Standard Chartered Bank
Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card
This is an invite only card
Top Benefits
Earn 2% Cashback on all Online Spends
capped at ₹1,000 per month
Earn 1% Cashback on all Other Spends
capped at ₹500 per month
Best For
Shopping
The Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card is a straightforward cashback card built for consumers who wan...
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The Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card is a straightforward cashback card built for consumers who wan...
The Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card is a straightforward cashback card built for consumers who want simple, no-fuss rewards on everyday spending. Instead of reward points with complex redemption rules, the Smart card gives you direct cashback — 2% on online transactions and 1% on offline transactions — automatically adjusted in your monthly statement. No portals, no point conversions, no redemption fees.
The ₹499 joining fee and ₹499 annual fee are both offset by the welcome benefit. The annual fee is waived if you spend ₹1.2 lakh or more in a year (₹10,000 per month). With a maximum cashback cap of ₹1,500 per statement cycle, consistent monthly spenders can earn ₹18,000 in annual cashback — far exceeding the annual fee.
Available to both salaried and self-employed professionals aged 18-65 with a minimum income of ₹4 LPA. The low minimum age of 18 years makes this one of the few cards accessible to working students and very young earners. The estimated annual saving is ₹4,568.
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
How does cashback work on the Standard Chartered Smart card?
Cashback is automatically adjusted in your monthly statement — there's no redemption process. You earn 2% on online transactions and 1% on offline transactions, up to a combined maximum of ₹1,500 per statement cycle. The cashback simply reduces your outstanding balance.
Is the annual fee waivable?
Yes. The ₹499 annual fee is waived if you spend ₹1.2 lakh or more in a year (approximately ₹10,000 per month) on your card.
What is the annual saving potential?
The estimated annual saving is ₹4,568 through consistent cashback earning. At the ₹1,500 monthly cashback cap across 12 months, the maximum annual cashback is ₹18,000.
Expert Review
The Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card does exactly what it promises: simple, automatic cashback on a wide range of spending categories with no fuss. The auto-statement-credit structure means zero management overhead — you spend, you save, it reflects in your next bill.
The short exclusion list (only fuel and insurance) is the card's hidden strength. While the 2% online rate looks modest against the Cashback SBI's 5%, SC Smart earns on utilities, rent, and education that Cashback SBI ignores. For a household with diversified monthly expenses, SC Smart often delivers more total cashback per month.
My criticism: the 4% forex markup is high for an international bank card. Standard Chartered is known for strong international banking, so the 4% fee feels inconsistent with the brand. The ₹1,500 monthly cashback cap also limits total earnings for very high spenders.
Verdict: An excellent auto-cashback card for cardholders who want breadth of earning over depth on specific platforms. Particularly well-suited to first-time credit card users aged 18+ who want simple, automatic savings on everyday spend.
Joining / Annual Fee
Joining Fees
₹0 ( ₹0 + GST )
Annual Fees
₹589 ( ₹499 + GST )
Joining fee: ₹499. Annual fee: ₹499. Welcome benefit: 2,000 reward points worth ₹500 (effectively cover...
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Joining fee: ₹499. Annual fee: ₹499. Welcome benefit: 2,000 reward points worth ₹500 (effectively cover...
Joining fee: ₹499. Annual fee: ₹499. Welcome benefit: 2,000 reward points worth ₹500 (effectively covering the joining fee). Annual fee waiver: spend ₹1.2 lakh or more in a year (₹10,000 per month). Year 1 net cost after welcome points: essentially ₹0 on the joining fee plus ₹499 annual fee, which is waived if you hit the spend threshold. For any cardholder spending ₹10,000/month online and offline, this card is effectively free every year while earning up to ₹18,000 in annual cashback.
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
How much do I need to spend monthly to waive the annual fee?
You need to spend ₹1.2 lakh in a card anniversary year, which works out to ₹10,000 per month. For anyone using this card for regular groceries, online shopping, and dining, this is very achievable.
What is the monthly interest rate?
The monthly interest rate is 3.6%, which translates to 43.2% per annum. On a ₹10,000 outstanding balance, you'd pay ₹360 per month in interest. Always clear the full bill by the due date.
What is the ATM cash withdrawal fee?
Cash advances attract a 2.5% fee on the withdrawn amount. On a ₹5,000 withdrawal, the fee is ₹125. Interest accrues immediately from the date of withdrawal.
Are there late payment charges?
Late payment fees are: ₹0 for balances up to ₹500, ₹500 for ₹501-₹5,000, ₹750 for ₹5,001-₹10,000, and ₹1,200 for balances above ₹10,000.
