ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal vs Yes Bank Marquee
A field-by-field comparison of fees, reward rates, accelerated categories, caps, exclusions, lounge access and forex markup, using each issuer's own published terms. Affiliate payout never decides the verdict.
Short answer
ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal and Yes Bank Marquee differ first on recurring cost: ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal has an annual fee of ₹12,499 + GST against ₹4,999 + GST for Yes Bank Marquee, so Yes Bank Marquee is cheaper to hold. On rewards, ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal earns 6 Reward Points per ₹200 on eligible retail spend while Yes Bank Marquee earns 18 YES Rewardz Points per ₹200 on eligible offline and other non-accelerated retail spend. Yes Bank Marquee has the lower forex markup at 1%. Neither card wins outright: the better choice depends on which accelerated categories match your spend, the monthly caps, the exclusions and issuer approval fit.
Source: CardMasters issuer-evidence catalogue, release 2026-08-01. Confirm final terms with the issuer.
| Feature | ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal | Yes Bank Marquee |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | ICICI Bank | Yes Bank |
| Joining fee | ₹12,499 + GST | ₹9,999 + GST |
| Annual fee | ₹12,499 + GST | ₹4,999 + GST |
| Fee waiver | ₹10,00,000 annual eligible spend | ₹10,00,000 annual eligible spend |
| Base rewards | 6 Reward Points per ₹200 on eligible retail spend | 18 YES Rewardz Points per ₹200 on eligible offline and other non-accelerated retail spend |
| Accelerated routes | grocery · utility · education | online travel & airline spends · utility spend |
| Reward exclusions | fuel, rent, government, wallet load, cash advance, fees | fuel, rent, wallet load, government, marketing advertising, cash advance, fees, post purchase emi, emi on call, instant emi, insurance, education, railway, toll, ferry |
| Forex markup | 2% | 1% |
| Domestic lounge | unlimited | 6/quarter (₹1L quarterly spend condition), incl add-on |
| International lounge | unlimited (Priority Pass) | unlimited for primary + add-on |
| Card networks | Mastercard | Mastercard World Elite |
| Best suited to | travel, luxury, high spender | international lounge, movies, low forex |
| Issuer evidence | Checked 2026-08-01 | Checked 2026-08-01 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal better than the Yes Bank Marquee?
Neither is universally better. ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal charges ₹12,499 + GST a year and earns 6 Reward Points per ₹200 on eligible retail spend; Yes Bank Marquee charges ₹4,999 + GST and earns 18 YES Rewardz Points per ₹200 on eligible offline and other non-accelerated retail spend. The better card is the one whose accelerated categories, caps and exclusions match your actual spending, after subtracting the annual fee and GST.
Which of the two has the lower annual fee, ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal or Yes Bank Marquee?
Yes Bank Marquee has the lower recorded annual fee at ₹4,999 + GST. A spend-based waiver may reduce the effective cost of the other card, so check the waiver threshold before deciding.
Which is better for international spending, ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal or Yes Bank Marquee?
Yes Bank Marquee publishes the lower forex markup at 1% versus 2%. Also confirm whether international transactions earn rewards, since some issuers exclude them.
Can I hold both cards together?
Yes, provided each is approved on its own merits and you can pay both statements in full. Holding both makes sense only when their accelerated categories do not overlap; otherwise the second card adds an annual fee without adding rewards.