HDFC Freedom Credit Card: For First-Time Users

HDFC Freedom Credit Card offers decent reward points which you can later redeem through catalogue purchases or cashback. However, this credit card also offers other benefits like fuel surcharge waiver, dining discount, annual fee waiver and more. Below mentioned are some of the major HDFC Freedom Credit Card benefits:

Up to 10X CashPoints on your purchases

You can earn up to 10X CashPoints via this credit card on select purchases. Here are the details regarding the same:

• 10X CashPoints on transactions via Big Basket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy & Uber (Maximum of 2,500 CashPoints can be earned in a calendar month)
• 5X CashPoints on EMI spends at merchant locations (Maximum of 2,500 CashPoints can be earned in a calendar month)
• 1 CashPoint for every Rs. 150 on other spends (Excluding fuel, wallet/ prepaid card loads or voucher purchases)*

Points to be noted:

• You cannot earn reward points on rent payments and govt related transactions
• Reward points earned on grocery transactions are capped per month to 1,000 reward points

Click here for detailed terms and conditions.

Also read: Best Credit Cards for Reward Points

The reward rate offered on HDFC Freedom varies from 0.1% to 0.6% (depending on the category), which is very low as compared to other similar cards available in the market. Cards like HDFC MoneyBack+ or SBI Simply CLICK comes with a better reward rate. HDFC MoneyBack offers a reward rate of 0.3% to 3.33% and SBI Simply CLICK has a reward rate of 0.25% to 2.5%, which are better than the reward rate offered on HDFC Freedom. Overall, this credit card has a very low rewards structure when compared to other options at similar annual fee.

CashPoints Redemption

You can redeem the earned CashPoints against a variety of categories like flight bookings, shopping, hotel bookings, products from rewards catalogue, against statement credit and much more. Below mentioned are the details regarding the same:

• 1 CashPoint = Re. 0.15
• Unredeemed CashPoints will expire/ lapse after 2 years of accumulation
• A minimum of 3,334 CashPoints or equivalent of Rs. 500 are required for redemption against the statement balance
• Reward points redemption against flight & hotel bookings and cashback are capped 50,000 per month
• You can only redeem up to 70% of product/ voucher value through reward points on select vouchers/ products

HDFC Freedom Vs HDFC MoneyBack+ Vs SBI Simply CLICK

HDFC Freedom, HDFC MoneyBack+ and SBI Simply CLICK are reward credit cards that let you earn reward points on every transaction. However, HDFC MoneyBack+ and SBI Simply CLICK has a better redemption value as compared to HDFC MoneyBack+. Let’s take an example to understand which one is better for reward points:

Suggested read: HDFC Credit Card Reward Points Redemption

Apart from rewards, some of the other HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card benefits are mentioned below:

Welcome/ Renewal Benefit: 500 CashPoints after the payment of joining and renewal fee.

Annual Fee Waiver: Annual fee waiver on spending Rs. 50,000 in a year.

Fuel Surcharge Waiver: 1% fuel surcharge waiver on your transactions between Rs. 400 to Rs. 5,000. You can avail a maximum waiver of Rs. 250 in a statement cycle.

Low Interest Rate: The lower interest rate of 0.99% for the first 90 days on non-EMI spends from the card issuance date. This is not applicable on insta loan, insta jumbo loan, SmartEMI, EasyEMI, balance transfer or cash transactions.

Dining Discount: Up to 15% off at 2,000+ premium restaurants in selected cities with a Dineout membership.

Suggested read: Popular Credit Cards in India

HDFC Freedom Credit Card is one of the popular credit cards for reward points. This credit card lets you earn up to 10X reward points on your transactions at select merchants. One of the great features is that you can also earn reward points on your EMI spends, which is generally not provided on entry-level credit cards. Additionally, its relaxed eligibility criteria make it a suitable option for people who are new to credit.

However, this is a basic credit card that does not provide extensive benefits. The credit card has a very low reward rate as compared to other cards like HDFC MoneyBack+ and SBI Simply CLICK, which are offered at a similar annual fee. You can avail better reward benefits with these cards. You can consider this as an option if you are new to credit and looking for a basic rewards credit card.

The fees and charges associated with this credit card are mentioned in the table below:

Click here for other fees and charges.

To be eligible for HDFC Bank Freedom Credit Card, you must meet the below-mentioned eligibility criteria:

Read in detail: HDFC Credit Card Eligibility Criteria

Some of the other credit cards that offer benefits similar to HDFC Freedom Credit Card are mentioned in the table below:

Q. How can I apply for HDFC Freedom Credit Card?

A. You can apply for this credit card online through the official website of the bank. All you need to do is open the page of this credit card and click on ‘Apply Now’ to fill out the application form. You can also apply offline for this credit card by visiting the nearest branch of the bank ad submitting a duly-filled application form.

Q. How can I redeem my HDFC Freedom Credit Card reward points?

A. You can redeem your earned reward points online via internet banking. You can log in to the internet banking portal and go to the ‘Online Redemption’ and choose the products as per your choice to redeem your reward points. Additionally, you can also redeem your earned reward points offline by posting the rewards redemption form to the HDFC card division.

Q. Can I check my HDFC Freedom Credit Card statement online?

A. Yes, you can check your credit card statement online by visiting the official website of HDFC Bank. Log in to your account and go to ‘Cards’ and select the ‘Enquire’ option to view your statement. You can also use HDFC mobile banking app to download your billed statement.

Q. What is the cash advance fee charged on HDFC Freedom Credit Card?

A. The bank charges a fee of 2.5% of the withdrawn amount or a minimum of Rs. 500 (whichever is higher) for withdrawing cash via HDFC Freedom Credit Card. Therefore, it is advisable not to withdraw cash using your credit card as it comes with higher charges.

Q. Who can apply for HDFC Freedom Credit Card?

A. All Indian nationals above the age of 21, whether salaried or self-employed, can apply for this credit card, provided that they meet the income criteria and other card-specific requirements. The maximum age requirement to apply for this credit card is 60 years for salaried applicants and 65 years for self-employed applicants.

Q. I already have a card. Can I apply for HDFC Freedom Credit Card?

A. Yes, the bank allows its customers to have more than one credit card. However, you must meet the set eligibility criteria to apply for this credit card. The minimum income requirement for salaried applicants is Rs. 12,000 per month.

Q. Can I earn 10X reward points on every transaction via HDFC Freedom Credit Card?

A. No, you can only earn 10X reward points on your transactions at Big Basket, BookMyShow, OYO, Swiggy and Uber. However, you can earn a maximum of 2,500 CashPoints in a calendar month under these transactions.