ICICI vs IDFC FIRST Credit Cards: Two Bundles of Free Cards, One With Zero Forex

Both ICICI and IDFC FIRST list a good number of cards with no annual fee. IDFC FIRST adds a 0% forex markup to every card on our list. ICICI has the better-known flagship cards at the top and a stronger Amazon option. That makes it a close comparison that depends mostly on whether you spend abroad.

No-fee cards

ICICI Amazon Pay, Platinum Chip, MakeMyTrip Platinum and MakeMyTrip Signature all list no annual fee, with income floors of ₹20,000 to ₹30,000. IDFC FIRST Select, Millennia, Classic, Wealth, WOW and LIC Select also list no fee. ICICI Amazon Pay lists 5% on online spend. IDFC FIRST Classic lists 3% on dining and 2% online with a ₹25,000 floor. Both banks do well here. IDFC's list is longer, and ICICI's Amazon card has the better-known reward. See the ICICI Amazon Pay review and IDFC FIRST Millennia review.

Foreign spending

IDFC FIRST lists 0% forex on every card. ICICI's rates range from 1.5% on Emirates Emeralde and 1.49% on Times Black to 1.99% on Amazon Pay, 2% on Emeralde, and 3.5% on many others, including Sapphiro, Rubyx and Coral. If you spend abroad regularly, IDFC FIRST is the cheaper bank across the lineup.

Fuel and groceries caps

ICICI HPCL Super Saver costs ₹500 (waived at ₹1.5 lakh) and lists 4% on fuel under a ₹200 monthly cap. The HPCL Coral costs ₹199 and lists 2.5% on fuel under a ₹100 cap. IDFC FIRST Power+ costs ₹499 (waived at ₹1.5 lakh) and lists 6.5% on fuel, with 5% on groceries and utilities under ₹2,000 caps. Power is ₹199 and lists 2.5% on fuel under a ₹1,000 cap. IDFC FIRST's fuel caps are much larger, so it is the better option for heavy fuel spend. See the ICICI HPCL Super Saver review.

Travel and mid-premium

ICICI Sapphiro costs ₹3,500 (waived at ₹6 lakh) and lists 4 domestic and 2 international lounge visits. Rubyx costs ₹2,000. IDFC FIRST Select lists no annual fee, 4% on dining and travel, 1 domestic lounge visit and a ₹1,00,000 floor. Ashva costs ₹2,999 with 4 domestic and 2 international visits, and Mayura costs ₹5,999 with 16 and 16. The IDFC Mayura offers many more lounge visits than Sapphiro, for a higher fee. ICICI Sapphiro has the lower income floor at ₹75,000. Read the Sapphiro review and the IDFC FIRST Mayura review.

Super-premium and co-brands

ICICI Emeralde costs ₹12,000 (waived at ₹10 lakh), lists 4% base earn, 2% forex, unlimited domestic lounge access and a ₹1,50,000 floor. Times Black costs ₹20,000 (waived at ₹25 lakh). IDFC FIRST Gaj costs ₹12,500, lists 3% base earn and 0% forex with 4 domestic and 4 international visits and a ₹3,00,000 floor. Diamond Reserve costs ₹3,000 (waived at ₹6 lakh) with 6.67% on travel and a ₹1,00,000 floor. Wealth lists no annual fee. ICICI's Emeralde has the lower floor and unlimited lounges, but IDFC's Diamond Reserve and Wealth cost a fraction. See the Emeralde review and IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve review.

ICICI offers MakeMyTrip, Emirates Skywards, Adani One, Chennai Super Kings and HPCL. IDFC FIRST offers IndiGo and LIC cards. For airlines and travel portals ICICI has more choice, with IDFC FIRST's IndiGo card at ₹4,999.

Deciding on forex and fees

Amazon shopper without foreign spending: ICICI Amazon Pay. Anyone spending abroad: an IDFC FIRST card. Fuel heavy: IDFC FIRST Power+. Mid-income lounge user: ICICI Sapphiro for a lower floor, IDFC FIRST Mayura for more visits. High earner on a budget: Wealth or Diamond Reserve. Big flagship preference: Emeralde.

Reading list

The ICICI credit cards guide and IDFC FIRST Bank credit cards guide list every card. For an ICICI look against another rival, ICICI vs Axis credit cards is a good follow-up.