Scapia vs IDFC FIRST Wealth 2026: Which Zero-Forex Card Should You Get?

Federal Bank Scapia and IDFC FIRST Wealth are both lifetime free and both charge 0% forex markup, which makes them two of the cheapest cards to carry abroad. Scapia is the better rewards card by a wide margin and has a very low ₹25,000 monthly income bar, but its Coins only work for travel in the Scapia app. IDFC FIRST Wealth earns little in rewards and asks for ₹3 lakh a month of income, but it adds international lounges, ₹1 crore air accident cover, golf and a long list of lifestyle perks. Pick Scapia for earning, Wealth for protection and perks.

Side-by-side comparison

Feature	Federal Bank Scapia	IDFC FIRST Wealth
Network	Visa	Visa
Joining fee	₹0	₹0
Annual fee	₹0	₹0
Forex markup	0%	0% (from 9 Sep 2026)
Base reward rate	About 2% (10% in Coins)	0.375%
Travel	About 4% on Scapia-app flights and hotels	1.25%
Dining	About 2% (base)	1.25%
Utilities	Not listed separately	0.125%
Point value	20 paise (5 Coins = ₹1)	25 paise
International spend rewards	Check Scapia's current terms	None from 26 Oct 2026
Domestic lounge	Unlimited on ₹5,000+ monthly spend	1 visit/quarter on ₹20,000 monthly spend
International lounge	None	1 visit/quarter on ₹20,000 monthly spend
Golf	None listed	1 round or lesson/quarter
Air accident cover	Not listed	₹1 crore
Min monthly income	₹25,000	₹3,00,000

Figures are from BestCard's card data. IDFC FIRST and Scapia both revise rewards often, so check their current terms before applying.

How the rewards actually work

Federal Bank Scapia

Federal Bank Scapia pays 10% of eligible spend in Scapia Coins and 20% on flight and hotel bookings made in the Scapia app. Coins are worth ₹0.20 each, so those headline numbers are really about 2% and 4%. Coins redeem only against flights and hotels in the Scapia app, with no redemption fee. Travel spends can also be converted to no-cost EMI.

IDFC FIRST Wealth

IDFC FIRST Wealth earns points worth 25 paise each. BestCard's data puts the base at 0.375%, dining and travel at 1.25%, and utilities at 0.125%. From 26 October 2026, international spends earn no points at all, which is the trade-off for the zero forex markup. New cardholders get ₹500 of vouchers on ₹5,000 of spend in 30 days and 5% cashback, up to ₹1,000, on a first EMI transaction.

Worked example 1: ₹30,000 a month at home

Split: ₹5,000 dining, ₹5,000 domestic flights and hotels (booked in the Scapia app for Scapia), ₹20,000 other.

Federal Bank Scapia

• Travel: 4% × ₹5,000 = ₹200
• Dining and other: 2% × ₹25,000 = ₹500
• Total: ₹700 a month, ₹8,400 a year in Scapia Coins

IDFC FIRST Wealth

• Dining and travel: 1.25% × ₹10,000 = ₹125
• Other: 0.375% × ₹20,000 = ₹75
• Total: ₹200 a month, ₹2,400 a year

Both cards are free, so these are net figures. Scapia earns about ₹6,000 more, though only as travel credit. At ₹30,000 a month you also clear both lounge conditions: unlimited domestic visits on Scapia, and one domestic plus one international visit a quarter on Wealth.

Worked example 2: ₹50,000 a month plus one foreign trip

Domestic split: ₹8,000 dining, ₹10,000 travel, ₹32,000 other. Plus ₹1,50,000 spent abroad in one trip.

Federal Bank Scapia

• Travel: 4% × ₹10,000 = ₹400
• Dining and other: 2% × ₹40,000 = ₹800
• Domestic total ₹1,200 a month, ₹14,400 a year
• Forex saved against a 3.5% card: 3.5% × ₹1,50,000 = ₹5,250
• If the foreign spend counts as eligible, add 2% × ₹1,50,000 = ₹3,000 in Coins
• Total value: ₹19,650 to ₹22,650 a year

IDFC FIRST Wealth

• Dining and travel: 1.25% × ₹18,000 = ₹225
• Other: 0.375% × ₹32,000 = ₹120
• Domestic total ₹345 a month, ₹4,140 a year
• Forex saved: ₹5,250
• No points on the foreign spend
• Total value: ₹9,390 a year, before lounge, golf and insurance benefits

The forex saving is identical. The gap is all in rewards.

Lounge access and travel

Scapia's lounge benefit is generous but domestic only: unlimited visits in a month where you spend ₹5,000 or more. There is no international lounge access, so you will need another card or a paid pass abroad.

IDFC FIRST Wealth gives one domestic and one international lounge visit a quarter, each unlocked by ₹20,000 of spend in the month. A quiet month can cost you that quarter's visits. On the other hand, Wealth carries ₹1 crore air accident cover, travel insurance, trip cancellation cover up to ₹10,000 and roadside assistance, none of which Scapia lists. It also offers interest-free ATM cash withdrawal for up to 45 days, with a ₹199 plus GST fee per cash advance, which can help abroad. For more context, see our zero forex markup cards guide.

Redemption

Scapia Coins are simple to value (5 Coins = ₹1) but locked to travel bookings in one app. If you don't book through Scapia, the 2% is worth less to you. IDFC FIRST Wealth points are worth 25 paise each, and IDFC's other cards charge a small fee each time points are cashed out, so check the redemption terms on Wealth before you build up a balance.

Fees and eligibility

Neither card charges a joining or annual fee, and neither has a spend target to stay free. Eligibility is the real filter. Scapia asks for ₹25,000 a month, which makes it reachable for most salaried people. Wealth asks for ₹3 lakh a month. Scapia has also launched a successor card on Axis Bank rails, and existing Federal Bank cards continue to run.

Who should pick which

Choose Federal Bank Scapia if:

• You want the highest rewards on a free card
• You book flights and hotels and are happy to do it in the Scapia app
• You fly domestically often and want unlimited lounge access
• Your income is below ₹3 lakh a month

Choose IDFC FIRST Wealth if:

• You qualify on income and want a free card with premium protection
• International lounges, golf and insurance matter more than earn rate
• You value dining and movie discounts
• You already hold a separate card for rewards

Verdict

Most travellers should start with Federal Bank Scapia: zero fee, zero forex markup and about 2% back on almost everything, at an income bar most people meet. IDFC FIRST Wealth is a good second card for those who qualify, mainly for its insurance, international lounges and lifestyle perks rather than its rewards. If you prefer the newer version of Scapia, it is now offered as the Axis Bank Scapia card, reviewed in our Axis Scapia review.

For more detail, read our Federal Bank Scapia review and IDFC FIRST Wealth review, or see Scapia against a prepaid travel option in Scapia vs Niyo Global. You can also compare both on BestCard's compare tool.