Eligibility
Age
Criteria*
21-65 years
Salary
Criteria*
4LPA
Credit
Rating*
720+
New to credit
allowed
No
Existing Bank
Customer Allowed
No
Minimum Age: 18 years
Maximum Age: 65 years
Minimum Income (Salaried): ₹4 LPA
Minimum Inco...
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Minimum Age: 18 years Maximum Age: 65 years Minimum Income (Salaried): ₹4 LPA Minimum Inco...
- Minimum Age: 18 years
- Maximum Age: 65 years
- Minimum Income (Salaried): ₹4 LPA
- Minimum Income (Self-Employed): ₹4 LPA
- Minimum CIBIL Score: 720 for both salaried and self-employed
- Employment Type: Both salaried and self-employed
The 18-year minimum age is a genuine differentiator. Most credit cards require applicants to be at least 21. The SC Smart card's 18-year minimum makes it one of the few primary credit cards available to working students and very young professionals. Combined with a ₹4 LPA income requirement and 720 CIBIL score, it's accessible to a wide age range of earners.
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
Can an 18-year-old apply for the SC Smart Credit Card?
Yes. The minimum age is 18 years — one of the lowest among Indian credit cards. An 18-year-old who earns ₹4 LPA and has a CIBIL score of 720 is eligible to apply.
What is the minimum income required?
Both salaried and self-employed applicants need a minimum annual income of ₹4 LPA (approximately ₹33,333 per month). This is an accessible threshold for most working individuals.
What CIBIL score is needed for SC Smart?
A minimum CIBIL score of 720 is required for both salaried and self-employed applicants.
All Card Benefits
- Earn 2% cashback on all online spends, capped at ₹1,000 per month
- Earn 1% cashback on all other spends, capped at ₹500 per month (fuel transactions not eligible for cashback)
- Total cashback potential of up to ₹18,000 per year (₹12,000 on online + ₹6,000 on offline spends)
- Convert eligible transactions into 3-month EMI at special interest rate of 0.99% per month with nil processing fee
Welcome Benefits
On card activation, you receive 2,000 reward points worth ₹500 (at ₹0.25 per point)...
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Welcome Benefits On card activation, you receive 2,000 reward points worth ₹500 (at ₹0.25 per point)...
Welcome Benefits
On card activation, you receive 2,000 reward points worth ₹500 (at ₹0.25 per point). This partially offsets the ₹499 joining fee, making the effective joining cost just ₹1 in the first year (₹499 minus ₹500 welcome benefit value — the benefit technically exceeds the joining fee by ₹1). This is an excellent first-year value proposition for a cashback card.
Online Cashback — 2%
Earn 2% cashback on all online transactions up to ₹1,000 per statement cycle. For example, if you spend ₹10,000 online in a month, you earn ₹200 in cashback (2%), automatically credited to your statement. To max out the ₹1,000 online cashback, you'd need to spend ₹50,000 online in a month. For most cardholders spending ₹10,000-₹20,000 online, the effective monthly cashback is ₹200-₹400 from online transactions alone.
Offline Cashback — 1%
Earn 1% cashback on offline transactions up to ₹500 per statement cycle. For example, spending ₹20,000 at offline merchants in a month earns ₹200 in cashback (1%). To max out the ₹500 offline cashback cap, you'd need to spend ₹50,000 offline in a month. Combined with online cashback, the maximum total cashback per cycle is ₹1,500.
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
Are the welcome reward points different from the cashback on this card?
Yes. The 2,000 welcome reward points are a one-time joining benefit. The ongoing benefit is automatic statement cashback (2% online, 1% offline). These are two separate benefit structures on the same card.
What is the maximum online cashback per month?
The maximum cashback from online transactions is ₹1,000 per statement cycle. This cap is reached when your online spend reaches ₹50,000 in a month (at 2% cashback rate).
Do all online purchases earn 2% cashback?
Eligible online transactions earn 2% cashback. Excluded categories (fuel and insurance) do not earn cashback even if transacted online. All other online purchases at merchants outside the exclusion list earn at the 2% rate.
What is the maximum total monthly cashback?
The maximum total cashback is ₹1,500 per statement cycle — up to ₹1,000 from online transactions and up to ₹500 from offline transactions. This is a consolidated cap across the primary and any supplementary cards on the account.
Is the cashback automatic or do I need to request it?
The cashback is fully automatic — it is adjusted directly in your monthly statement without any redemption request or portal login required. This is the biggest advantage of a cashback card over a reward points card.
How to Redeem Rewards & Cashback?
Rewards Conversion Rate
N/A
Redemption Options
This is a cashback card, and the earned cashback is adjusted directly in your monthly statement.
