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Best Credit Card for Rent Payment in India (2026)

Quick answer:

Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card gives you up to 25% back on monthly rent via credit card platforms — the highest of any card we track. SBM OneCard Credit Card is the best free alternative.

Updated April 2026·10 cards compared·No affiliate commissions

Key insight

Rent is typically the largest monthly expense (₹15K-50K+). But platforms charge 1-2% convenience fee — you need a card earning 2%+ to break even. Only a handful of cards make rent payment profitable.

Top 10 Cards for Rent Payment

1

Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card

Axis

Up to 25% on cashback (best on airtel)

Reward rateUp to 25%
Annual fee₹500
Score8.2/10
2

DBS Spark20 Credit Card

DBS

Up to 20% on rewards

Reward rateUp to 20%
Annual fee₹1,499
Score8.2/10
3

HDFC Swiggy Credit Card

HDFC

Up to 10% on cashback (best on swiggy)

Reward rateUp to 10%
Annual fee₹500
Score8.7/10
4

Chennai Super Kings ICICI Bank Credit Card

ICICI

Up to 10% on rewards

Reward rateUp to 10%
Annual fee₹500
Score8.5/10
5

HSBC Cashback Credit Card

HSBC

Up to 10% on cashback

Reward rateUp to 10%
Annual fee₹999
Score8.2/10
6

Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card

HDFC

Up to 10% on cashback (best on swiggy)

Reward rateUp to 10%
Annual fee₹500
Score8/10
7

SimplyCLICK Advantage SBI Card

SBI

Up to 10% on cashback

Reward rateUp to 10%
Annual fee₹499
Score7.9/10
8

SBM OneCard Credit Card

SBM Bank

Up to 10% on rewards

Reward rateUp to 10%
Annual feeFREE
Score7.8/10
9

YES BANK POP-CLUB Credit Card

YES Bank

Up to 10% on rewards

Reward rateUp to 10%
Annual feeFREE
Score7.8/10
10

OneCard Metal Credit Card

OneCard

Up to 10% on rewards

Reward rateUp to 10%
Annual feeFREE
Score7.7/10

How We Ranked These

We ranked all 239 credit cards in our database against Rent Payment using three tiers of relevance:

  1. Direct match — cards specifically designed for or partnered with Rent Payment (co-branded cards, direct accelerated rewards)
  2. Category match — cards that earn accelerated rewards on the spending category that Rent Payment falls under
  3. Broad match — cards that earn elevated rewards on related or overlapping categories

Within each tier, cards are sorted by effective reward rate (highest first), then by CardTrail Score as a tiebreaker. Every number on this page comes from our database — nothing is fabricated.

The Math: How Much Can You Actually Earn?

Monthly spendAirtel Axis Bank Credi…DBS Spark20 Credit CardHDFC Swiggy Credit Card
₹5.0K/mo₹15.0K/yr₹12.0K/yr₹6.0K/yr
₹15.0K/mo₹45.0K/yr₹36.0K/yr₹18.0K/yr
₹30.0K/mo₹90.0K/yr₹72.0K/yr₹36.0K/yr

Assumes consistent monthly spending at the card's maximum reward rate for the matching category. Actual returns may vary based on reward caps, tier structures, and point redemption value.

Common Pitfalls to Watch For

!

The 1-2% convenience fee from rent payment platforms (CRED, NoBroker) eats into rewards — you need 2%+ reward rate to profit

!

Rent payments may code under the platform's MCC, not 'Rent' — so category-specific rewards may not apply

!

Some banks treat rent payments as cash advances — which incur interest from day one. Verify with your bank.

Free vs Paid: Is the Annual Fee Worth It?

Best Free Card

SBM OneCard Credit Card

SBM Bank · ₹0 annual fee

Up to 10% on monthly rent via credit card platforms

Score: 7.8/10

Best Overall

Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card

Axis · ₹500 annual fee

Up to 25% on monthly rent via credit card platforms

Score: 8.2/10

At a monthly spend of ₹10,000 on monthly rent via credit card platforms, the paid card earns ₹30.0K/year vs ₹12.0K/year for the free card — a difference of ₹18.0K. The paid card's extra rewards exceed its annual fee at this spend level.

Cards to Avoid for Rent Payment

These are popular, well-rated cards that earn only their base reward rate on monthly rent via credit card platforms. If you carry one of these, use a different card for Rent Payment purchases.

IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve Credit Card

IDFC FIRST · Score: 9/10 — but only 0.5% on monthly rent via credit card platforms

American Express Platinum Charge Card

American Express · Score: 8.7/10 — but only 1.25% on monthly rent via credit card platforms

IndusInd Tiger Credit Card

IndusInd · Score: 8.7/10 — but only 1.2% on monthly rent via credit card platforms

IDFC FIRST Select Credit Card

IDFC FIRST · Score: 8.7/10 — but only 0.75% on monthly rent via credit card platforms

IDFC FIRST Wealth Credit Card

IDFC FIRST · Score: 8.7/10 — but only 0.75% on monthly rent via credit card platforms

These are great cards for other spending categories — just not for monthly rent via credit card platforms. Use the top-ranked card above instead.

Related: Best Cards for Similar Spending

Best for Rent Payment Best for CRED Best for Utility Bill Payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Which credit card gives the highest cashback on Rent Payment?
Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card from Axis gives up to 25% back on monthly rent via credit card platforms. It has a CardTrail Score of 8.2/10 with an annual fee of ₹500.
Is there a no-annual-fee credit card good for Rent Payment?
Yes — SBM OneCard Credit Card is a free card (₹0 annual fee) that earns up to 10% on monthly rent via credit card platforms. CardTrail Score: 7.8/10.
How do credit card rewards work on Rent Payment?
Credit cards earn rewards based on the Merchant Category Code (MCC) of the transaction. Rent Payment transactions are assigned an MCC by the payment network, and cards with accelerated rewards on that MCC earn higher cashback or points.
Which popular credit cards should I avoid using for Rent Payment?
Cards like IDFC FIRST Diamond Reserve Credit Card, American Express Platinum Charge Card, IndusInd Tiger Credit Card have high overall scores but earn only their base rate (0.5% or less) on monthly rent via credit card platforms. Use a category-matched card instead.

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