Kotak UPI RuPay Credit Card vs Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank Credit Card

• The Kotak UPI RuPay Credit Card is issued entirely in digital form. No physical card is provided
• Card details are automatically registered under the Credit Card section of Kotak Mobile Banking after issuance
• The card can be connected with supported UPI applications and used for eligible merchant payments after setting a UPI PIN
• It is designed primarily for merchant UPI transactions. Credit cards linked to UPI generally cannot be used for person-to-person transfers, cash withdrawals or other transactions restricted under RuPay and NPCI rules
• Cardholders earn 3 Kotak Reward Points for every Rs. 100 spent on eligible transactions
• Reward points can be earned on both qualifying UPI purchases and regular card transactions completed virtually
• Regular virtual-card spending includes eligible online, e-commerce and international transactions
• Under standard non-cash redemption options, every 1,000 reward points are worth Rs. 100. This means one reward point ordinarily provides a value of Rs. 0.10
• A minimum of 1,000 reward points is required for redemption against regular options such as products, vouchers, recharge, movies or travel
• With effect from June 1, 2025, cash redemption provides a lower value of Rs. 0.07 per reward point
• Cash redemption requires at least 2,000 reward points
• Reward points may be redeemed through Kotak Rewards for mobile recharges, products, brand vouchers, movies, travel and other options available in the rewards catalogue
• Utility payments earn points only on spending of up to Rs. 35,000 in a statement cycle. Utility spending above this limit does not earn reward points
• Reward points are not earned on rent, fuel, railway, wallet-loading, EMI, education or balance-transfer transactions
• Insurance, government payments and online skill-based gaming transactions are also excluded from earning reward points
• Spending in excluded categories does not count towards any applicable milestone benefit
• The card has no joining fee and no annual renewal fee, making it lifetime free without any minimum-spending requirement
• Applicants must be at least 18 years old and must already hold an eligible Kotak Bank credit card

• As a welcome benefit, cardholders can receive 1,499 NeuCoins against the first-year membership fee. To qualify, the first card transaction must be completed within 30 days of issuance
• The welcome NeuCoins become claimable through the Tata Neu app within 60 days of the qualifying transaction. Eligible customers must claim them within 180 days from the applicable statement date
• Welcome NeuCoins remain valid for 365 days from the date they are claimed. This benefit is not available on Lifetime Free or First-Year-Free cards
• Spend at least Rs. 3 lakh during a card membership year, before the renewal date, to have the following year’s renewal fee waived
• Earn 5% back as NeuCoins on eligible, non-EMI purchases made through Tata Neu and participating Tata brands
• Receive 1.5% back as NeuCoins on eligible purchases made outside the Tata brand network
• Merchant EMI transactions are eligible for 1.5% back as NeuCoins, subject to the applicable reward conditions
• Cardholders registered for Tata NeuPass can earn an additional 5% back on selected categories on the Tata Neu app or website. The transaction must be made from the primary cardholder’s Tata Neu account registered with the bank’s mobile number
• The additional NeuPass reward does not presently apply to Tata Pay bill payments, Tanishq, Cult.fit, Air India and Tata Play transactions
• Eligible UPI payments can earn up to 1.5% back as NeuCoins. A base reward of 0.5% is available on qualifying UPI purchases, while an additional 1% can be earned when payment is made using an eligible Tata Neu UPI ID
• UPI rewards are limited to a total of 500 NeuCoins per calendar month
• NeuCoins are not awarded on fuel, wallet loading, rent, government-related payments and online gaming transactions
• Education payments made through third-party platforms such as CRED, CheQ or MobiKwik do not earn NeuCoins. Eligible payments made directly through an educational institution’s website or POS terminal may qualify
• NeuCoins earned on grocery purchases are capped at 2,000 per calendar month
• Utility and telecom/cable transactions are each subject to a separate reward limit of 2,000 NeuCoins per calendar month
• Insurance transactions can earn a maximum of 2,000 NeuCoins in a calendar month

