HDFC Bank Freedom credit card
HDFC BankVisaEntry-level

Freedom credit card

Entry card with 10X on BigBasket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy and Uber.

26
Personal score26/100● Weak fit
Recurring net savings₹872/yrafter fee, GST and caps · bills paid in full
First-year value₹382incl. ₹100 welcome, ₹590 joining fee
Effective savings rate0.3%on ₹3,26,640 card spend · 6% = full marks
Annual fee (incl. GST)Waived ₹590waiver at ₹50,000 spend
Lounge access✈ noneyou can use 0 of your visits
PersonaliseOfficial page ↗

Source: HDFC Bank – Freedom product page · last reviewed 2026-09-12

Standard profile
Scored for Typical Indian cardholder · ₹32k/monthBills paid in full · first-year offers shown separately · set up your profile to score cards for your own spend

Why it fits – and what to watch

hover any tile for the detail
₹294/yrBase rate 0.13% on other spends
Waived₹590 fee
0/2lounge visits covered
1/1lifestyle perks matched
₹36,000earns nothing (fuel)

! No usable lounge access although you asked for it.

Where the money comes from

₹872/yr · 0.3%
Base rate 0.13% on other spendson ₹2,25,840₹294
10X on BigBasket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy,…on ₹16,800₹218
Excluded categories (no rewards)on ₹84,000₹0
Fuel surcharge waiver₹360

UPI QR spend is left out – not a RuPay card (UPI is counted once, on RuPay cards only).

How ₹872/yr is calculated
Freedom
+ Reward value on your spendat ₹0.2/CashPoints realistic value
₹512
+ Fuel surcharge waiver1% up to ₹250/month
₹360
+ Annual fee incl. 18% GSTwaived – ₹590 at ₹50,000 spend
₹0
= Recurring net savings
₹872/yr
÷ card spend counted UPI-only rupees excluded on non-RuPay cards
₹3,26,640
= Effective savings rate
0.3%

How the score of 26 is built

weights total 100% · methodology
Net savings rate5/100 × 55%3.0
Usable lounge access0/100 × 15%0.0
Redemption flexibility40/100 × 10%4.0
Lifestyle fit100/100 × 10%10.0
Simplicity80/100 × 5%4.0
Fee safety100/100 × 5%5.0

Airport lounges with this card

This card has no complimentary lounge access. Find cards that get you in →

What changed on this card

  1. New feeHDFC Bank

    HDFC Bank: 1% fee on rent, high utility and gaming spends; insurance reward caps

    From 1 July 2025 HDFC cards charge 1% (capped at ₹4,999 a month) on rent payments, on all utility transactions once monthly utility spend crosses ₹50,000 on personal cards, and on online skill-based gaming above ₹10,000 a month (gaming also earns no points). Insurance reward points are capped at 10,000 a month on Infinia, 5,000 on Diners Black and 2,000 on other cards.

    Cards: Infinia Metal, Diners Club Black Metal, Regalia Gold, Regalia, Millennia, Swiggy HDFC Bank, Tata Neu Infinity HDFC Bank, Tata Neu Plus HDFC Bank +10 more · Source: Business Standard – HDFC credit card users alert: new fees, reward caps from July 1 · verified 2026-09-19

All credit card changes →

Card facts

💳 Base earn0.13%value on eligible spend
⚡ Accelerated1.3% 10X on BigBasket,…
🚫 No rewards onfuelrentutilitiesinsuranceeducation
🏷️ Fees₹590/yr incl. GSTwaived on ₹50,000 spend · joining ₹500
🎁 Welcome (year 1)≈ ₹100500 CashPoints on fee payment
🏁 Milestonesnone
✈️ Lounge✈0 dom🌏0 intlNone
🌏 Forex markup3.5%+ GST on the markup
🔁 Redemption₹0.2/CashPoints ★★☆☆☆1 CP = ₹0.20 against statement.
🧩 Simplicity★★★★☆set and forget
🎯 Lifestylefuel waiver
🪪 EligibilityIncome ₹3L+/yr

At a glance

  • Low fee
  • Easy approval
  • EMI offers
  • Very low earn rate
  • No lounge
  • Points worth ₹0.20

Community Q&A on the Freedom

Threaded questions from cardholders · the Advisor can add a computed answer.

Loading discussion…

Frequently asked questions

What is the annual fee of the HDFC Bank Freedom?

Joining fee ₹500 and renewal fee ₹500, plus 18% GST (₹590 a year). The renewal fee is waived if you spend ₹50,000 in the card year.

Does the Freedom give airport lounge access?

No lounge access. None.

How much can I save with the Freedom?

For our example profile (Typical Indian cardholder (₹32k/month)) the recurring net saving is ₹872 a year, an effective savings rate of 0.3% after the fee. Use Find My Card to see your own number – it depends on where you spend and which caps you hit.

What are the Freedom's reward exclusions and caps?

No rewards on fuel, rent, utilities, insurance, education. 10X on BigBasket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy, Uber: capped at ₹500 a month

Sources

Reviewed 2026-09-12. Point values are our realistic estimates – see methodology. Also: Freedom lounge access by airport · all HDFC Bank cards · change log.