Best Credit Cards Under ₹5,000 Annual Fee in India (2026)

The best credit cards with an annual fee under ₹5,000 are HDFC Regalia Gold, Axis Select, IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve, RBL World Safari, Amex Membership Rewards, SBI Elite and AU Zenith+. In this range you start getting real lounge access, lower forex markups and milestone rewards, and most of these cards waive the fee if you spend enough. The right one depends on whether you care most about travel, low forex or rewards per rupee.

How we picked

From BestCard's data, we looked at cards with annual fees between ₹2,500 and ₹4,999 from major issuers. Then we kept the ones that do something well: a strong base rate, generous lounges, low forex or an easy waiver. We left out cards whose value depends almost entirely on one brand. All figures are before 18% GST.

1. HDFC Regalia Gold: best all-rounder

• Joining and annual fee: ₹2,500 each, waived on ₹4 lakh annual spend
• Base rate: 1.25% (5 Reward Points per ₹200); travel 2.5%
• 5X points at Myntra, Nykaa, Reliance Digital and Marks & Spencer
• Forex markup: 2%
• Lounges: 3 domestic per quarter (needs ₹60,000 spend in the previous quarter); 6 international a year via Priority Pass
• Milestones: ₹5,000 flight vouchers each at ₹5 lakh and ₹7.5 lakh annual spend
• Minimum income: ₹1,50,000 a month

Regalia Gold has the lowest fee on this list and a lot of extras for it. The milestone vouchers alone can be worth four times the fee. The domestic lounge condition is the main catch. Our SBI Elite vs Regalia Gold comparison goes deeper.

2. Axis Select: flat 2% and lots of international lounges

• Joining and annual fee: ₹3,000 each, waived on ₹8 lakh
• Rewards: 2 EDGE points per ₹100 (2%) up to ₹20,000 a month, then 1 point per ₹100
• Welcome: 10,000 EDGE points (about ₹2,000) on first transaction within 30 days
• Lounges: 6 international a year via Priority Pass, rising to 12 on ₹3 lakh annual spend; 2 domestic per quarter on ₹50,000 spend in the previous three months
• Golf: 6 rounds/lessons a year, 12 on ₹3 lakh spend
• Forex markup: 3.5%

The Axis Select is a simple flat-rate card with a lot of travel benefits. Watch the ₹20,000 monthly cap on the 2% rate, and note that from 1 October 2026 rent, fuel, utilities and other excluded categories don't count towards the ₹3 lakh threshold. See our Axis Select review.

3. IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve: zero forex, in-app travel rewards

• Joining and annual fee: ₹3,000 each, waived on ₹6 lakh
• Base rate: 1.66%; up to 6.67% on hotel and flight bookings in the IDFC FIRST app
• Forex markup: 0%
• Lounges: 2 domestic and 2 international per quarter
• Minimum income: ₹1,00,000 a month

Diamond Reserve suits people who travel abroad a few times a year and don't mind booking through IDFC's app. Our Diamond Reserve review explains how the in-app rates work.

4. RBL World Safari: zero forex with miles

• Joining and annual fee: ₹3,000 each, waived on ₹3 lakh
• Base rate: 2% in travel points; travel 5%
• Forex markup: 0% (international spends don't earn travel points)
• Lounges: 2 domestic per quarter (₹35,000 spend in the previous quarter); Priority Pass with 2 international visits a year
• Welcome: MakeMyTrip voucher worth ₹3,000
• Minimum income: ₹40,000 a month

World Safari has the easiest waiver among the zero-markup cards here, and a lower income requirement. Read our World Safari review.

5. Amex Membership Rewards: easiest waiver, flexible points

• Joining fee ₹1,000; annual fee ₹4,500, waived on ₹1.5 lakh
• Base rate: 2% (points valued at 30 paise); fuel, insurance and utilities excluded
• Points don't expire; transfers to airline and hotel partners
• Welcome: 4,000 bonus points on ₹15,000 spend within 90 days
• Forex markup: 3.5%; no lounge access in our data
• Minimum income: ₹37,500 a month

The Amex Membership Rewards card costs the most on paper but has the lowest waiver threshold, so many holders pay nothing after year one. It's only issued in certain cities.

6. SBI Elite: lounges and dining rewards

• Joining and annual fee: ₹4,999 each, waived on ₹10 lakh
• Base rate: 0.5%; dining and groceries 2.5%
• Welcome: ₹5,000 e-gift voucher
• Lounges: 8 domestic and 6 international a year
• Forex markup: 2%
• Minimum income: ₹60,000 a month

The welcome voucher pays back the first-year fee, and the lounge allowance is generous. The ₹10 lakh waiver is steep, though, so treat SBI Elite as a card you'll usually pay ₹5,899 a year for. See our SBI Elite review.

7. AU Zenith+: most lounge visits, 0.99% forex

• Joining and annual fee: ₹4,999 each, waived on ₹8 lakh
• Base rate: 1%; dining and travel 2%
• Forex markup: 0.99%
• Lounges: 16 domestic and 16 international a year, plus quarterly Airport Meet & Assist
• Welcome: ₹5,000 in luxury vouchers or equivalent points
• Minimum income: ₹80,000 a month

AU Zenith+ gives you more lounge visits than any other card on this list. Its rewards are modest, so it's best for frequent flyers rather than people focused on points.

Summary table

Card	Annual fee	Waiver	Base rate	Forex	Lounges (dom / intl)	Min. income
HDFC Regalia Gold	₹2,500	₹4 lakh	1.25%	2%	3/qtr* / 6 a year	₹1,50,000
Axis Select	₹3,000	₹8 lakh	2%	3.5%	2/qtr* / 6–12 a year	Check issuer
IDFC Diamond Reserve	₹3,000	₹6 lakh	1.66%	0%	2/qtr / 2/qtr	₹1,00,000
RBL World Safari	₹3,000	₹3 lakh	2%	0%	2/qtr* / 2 a year	₹40,000
Amex Membership Rewards	₹4,500	₹1.5 lakh	2%	3.5%	None	₹37,500
SBI Elite	₹4,999	₹10 lakh	0.5%	2%	8 / 6 a year	₹60,000
AU Zenith+	₹4,999	₹8 lakh	1%	0.99%	16 / 16 a year	₹80,000

*Spend-gated.

How to choose

Start with the fee maths. A ₹3,000 card costs ₹3,540 with GST. On a 2% card, you'd need about ₹1.8 lakh of yearly spend just to earn that back in rewards. On ₹50,000 a month, the same card returns about ₹12,000, more than three times the fee.

Check whether you'll hit the waiver. If you spend ₹4–5 lakh a year, Regalia Gold, World Safari and Amex MRCC will likely be free. If you spend ₹10 lakh or more, all seven are within reach. Our fee waiver thresholds by bank guide lists more.

Pick what you'll actually use:

• Mostly domestic spending and a few trips: Regalia Gold
• Foreign trips a few times a year: Diamond Reserve or World Safari
• Frequent flyer who wants lounge access more than points: AU Zenith+
• Flat, simple rewards: Axis Select or Amex MRCC

If your budget is tighter, see our picks under ₹1,000.

These figures reflect BestCard's latest card data. Issuers revise fees, caps and lounge rules often, so check before you apply. To see which of these fits your spending, use the card matcher or put two side by side on compare.