Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card: Free for Life for a Limited Time – Should You Apply?

Are you a foodie who enjoys dining out or ordering in at home? If so, would you like to get 10% back on your food costs? Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card helps you save up to Rs. 42,000 per year. What are the card’s features and benefits, qualifications, fees, and how does it compare to other similar cards? Let’s find out.

Features and Benefits

Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card is a co-branded credit card launched by HDFC Bank in partnership with Swiggy. The card offers the following benefits:

1.Swiggy application

Get 10% cashback on orders placed through the Swiggy app. Cashback is available on food orders, Instamart, Dineout and Genie. Spending on Swiggy Liquor, Swiggy Minis and Swiggy Money Wallet are not included. 10% cashback capped at Rs. 1,500 per billing period. Hence, you can get cashback of up to Rs. 18,000 per year in this category.

2. Buy online

Enjoy 5% cash back on certain categories of online purchases. These include:

1. clothing
2. department store
3. electronic products
4. entertainment
5. home decoration
6. Pharmacy
7. personal care
8. local taxi
9. Online pet store
10. Discount Stores (Flipkart, Amazon, Meesho, Ajio, etc.)

5% cashback is available only at selected merchants corresponding to the Merchant Category Codes (MCC) of the above categories. For the list of MCCs related to the above categories, please refer to the HDFC Bank website. Gift cards and groceries purchased at 5% eligible merchants and MCCs will not earn any cash back.

5% cashback capped at Rs. 1,500 per billing period. Hence, you can get cashback of up to Rs. 18,000 per year in this category.

3. Other categories

All other categories of spending earn 1% cash back. Expenses on fuel, rent, EMIs, wallet recharges, jewelery and government-related transactions are not included. 1% cashback capped at Rs. 500 per billing cycle. Hence, you can get cashback of up to Rs. 6,000 per year in this category.

With Swiggy HDFC Credit Card, you can save up to Rs. 42,000 people per year are as follows:

1. rupee. Get 10% Cashback on $18,000 via Swiggy App
2. rupee. 5% back on online shopping 18,000
3. rupee. 1% cash back on $6,000 in other categories

4. Free Swiggy One Membership

As a popular benefit, cardholders get three months free Swiggy One membership after activating the card. Membership must be applied for on Swiggy app. The option will be available on the Swiggy app within 2-3 days of card activation.

Swiggy One members enjoy free delivery and exclusive discounts on food delivery, Instamart, Genie, etc. on the Swiggy app.

5. Benefits of golf

The card is issued on the MasterCard Network and is eligible for select golf offers. This includes access to golf courses around the world and 12 free lessons per year. It also offers four free rounds of green fees each calendar year. In addition to free lessons, golf services also include a 50% discount on green fees.

Eligibility and fees

Salaried individuals between the ages of 21 and 60 are eligible to apply for the card. The monthly net income must exceed Rs. 15,000. Self-employed people between the ages of 21 and 65 are eligible to apply for the card. Income Tax Return (ITR) must exceed Rs. Six hundred thousand.

The membership fee and annual fee for the card are Rs. 500 plus tax. The annual fee is waived when you spend Rs. 2,00,000 or more in the previous card anniversary year.

Festive Limited Time Offer: Free Lifetime Card

As part of the festive offer, Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card is free for life for a limited period. Therefore, there are currently no joining fees or annual fees. The lifetime free offer is applicable for applications made through HDFC Bank’s digital platform and physical applications from October 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024. Apply for this card between the 1st and December 31, 2024 to fully enjoy the lifetime free discount. The lifetime free offer is not applicable to existing Swiggy HDFC Bank credit card holders.

How does this card compare to other similar cards?

Swiggy HDFC Bank Credit Card competes with other similar cash back credit cards in the market. Cashback SBI Card offers 5% cashback on online purchases, subject to certain exceptions. The maximum cashback that can be earned in a statement period is Rs. 5000. 999 + tax, vice versa if the annual outlay is Rs. Two hundred thousand or more.

The Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card offers 5% cashback on most Flipkart purchases, with certain exceptions. Likewise, the Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card offers 5% cashback on most Amazon purchases, with certain exceptions. The card is free for life. Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Credit Card offers 5% Neu coins on purchases from selected Tata group companies.

The HSBC Live+ Credit Card offers 10% cash back on dining, grocery and food delivery categories. The maximum cashback in a month is Rs. 1,000. The annual fee for the card is Rs. 999 + taxes, annual expenditure of Rs 999 is exempted for 2 Lakhs or more in a year.

Should you apply for Swiggy HDFC Credit Card?

The Swiggy HDFC Credit Card offers 10% cashback on the Swiggy app, 5% cashback on selected online purchases and 1% cashback on other spends, subject to specified exceptions. A card that comes close to comparison is the HSBC Live+ Credit Card, which offers 10% cashback on dining, grocery and food delivery categories, similar to what the Swiggy card offers.

While the HSBC card is platform agnostic, the maximum monthly cashback is Rs. 1,000. In the case of Swiggy Card, the maximum monthly cashback is Rs. 3,500. The annual fee for the HSBC card is Rs. 999 + taxes while Swiggy card is currently free for life.

The minimum annual salary requirement for HSBC cards is Rs. 4,00,000, the Swiggy card is priced at Rs. 1,80,000. According to information on the HSBC website, the HSBC Live+ credit card is for people living in 14 designated cities. Swiggy Card is available to a wider audience through HDFC Bank network and Swiggy coverage.

Furthermore, the HSBC website does not specify the eligibility criteria for dealers. The Swiggy card, on the other hand, is suitable for self-employed individuals whose income tax return (ITR) exceeds Rs. Six hundred thousand.

Therefore, Swiggy card has certain advantages over HSBC card. So, if you are a foodie who frequently dines out, orders takeaways and groceries from Swiggy, you should consider this credit card. The current festive offer of a lifetime free card is the icing on the cake.

Gopal Gidwani is a freelance personal finance content writer with over 15 years of experience. You can contact him via LinkedIn.