The ICICI Amazon Pay credit card is India's most issued lifetime-free credit card, reportedly crossing 6 million holders in 2025. For Amazon-first households it is the default pick, and our ICICI Amazon Pay credit card review for 2026 examines whether it still deserves that status.
Quick verdict
The ICICI Amazon Pay is the best lifetime-free credit card in India for anyone who does ₹5,000+ a month on Amazon. No card at any price delivers 5% Amazon cashback with zero fee. The only caveat: skip it if your online spending is Flipkart-first.
Rewards: simple and generous
- 5% cashback on Amazon.in for Amazon Prime members (3% for non-Prime).
- 2% cashback on Amazon Pay merchants — bill payments, recharges, Amazon Pay QR at physical stores.
- 1% cashback on all other spends (grocery, fuel, etc.).
- Cashback credits as Amazon Pay balance within 45 days — no points, no catalogue.
There are no monthly or quarterly caps on 5% cashback. If you spend ₹20,000 on Amazon in a month, you get ₹1,000 back — full stop.
Fees and charges
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹0 |
| Annual fee | ₹0 (lifetime free) |
| Interest rate | 3.5% per month |
| Foreign-transaction markup | 3.5% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% up to ₹400 per statement |
Truly lifetime free — no spend milestones, no hidden renewal fees.
Eligibility
- Minimum age: 18 years (primary) / 15 years (add-on).
- Minimum income: ₹25,000/month (salaried). Self-employed approvals rely more on CIBIL.
- Minimum CIBIL: 750+ for smooth approval; 700+ with an existing ICICI relationship.
- Typical approval time: 48–72 hours for pre-approved ICICI customers; 7–10 days otherwise.
Pros
- Unbeatable Amazon rate. 5% on India's largest online marketplace — no card matches it.
- Zero cost of ownership. Truly lifetime free.
- Zero redemption friction. Cashback lands as Amazon Pay balance automatically.
- No spend caps. High-spending households earn proportionally.
- ICICI underwriting. Decent approval rates for first-time cardholders with stable income.
Cons
- High forex markup. 3.5% is steep for a card that might be your only international card — carry a HDFC Regalia Gold or Scapia Federal for travel.
- No lounge access. No complimentary lounges, no travel insurance.
- 1% base rate. Off-Amazon spends are mediocre.
- Cashback only as Amazon Pay balance. Great if you buy on Amazon regularly, less useful otherwise.
ICICI Amazon Pay vs Flipkart Axis
The head-to-head comparison most users run:
| Metric | Amazon Pay ICICI | Flipkart Axis |
|---|---|---|
| Fee | Lifetime free | ₹500 (waived ₹3.5L) |
| Primary merchant rate | 5% Amazon (Prime) | 5% Flipkart |
| Partner merchants | 2% Amazon Pay | 4% on 4 partners |
| Base rate | 1% | 1.5% |
| Cashback type | Amazon Pay balance | Statement credit |
If 70%+ of your online spend is on Amazon, pick Amazon Pay ICICI. If it's 70%+ Flipkart, pick Flipkart Axis. If it's split, hold both — the fees together still average well under 1% of spend.
Who should apply
- Amazon Prime members who shop on Amazon at least twice a month.
- First-time credit-card applicants at ₹25K+ salary — it's a great starter card.
- Second-card holders who want to offload online spend from their main card.
Skip if you're Flipkart-first (Flipkart Axis is better) or if Amazon is less than 20% of your online spending (a flat-cashback card like Axis Ace beats it overall).
If you're comparing the Amazon Pay card against other cards that earn on Amazon, our best credit cards for Amazon shopping round-up covers every alternative including HDFC Millennia and SBI SimplyCLICK.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the ICICI Amazon Pay credit card truly lifetime free?
Yes. No joining fee, no annual fee, no renewal fee ever. No minimum-spend clause to maintain free status.
How does the ICICI Amazon Pay cashback work?
Cashback is credited as Amazon Pay balance within 45 days of the statement. Use it on Amazon.in or at Amazon Pay merchants.
Can I use the ICICI Amazon Pay card for international transactions?
Yes, but the 3.5% foreign markup is steep. Use a lower-forex card like Regalia Gold for international trips.
What's the difference between Prime and non-Prime cashback?
Prime members get 5% on Amazon.in; non-Prime get 3%. The 2% on Amazon Pay merchants and 1% base rate apply regardless of Prime status.
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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.