Fuel credit cards compared
Worked out on ₹4,000 of fuel a month at the card's partner pumps and ₹10,000 of other spending at the card's ordinary rate. The 1% surcharge waiver, which most cards give, is left out so the rewards compare like for like. "Top rate" here is the card's best non-fuel category; its fuel rate is in the details below.
| Card | Joining / annual fee | Fee waived at | Top rate | Value a month | Net a year |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HPCL Super Saver Credit CardICICI Bank | ₹500 / ₹500 | ₹1,50,000 a year | 5%Utilities, groceries, department stores | ₹2101.5% overall | ₹2,520no fee to pay |
| IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit CardHDFC Bank | ₹500 / ₹500 | ₹50,000 a year | 4.8%Groceries and bills | ₹2081.49% overall | ₹2,496no fee to pay |
| BPCL SBI CardSBI Card | ₹499 / ₹499 | ₹1,00,000 a year | 1.25%Groceries, dining, movies | ₹1551.11% overall | ₹1,860no fee to pay |
| IndianOil Axis Bank Credit CardAxis Bank | ₹500 / ₹500 | ₹3,50,000 a year | 1%Online shopping | ₹1801.29% overall | ₹1,570after ₹590 fee |
| BPCL SBI Card OCTANESBI Card | ₹1,499 / ₹1,499 | ₹2,00,000 a year | 2.5%Groceries, dining, movies | ₹2751.96% overall | ₹1,531after ₹1,769 fee |
Each card in detail
HPCL Super Saver Credit Card · ICICI Bank
5% at HPCL and on daily essentials
- Rewards
- 4% cashback at HPCL pumps and the HP Pay app (up to ₹200 a month) plus the 1% surcharge waiver; 5% on utilities, groceries and department stores (20 points per ₹100, up to 400 points a month) and 2 points per ₹100 elsewhere. ICICI counts 20 points per ₹100 as 5%, i.e. a point is worth 25 paise.
- Fees
- Joining ₹500, annual ₹500 + GST; next year's fee waived on ₹1,50,000 of spends a year
- Lounges
- 1 domestic visit a quarter after ₹75,000 of spends in the previous quarter
- Forex markup
- 3.5% on foreign currency spends
- Best for
- HPCL customers who also pay bills and buy groceries on the card
Checked on the ICICI Bank page on 6 October 2026.
IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card · HDFC Bank
Free fuel at IndianOil for a low ₹500 fee, waived on just ₹50,000 a year
- Rewards
- 5% as Fuel Points at IndianOil pumps (up to 250 points a month for the first 6 months, then 150), 5% on groceries and bill payments (up to 100 points a month each) and 1 point per ₹150 elsewhere. A Fuel Point is worth ₹0.96 in free fuel at IndianOil, but only ₹0.20 against the bill.
- Fees
- Joining ₹500, annual ₹500 + GST; next year's fee waived on ₹50,000 of spends a year
- Forex markup
- 3.5% on foreign currency spends
- Who can apply
- Salaried: 21–60 years, net income above ₹12,000 a month
- Best for
- IndianOil customers and first-time cardholders
Checked on the HDFC Bank page on 6 October 2026.
BPCL SBI Card · SBI Card
4.25% back at BPCL for a ₹499 fee
- Rewards
- 13 points per ₹100 at BPCL pumps (3.25% at 4 points = ₹1 of fuel) on up to ₹10,000 of fuel a month, plus the 1% surcharge waiver on transactions up to ₹4,000; 5 points per ₹100 on groceries, department stores, dining and movies (up to 5,000 points a month) and 1 point per ₹100 elsewhere.
- Fees
- Joining ₹499, annual ₹499 + GST; next year's fee waived on ₹1,00,000 of spends a yearWaiver threshold raised from ₹50,000 to ₹1 lakh on 1 May 2026
- Best for
- BPCL customers spending up to ₹10,000 a month on fuel
Checked on the SBI Card page on 6 October 2026.
IndianOil Axis Bank Credit Card · Axis Bank
4% back on IndianOil fuel
- Rewards
- 4% back (20 points per ₹100) at IndianOil pumps on transactions of ₹400–₹4,000, on up to ₹5,000 of fuel a month; 1% (5 points per ₹100) on online shopping and 1 point per ₹100 elsewhere.
- Fees
- Joining ₹500, annual ₹500 + GST; next year's fee waived on ₹3,50,000 of spends a yearFirst-year annual fee nil; ₹500 from the second year
- Best for
- Spending up to ₹5,000 a month on fuel at IndianOil
Checked on the Axis Bank page on 6 October 2026.
