How we calculate — and why you can trust it

Independence

FinArt earns nothing from any card issuer. There are no affiliate links, no Apply-Now buttons, and no paid placements. That is what lets us say “keep the card you already have” when a new card barely beats it — an answer affiliate-funded comparison sites can't give you.

Effective rates, not headline rates

Every card advertises a big number. We ignore it. We apply each reward rule's real monthly caps, category exclusions, and minimum-transaction conditions to your spend, so a “5% card” that caps at ₹500/month shows its true effective rate at your numbers.

Net annual value

We rank by net rupees per year: projected rewards, minus the annual fee (after any spend-based waiver), plus welcome and milestone value, with point-based cards valued at a realistic redemption rate rather than the best-case catalogue rate.

One thing worth calling out: a card's joining or welcome bonus is a one-time benefit — you get it once, not every year you hold the card. We still count its full value in the net-annual-value figure, because it's real money that affects whether a card is worth getting in the first place. Just know that in year two onward, that particular slice of the number won't repeat — the recurring part of your return is the reward rate, fee, and any milestones, not the welcome bonus.

How we value reward points

A reward point isn't a rupee. Most Indian issuers publish a redemption catalogue with values that swing widely by how you cash out — so there is no single official “point value” to quote. Where the issuer doesn't fix one, we apply a conservative, realistic redemption rate and label that number est. wherever it appears. Hover the tag to see the exact assumption for that card. Numbers without the tag are transcribed straight from the issuer.

Standing assumptions we use today (each shown with its basis on the card): HDFC SmartBuy (Infinia / Regalia) ~₹0.50 per point on flights & hotels; Axis EDGE Miles at the issuer's ₹1 face value; most SBI / ICICI / IDFC / Kotak reward points ~₹0.25; YES Rewardz ~₹0.20 via vouchers. Cashback percentages are issuer-stated and carry no estimate tag. We deliberately use everyday-redemption values, not best-case ones, so a card's worth isn't inflated by a redemption route most people never use.

Because every result's net-value figure is built partly on your spend estimates and these point values, the headline number is always an estimate — we say so rather than dressing it up as an exact rupee amount.

Verified against official sources

Card facts are checked against each issuer's official terms (product pages and MITC documents), with a “verified” date shown on every result. Terms change often in India; when we spot a devaluation, we update in our system and note the change.

Spotted something wrong?

Every result has a “Report an inaccuracy” link, and confirmed corrections ship in the next update. You can also tell us about a missing card or a broader issue. Try the tool →

Terms & data use

The FinArt card database — our verified terms, effective-rate calculations, caveats, editorial notes, and “verified on” dates — is original work, curated and maintained by FinArt, and is © FinArt. You're welcome to use it personally to pick a card, and to cite or link to individual pages with attribution. What is not permitted is bulk extraction, scraping, republication, or redistribution of the database or any substantial part of it. The JSON API exists to power this site's own front-end; it is not an open data feed and automated access to it is not licensed.

Individual facts (a fee, a reward rate) aren't ours to own — but the curated, verified, dated collection is, and copying it wholesale is both a terms violation and, for the original text and structure, a copyright one. If you'd like to license the dataset, get in touch.

The FinArt Credit Card Optimizer is an educational tool, not financial or investment advice. Eligibility is ultimately decided by card issuers.