ICICI vs AU Small Finance Bank Credit Cards: Cheap Entry Against Big Lounge Counts

AU Small Finance Bank has built a lineup that starts at ₹100 a year and tops out at a metal card with 16 domestic and 16 international lounge visits for ₹4,999. ICICI's lineup is broader but costs more to enter at the premium end. The question is whether AU's price advantage survives a closer look.

Entry-level fees

AU's Prathama is ₹100 a year, waived at ₹75,000 of spend, with a 15,000 monthly income requirement. Altura is ₹199, waived at ₹40,000, with 4% on dining and 3% on groceries, each capped at ₹1,000 a month. The Tejas is ₹500 and pays 1.25% on its bonus category.

ICICI's Coral is a RuPay card at ₹500, waived at ₹1.5 lakh, with one domestic lounge visit a quarter if you hit the prior-quarter threshold of ₹75,000. The Amazon Pay is free for life.

AU leads on cheapest paid entry. ICICI leads on the best free card, but only for people who buy on Amazon.

RuPay and lifetime-free options

The AU LIT is a lifetime-free RuPay card with 5% on dining and online shopping, each capped at ₹500 a month, and you can switch bonus categories in the app. Lounge entry is a paid add-on at ₹399 a visit, not complimentary. AU's ixigo card is also free, with a 0% forex markup, a 1.25% travel rate and two domestic lounge visits a quarter on ₹50,000 of prior-quarter spend.

ICICI has no free card with zero forex. AU leads for free travel-friendly cards.

The mid-tier

AU's Vetta costs ₹2,999 and gives one domestic and one international lounge visit a quarter. Ananta is ₹2,000 with four domestic visits a quarter, but only when you book flights over ₹5,000 through AU Rewardz. The Zenith is ₹7,999, with 5% on travel and two domestic and two international visits a quarter, and a 3.49% forex markup.

ICICI's Sapphiro costs ₹6,500 and ₹3,500 and the Rubyx ₹3,000 and ₹2,000. AU's Laksya is ₹1,000 with two domestic lounge visits a quarter on ₹50,000 of prior-quarter spend and 1.25% on groceries, a lighter set of benefits than the Rubyx at a lower annual fee. AU's mid-tier cards often tie lounges to portal bookings, while ICICI ties them to spend. Neither is lighter. ICICI leads slightly because of the welcome vouchers.

The metal tier

The AU Zenith Plus is the surprise of this comparison. For ₹4,999, waived at ₹8 lakh, it offers 16 domestic and 16 international lounge visits a year, a 0.99% forex markup and 2% on dining and travel. Income needed is ₹80,000 a month.

ICICI's Emeralde costs ₹12,000 and offers unlimited domestic lounges with a 2% forex markup. For international travellers, the Zenith Plus costs less than half and has the lower forex markup, though its lounge counts are capped.

AU leads on value. ICICI leads if you want unlimited domestic access.

Picking between them

A first-time cardholder with low income should look at AU Prathama or Altura. A frequent traveller should compare Zenith Plus with Emeralde, and the cap on AU's lounge visits is the deciding point. An Amazon loyalist should stay with ICICI.

Further reading

Read the ICICI credit cards guide and the AU Bank credit cards guide. If your short-list includes a third bank, HDFC vs ICICI credit cards is a useful comparison.