Top 3 credit cards for women: Exclusive benefits for shopping, dining, grocery shopping and more

Credit cards are a dime a dozen these days, with banks focusing on specific categories including groceries, shopping, travel, dining, cashbacks and rewards points to acquire customers. What about credit cards for women? Banks now offer credit cards designed exclusively for female customers. Besides ‘HDFC Solitaire Credit Card’ and Union Bank of India’s ‘Divaa Credit Card’, which are targeted at women, BOBCARD, a wholly owned subsidiary of Bank of Baroda, has now launched ‘Tiara Credit Card’, a women-targeted credit card .

What are the benefits of a female-oriented credit card? These cards offer higher benefits for shopping, lifestyle-related expenses, grocery bills, food and fuel costs. HDFC’s Solitaire offers 50% extra reward points on grocery and dining spend, while the premium version of the card offers 50% extra reward points on clothing and dining spend. Both cards provide a 1% exemption on fuel costs, which are subject to limits.

Union Bank of India’s ‘Divaa’ card comes with an annual benefit ₹24000. The card offers discount coupons worth ₹250 from Flipkart, Myntra and Big Basket, vouchers ₹500 from Nykaa and Ixigo and vouchers worth ₹1500 from Lakme Salon. The card also gives unlimited free delivery on ‘Food and Instamart’ orders through Swiggy One. It offers a flat ₹250 off with minimum purchase of two movie/non-movie tickets on Book My Show. Divaa’s women’s health package includes free ‘smear test and blood test’.

Tiara offers free vouchers and memberships worth up to ₹31,000 annually from leading brands including Myntra, Nykaa, Flipkart, Lakme Salon, Urban Company, Book My Show, Big Basket, Swiggy One, Amazon Prime or Disney Hotstar, Gaana Plus and Fitpass. The card gives discount coupons worth Nykaa, Flipkart and Myntra ₹500 per quarter and Lakme Salon discount vouchers worth ₹1500, once a quarter.

Here are some of the key features of these cards:

HDFC Solitaire Credit Card

Age: 21 to 60 years for salaried persons and 21 to 65 years for self-employed persons.

Proof of income such as a pay slip and Form 16 must be submitted

Annual fee/renewal fees: ₹999 plus GST for basic card, ₹2499 plus GST for premium card

Annual chargeback of costs: expenses ₹50,000 in the first year and get the fee reversed

Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India
(on transactions between ₹400 and ₹5000. Maximum exemption from ₹250 per statement cycle)

Interest: 3.6% per month (i.e. 43.2% per year) will be charged on any outstanding amount transferred after the invoice due date

Forex markup: 3.5% on international spend

Union Bank of India Divaa Credit Card

Age: 18 years to 65 years

Minimum income: ₹2.5 lakh per year

Annual fee: ₹499 plus GST for main card and ₹399 plus GST for expansion card

Annual chargeback of costs: expenses ₹30,000 in the first year and the fee will be reversed

Fuel surcharge exemption: 1% of the purchase transaction. Reimbursed up to a maximum of ₹100 per card per month

Interest: 2.95% per month or 35.40% annually will be charged on any outstanding amount transferred after the invoice due date

Forex markup: 3% on international spend

BOBCARD Tiara credit card

Age: 21 years to 60 years

Minimum income: greater than or equal to ₹7.2 lakh per year

Membership and annual contribution: ₹2499 plus VAT

Refund of participation costs: expenses ₹25000 within the first 60 days for chargeback

Annual fee waiver: expenses ₹2.5 lakh in a year to get waiver of fee for the next year

Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver at all fuel stations across India. (On transactions between ₹400 and ₹5000. Maximum exemption from ₹250 per statement cycle)

Interest: Standard rates apply to credit cards

Forex markup: 2% on international spend.

(Note: Using a credit card comes with its own risks)

Allirajan M is a journalist with more than twenty years of experience. He has worked with several leading media organizations in the country and has been writing about mutual funds for almost sixteen years.