Lounge Benefits

• Domestic lounge access is now spending-based. Spend at least Rs. 50,000 in a calendar quarter to receive two complimentary domestic lounge vouchers for that quarter, with a maximum of 8 vouchers in a calendar year
• Eligible customers are informed through SMS or email. Lounge vouchers must be claimed through the specified voucher portal within 120 days and used within 180 days of issuance.
• Visa cardholders can request a Priority Pass and receive up to 4 complimentary international lounge visits per calendar year, limited to 1 visit per quarter. This overall limit includes visits made by both primary and add-on cardholders
• International lounge visits exceeding the complimentary Visa entitlement, as well as guest visits, are charged at US $27 plus applicable GST per visit. Priority Pass usage within India is also chargeable
• RuPay cardholders receive up to 4 complimentary international lounge visits per calendar year, limited to 1 visit per quarter. An access charge of US $3.25 may initially appear and is subsequently reversed for an eligible complimentary visit

Travel, Protection and Other Benefits

• The card provides accidental air-death insurance coverage of up to Rs. 1 crore
• Emergency hospitalization outside India is covered for up to Rs. 15 lakh, subject to the policy’s applicable terms and exclusions
• Lost-card liability protection is available for up to Rs. 9 lakh
• Fraudulent transactions may be covered under the card’s zero-liability protection, provided the loss or unauthorized use is reported immediately to HDFC Bank’s 24-hour customer service facility
• A 1% fuel-surcharge waiver is available at fuel stations across India on individual transactions between Rs. 400 and Rs. 5,000 The maximum waiver is Rs. 500 per statement cycle
• A foreign-currency markup of 2% plus applicable taxes is charged on international transactions
• The card supports contactless payments
• Purchases can receive an interest-free credit period of up to 50 days, depending on the transaction date and when the merchant submits the charge
• There’s option to convert big spends into EMI after purchase available on Tata Neu Plus HDFC Bank Credit Card

NeuCoin Usage

• NeuCoins can be redeemed through Tata Neu for eligible purchases from participating brands such as Air India Express, Bigbasket, Croma, Westside, Tata CLiQ, Tata CLiQ Luxury, IHCL hotels, Tata 1mg, Qmin, Titan and Tanishq
• Tanishq redemptions must be completed through the Tata Neu platform and remain subject to the individual brand’s redemption rules
• NeuCoins credited from regular card spending are generally transferred to the linked Tata Neu account within seven working days after statement generation
• NeuCoins earned from August 1, 2025 onward generally remain valid for 12 months, including the applicable lock-in period, calculated from the end of the month in which they are credited. Welcome or promotional NeuCoins may have separately communicated expiry conditions

Pros

• Lifetime free with no joining or renewal fee
• Supports merchant UPI payments through compatible UPI apps
• Earns rewards on eligible UPI and regular card transactions
• Instantly accessible as a virtual card through Kotak Mobile Banking
• Reward points can be redeemed for vouchers, shopping, travel, movies and recharges

Cons

• Available only to existing Kotak credit-card holders
• No physical credit card is issued
• Low effective reward rate of approximately 0.30% on regular redemptions
• No rewards on fuel, rent, EMI, education, wallet loading and several other categories
• No complimentary lounge access or fuel-surcharge waiver

Pros

• Accidental air death cover worth Rs. 1 Crore
• Emergency overseas hospitalization: Up to Rs. 15 lakhs
• Lost Card Liability Cover : Up to Rs. 9 lakhs
• Use the NeuCoins for purchases on Tata Neu /Website for Brands like: AirAsia India, Bigbasket, Croma Westside, Tata CLiQ, Tata CLiQ Luxury, Hotel Bookings/Purchases on IHCL, TATA 1MG, Qmin, and Titan and Tanishq (only via Tata Neu)

Cons

• No golf benefits
• Tata Neu coins are valid only for 12 months and can be used only in the Tata Neu app or paying thru the Neu app