Best Credit Cards for Utility and Bill Payments in India
Several issuers now charge 1% above a monthly utility threshold or exclude utility spend from rewards. The ranking below subtracts those surcharges.
Short answer
On ₹10,000 a month of utility and bill payments, IRCTC SBI Card Premier returns the most in the CardMasters model at about ₹240 a month (₹2,880 a year) before its annual fee of ₹1,499. 15 issuer-verified cards return anything at all on this category; the rest cap it, exclude it or charge a surcharge. Figures apply each card's published caps, exclusions and surcharges rather than its headline reward rate, and are calculated from issuer terms recorded on 2026-08-01.
Source: CardMasters issuer-evidence catalogue, release 2026-08-01. Confirm final terms with the issuer.
| # | Card | Per month | Per year | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | IRCTC SBI Card Premier | ₹240 | ₹2,880 | ₹1,499 + GST |
| 2 | Standard Chartered Ultimate | ₹200 | ₹2,400 | ₹5,000 + GST |
| 3 | Amazon Pay ICICI | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹0 |
| 4 | HDFC Bank PIXEL Play | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹0 |
| 5 | slice UPI Credit Card | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹0 |
| 6 | Paytm SBI Card | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹499 + GST |
| 7 | ICICI Bank HPCL Super Saver | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹500 + GST |
| 8 | Paytm HDFC Bank Credit Card | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹500 + GST |
| 9 | Swiggy HDFC | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹500 + GST |
| 10 | HDFC Bank Swiggy Ornge | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹500 + GST |
| 11 | HDFC Bank Millennia | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹1,000 |
| 12 | HDFC Bank Swiggy BLCK | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹1,000 + GST |
| 13 | AU Small Finance Bank Zenith+ | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹4,999 + GST |
| 14 | HDFC Bank Diners Club Black Metal Edition | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹10,000 + GST |
| 15 | HDFC Bank Infinia Metal | ₹100 | ₹1,200 | ₹12,500 + GST |
Your own spend level changes this order, because monthly caps bind at different points. Run the ranking at your actual monthly spend →
What to check before applying
- Find the monthly utility threshold above which a surcharge applies.
- Rent, education and government payments are usually treated separately.
- Compare the reward earned against any biller convenience fee.
Frequently asked questions
Which credit card is best for utility and bill payments in India?
At ₹10,000 a month of utility and bill payments, IRCTC SBI Card Premier ranks first at about ₹240 a month in the CardMasters model, followed by Standard Chartered Ultimate (₹200) and Amazon Pay ICICI (₹100). The ranking changes with your spend level because monthly caps bind at different points, and the annual fee has to be subtracted from the annual total.
How is the monthly value calculated?
Each card's published earn rate is applied to ₹10,000 of monthly utility and bill payments, then its category cap, exclusions and any surcharge are applied, and reward currency is valued at a conservative redemption rate rather than the issuer's best-case example. This is the same calculation CardMasters uses for personalised recommendations.
Why do some well-known cards return nothing here?
Because they exclude this category from rewards, cap it at zero, or levy a surcharge that cancels the earn. Cards returning nothing on utility and bill payments are left out of the table rather than shown with a headline rate they do not actually pay here.
Does the annual fee change the ranking?
Yes. This table ranks by reward return only. Subtract the annual fee plus GST — unless your spend clears the waiver threshold — before deciding, and compare the result against the cards already in your wallet rather than in isolation.