Best Credit Cards for International Use (Low Forex Markup)
Quick answer. As of October 2026, the top 3 on Saifu's best credit cards for international use (low forex markup) list are Hello Cashback (₹1,000 a year), Scapia Axis Bank (no annual fee), LIC Select (no annual fee), ranked from 46 cards with a forex markup of 2% or less on what they return for ₹50,000 a month spread like a typical frequent traveller, after first sorting by forex markup.
| # | Card | Value a year | Annual fee | Fee waiver | Lounges a year | Forex | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hello CashbackIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹11,940 | ₹1,000 | Waived on ₹2,00,000 spend a year | None | 0% | Apply |
| 2 | Scapia Axis BankAxis Bank | ₹10,920 | Free | No fee to waive | Unlimited | 0% | Apply |
| 3 | LIC SelectIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹5,700 | Free | No fee to waive | 8 | 0% | Bank page |
| 4 | FIRST ClassicIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹5,198 | Free | No fee to waive | None | 0% | Apply |
| 5 | FIRST MillenniaIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹5,198 | Free | No fee to waive | None | 0% | Apply |
| 6 | FIRST SelectIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹5,198 | Free | No fee to waive | 4 | 0% | Apply |
| 7 | FIRST Power+IDFC FIRST Bank | ₹3,930 | ₹499 | Waived on ₹1,50,000 spend a year | 4 | 0% | Apply |
| 8 | LIC ClassicIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹3,420 | Free | No fee to waive | 4 | 0% | Bank page |
| 9 | FIRST PowerIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹2,940 | ₹199 | Waived on ₹50,000 spend a year | None | 0% | Apply |
| 10 | Diamond ReserveIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹2,280 | ₹3,000 | Waived on ₹6,00,000 spend a year | 16 | 0% | Bank page |
| 11 | World SafariRBL Bank | ₹1,035 | ₹3,000 | No spend waiver | 10 | 0% | Apply |
| 12 | World Safari LiteRBL Bank | ₹-415 | ₹1,000 | No spend waiver | 8 | 0% | Bank page |
| 13 | FIRST SWYPIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹-499 | ₹499 | No spend waiver | None | 0% | Bank page |
| 14 | MayuraIDFC FIRST Bank | ₹-1,489 | ₹5,999 | No spend waiver | 32 | 0% | Apply |
| 15 | Indus SolitaireIndusInd Bank | ₹-7,186 | ₹10,000 | Waived on ₹10,00,000 spend a year | 32 | 0% | Bank page |
Value a year: rewards on ₹50,000 a month spread like a typical frequent traveller, minus the annual fee. Lounge visits are domestic plus international free visits a year as the bank lists them; many banks now ask for a minimum spend first. Forex markup is before GST.
Affiliate link, costs you nothing extra, we may earn a commission, never changes how cards are ranked.
Questions
Which is the best credit cards for international use (low forex markup) credit card in India?
For ₹50,000 a month spread like a typical frequent traveller, Hello Cashback returns the most on Saifu's numbers: about ₹11,940 a year after its annual fee. The best card for you depends on where you spend; the card finder ranks cards on your own spends.
How is this list ranked?
Saifu runs each card's reward rules, monthly caps and exclusions from its bank's terms on a sample month of spends, scales it to a year and subtracts the annual fee. No bank pays to be listed or to rank higher.
Your spends are different? Rank cards on your own spends or see the best card for each app.
Spot a mistake on this page? Tell us