BPCL SBI Card OCTANE · SBI Card
7.25% value back at BPCL, plus 4 domestic lounge visits a year
- Rewards
- 25 points per ₹100 at BPCL pumps (6.25% at 4 points = ₹1, or 7.25% with the surcharge waiver) up to 2,500 points a statement; 10 points per ₹100 on groceries, department stores, movies and dining (up to 7,500 a month) and 1 point per ₹100 elsewhere.
- Fees
- Joining ₹1,499, annual ₹1,499 + GST; next year's fee waived on ₹2,00,000 of spends a year
- Lounges
- 4 domestic visits a year (1 a quarter)
- Best for
- Heavy BPCL users who spend ₹2 lakh a year on the card
Checked on the SBI Card page on 6 October 2026.
If you spend more on fuel
At ₹8,000 of fuel a month, the caps start to decide. Fuel rewards alone:
- HPCL Super Saver Credit Card: ₹200 a month
- IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card: ₹144 a month
- BPCL SBI Card: ₹260 a month
- IndianOil Axis Bank Credit Card: ₹200 a month
- BPCL SBI Card OCTANE: ₹500 a month
IndianOil Axis counts at most ₹5,000 of fuel a month and IndianOil HDFC caps Fuel Points at 150 a month after the first six months, so heavier users get more from the BPCL cards, which cap by points per statement (1,300 on BPCL SBI, 2,500 on OCTANE). Check today's petrol price and diesel price in your district to see how far a month's budget goes.
Choosing by the pump near you
- IndianOil: IndianOil HDFC (low ₹500 fee, waived at ₹50,000 a year) or IndianOil Axis (4% on up to ₹5,000 a month).
- BPCL: BPCL SBI Card for moderate use; OCTANE if you spend ₹2 lakh a year on the card and want lounge visits.
- HPCL: ICICI's HPCL Super Saver, which also pays 5% on groceries and bills.
The 1% surcharge waiver, explained
The surcharge is charged by the pump's payment acquirer, so the waiver is a refund that shows up on your statement. It applies only within the card's transaction band (₹400 to ₹4,000 on most of these cards), so a ₹6,000 fill can lose both the waiver and, on some cards, the rewards. Splitting a large fill into two payments keeps each within the band.
How we compared these cards
Every fee, reward rate and cap here was read on the issuing bank's own website on 6 October 2026; each card links to the page we checked. Where a figure could not be confirmed on the bank's site, the card is left out. Points are converted to rupees at the value the bank itself states, and the "value a month" and "net a year" columns apply each card's caps to the spending described above the table. Surcharge waivers, welcome vouchers and milestone gifts are left out of those columns.
SmartFigure earns nothing from these cards. There are no affiliate links and no paid placements, and the order comes only from the arithmetic. This is not a recommendation: banks revise card terms often, so read the current terms on the bank's site before you apply.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best fuel credit card in October 2026?
For ₹4,000 of fuel a month at the card's partner pumps plus ₹10,000 of other spending, HPCL Super Saver Credit Card gives back the most after fees. The answer changes with the oil company near you: each card's high rate applies only at its partner's pumps (IndianOil, BPCL or HPCL).
What is a fuel surcharge waiver?
Pumps add a surcharge of about 1% on card payments. Most cards refund it on transactions within a band, usually ₹400 to ₹4,000 or ₹5,000, up to a monthly limit such as ₹100 (BPCL SBI cards) or ₹250 a statement (HDFC Millennia). GST on the surcharge is usually not refunded.
Do fuel cards pay rewards at any petrol pump?
The high rate is only at the partner company’s pumps: IndianOil for the IndianOil HDFC and IndianOil Axis cards, BPCL for the BPCL SBI cards and HPCL for ICICI’s HPCL Super Saver. Fuel bought elsewhere usually earns nothing, though the 1% surcharge waiver still applies at most pumps.
Can I pay for fuel with UPI on a credit card?
RuPay credit cards can be linked to UPI, and some issuers pay rewards on UPI spends, but the fuel rewards on these cards are tied to card payments at the partner’s outlets. Check your card’s terms before switching to UPI at the pump.
How do I redeem fuel points?
IndianOil HDFC Fuel Points are worth ₹0.96 each as free fuel at IndianOil pumps (through IndianOil’s XTRAREWARDS programme) but only ₹0.20 against the bill. BPCL SBI points convert at 4 points = ₹1 of free fuel at BPCL outlets. Redeem as fuel to get the advertised value.
Sources
- HDFC Bank – IndianOil HDFC Bank Credit Card
- Axis Bank – IndianOil Axis Bank Credit Card
- SBI Card – BPCL SBI Card
- SBI Card – BPCL SBI Card OCTANE
- ICICI Bank – HPCL Super Saver Credit Card
- RBI – Master Direction on Credit Card and Debit Card Issuance and Conduct, 2022
Last checked on 6 October 2026. Not a recommendation. Card terms change often; read the current terms on the bank's website before applying. SmartFigure earns nothing from any card.