Canara Bank vs Bank of Baroda Credit Cards: Free International Lounges Against Free Professional Cards

If the question is what a public-sector bank can give you for no fee, Canara and Bank of Baroda give different answers. Canara's own-brand cards are all listed at zero joining and annual fee, with generous lounge allowances on its higher tiers. BOBCARD has many free cards too, but its lounge-bearing ones are tied to professions, uniforms and fintech partners, and its stronger premium cards charge.

Free cards with lounges, Canara style

Canara's Visa Signature costs nothing and includes 3 domestic and 1 international lounge visit per quarter, with a ₹83,333 monthly income floor and a flat 0.5% reward. The Mastercard World is also free, with 3 self and 2 guest domestic visits a quarter and 2 self and 2 guest international visits a year. The RuPay Select gives 2 domestic visits a quarter and 2 international a year at an ₹83,334 floor. Forex is 3% across the lineup.

A quarterly international lounge visit on a no-fee card is a real Canara strength. The weakness is the reward rate: 0.5% everywhere, no category bonuses, no co-brands.

BOBCARD's free options

BOBCARD's free cards vary in what they offer. Prime (Mastercard) earns 0.4% and has no lounge access. BOBCARD One gives 2.5% in its main category with 1% forex and a ₹25,000 income floor. Uni GoldX offers a 1% base with zero forex. BOBCARD Scapia is free, with zero forex, a 2% base, 4% on travel and unlimited domestic lounge access after ₹20,000 spend in a billing cycle.

BOB also has professional cards. The ICAI Exclusive, CMA One and ICSI Diamond are free (CMA One has a ₹1 joining fee), earn 1.25% on dining, online shopping and utilities (each capped at ₹250 a month), and give 3 domestic lounge visits a quarter on ₹40,000 of quarterly spend, with a 2% forex markup. These are limited to the professions concerned. For everyone else, BOB's free picks are Scapia and Uni GoldX.

Premium tiers

Canara tops out at its free Visa Signature, so there is no paid upgrade. Bank of Baroda continues upward. The Eterna costs ₹2,499 a year (waived at ₹2,50,000) with unlimited domestic lounge access and 3.75% on travel, dining and online shopping, each capped at ₹1,250 a month. The Tiara and Varunah Premium cost ₹2,499 too. The Etihad Guest Premium costs ₹5,000, has zero forex, 6% on travel and 12 domestic plus 8 international lounge visits a year. Anyone wanting a real rewards card above Canara's flat 0.5% will land on BOB.

Forex and travel

Canara's 3% forex is lower than BOB's 3.5% entry-card default, but BOB has better exceptions: Scapia and Uni GoldX are zero, Etihad Guest Premium is zero, and Etihad Guest is 1%. For a first overseas trip on a free card, BOBCARD Scapia is the better pick; for lounge visits abroad on a free card, Canara Visa Signature is the better pick.

Fuel and railway

BOB has an HPCL ENERGIE card (₹499, 6.5% on fuel capped at ₹4,000 a month), and an IRCTC BOBCARD (₹500) that gives 4 railway lounge visits a year. Canara lists only a 1% fuel waiver capped at ₹100, usually needing ₹2,500 of other monthly spend. Our best fuel credit cards guide has options across banks.

Verdict

Salaried at ₹83,333 or more and flying a few times a year: Canara Visa Signature. First card, low income or want zero forex: BOBCARD Scapia. Chartered accountant, company secretary or cost accountant: the matching BOB professional card. Want category rewards: BOB Eterna. Fuel buyer: BOB HPCL ENERGIE.

More reading

The Canara Bank guide and Bank of Baroda guide hold the rest. For a third public-sector name, see Canara Bank vs Union Bank of India.