IDFC FIRST Bank
IDFC FIRST Millennia Credit Card
Joining Fee
₹0 LTF
Annual Fee
₹0 LTF
View Details
Zero Fee Forever
Best Lifetime Free
Credit Cards in India 2026
No joining fee. No annual fee. Ever. These five cards cost nothing to hold and still give you real cashback, reward points and lounge access every year.
₹0
Joining Fee
₹0
Annual Fee
10X
Max Rewards
5
Cards Listed
Lifetime Free Credit Card Listings
ICICI Bank
Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card
Joining Fee
₹0 LTF
Annual Fee
₹0 LTF
View Details
Axis Bank
Axis MyZone Credit Card
Joining Fee
₹500 (waived)
Annual Fee
₹500 (waived)
View Details
AU Small Finance Bank
AU LIT Credit Card
Joining Fee
₹0 LTF
Annual Fee
₹0 LTF
View Details
OneCard (FPL Technologies)
OneCard Metal Credit Card
Joining Fee
₹0 LTF
Annual Fee
₹0 LTF
View Details
Card Types
Types of Lifetime Free Credit Cards
Cashback Cards
Cashback is credited directly to your account — no points to track, no redemption needed. Amazon Pay ICICI gives 5% on Amazon for Prime members, 3% at Amazon Pay merchants and 2% on all other spends.
Reward Points Cards
You earn points on every spend and redeem them against products, vouchers or statement credit. IDFC FIRST Millennia gives 10X points at over 1,500 merchants including Amazon, Swiggy, Zomato and Myntra.
UPI-Linked Cards
Only RuPay credit cards can be used for UPI payments. Axis MyZone is a RuPay card, so you can link it to PhonePe or Google Pay and earn Edge reward points on UPI transactions — a feature Visa and Mastercard cards do not have.
Customisable Cards
AU LIT lets you pick one benefit plan every quarter. Options include fuel cashback, dining discount, OTT subscription or higher rewards on a specific spend category. The choice resets every 90 days so you can switch based on your spending.
Metal Cards
OneCard is made of metal and has no annual fee. Most metal cards in India charge ₹2,000 or more per year. OneCard gives 5X points on your two highest spend categories every month — automatically, without any manual setup.
Co-Branded Cards
Amazon Pay ICICI is a co-branded card tied to Amazon. It works best for people who shop on Amazon at least a few times a month. The 5% cashback on Amazon is the highest flat cashback rate on any free credit card in India.
Side by Side
Lifetime Free Credit Cards Compared
| Card | Best Reward Rate | Lounge Access | UPI Linked | Min. Salary | Network |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| IDFC FIRST Millennia | 10X at 1,500+ merchants | 4 visits / year | No | ₹25,000 / month | Visa |
| Amazon Pay ICICI | 5% on Amazon (Prime) | None | No | ₹25,000 / month | Visa |
| Axis MyZone | 4X on online spends | 4 visits / year | Yes | ₹15,000 / month | RuPay |
| AU LIT | 2–3% on chosen category | 1 visit / quarter | No | ₹15,000 / month | Visa / MC |
| OneCard | 5X on top 2 categories | None | No | ₹20,000 / month | Visa |
Key Features
What These Cards Actually Offer
- IDFC FIRST Millennia gives 10X reward points at partner merchants like Amazon, Swiggy, Myntra and Zomato, and 3X points on all other spends — with no annual fee ever
- Amazon Pay ICICI cashback goes straight to your Amazon Pay balance. No portal, no redemption request — it shows up in your account within 2 days of the statement
- Axis MyZone is on the RuPay network. You can link it to PhonePe or Google Pay and pay at any UPI QR code using the card's credit limit, earning points on every UPI payment
- AU LIT lets you change your benefit plan once every quarter. In one quarter you can activate fuel cashback, in the next you can switch to dining or OTT — no fixed structure
- OneCard tracks your two highest spend categories automatically every month and applies 5X points to them, 1X on everything else
- IDFC FIRST is the only bank in India that charges zero late payment fee on its credit cards, including the Millennia
- All five cards support contactless tap-to-pay at NFC-enabled machines
- Purchases of ₹2,500 and above can be converted to monthly EMIs through the bank app on all five cards
Why Get One
Who Should Get a Lifetime Free Credit Card
- Anyone spending below ₹25,000 a month on a card — at that level, most paid cards never recover their annual fee in rewards value
- First-time credit card users who want to build a CIBIL score without any annual cost — use it for regular bills, pay in full every month
- People who already have one paid card and want a second card for a specific use case — online shopping, UPI payments or fuel — at zero extra cost
- Salaried workers earning ₹15,000 to ₹25,000 per month who cannot qualify for mid-tier paid cards
- Amazon Prime members — Amazon Pay ICICI gives a flat 5% cashback on every Amazon order, which adds up quickly if you shop online regularly
Pros & Cons
Pros and Cons of Lifetime Free Credit Cards
Pros
- Zero annual fee — no minimum spend needed to avoid a charge
- Builds CIBIL credit score at no cost to you
- IDFC FIRST Millennia rewards can match or beat cards with ₹1,000 annual fee if you spend at partner merchants
- Axis MyZone supports UPI credit payments, which no Visa or Mastercard can do
- Safe to hold even if you use the card once a month — no fee gets triggered
Cons
- No international lounge access on any of these five cards
- Axis MyZone charges ₹500 joining and annual fee — both are waived but require ₹50,000 in annual spend
- IDFC FIRST Millennia and Amazon Pay ICICI are Visa cards — no UPI linking possible
- Reward rates on most LTF cards drop or cap at high monthly spend levels
- Upgrading to a higher card variant may remove the lifetime free status
How to Apply
How to Apply for a Lifetime Free Credit Card
1
Check which card you qualify for
Axis MyZone and AU LIT need ₹15,000 monthly income. OneCard needs ₹20,000. IDFC FIRST Millennia and Amazon Pay ICICI need ₹25,000. A CIBIL score of 700 or above is preferred across all five.
