IDFC FIRST vs Standard Chartered Credit Cards: SC's Ultimate Earns More, IDFC FIRST Costs Less

Standard Chartered's Ultimate pays a 3.33% base rate and charges ₹5,000. IDFC FIRST's closest travel cards pay far lower base rates on our list, 0.83% on Mayura and Ashva, but charge no forex markup. Which one wins depends on how you spend.

Premium cards compared

The Standard Chartered Ultimate costs ₹5,000, with 2% forex, a ₹1,50,000 monthly income floor, 4 domestic visits a quarter, 1 international Priority Pass visit a month (if you spent ₹20,000 the previous month) and 2% on utilities. IDFC FIRST Mayura costs ₹5,999 with up to 16 domestic and 16 international visits a year, unlocked by ₹20,000 monthly spend, 0% forex and a ₹2,08,333 income floor. Ashva costs ₹2,999 with 4 domestic and 2 international visits a quarter and a ₹1,00,000 income floor. Ultimate is the stronger earner; Ashva is the cheaper lounge card with no forex cost. Even, split by whether points or lounges matter more.

Entry level

Standard Chartered's entry cards pay little and offer no lounges. Platinum Rewards costs ₹250 with a 0.17% base, Super Value Titanium ₹750 with 5% on fuel (capped at ₹200 a month), Manhattan ₹999 with 5% on groceries and Smart ₹499. DigiSmart has a ₹588 annual fee. Most of these list no lounge access at all. IDFC FIRST's Millennia, Classic and WOW! carry no fee and 0% forex, and WOW! includes 4 lounge visits a year. IDFC FIRST wins.

Fuel cards

Standard Chartered Super Value Titanium pays 5% on fuel, capped at ₹200 a month, and 5% on utilities, capped at ₹100 a month, so the benefit is small. IDFC FIRST Power+ costs ₹499, waived at ₹1,50,000, with 6.5% on HPCL fuel and 5% on groceries and utilities, capped at ₹2,000 a month, plus a lounge visit each quarter. IDFC FIRST wins.

Top of the range

The Standard Chartered Beyond costs ₹15,000 to join and ₹25,000 a year, with unlimited domestic and international lounge access, 8 guest visits a year, 2% forex and a 3.33% base. IDFC FIRST Private costs ₹50,000 to join and ₹25,000 a year with unlimited lounges for primary and add-on cardholders and 0% forex; Gaj costs ₹12,500 with 4 domestic and 4 international visits a quarter. Beyond is the cheaper way to unlimited access and earns more; Private is better for heavy foreign spend. Beyond wins on cost, Private on forex.

Banking-linked cards

Standard Chartered Priority Visa Infinite has no fee but is tied to Priority Banking, with a ₹3,00,000 income floor, 4 domestic visits a quarter and 2 international Priority Pass visits a month for qualifying clients. Super Value Titanium gives Priority Pass only to Premium Banking customers. These are cards for existing wealth clients. IDFC FIRST has no equivalent requirement for its Wealth card beyond a ₹3,00,000 income floor. If you already bank with Standard Chartered Priority, the Infinite card is free value; otherwise, it is out of reach.

Which one is for you

A new earner at ₹25,000 a month: IDFC FIRST Millennia. A fuel-heavy driver: IDFC FIRST Power+. A frequent flyer on ₹1,50,000 monthly income who wants a 3.33% base: Standard Chartered Ultimate. Someone who wants lounges and no foreign-currency fee: IDFC FIRST Ashva. An existing Standard Chartered Priority customer: the Visa Infinite.

Where to read next

See the IDFC FIRST Bank credit cards guide and Standard Chartered credit cards guide. For another bank pair, Kotak vs Standard Chartered covers the same SC lineup against a different issuer.