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Ranked

Best First Credit Cards (No Credit History)

Approvable with a thin file or no CIBIL history.

By Nishit Kumar, Founder & Editor
Updated 17 August 2026
  1. Best overall
    SBI Card · Visa

    SBI Cashback Credit Card

    Best for anyone whose spending is mostly online

    5% cashback on all online spends with no merchant restriction

    Effective return
    4.2%
    Annual fee
    ₹999
    Lounge (dom.)
    0
    Forex markup
    3.50%

    Our take. The simplest high-return card in India. If your online spending exceeds about ₹20,000 a month, the 5% pays for the fee several times over and nothing needs to be redeemed or converted.

    Credsir rating
    3.2/5
    Check your eligibilityRead full review

    Min. income ₹3,00,000 · Score 750+

  2. #2
    HDFC Bank · Visa

    HDFC Bank Millennia Credit Card

    Best for young professionals with heavy e-commerce and food delivery spending

    5% cashback on Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato and other partner merchants

    Effective return
    2.4%
    Annual fee
    ₹1,000
    Lounge (dom.)
    8
    Forex markup
    3.50%

    Our take. A sensible first or second card. The caps mean the realistic return is closer to 2.4% than the advertised 5%, but at a ₹1,000 fee that is still comfortably positive.

    Credsir rating
    2.8/5
    Check your eligibilityRead full review

    Min. income ₹4,20,000 · Score 720+

  3. #3
    Axis Bank · Visa

    Axis Bank ACE Credit Card

    Best for everyday cashback on bills and food delivery

    5% cashback on bill payments and recharges via Google Pay, 4% on Swiggy, Zomato and Ola

    Effective return
    2.2%
    Annual fee
    ₹499
    Lounge (dom.)
    4
    Forex markup
    3.50%

    Our take. The best flat-rate cashback card in India. The unlimited 2% base is what makes it work — you never have to think about categories, which is worth more in practice than a higher capped rate.

    Credsir rating
    2.6/5
    Check your eligibilityRead full review

    Min. income ₹3,60,000 · Score 720+

  4. #4Lifetime free
    ICICI Bank · Visa

    Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card

    Best for amazon prime households wanting a no-fee card

    5% back on Amazon for Prime members, 3% for non-Prime, 1% elsewhere

    Effective return
    2.0%
    Annual fee
    Nil
    Lounge (dom.)
    0
    Forex markup
    3.50%

    Our take. The highest-volume credit card in India for good reason. Zero fee and uncapped 5% on Amazon means it can never cost you money — the only question is whether you shop there enough for it to matter.

    Credsir rating
    2.5/5
    Check your eligibilityRead full review

    Min. income ₹3,00,000 · Score 700+

  5. #5Lifetime free
    SBI Card · RuPay

    SBI Card Unnati

    Best for building credit history from zero

    Issued against a fixed deposit — no income proof or credit history needed

    Effective return
    0.5%
    Annual fee
    Nil
    Lounge (dom.)
    0
    Forex markup
    3.50%

    Our take. Not a rewards card and not meant to be. If you have no credit history — a student, a new earner, or someone rebuilding after a default — six months of on-time payments here is the cheapest route to a score that unlocks real cards.

    Credsir rating
    2.0/5
    Check your eligibilityRead full review

    Min. income ₹0 · Score Any+

Effective reward rate is our own blended estimate for a typical spend mix — not the accelerated rate an issuer advertises on one category. Annual fees are shown before the 18% GST that is charged on top. Verify current terms on the issuer’s site before applying; card terms change without notice.

Data as of 15 Aug 2026Source: Issuer tariff sheets and published comparisonsPending issuer verification

Questions

How do you decide what makes this best first credit cards (no credit history) list?

Every product is scored on the same fields — effective return, total cost including fees and GST, benefits, and how obtainable it actually is. The weights are published on our methodology page, and the score is computed, not assigned by an editor.

How often is this page updated?

Rate tables are refreshed weekly, and immediately after an RBI policy change or a Budget announcement. Every figure on the page carries the date it was captured and a link to its source, so you can always see how current it is.

Does Credsir get paid to rank products here?

No. We earn from partner links and advertising, but rankings come from a published scoring formula that runs identically on every product, whether we earn from it or not. Products we make nothing from appear in these lists whenever they win on the numbers.

Are these the rates I will actually be offered?

Advertised rates are the best case, reserved for applicants with a high credit score, stable income and a favourable profile. Your offer depends on your credit score, employer, income and existing obligations. Treat published rates as the floor, not the quote.

Related reading

Worth knowing.Rates, fees and terms change frequently and vary by applicant. Everything here is general information, not personalised advice. Confirm the current terms directly with the institution before you apply. How we research and rate.