Best credit card to use in India: Top 6 UK picks

Have a trip to India coming up? Whether you’re visiting for a holiday, work trip or to see family, you’ll need to figure out the best way to spend in Indian rupees (INR).

If you’re a fan of credit cards for overseas spending, read on. We’ve put together a guide for UK travellers on the best UK credit cards to use in India.

We’ll look at top picks from NatWest, Santander, Halifax, Barclays, Zopa and Bip, comparing them on foreign transaction fees, features, interest rates and more. This should help you find the right credit card for your trip to India.

We’ll also show you a travel-friendly alternative - the Wise card. It’s not a credit card but an international debit card linked to your Wise account. You can use it for spending in 150+ countries including India, automatically converting your pounds to the local currency at the great mid-market exchange rate, only adding a tiny, transparent conversion fee*.

Learn more about the Wise card 💳

Table of contents
Top picks compared: The best UK credit cards to use in India Halifax Clarity Credit Card Barclaycard Rewards Card Bip Credit Card NatWest Travel Reward Credit Card Zopa Credit Card Santander All in One Credit Card How do credit cards work in India? Is it best to use a credit card in India? What to look for in a good credit card to use while travelling to India FAQ

Top picks compared: The best UK credit cards to use in India

To help you find the best way to spend abroad, here’s our top picks for travel-friendly UK credit cards you can use in India:

Card name	FX rate	Foreign currency transaction fees	ATM fees	Interest rate (APR)	Best feature
Halifax Clarity Credit Card¹	Mastercard	None	None	Check eligibility to find out	No ATM fees
Barclaycard Rewards Card²	Visa	None	None	28.9% Interest-free for 56 days³	No ATM fees
Bip Credit Card⁴	Mastercard	None	None	29.9% Interest-free for 48 days	Cardless credit
NatWest Travel Reward Credit Card⁵	Visa	None	3% (min. £3)	27.9% Interest-free for 56 days	Cashback on travel spending
Zopa Credit Card⁶	Visa	None	£3	34.9% Interest-free for 56 days	Easy in-app management
Santander All in One Credit Card⁷	Mastercard	None	3% (min. £3)	29.8% Interest-free for 56 days	Cashback for everyday spending

Halifax Clarity Credit Card - Best for withdrawing cash in India

The Halifax Clarity Credit Card is a great choice for overseas use, as it doesn’t have any fees for either spending or withdrawing cash abroad. There’s no annual fee to worry about either.¹

Interest rates aren’t available online, so you’ll need to check your eligibility on the Halifax website to see the rate you’ll be offered - along with your personal credit limit and interest-free period on purchases. It’s likely though that there’ll be no interest-free period on cash withdrawals, like with the other credit cards on our list.

The Halifax Clarity card uses the Mastercard exchange rate for converting currency between GBP and INR.

Barclaycard Rewards Card - Best for withdrawing cash and cashback on spending

Similar to the Halifax card, the Barclaycard Rewards Card also has no annual fees or charges for spending or withdrawing cash overseas.

And as an additional perk, you’ll get 0.25% cashback on all your everyday purchases.²

The representative APR for the card is 28.9% (variable)² and you’ll get a 56-day interest-free period on purchases.³ But remember that interest on cash transactions like ATM withdrawals is likely to start accruing right away.

The card uses Visa’s exchange rates for converting currency between GBP and INR.

Bip Credit Card - Best for cardless credit

Prefer cardless payments? You might want to check out the Bip Credit Card, as it’s a digital-only credit card that lives on your phone - in the Bip app and in your digital wallet if you use one.

This lets you pay using your phone, wherever contactless payments are accepted. The only drawback with this is that you’ll struggle to find any cardless ATMs during your trip to India. There’s also the fact that not everywhere will accept contactless payments, so you may need to take a back-up card with you.

On the plus side, there are no annual fees or foreign transaction fees for spending or cash withdrawals in INR or other currencies. The card uses the Mastercard exchange rate for converting currency.⁴

It has a representative APR of 29.9% (variable) and a 48-day interest-free period for purchases (none for cash withdrawals).

NatWest Travel Reward Credit Card - Best for cashback on travel spending

The NatWest Travel Reward Credit Card is specifically designed for overseas use, with no foreign transaction fees on spending. There’s no annual fee either.

However, there is a 3% (£3 min.) fee for cash withdrawals.⁵ You’ll get a 56-day interest-free period on purchases, but interest on cash withdrawals will start accruing right away. The representative APR for the card is 27.9% (variable).⁵

The card uses the Visa exchange rate for converting currency between GBP and INR.

As an added bonus, you’ll also get cashback at the following rates on eligible travel-related purchases:⁸

• 1% on flights, trains, car rental, ferries, buses, hotel accommodation, travel agents, cruises, campsites and more.
• 1% to 15% at selected partner retailers.

Zopa Credit Card - Best for in-app money management

The Zopa Credit Card has no annual fees, and no fees for spending in Indian rupee or other foreign currencies when you use it abroad. But if you want to use it for cash withdrawals, you’ll pay £3 per transaction. Currency conversions are carried out using Visa exchange rates.⁶

The card offers a 56-day interest-free period on purchases (none for cash transactions) and a representative APR of 34.9%.

