuesame | ₹0 | ₹0 | |
| Fuel surcharge | |||
| Fuel surcharge waiversame | Yes | Yes | |
| Fuel waiver cap | ₹100 | ₹150 | |
| Lounge access | |||
| Domestic lounge visits | 8 | - | |
| International lounge visits | 0 | 2 | |
| Railway lounge visits | 8 | - | |
| Lounge condition | Spend Rs 50,000 in the previous quarter for domestic lounge access | Spend Rs 60,000 in the previous quarter for domestic lounge access | |
| Forex and international | |||
| Forex markup | 3.49% | 2% | |
| UPI rewards | |||
| Works on UPI | Yes | No | |
| Interest and charges | |||
| Interest rate (monthly)same | 3.75% | 3.75% | |
| Interest rate (annual)same | 45% | 45% | |
| Redemption | |||
| Redemption fee | - | ₹99 | |
| Page content | |||
| Documents neededsame | PAN card Aadhaar / valid address proof Latest 3 months bank statement Income proof, salary slips (salaried) or ITR (self-employed) Recent passport-size photograph | PAN card Aadhaar / valid address proof Latest 3 months bank statement Income proof, salary slips (salaried) or ITR (self-employed) Recent passport-size photograph | |
| Apply | Apply Now | Apply Now | |
Worth in Rupees at ₹20,000 a Month
- Rewards a year
- ₹3,600
- Fee a year
- ₹0
- You keep
- ₹3,607
- Rewards a year
- ₹912
- Fee a year
- ₹0
- You keep
- ₹1,974
At this spend, AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card comes out ₹1,633 a year ahead of Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card. Worked out from each card's published reward rate, caps and fee, on ₹20,000 a month. Your own spend changes the answer: try the rewards calculator.
Best For
- Foreign spends: 3% back
- Online shopping: 2% back
- Spending ₹16,667 or more a month: the ₹884 fee is waived
- Flyers: 8 airport lounge visits a year
- Travel: 0.75% back
- Foreign spends: 0.75% back
- Anyone who wants no annual fee, ever
- Flyers: 2 airport lounge visits a year
Watch-Outs
- Skip it if you spend less than ₹16,667 a month (₹2,00,000 a year, rent and wallet loads not counted): the ₹884 fee is then charged
- Skip it if most of your spending is fuel, rent, education or government payments: those earn nothing on this card
- Skip it if you rarely spend on foreign spends: the 3% rate applies only there, everything else earns 1%
- Skip it if you often pay in foreign currency: 3.49% is added to every foreign spend
- Skip it if most of your spending is fuel, rent, wallet top-ups or government payments: those earn nothing on this card
- Skip it if you pay mostly by UPI: a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI
- Skip it if you rarely spend on travel or foreign spends: the 0.75% rate applies only there, everything else earns 0.25%
- Skip it if you sometimes pay only the minimum due: interest of 3.75% a month (45% a year) outweighs any reward
Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in (AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card, Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card), India Credit Card Facts, CC BY 4.0, adapted by SkyloFin.
Questions People Ask
Which has the lower annual fee, AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card or Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card?
Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card. Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card: no annual fee; AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card: ₹749. Check whether a spend-based waiver applies before you decide.
Which is better for spending abroad?
Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card has the lowest forex markup. Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card: 2%; AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card: 3.49%. The markup is charged on every foreign-currency transaction, before GST.
Which earns more on everyday spending?
On spends outside any bonus category: AU Xcite Ultra Credit Card 1%, Federal Bank Celesta Credit Card 0.25%. Bonus categories, rates limited to named merchants and monthly caps change the picture, so compare the rewards by spend too.
Can I hold more than one of these cards?
Usually yes, if each bank approves you. Many people keep one card for everyday spending and another for a specific use such as travel. Each application is a separate credit check.
Work Out the Numbers
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Guides in Plain Words
Short reads that explain how it works before you decide.
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