To check redemption catalogue
N/A
The SC Smart Credit Card is a cashback card — your earned cashback is automatically adjusted in your mo...
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The SC Smart Credit Card is a cashback card — your earned cashback is automatically adjusted in your mo...
The SC Smart Credit Card is a cashback card — your earned cashback is automatically adjusted in your monthly statement without any manual redemption process. There is no portal to log into, no points to convert, and no redemption fee. The cashback simply appears as a credit reducing your outstanding balance. This is the most friction-free reward structure available in Indian credit cards.
The 2,000 welcome reward points (separate from cashback) can be redeemed through the Standard Chartered Bank rewards portal. A redemption fee may apply for point redemptions — check the SC Bank app for current terms.
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
When is the monthly cashback credited to my account?
The monthly cashback on the SC Smart Credit Card is adjusted within your monthly statement cycle. It appears as a credit on your statement, reducing the amount you owe.
Is there any minimum spend to earn cashback?
No minimum spend threshold is mentioned for cashback earning. Any eligible online or offline transaction earns cashback at the applicable rate from the first rupee spent.
Bank Exclusions
You will not earn points / cashback on spends in the following categories
For Points / Cashback Earnings
Fuel
Insurance
For Spends Waiver
Fuel
Insurance
Fuel Spends: No cashback on petrol pump transactions
Insurance Payments: No cashback on insuranc...
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Fuel Spends: No cashback on petrol pump transactions Insurance Payments: No cashback on insuranc...
- Fuel Spends: No cashback on petrol pump transactions
- Insurance Payments: No cashback on insurance premium payments
With only fuel and insurance excluded, the SC Smart card earns cashback on an unusually wide range of transactions. Rent, utilities, dining, online shopping, education, government transactions — all earn at the 2% online or 1% offline rate. For example, paying a ₹5,000 electricity bill online earns ₹100 cashback. Paying school fees of ₹10,000 online earns ₹200 cashback. This broad earning base is a significant advantage over cards with longer exclusion lists.
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
Do utility bill payments earn cashback on SC Smart?
Yes. Utility bill payments are not in the exclusion list and earn cashback at the applicable rate (2% if paid online, 1% if paid offline). This is a notable advantage over many cards that exclude utilities from reward earning.
Do education fee payments earn cashback?
Education spends are not listed in the exclusion category for the SC Smart card. They earn cashback at the 2% online or 1% offline rate.
Do government transactions earn cashback?
Government transactions are not explicitly excluded from cashback earning on the SC Smart card. They may earn at the applicable rate, but verify with Standard Chartered Bank for the latest merchant category eligibility.
Bank Fee Structure
| Structure | Details |
|---|---|
Forex Markups  3.50% forex markup is charged on transactions made in currencies other than INR. Applies to international POS payments and online purchases charged in foreign currency. | 3.50% |
APR Fees Finance charges of 3.75% per month (45% per annum) apply on unpaid outstanding balances until the amount is fully repaid | 3.75% |
ATM withdrawal 3% of the withdrawn amount is charged on cash advances using the credit card, subject to a minimum of ₹300. | 3% |
Reward Redemption Fees A reward redemption handling fee of ₹99 plus applicable GST is charged per redemption request. | ₹99 |
Link for all T&Cs | Click Here |
Railway Surcharge A railway booking surcharge of 1.80% for online transactions and 2.50% for other bookings is applied, with additional bank charges and taxes recovered at actuals. | 1.80% |
Rent Payment Fees 1% of the transaction amount is charged as a fee on rent payment transactions, subject to applicable GST and platform charges | 1% |
cheque Payment Fees A fee of ₹100 is charged for payments made by cheque. | ₹100 |
Cash Payment Fees A fee of ₹299 is charged for payments made by depositing cash at a bank branch or ATM. | ₹299 |
| Late Payment Fees | Amount Due |
|---|---|
| ₹0 - ₹100 | ₹0 |
| ₹101 - ₹500 | ₹100 |
| ₹501 - ₹5000 | ₹500 |
| ₹5001 - ₹10000 | ₹700 |
| Above ₹10000 | ₹1200 |
Fee Type
Amount
Details
Joining Fee
₹...
