Last reviewed: 9 October 2026. Fees and benefits checked against Standard Chartered India’s official Smart Credit Card page and its credit card tariffs and charges schedule.
The Standard Chartered Smart credit card is a low-fee cashback card that pays 2% back on online spends and 1% on most offline spends, with monthly caps that keep the maths simple. It suits salaried people and young professionals who shop online often and want cashback rather than points, and who can comfortably spend ₹1.2 lakh a year to get the annual fee reversed.
Key facts about the Standard Chartered Smart credit card
| Feature | Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹499 plus 18% GST |
| Annual fee | ₹499 plus 18% GST from the second year |
| Fee waiver | Renewal fee reversed if you spent ₹1,20,000 or more in the previous year |
| Online cashback | 2%, capped at ₹1,000 a month (₹2 per ₹100) |
| Other spends | 1%, capped at ₹500 a month (₹1 per ₹100); fuel earns nothing |
| Maximum cashback | ₹18,000 a year |
| Welcome benefit | None stated on the product page |
| Introductory offer | 90-day interest-free period from issuance if you pay the minimum due; 3-month EMI at 0.99% a month with no processing fee |
| Lounge access | Not offered on the product page |
| Forex markup | 3.5% on overseas transactions |
| Network | Visa |
| Eligibility | Age 18 to 65 (salaried) or 18 to 67 (self-employed), stable income, living in a sourcing city |
| Best for | Online shoppers wanting simple, capped cashback |
GST at 18% applies to the joining fee, annual fee and other charges.
What you would actually earn with the Standard Chartered Smart credit card
Assume ₹30,000 a month: ₹15,000 online (shopping, food delivery, bookings), ₹12,000 offline at shops and restaurants, and ₹3,000 on fuel.
- Online: ₹15,000 × 2% = ₹300, well under the ₹1,000 monthly cap
- Offline: ₹12,000 × 1% = ₹120, under the ₹500 cap
- Fuel: ₹3,000 earns ₹0
- Monthly cashback: ₹420, so ₹420 × 12 = ₹5,040 a year
- First-year fee with GST: ₹499 × 1.18 = ₹588.82
- Year one net value: ₹5,040 minus ₹589 = about ₹4,451
- From year two: annual spend of ₹3.6 lakh clears the ₹1.2 lakh waiver, so net value is the full ₹5,040
The caps only bite at high spends. You would need ₹50,000 a month online to hit the ₹1,000 online cap, and ₹50,000 a month offline to max out the ₹500 offline cap.
Getting the most from it
Route subscriptions, food delivery, online groceries and travel bookings through the card, since these count as online spends and earn the higher 2%. Use another card for fuel, which earns nothing here. Pay the full statement balance every month: at 3.75% a month in finance charges, one month of carried interest wipes out far more than the cashback you earn. Track your yearly total too, because crossing ₹1.2 lakh by the card anniversary is what keeps the renewal fee reversed.
Pros and cons
Pros
- 2% online cashback is generous for a ₹499 card.
- Easy fee waiver at ₹1.2 lakh of yearly spending, about ₹10,000 a month.
- Cashback rather than points, so no reward catalogue to work through.
- Useful introductory 90-day interest-free window and low-cost 3-month EMI.
Cons
- Monthly caps limit total cashback to ₹18,000 a year.
- No lounge access or travel perks.
- Fuel spends earn no cashback.
- 3.5% forex markup makes it a poor choice abroad.
Fees and charges
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Finance charges | 3.75% a month (45% APR) on standard cards |
| Late payment fee | Nil up to ₹100; ₹100 for ₹101 to ₹500; ₹500 for ₹501 to ₹5,000; ₹700 for ₹5,001 to ₹10,000; ₹1,200 above ₹10,000 |
| Repeat late payment | Extra ₹100 if the minimum due stays unpaid for two or more months in a row |
| Cash advance fee | 3% of the amount, minimum ₹300 |
| Forex markup | 3.5% |
| Reward redemption fee | ₹99 handling charge listed for reward point redemptions |
| Fuel surcharge | ₹10 or 1% of the transaction, whichever is higher; no waiver stated |
| Supplementary card | Free |
All fees above come from Standard Chartered’s tariffs and charges schedule and attract 18% GST.
Eligibility and documents
Who can apply
Standard Chartered lists an age band of 18 to 65 for salaried applicants and 18 to 67 for self-employed applicants. You need a stable monthly income and must live in one of the bank’s sourcing cities. The bank does not publish a fixed income cut-off on the product page.
Documents
- PAN card
- Government photo ID such as a passport or voter ID
- Address proof
- One passport-size photograph
- Salaried: latest salary slip. Self-employed: latest income tax return and proof of business continuity
How the Standard Chartered Smart credit card compares
| Card | Annual fee | Waiver spend | Style |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard Chartered Smart | ₹499 | ₹1.2 lakh | 2% online, 1% offline, capped |
| Axis Bank ACE | ₹499 | ₹2 lakh | Cashback card from Axis |
| Cashback SBI Card | See our review | See our review | Cashback card from SBI Card |
Axis ACE figures are from the Axis Bank MITC, excluding GST. The Smart card’s waiver threshold is lower than ACE’s, which helps moderate spenders. For more choices, read our HDFC Millennia review.
Our verdict
The Smart card is a sensible, low-cost cashback card that pays its way for anyone who spends ₹10,000 a month or more, especially online. Skip it if you want lounges, travel benefits or a card for foreign spending, or if your monthly online spends already exceed ₹50,000.
How to apply
Apply on Standard Chartered’s official Smart Credit Card page. Before you do, see how we score cards in our rating methodology and browse our credit cards section.
Frequently asked questions
What is the annual fee on the Standard Chartered Smart credit card?
₹499 plus GST, charged as a joining fee and again each year. The renewal fee is reversed if you spent ₹1.2 lakh or more in the previous year.
How much cashback can I earn in a year?
Up to ₹18,000: ₹1,000 a month on online spends and ₹500 a month on other spends.
Do fuel purchases earn cashback?
No. Fuel transactions are excluded from the 1% offline cashback.
Does the card offer airport lounge access?
No lounge benefit is listed on the official product page.
What is the forex markup?
Standard Chartered charges 3.5% on overseas transactions for this card.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Card terms change often; confirm the latest fees and benefits on the bank’s website before you apply.
