The Axis Ace credit card is the cleanest flat-cashback card in India — 2% back on every spend, no categories to think about, no caps on base cashback. Our Axis Ace credit card review for 2026 examines whether it still holds up against specialist cards like HDFC Millennia and ICICI Amazon Pay.
Quick verdict
The Axis Ace is the best Indian credit card for people who refuse to think about categories. 2% on everything, 4% on bill payments via Google Pay, 5% on Swiggy/Zomato/Ola. Hold it alongside a specialist card (Amazon Pay ICICI or Flipkart Axis) and the pair covers 95% of spending at top-tier rates.
Rewards structure
- 2% cashback on every purchase (uncapped on base rate).
- 4% cashback on utility bills via Google Pay — electricity, gas, broadband, phone.
- 5% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, Ola (capped at ₹500/month across all three).
- Cashback posts as statement credit within 20 days of the billing cycle.
The 5% cap works out to ₹6,000/year on food and ride-share — plenty for most users. If you spend more than ₹10,000/month on Swiggy, consider HDFC Swiggy as a second card.
Fees
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹499 + GST |
| Annual fee | ₹499 + GST |
| Fee waiver | ₹2,00,000 yearly spend |
| Interest rate | 3.4% per month |
| Forex markup | 3.5% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% up to ₹500 per statement |
The ₹2 lakh spend threshold for fee waiver is among the easiest in this tier — under ₹17,000/month of normal spend clears it.
Eligibility
- Salaried: minimum ₹3,50,000 / year (~₹30,000/month).
- Self-employed: minimum ₹3,00,000 ITR.
- Minimum age: 18 years.
- Typical CIBIL: 720+ for smooth approval.
Pros
- Zero mental overhead. 2% on everything means every swipe is at your best rate — no category checking required.
- 4% on Google Pay bills. Route electricity / gas / phone through GPay on this card = ₹6,000–₹10,000 back annually for an average household.
- Easy fee waiver. ₹2L/year is approachable for most salaried users.
- Clean cashback mechanics. No points, no catalogue, statement credit.
Cons
- Annual fee ₹499 + GST. Not lifetime free. Miss the ₹2L threshold and the card costs ~₹590/year.
- Food-delivery cap. 5% capped at ₹500/month — heavy Swiggy users hit this fast.
- No lounge access. Compare HDFC Millennia's 8 lounge visits.
- 3.5% forex markup. Pair with a low-forex travel card for international trips.
Axis Ace vs HDFC Millennia
| Metric | Axis Ace | HDFC Millennia |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | ₹499 (waived ₹2L) | ₹1,000 (waived ₹1L) |
| Top rate | 5% Swiggy/Zomato/Ola | 5% on 10 partners |
| Base rate | 2% flat | 1% |
| Lounge access | No | 8 domestic/year |
| Cashback cap | ₹500/mo on top categories | ₹1,000/mo on CashPoints |
Axis Ace wins on base rate (2% vs 1%) and fee. HDFC Millennia wins on category breadth (10 merchants vs 3) and lounge access. For mixed-category spenders the Ace often nets higher real cashback; for online-focused spenders Millennia wins.
Who should get the Axis Ace
- Anyone who wants one simple card for everything.
- Google Pay users who pay 3+ utility bills monthly.
- People who dislike thinking about reward categories.
- Second-card holders wanting a flat-rate "everything else" card to pair with ICICI Amazon Pay or Flipkart Axis.
Who should skip it
- Heavy online shoppers — HDFC Millennia's 5% on 10 merchants beats 2%.
- Frequent travellers — needs a card with lounge access.
- Sub-₹20,000 monthly spenders — fee won't get waived.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Axis Ace credit card worth ₹499 annual fee?
Yes for anyone spending ₹15,000+ monthly — the cashback alone will exceed ₹2,000/year. The fee is reversed at ₹2L yearly spend for most active users.
What is the cashback structure on Axis Ace?
2% on every purchase (uncapped), 4% on Google Pay utility bills, 5% on Swiggy/Zomato/Ola (capped at ₹500/month combined).
How does Axis Ace cashback get credited?
As statement credit within 20 days of each billing cycle. No redemption steps required.
Can I use Axis Ace on UPI?
The current Axis Ace is on Visa, which doesn't yet support UPI. For UPI credit, see our best RuPay cards guide.
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Credit Cards Editor, OnePaisa Editorial
Sandhya writes on credit cards for OnePaisa — reward programmes, fees and charges, lounge and travel benefits, and head-to-head card comparisons. Every fee, earn rate and benefit in her guides is checked against the issuer's MITC document and official product page, and against OnePaisa's verified product data, before it is published. Where an issuer does not disclose a number, the guide says so instead of estimating it.
Work published under this byline follows OnePaisa’s editorial standards — how our guides are researched, fact-checked against primary sources, and corrected.