2
Apply on the bank's own website or app
Amazon Pay ICICI can be applied for through the Amazon app. For IDFC FIRST Millennia and AU LIT, visit the bank's official website. Axis MyZone applications are available on the Axis Bank app and website. OneCard is applied for through the OneCard app directly.
3
Fill in your income and address details
PAN number, date of birth, monthly income, employer name and current address are needed. Most forms take under 5 minutes for salaried applicants.
4
Complete KYC
Upload PAN and Aadhaar for identity and address proof. Salary slips for the last 3 months are required for salaried applicants. Self-employed applicants need the last 2 years of ITR. Most banks now offer video KYC so no branch visit is needed.
5
Approval and card delivery
Amazon Pay ICICI and Axis MyZone give instant in-principle approval online. Physical card delivery takes 5 to 7 working days. Most banks share a virtual card number right after approval so you can use the card for online purchases immediately.
LTF vs Paid
Lifetime Free Card vs Annual Fee Card — Key Differences
| Factor | Lifetime Free Card | Annual Fee Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual cost | ₹0 every year | ₹500 to ₹5,000 per year |
| Joining fee | ₹0 on truly LTF cards | ₹500 to ₹2,000 on most cards |
| Best reward rate available | Up to 10X at select merchants | Up to 25X on premium travel cards |
| Airport lounge access | Up to 4 domestic visits a year | 8 to unlimited visits including international |
| Travel perks | Minimal to none | Air miles, forex waiver, travel insurance |
| Works best for monthly spend of | Below ₹25,000 | Above ₹25,000 |
| Minimum monthly salary needed | From ₹15,000 | Usually ₹25,000 to ₹50,000 |
| Risk of holding an unused card | Zero — no fee is charged | Annual fee applies even if card is not used |
Frequently Asked Questions
A lifetime free credit card charges zero joining fee and zero annual fee for as long as you hold it. You pay nothing to keep the card active — not in year one, not in year five, not ever. This is different from spend-waiver cards that reverse the annual fee only if you cross a minimum annual spend, such as ₹1 lakh per year.
IDFC FIRST Millennia is the best lifetime free credit card for most people. It gives 10X reward points at over 1,500 partner merchants — Amazon, Swiggy, Myntra, Zomato and more — plus 4 free domestic airport lounge visits per year and zero late payment fee. No other free credit card in India offers this combination. For people who mostly shop on Amazon, Amazon Pay ICICI is a better pick with 5% cashback on every order for Prime members.
Axis MyZone is the only card in this list that works on UPI. It runs on the RuPay network, so you can link it to PhonePe or Google Pay and pay at any UPI QR code using your credit limit. You earn Edge reward points on those payments too. The other four cards — IDFC FIRST Millennia, Amazon Pay ICICI, AU LIT and OneCard — are all Visa cards and cannot be linked to UPI apps.
Yes, for some cards. Axis MyZone has a ₹500 joining fee and ₹500 annual fee — both are waived on your first transaction and on ₹50,000 in annual spend respectively. If you spend less than ₹50,000 in a year, the annual fee applies. IDFC FIRST Millennia, Amazon Pay ICICI, AU LIT and OneCard are truly lifetime free — no spend condition, no fee in any year.
Yes. Axis MyZone and AU LIT accept applicants with a monthly income of ₹15,000 or above. Both are good starter cards. Axis MyZone works on RuPay for UPI payments. AU LIT gives you flexibility to pick a benefit category each quarter. IDFC FIRST Millennia and Amazon Pay ICICI typically require ₹25,000 per month. OneCard needs around ₹20,000 per month.
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