Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card Review
A nil-joining-fee rewards card that rewards heavier monthly spenders with bonus points on top of the base rate, and a renewal fee that's easy to waive.
Quick facts
The annual fee is fully reversed if you spend ₹1.5 lakh or more on the card in the preceding year, and 4,000 bonus Reward Points are credited within 60 days of the fee being charged.
Fees and reward rates
4,000 Reward Points credited within 60 days of the annual fee being charged.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | Nil |
| Annual/renewal fee | ₹1,000 + GST |
| Renewal fee on ₹1.5 lakh+ annual spend | 100% waived |
| Forex mark-up | 3.5% of transaction value |
| Cash advance fee | Standard cash transaction charges apply |
| Interest rate | 3.75% per month (45% APR) |
| Spend category | Reward rate |
|---|---|
| All retail spends | 4 RP per ₹150 |
| Bonus on months where spend exceeds ₹20,000 | Additional 4 RP per ₹150 on that month's retail spend |
What else you get
1 complimentary domestic airport lounge visit every calendar quarter
Add-on cards available for family members
Convert purchases above ₹2,000 into EMI under Kuch Bhi on EMI from 0.99% per month
Redeem points through the Standard Chartered 360° Rewards catalogue for vouchers and merchandise
Eligibility
| Criteria | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Age | 21 to 65 years |
| Income (salaried) | Stable monthly income; exact minimum communicated at application |
| Income (self-employed) | Stable declared business income; exact minimum communicated at application |
| Credit history | Good credit history, generally CIBIL 700+ |
| Residency | Resident Indian in a Standard Chartered credit card sourcing city |
Standard Chartered issues cards only in its credit-card sourcing cities and runs frequent promotional fee waivers — confirm current city availability and exact fee terms on the official Standard Chartered India website before applying.
Verdict
What works
- Zero joining fee makes it an easy first Standard Chartered card
- Effective reward rate doubles in months you cross ₹20,000 spend
- Renewal fee waiver threshold of ₹1.5 lakh is achievable for regular users
- 4,000 welcome-style bonus points add real value against the eventual fee
What to watch for
- Base reward rate of 4 RP per ₹150 (about 2.67%) is unremarkable without the spend bonus
- Only 1 domestic lounge visit per quarter and no international lounge access
- 3.5% forex mark-up is higher than Standard Chartered's own premium cards
- No category accelerators for dining, travel or fuel
FAQs
Does the Standard Chartered Rewards Credit Card have a joining fee?
How does the bonus reward rate work on this card?
How many lounge visits does the Rewards card offer?
Rewards card or Platinum Rewards — what's the difference?
Compare more Standard Chartered cards
See the full Standard Chartered India lineup on SearchLocally.in.