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Credit CardsComparisons

Axis Bank ACE Credit Card vs IDFC FIRST Select

A head-to-head comparison of Axis Bank ACE Credit Card and IDFC FIRST Select across fees, rewards, and spending categories to help you decide which card suits your wallet better.

Grocery & RetailCard A

Axis Bank ACE Credit Card

Retail & Groceries

Annual Fee
₹499
Reward Rate
1.5% Flat Cashback
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Grocery & RetailCard B

IDFC FIRST Select

High Volume Spenders

Annual Fee
Lifetime Free
Reward Rate
10X on incremental spends
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Feature comparison

FeatureAxis BankIDFC FIRST
Annual Fee₹499 (Waived on ₹2L spend)Lifetime Free
Reward Rate1.5% Flat Cashback10X on incremental spends
Best ForRetail & GroceriesHigh Volume Spenders
First-Card Friendly
Lounge Access
Zero Forex Markup

Spending category coverage

Which categories does each card reward?

CategoryAxis BankIDFC FIRST
Groceries
Dining
Utility bills
Everyday spending
Airport lounge access

Quick verdict

Choose Axis Bank ACE Credit Card if:

  • You spend heavily on dining
  • You spend heavily on utility bills

Choose IDFC FIRST Select if:

  • Lower annual fee (₹Nil vs ₹499)
  • You spend heavily on airport lounge access

Full pros & cons

Axis Bank ACE Credit Card

What's good
  • Uncapped 1.5% cashback on all online and offline spends
  • 5% cashback on utility bill payments via Google Pay, PhonePe, or any BBPS-enabled UPI app
  • 4% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, and Ola
Watch out for
  • 5% and 4% cashback categories have a strict combined cap of ₹500 per month
  • Lounge access requires a heavy ₹50,000 spend in the previous quarter
  • Cashback credited only after statement generation
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IDFC FIRST Select

What's good
  • Lifetime free with no annual charges ever
  • Reward points never expire
  • Domestic lounge access available
Watch out for
  • Lounge access requires ₹20,000 spend in the previous calendar month
  • 10X multiplier only activates after spending ₹20,000 in a billing cycle
  • Tiered reward calculation is complex to track
  • Reward earning base revised from ₹150 to ₹200 per point (devaluation)
Apply Now
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