HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card benefits
- Rewards10X
CashPoints at BigBasket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy and Uber
up to 2,500 a month
- Rewards1
CashPoint per ₹200 on other spends
- Fees
Renewal fee waived on spends over ₹50,000 in a year
- Fees500
reward points when the joining fee is paid
- Benefit10%
extra off on Swiggy Dineout with code HDFCCARDS
- Fuel1%
fuel surcharge waiver
up to ₹250 per statement cycle
HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card rewards and cashback
| Where you spend | Rate | Monthly limit |
|---|---|---|
| BigBasket10 CashPoints per ₹200. The 2,500 CashPoint monthly limit is shared across all five brands. | 5 points per ₹100 | 2,500 |
| Swiggy10 CashPoints per ₹200. The 2,500 CashPoint monthly limit is shared across all five brands. | 5 points per ₹100 | 2,500 |
| OYO, Uber10 CashPoints per ₹200. The 2,500 CashPoint monthly limit is shared across all five brands. | 5 points per ₹100 | 2,500 |
| BookMyShow10 CashPoints per ₹200. The 2,500 CashPoint monthly limit is shared across all five brands. | 5 points per ₹100 | 2,500 |
| Bills and utilitiesUtility and telecom spends are each capped at 2,000 CashPoints a calendar month, so 4,000 is the most for both together. | 0.5 points per ₹100 | 4,000 |
| Everything else | 0.5 points per ₹100 | None |
We value one point at ₹0.15 in the usual redemption.
No rewards on: Fuel, EMI, rent, government transactions, wallet, gift and prepaid card loads, and voucher purchases.
All reward rules
- HDFC Bank gives 1 CashPoint per ₹200 on other spends, which is 0.5 points per ₹100.
- 1 CashPoint is worth ₹0.15 against the statement and on flight and hotel bookings, and up to ₹0.15 on products. It also converts to 0.15 airmiles.
- The most you can earn is 15,000 points in a statement cycle.
- On the RuPay card, UPI spends earn 1 point per ₹200, up to 500 points a calendar month.
- You get 500 reward points when the joining fee is paid.
What the HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card gives back in a year
Say you spend ₹30,000 a month, like our “frequent traveller” pattern, using BigBasket and BookMyShow and OYO and Swiggy and Uber where the card pays extra. Worked out with the same maths as the calculator above.
| Spending | A month | Back | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | ₹3,000 | 0.75% | ₹270 |
| Dining and food delivery | ₹4,000 | 0.75% | ₹360 |
| Online shopping | ₹3,000 | 0.07% | ₹27 |
| Travel | ₹14,000 | 0.75% | ₹1,260 |
| Fuel | ₹1,000 | 0% | ₹0 |
| Bills and utilities | ₹2,000 | 0.07% | ₹18 |
| Everything else | ₹3,000 | 0.75% | ₹270 |
| Total | ₹30,000 | ₹2,205 | |
| Renewal fee with GST | Waived | ||
| You keep | ₹2,205* |
That is ₹362 a year more than the SimplySAVE SBI Card on the same spending.
HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card annual fee and charges
- Joining fee
- ₹500
- Annual fee
- ₹500
- Fee waiver
- ₹50,000 a year
The card page shows ₹500 joining and renewal fees, and a waiver if you spend over ₹50,000 in a year before renewal. Fees are before GST. The foreign currency markup for this card could not be read clearly from HDFC Bank's fee table, so it is not shown here.
Fuel surcharge: 1% fuel surcharge waiver on transactions of ₹400 to ₹5,000, up to ₹250 per statement cycle.
HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card eligibility
- Age
- 21 to 60
- Salaried income
- ₹1,44,000 a year
- Self-employed income
- ₹6,00,000 a year
Salaried applicants need a net monthly income above ₹12,000. Self-employed applicants can be up to 65 years old and need an ITR above ₹6 lakh a year.
The bank alone decides approval and your credit limit.
HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card lounge access
The bank's terms list no fixed number of free airport lounge visits on this card.
Is the HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card right for you?
A card with a ₹500 fee that spending can waive, paying 0.75% at BigBasket and a below-average 0.07% elsewhere.
Worth its fee if you spend about ₹5,000 a month or more. Below that, the ₹500 fee costs more than the card gives back on spending like the example above.
Good for you if
- You spend a lot at BigBasket: the card pays 0.75% back there, against 0.07% on most other spends.
- You spend ₹50,000 a year or more (about ₹4,200 a month), so the ₹500 renewal fee is waived.
- It is your first credit card: the terms are simple and the fee is low or nil.
Not for you if
- You spend less than about ₹4,200 a month: you would pay ₹590 a year with GST.
- You rarely use its partner brands: outside them the card pays 0.07%.
Check the latest fees and terms on the bank's page before you apply.
Alternatives to HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card
Two similar cards to weigh up before you apply. The last column shows what each may be worth on ₹30,000 a month of mixed spending, after the renewal fee with GST. Rates paid only at named brands are not counted, so a brand card can earn more if you shop there.
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards up to | You keep a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card | ₹500 | 0.75% | ₹243* |
| SimplySAVE SBI Card | ₹499 | 1.67% | ₹2,163* |
| IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card | Free | 1.25% | ₹1,755* |
*Estimate only, not a promise. We work it out from the bank's published terms and the spending you enter. What you actually get depends on the bank, your transactions and any change in its terms.
Frequently asked questions
What is the annual fee of the HDFC Freedom Credit Card?
The joining and renewal fee is ₹500 before GST. The renewal fee is waived if you spend over ₹50,000 in a year before renewal.
Is the HDFC Freedom Credit Card lifetime free?
No. It has a ₹500 fee, which you can avoid by spending over ₹50,000 in a year before renewal.
What is the value of HDFC Freedom CashPoints?
1 CashPoint is worth ₹0.15 against your statement and on flight and hotel bookings.
What is the eligibility for the HDFC Freedom Credit Card?
Salaried applicants must be 21 to 60 years old with a net monthly income above ₹12,000. Self-employed applicants must be 21 to 65 years old with an ITR above ₹6 lakh a year.
Does the HDFC Freedom Credit Card give lounge access?
HDFC Bank's card page lists no lounge benefit for this card.