IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card
Best for: drivers who fill up at IndianOil and want a low-fee card that also rewards groceries and bill payments.
Why it ranks
- Low ₹500 fee, waived on ₹50,000 first-year spend
- Easy income requirement
- Fuel Points also earned on groceries and bills
What holds it back
- Tight monthly Fuel Point caps
- No lounge access
- 3.5% forex markup
Advertiser disclosure: we may be paid if you apply through our links. Ratings are editorial. Confirm today's terms on the issuer's site — offers change.
Why the IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card ranks where it does
The IndianOil HDFC card is a cheap, easy-to-get fuel card with tight limits. It earns 5% as Fuel Points at IndianOil outlets and 5% on groceries and bill payments, up to 100 points a month in each of those two categories, plus 1 Fuel Point per ₹150 elsewhere, including UPI. HDFC also lists monthly Fuel Point caps of 250 in the first six months and 150 after that.
Those caps decide everything. Once the lower limit applies after six months, the reward stops growing quickly however much you spend, which fits HDFC's own description of up to 50 litres of free fuel a year. The ₹500 fee plus GST is waived on ₹50,000 of first-year spend, and the income bar is low, ₹12,000 a month for salaried applicants.
That makes it a good first card for a new driver or a small household, and a poor main card for anyone else. There is no lounge access and the forex markup is 3.5%. Heavier fuel users will get more from a card with a higher cap, and anyone using this one should expect the value to flatten out once the monthly limit is reached.
Good fit if
- New-to-credit applicants with a modest income
- Drivers who refuel at IndianOil and spend little elsewhere
- People who want a low fee that is easy to waive
Skip it if
- Heavy fuel users who will run into the monthly caps
- Anyone who wants lounge access or travel benefits
Assume ₹3,000 a month at IndianOil, ₹2,000 on groceries and ₹6,000 on other spends, after the first six months. Fuel earns 5%, 150 Fuel Points, exactly the 150-point cap; groceries 5%, 100 points, at their category cap; other spends 6,000 ÷ 150 = 40. That is 290 points a month, 3,480 a year, or ₹3,480 if a point is worth the ₹1 its 5% rate implies. If HDFC applies the 150-point cap to all categories combined, the figure falls to 1,800 points.
How it stacks up
The BPCL SBI Card OCTANE returns 7.25% at BPCL with a far higher cap of 2,500 points a cycle, but costs ₹1,499. Drivers spending more than ₹3,000 a month on fuel will usually do better with it, while the IndianOil card suits lighter users. The IDFC FIRST Millennia is lifetime free for those who want no fee at all, though it earns no points on fuel.
The IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card earns 5% as Fuel Points at IndianOil outlets and on groceries and bill payments, within monthly caps. It has a ₹500 fee, waived on ₹50,000 first-year spend, and a low income requirement.
IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card at a glance
| Issuer | HDFC Bank |
| Card network | Visa or RuPay |
| Annual fee | ₹500 + GST (renewal fee waived on ₹50,000 spend in the first year) |
| Welcome bonus | ₹250 voucher on activating the card and making one transaction within 37 days of issuance |
| Rewards rate | 5% as Fuel Points at IndianOil outlets; 5% on groceries and bill payments (up to 100 points a month per category); 1 Fuel Point per ₹150 on other spends, including UPI; monthly caps of 250 Fuel Points in the first 6 months and 150 after, as listed by HDFC Bank |
| Intro APR | None |
| Regular APR | 3.75% a month (45% a year) |
| Foreign transaction fee | 3.5% of the transaction value |
| Airport lounge access | None |
| Credit needed | Salaried: net monthly income above ₹12,000, age 21 to 60; self-employed: ITR above ₹6 lakh, age 21 to 65 |
| Best for | Drivers who fill up at IndianOil and want a low fee and easy eligibility |
Key features
- Up to 50 litres of free fuel a year, as published by HDFC Bank
- 5% Fuel Points at IndianOil outlets
- 5% Fuel Points on groceries and bill payments, up to 100 points a month each
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver (minimum ₹400 transaction, up to ₹250 a cycle)
- Complimentary IndianOil XTRAREWARDS membership
Before you apply: confirm the current fee, reward rates and eligibility on the issuer's official site. BestCreditCards is an independent ranking site, not the card issuer, and this is not financial advice.
Sources: hdfc.bank.in · hdfc.bank.in
How it ranks against similar India cards
| Rank | Card | Annual fee | Rewards | Welcome offer | Foreign fee | Who qualifies | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | HHDFC BankIndianOil₹500/yr · IN IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit CardDrivers who fill up at IndianOil and want a low fee and easy eligibility |
₹500/yr | 5% as Fuel Points at IndianOil outlets; 5% on groceries and bill payments (up to… | ₹250 voucher on activating the card and making one transacti… | 3.5% of the transaction va… | Salaried: net monthly income abo… | |
| 2 | SSBI CardBPCL SBI OCTANE₹1,499/yr · IN BPCL SBI Card OCTANEDrivers who fill up at BPCL pumps and spend on dining and groceries |
₹1,499/yr | 25 Reward Points per ₹100 on BPCL fuel, lubricants and Bharatgas (website and ap… | 6,000 bonus Reward Points (worth ₹1,500) on payment of the a… | 3.5% foreign currency tran… | See issuer |
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