Kotak Beginner Credit Cards in India 2026

Fixed deposit based card – no income proof required || instant approval card 
– Credit card is issued against your fixed deposit, for customers between 18 years and 75 years of age.
– Income documents not required, since the card is issued against the security of your fixed deposit.
– For Non-811 saving account customers: minimum fixed deposit amount is ₹10,000.
– For 811 saving account customers: minimum fixed deposit amount is ₹ 5,555.

Lifetime free credit card, welcome offer worth ₹125
– There is no annual fee on this card.
– Welcome offer of 500 bonus reward points worth ₹125, when you spend a minimum of ₹5000 within 45 days of activating your card.

Flexible credit limit, upto 80% of fixed deposit amount 
– You can choose a credit limit of your preference, upto 80% of fixed deposit amount (maximum ₹16 lakhs)

0.50% benefit on online spends 
– You earn 2 reward points worth ₹0.50 (50 paise), on every ₹100 you spend on online purchases.
– 1 reward point = ₹0.25 (25 paise), and can be redeemed on Kotak’s reward redemption platform (kotakrewards.com) for vouchers, products and more.

0.25% benefit on all other spends 
– You earn 1 points worth ₹0.25 (25 paise), on every ₹100 you spend on all other spends.
– 1 reward point = ₹0.25 (25 paise), and can be redeemed on Kotak’s reward redemption platform (kotakrewards.com) for vouchers, products and more.
– Exceptions : No reward points are given on fuel spends, railway spends, cash withdrawals.

Milestone benefit – additional benefit of upto 1%, on achieving yearly card spend of ₹75,000
On achieving yearly card spend target of ₹75,000, you get either –
– Cashback of ₹750/- OR
– 4 free PVR tickets (any day and any show, and can be redeemed online at www.pvrcinemas.com)

1.8% – 2.5% surcharge waiver on railway ticket bookings, upto ₹500 per year
– 1.8% for transactions made on the IRCTC website
– 2.5% for transactions made at Indian railway booking counters
– Maximum waiver of ₹500 per year

1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations, upto ₹3500 per year
– Only on fuel transactions ranging between ₹500 and ₹3000, and
– Only on fuel purchases upto ₹3.50 lakhs per year, since waiver is capped at ₹3,500 per year

Interest-free cash withdrawal 
– You can withdraw cash up to 90% of your total credit card limit
– No interest is charged on cash withdrawals (unlike most other credit cards).
– A processing fee of ₹300 is charged per ₹10,000 withdrawn, hence ideally one should withdraw cash only in an emergency

Benefits
– The card is lifetime free.
– It is issued against a fixed deposit, no income documents are required. Hence it is ideal for students, housewives, gig workers etc.
– In addition to fuel surcharge waiver, cardholders also get railway surcharge waivers ranging between 1.8% (on the IRCTC website) and 2.5% (on Indian railway booking counters).

Drawbacks to consider
– Benefits on beginner fixed-deposit based cards can be lower than other credit cards.

2% benefit on international card spends
– You earn 2 reward point worth ₹2, on every ₹100 you spend on card purchases outside India.
– 1 reward point = ₹1. You can redeem your rewards points on Kotak Rewards (rewards redemption platform), for a variety of shopping e-vouchers, mobile recharges, travel, movies and more.

1% benefit on all other card spends
– You earn 1 reward point worth ₹1, on every ₹100 you spend on all other card purchases.
– 1 reward point = ₹1. You can redeem your rewards points on Kotak Rewards (rewards redemption platform), for a variety of shopping e-vouchers, mobile recharges, travel, movies and more.

Complimentary airport lounge access in India – 2 per quarter

Fuel surcharge waiver, upto ₹3500 per year 
– You get a 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel pumps across India
– Only on fuel transactions between ₹500 and ₹3000, and
– Only on yearly fuel purchases of upto ₹3.50 lakhs (since the maximum waiver amount is limited to ₹3500 per year).

Railway surcharge waiver, upto ₹500 per year : You get surcharge waiver for railway ticket bookings–
– 1.80% surcharge waiver for transactions made on the IRCTC website
– 2.50% surcharge waiver for transactions made at Indian railway booking counters
– Maximum waiver of ₹500 per year

Benefits
– Card for NRIs, especially useful when they visit India
– No income proof and credit history in India required since the card is issued against a personal fixed deposit

Drawbacks to consider
– Low rewards and benefits

0.50% benefit on online spends
– You earn 2 reward point worth ₹0.50 (50 paise), on every ₹100 you spend on online purchases.
– 1 reward point = ₹0.25 or 25 paise, and can be redeemed on Kotak Rewards (rewards redemption platform), for a variety of shopping e-vouchers, mobile recharges, travel, movies and more.

0.25% benefit on all other card spends
– You earn 1 reward point worth ₹0.25 or 25 paise, on every ₹100 you spend on all other card purchases.
– 1 reward point = ₹0.25 or 25 paise, and can be redeemed on Kotak Rewards (rewards redemption platform), for a variety of shopping e-vouchers, mobile recharges, travel, movies and more.
– Exceptions – You get no reward points on fuel spends, rent payments, wallet recharges, EMI transactions and cash advances.

Additional milestone benefits-
– When you spend ₹75000 or more on your card in a year, you can get either
✓ ₹750 cashback
OR
✓ 4 free PVR tickets

Fuel surcharge waiver, upto ₹3500 per year : You get 1% fuel surcharge waiver-
– Only on fuel transactions between ₹500 and ₹3000, and
– Only on fuel purchases of upto ₹3.50 lakhs per year (since the maximum waiver amount is limited to ₹3500 per year).

Railway surcharge waiver, upto ₹500 per year : You get rail surcharge waiver on railway ticket bookings-
– 1.80% for transactions made on the IRCTC website
– 2.50% for transactions made at Indian railway booking counters
– Maximum waiver of ₹500 per year

Card sourcing locations – Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Chandigarh, Chennai, Delhi (including Gurgaon and Noida), Hyderabad, Kolkata, Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Pune

Benefits
– Low annual card spend target of ₹50000, to get annual fee waiver and make the card virtually free
– Milestone benefits at low annual card spend target of ₹75000

Drawbacks to consider
– You can get higher rewards on other cards

0.30% benefit on all card spends
– You earn 3 reward point worth ₹0.30 (30 paise), on every ₹100 you spend on all card purchases.
– 1 reward point = ₹0.10 or 10 paise.
– You can redeem your rewards points on Kotak Rewards (rewards redemption platform), for a variety of shopping e-vouchers, mobile recharges, travel, movies and more.

Milestone benefits upto 1.6% : When you spend ₹1 lakh or more in a year, you can get either-
– 4 free any day-any show PVR tickets worth upto ₹1600 (upto ₹400 each)
OR
– 10,000 reward points worth ₹1000

Benefits
– Entry level card from Kotak, with low minimum income requirements and low annual fee
– Low annual card spend target of ₹15,000, to get annual fee waiver and make the card virtually free

Drawbacks to consider
– Low rewards and benefits