You’ll manage your card in the Zopa app, which also has some handy money management tools available. This includes instant spending notifications, real-time balance updates and a Credit Cushion feature which lets you ringfence credit for when you really need it.

Also good to know - Zopa was also named Best Credit Card Provider at the British Bank Awards 2024.⁹

Santander All in One Credit Card - best for cashback on everyday spending

The Santander All in One Credit Card is the only card on our list with a fee, which is £3 a month. However, this may be offset by the cashback you can earn on everyday spending. The card offers 0.5% cashback (up to £10 a month) on all your purchases.¹⁰

There are no fees for spending in India or other countries worldwide, and there’s a 56-day interest-free period on purchases. Cash withdrawals overseas are charged at 3% (min. £3) per transaction, and interest on these will start accruing right away.⁷

The Santander All in One Credit Card has a representative APR of 29.8% (variable).⁷ It uses Mastercard’s exchange rates for currency conversions.

How do credit cards work in India?

You’ll find that credit cards in India work in pretty much the same way as in the UK.

You can use yours for spending and cash withdrawals (although this usually comes with a fee, so is best avoided) anywhere that accepts Visa/Mastercard. In some places, you may be able to make contactless payments with your credit card.

Anything you spend will be added to your balance, and you need to pay off the minimum amount required before the interest-free period ends or you’ll be charged interest.

Can I use my UK credit card in India?

Yes, you should be fine to use your UK credit card in India. Both locally-issued and international cards are accepted.

Visa and Mastercard are widely accepted, although American Express credit cards have limited acceptance. You may not be able to use Amex cards anywhere except for large hotels, luxury shops, big chains and fine dining restaurants.

As you’ll be spending in Indian rupees during your trip, you’ll just need to check whether your UK credit card charges any foreign currency transaction fees (also known as non-sterling transaction fees).

If it does, you may be best switching to a travel-friendly credit card, or even a debit cardwhich has no foreign currency transaction fees.

Another option is a prepaid travel card which you top up with your chosen currency before you travel.

Is it best to use a credit card in India?

Debit and credit cards are widely used and accepted in India, especially in bigger towns and cities. But whether a credit card is the best choice depends on what fees your card charges for spending and cash withdrawals in foreign currencies.

Cash is also preferred (or is the only accepted payment method) in many places, especially in smaller shops, or in more remote or rural parts of the country. You may also need to have some rupees in cash for tips, transport and shopping at markets. So, it could be best to take both cash and cards to India with you.

You might also want to check the rules for how much cash you can take in and out of India with you.

What to look for in a good credit card to use while travelling to India

Here’s a quick checklist of things to look for when choosing a credit card for your trip to India:

• No foreign transaction fees
• No overseas cash withdrawal fees
• A generous interest-free period for purchases - this gives you plenty of time to make repayments after your trip
• Cashback or rewards on travel or everyday spending
• Decent currency exchange rates - most credit cards use Visa or Mastercard rates, which are known to be pretty good.

FAQ

Do you get charged for using a credit card in India?

Your credit card provider may charge you for spending or withdrawing cash in Indian rupee during your trip. You’ll need to check the list of fees for your specific card.

The vendor or merchant may also add a credit card surcharge to cover the costs of processing the payment - it’s best to ask before you pay.

How do I avoid credit card foreign transaction fees?

To avoid or minimise fees when using a credit card abroad, follow these tips:

• Choose a credit card with no foreign transaction fees
• Avoid cash withdrawals overseas - these usually come with fees
• Always pay in the local currency
• Remember to make minimum repayments before the interest-free period ends.

Is it better to pay in local or foreign currency on a credit card?

It’s always best to pay in the local currency when spending overseas. This will mean that Visa or Mastercard exchange rates will be used, which are usually much better than those applied by the vendor, retailer or ATM.

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That concludes our guide to the best credit card for spending in India. Hopefully, this helps you find the one that suits your needs best.

And if you want another option for spending abroad without worrying about exchange rate markups and hidden fees, the Wise card could be a great solution.

Open a Wise account online and you can order the Wise card for a one-time fee of £7. You can use this clever card in 150+ countries, including India. It automatically converts your pounds to local currency whenever you spend using the mid-market exchange rate, only adding a tiny, transparent conversion fee* – or it’s free if you already have the local currency in your Wise account.

You also get two free ATM withdrawals for up to 200 GBP (or currency equivalent) each month. Wise will not charge you for these withdrawals, but additional charges may occur from independent ATM networks.

Sign up with Wise for free 🚀

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Sources used:

1. Halifax - Clarity Card
2. Barclays - Barclays Rewards
3. Barclaycard Rewards - Summary Box
4. Bip - Summary box
5. NatWest - Summary box for Travel Reward credit card
6. Zopa - Summary box
7. Santander - Summary Box - All in One Credit Card
8. NatWest - Travel Reward Credit Card
9. Zopa - Credit card
10. Santander - All in One Credit Card

Sources last checked on date: 25-Feb-2024