Is it worth paying an annual fee on a credit card?
Sarada Parthasarathy
Asked 16 May 2026
Most premium cards charge ₹5,000+ as annual fee. Are the rewards and lounge benefits worth it for someone whose monthly spend is around ₹1,00,000?
2 Answers
Don't blindly apply based on YouTube recommendations. Pull your latest CIBIL score first — most premium cards need 760+. If your score is in the 700-750 range, start with a lifetime free card and upgrade after 12-18 months of clean history.
For the fee waiver condition: most banks count only retail purchases, not EMI, wallet loads, or fuel (in some cases). Read the TnC PDF linked at the bottom of the fee-waiver email — it's usually 2-3 paragraphs of fine print that change everything.
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