Amazon Pay ICICI vs IDFC FIRST Select
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
Amazon Pay ICICI wins 4-2. Heavy Amazon shoppers, best free card in India IDFC FIRST Select is still the right call if lifetime-free with surprisingly strong reward earn rates..
Side-by-side
| Criterion | Amazon Pay ICICI | IDFC FIRST Select |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | = No annual fee | = No annual fee |
| Joining fee | = None | = None |
| Top reward rate | 5% (shopping) | · 3% (general) |
| Base reward rate | · 1% | 3% |
| Forex markup | · 3.5% | No FX fee |
| Welcome bonus | = ₹500 Amazon Pay balance on first transaction | = ₹500 gift voucher on ₹5,000 spend within 30 days of card generation |
| Fee waiver threshold | = N/A (no fee) | = N/A (no fee) |
| Min income | ₹300,000 | · ₹1,200,000 |
| Min credit score | 720 | · 750 |
| Editorial rating | 4.7/5 | · 4.5/5 |
Benefits compared
Amazon Pay ICICI
- 5% cashback on Amazon for Prime members (3% non-Prime)
- 2% cashback on 100+ Amazon Pay merchants (Swiggy, BigBasket, MakeMyTrip)
- 1% cashback on every other transaction
- No annual fee, no joining fee, ever
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver
- No reward expiry, no minimum redemption
IDFC FIRST Select
- 10X reward points on dining and travel
- 3X reward points on other eligible spends
- Lifetime free, no annual fee, ever
- 1 domestic airport lounge visit per quarter, unlocked by ₹20,000 spend in the previous calendar month (no international lounge access)
- Zero forex markup on international transactions
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver
FAQ
›Amazon Pay ICICI vs IDFC FIRST Select: which is better?
Amazon Pay ICICI wins on more dimensions (4 vs 2). But the right answer depends on your specific spending pattern. Run your own monthly spend through the maximizer to see which one pays you more.
›Can I get both?
Yes, if your credit profile supports it, holding both is the optimal play. Use Amazon Pay ICICI for its best categories, IDFC FIRST Select for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
Amazon Pay ICICI: ₹500 Amazon Pay balance on first transaction. IDFC FIRST Select: ₹500 gift voucher on ₹5,000 spend within 30 days of card generation.