Best Credit Card Offers in India 2014

In the present day world, credit cards, also referred to as plastic money, have become an indispensable part of everyday life, especially among the upper middle and high class of the society. Of late, people have stopped stashing their wallets with actual money, and prefer carrying a couple of credit cards instead, which, apart from making day-to-day transactions easy, also serve the purpose of a status symbol for the owners.

Despite the fact that credit card is, at present, one of the most sought after monetary instruments in India, a major chunk of the population apply for it without conducting much research and overlook the features and benefits offered by the service providers. There are several things that one must look into before selecting and applying for a credit card, including hidden charges, customer service, rewards and benefits, transaction charges and others. Based on such an analysis, here is a tally list of some of the best credit cards offered by several banks and financial institutions for salaried professionals in India.

1. Citibank Platinum Credit Card

Citibank platinum credit card is the talk of the day among several middle, upper middle and even upper class members of the society. With zero joining and annual fees, no person wouldn’t want to have such a credit card in their wallet. Subject to an interest rate of 3.25% per month on transactions not serviced with 55 days, this credit card offers 5x reward points at various restaurants, shopping outlets, travel, entertainment and other merchant partners, in addition to 1 point for every Rs. 125 spent anywhere.

2. HDFC Platinum Plus Credit Card

When talking about the best credit card in India, HDFC is the first name that pops up in mind. With an annual fee of Rs.299 (subject to full waiver if the annual retail spending crosses the Rs. 30000 mark) and an interest rate of 3.15% per month, this HDFC credit card offer scores of benefits to the users. Some of the prime highlights of the platinum plus credit card include 0% fuel surcharge, zero liability on lost card, free add-on cards, exclusive discounts and offers on shopping and dining, free credit period of up to 50 days and cash withdrawal limit of 40% of the credit limit.

3. SBI Gold and More Credit Card

Gold and More SBI Credit Card is yet another option worth considering for interested customers. As of now, this credit card is available at a joining fee of Rs.499 and is subject to an annual fee of Rs.499, which can be waived off if a user spends more than Rs. 75000 or more in the preceding year. As far as rewards and benefits are concerned, the bank is now offering 2.5% cash back at all grocery and departmental stores, 2.5% fuel surcharge waiver, 2000 bonus cash points on first purchase, Rs.100 cash back on first ATM withdrawal and lots of other benefits on merchant specific spending.

So, these are some of the best credit card options that are made available by various public and private sector banks this year. With the increasing demand of credit cards and amazing response towards the accompanying reward schemes, it is pretty evident that banks will come up with more attractive offers in the times to come.