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Fee Type Amount Details Joining Fee ₹...
| Fee Type | Amount | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Joining Fee | ₹499 | Offset by 2,000 welcome reward points worth ₹500 |
| Annual Fee | ₹499 | Waived on ₹1.2 lakh or more in annual spend |
| Forex Markup | 4% | On international transactions. ₹10,000 international = ₹400 fee. |
| Monthly Interest | 3.6% per month (43.2% p.a.) | On revolving unpaid balances. |
| ATM Cash Withdrawal | 2.5% | On amount withdrawn. Interest starts immediately. |
| Reward Redemption Fee | Not Applicable (cashback auto-credited) | Cashback is automatically adjusted in statement. No redemption fee. |
| Railway Surcharge | As per IRCTC | Per IRCTC or Indian Railways rates. |
| Rent Payment Fee | 1% | On rent transactions plus applicable GST. |
| Cash Payment Fee | ₹100 | For cash bill payments. |
| Late Payment (₹0-₹500) | ₹0 | |
| Late Payment (₹501-₹5,000) | ₹500 | |
| Late Payment (₹5,001-₹10,000) | ₹750 | |
| Late Payment (above ₹10,000) | ₹1,200 |
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
What is the interest-free period on the SC Smart card?
The interest-free period is 20 to 55 days depending on your billing cycle. Pay the full outstanding balance by the due date to avoid any interest charges.
Is there a cheque payment fee on SC Smart?
The cheque payment fee data is not specified for this card. Use digital payment methods (UPI, NEFT, auto-debit) to settle your bill to avoid any potential cheque processing charges.
Similar Cards
| Features |  SBI Cashback |  Swiggy BLCK HDFC |  HDFC Millennia |  Swiggy Ornge HDFC Bank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | 999 | 1000 | 1000 | 500 |
| Welcome Benefits | ||||
| Best For | - | - | - | - |
| Offer | ||||
| Lounge Access |
Documents Required
- Identity Proof: PAN Card (mandatory), Aadhaar Card
- Address Proof: Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, or Driving License
- Income Proof (Salaried): Latest 3 months salary slips or bank statements
- Income Proof (Self-Employed): Last 2 years IT returns, 6 months business bank statements
- Photograph: Passport-size photo
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
Is PAN card required for the SC Smart Credit Card?
Yes. PAN card is mandatory for all credit card applications in India as per RBI guidelines. Applications without PAN details cannot be processed.
Who Should Get This Card?
Get this card if:
- You want simple, automatic cashback without managing reward points or portals.
- You're 18-25 years old and looking for one of the few cards with an 18-year minimum age.
- Your spending is spread across many categories — utilities, rent, groceries, dining — and you want to earn cashback on all of them.
- You can spend ₹10,000 per month to hit the annual fee waiver threshold.
Skip this card if:
- You spend heavily on a single platform like Amazon or Flipkart. Platform-specific cards give higher cashback rates on those merchants.
- You want premium benefits like lounge access or travel insurance. This is a pure cashback card with no travel perks.
- You travel internationally often. The 4% forex markup is above average and will reduce the effective cashback value on international transactions.
Credit Limit and What to Expect
With a minimum income of ₹4 LPA, initial credit limits on the SC Smart card typically range from ₹50,000 to ₹2,00,000 depending on income, CIBIL score, and credit profile. For applicants at the younger end (18-22 years) with limited credit history, initial limits tend to be more conservative. Responsible usage, on-time payments, and growing income are the fastest paths to limit increases.
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
What credit limit can I expect at ₹4 LPA income?
At the minimum income threshold, initial credit limits are typically between ₹50,000 and ₹1,00,000. Higher income earners with strong CIBIL scores receive higher starting limits.
How to Apply?
- Visit the BankKaro portal or Standard Chartered Bank website and select the Smart Credit Card.
- Fill in personal, income, and employment details. Applicants as young as 18 can apply.
- Upload KYC documents and complete Video KYC.
- Await approval and card dispatch within 7-10 business days.
- Activate the card and begin earning automatic cashback from your first eligible transaction.
Documents Required: PAN Card, Aadhaar Card, latest 3 months salary slips (salaried) or 2 years IT returns (self-employed), 3-6 months bank statements, passport-size photograph.
View FAQ
Commonly Asked Questions
Does SC Bank check my credit history if I'm applying at 18?
Yes. Standard Chartered Bank checks your CIBIL score as part of the application assessment. An 18-year-old applicant with no credit history may have a thin CIBIL file, which could affect approval. Building credit through a secured card or credit builder product first may help.
Is there a bank variant clause I should know about?
Yes. Standard Chartered Bank may offer a different cashback credit card variant based on your eligibility. Review the applicable features, cashback structure, fees, and terms carefully before submitting your application, as the exact card offered may differ from the SC Smart described here.
That’s the full story of this credit card
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Top Benefits
Top Benefits
Earn 2% Cashback on all Online Spends
capped at ₹1,000 per month
Earn 1% Cashback on all Other Spends
capped at ₹500 per month
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