{"id":13343,"date":"2026-07-10T06:00:24","date_gmt":"2026-07-10T06:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/?p=13343"},"modified":"2026-07-10T06:00:41","modified_gmt":"2026-07-10T06:00:41","slug":"hdfc-phonepe-credit-card-first-year-free","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/hdfc-phonepe-credit-card-first-year-free\/","title":{"rendered":"Did HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards Go First-Year Free? Here’s Everything You Need to Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A \u20b90 joining fee sounds like a no-brainer until you read the fine print. Here’s what you actually gain, what you quietly give up, and whether the UNO or the ULTIMO makes more sense for your spending right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Actually Happened<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

HDFC Bank and PhonePe rolled out a limited-period offer waiving the joining fee on both their co-branded RuPay credit cards. The PhonePe HDFC Bank UNO (normally \u20b9499 + GST) and the PhonePe HDFC Bank ULTIMO (normally \u20b9999 + GST) were made available at zero joining cost in the first year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a standard paid application, the Ultimo gives you \u20b9499 in PhonePe gift cards on your first UPI transaction, plus \u20b950 scratch cards across your next 10 UPI payments, totaling \u20b9999 in welcome value that effectively covers the joining fee entirely. The UNO follows the same structure on a smaller scale: \u20b9249 for the first transaction, plus \u20b925 scratch cards for the next 10, matching its \u20b9499 fee.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As a cardholder, it is worth knowing that your rights around fee transparency and welcome benefit disclosures are governed by the RBI’s credit and debit card issuance guidelines<\/a>, which require banks to clearly communicate all applicable charges before you apply. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

UNO vs ULTIMO at a Glance<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Feature<\/strong><\/td>PhonePe HDFC UNO<\/strong><\/td>PhonePe HDFC ULTIMO<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
Joining fee (normal)<\/td>\u20b9499 + GST<\/td>\u20b9999 + GST<\/td><\/tr>
Joining fee (offer)<\/td>\u20b90<\/td>\u20b90<\/td><\/tr>
Annual fee from Year 2<\/td>\u20b9499 + GST<\/td>\u20b9999 + GST<\/td><\/tr>
Annual fee waiver<\/td>Spend \u20b91 lakh\/year<\/td>Spend \u20b92 lakh\/year<\/td><\/tr>
Rewards on PhonePe categories<\/td>2 RP per \u20b9100<\/td>10 RP per \u20b9100<\/td><\/tr>
Rewards on online brands<\/td>1 RP per \u20b9100<\/td>5 RP per \u20b9100<\/td><\/tr>
Scan and Pay UPI rewards<\/td>1 RP per \u20b9100<\/td>1 RP per \u20b9100<\/td><\/tr>
Monthly reward cap<\/td>1,500 RP<\/td>2,000 RP<\/td><\/tr>
Airport lounge access<\/td>None<\/td>8 visits\/year, conditional on \u20b975,000 quarterly spend<\/td><\/tr>
Fuel surcharge waiver<\/td>1% on \u20b9400 to \u20b95,000 transactions<\/td>1% on \u20b9400 to \u20b95,000 transactions<\/td><\/tr>
Card network<\/td>RuPay<\/td>RuPay<\/td><\/tr>
How to apply<\/td>PhonePe app only<\/td>PhonePe app only<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

What 10% Actually Means in Real Life<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The 10% headline on categories is an attractive proposition for the Ultimo, but the monthly cap of 1,000 reward points reflects the actual valuation. PhonePe spends on that cap on recharges, utility bills, mobile plans, and travel bookings on the platform, all of which add up to \u20b910,000 per month. For most urban households, that is a realistic number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 5% tier on Amazon, Flipkart, Myntra, Swiggy, and Zomato adds \u20b9500 per month, and the 1% Scan and Pay tier adds another \u20b9500 for regular offline UPI users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At full utilization, the Ultimo returns \u20b92,000 per month or \u20b924,000 per year, with a \u20b9999 annual fee that vanishes at \u20b92 lakh in yearly spend. See how it compares on our rewards credit cards<\/a> page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Should Actually Apply<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Go with the ULTIMO if<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You pay for electricity, broadband, recharges, and OTT subscriptions from PhonePe and regularly shop from Amazon, Flipkart, or Myntra. The \u20b9999 renewal fee is waived in Year 2 if the card spends over \u20b92 lakh per annum. The lounge benefit is a bonus, though it needs \u20b975,000 in quarterly spend to activate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Go with the UNO if<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You want a low-commitment entry into PhonePe credit card benefits without a high spend target. The \u20b91 lakh fee waiver translates to approximately \u20b98,400 of spending per month, which is fair for moderate users. You don’t need to use a lounge, but you’ll still be rewarded every month for bills and recharges.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neither card fits if<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most of your spending goes toward fuel, insurance, rent, EMIs, or local offline stores, since none of those earn reward points on either card. Our cashback credit cards<\/a> page has options better suited to that pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The RuPay UPI Advantage Most People Miss<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Both cards run on RuPay, meaning they link directly to any UPI app, including Google Pay, BHIM, Paytm, and CRED for Scan and Pay at offline merchants. Visa and Mastercard credit cards cannot do this, which is a more meaningful distinction than most card comparisons acknowledge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 1% reward on Scan and Pay is modest, but it earns something on everyday UPI transactions that typically earn nothing. For anyone paying for autos, groceries, and local vendors through UPI daily, that adds up over a year. For a deeper understanding of how RuPay operates as a domestic network, NPCI’s official RuPay overview<\/a> is worth a read.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You can see where both cards sit within HDFC’s full credit card lineup<\/a> on our issuer page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Happens from Year-2<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The first-year free offer removes the upfront cost, but from Year 2 the annual fee applies: \u20b9499 for UNO and \u20b9999 for ULTIMO, unless you meet the spend threshold in the preceding year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Worth noting: EMI transactions, fuel, rent, insurance, wallet loads, and government payments are excluded from both the reward points calculation and the annual fee waiver. If these make up a large chunk of your monthly spend, the effective value will be lower than the headline numbers suggest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On eligibility, both variants require Indian nationality and age between 21 and 65. The UNO needs a gross monthly income above \u20b925,000, while the ULTIMO requires \u20b926 lakh per annum. The bank decides the final variant and credit limit. Before applying, confirm the current offer status directly on PhonePe<\/a>, as the first-year free window is time-limited.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For regular PhonePe users who pay bills, book travel, and shop online, the HDFC PhonePe ULTIMO is one of the stronger UPI credit card options in India right now. Competitive rewards, RuPay UPI utility, and an annual fee that disappears at a realistic spend level make it hard to overlook.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not sure how much you will use it? Start with the PhonePe HDFC UNO. Lower stakes, same ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Both cards are applied for exclusively through the PhonePe app. For a broader look at what HDFC offers, visit our HDFC credit cards<\/a> page and rewards credit cards<\/a> comparison.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Q1. Can I get the HDFC PhonePe card completely free forever?<\/strong>

Only if you hit the annual spend threshold: \u20b91 lakh for UNO and \u20b92 lakh for ULTIMO. Cross\u00a0
Those numbers and the renewal fee are waived automatically every year.<\/p> <\/div>

Q2. Do I lose welcome benefits under the first-year free offer?<\/strong>

Yes. Welcome gift cards and scratch card rewards are available only when the joining fee is paid. Zero fee in means zero welcome benefits out.<\/p> <\/div>

Q3. Can I use these cards on Google Pay or only PhonePe?<\/strong>

Both are RuPay cards and work on any UPI app, including Google Pay, BHIM, Paytm, and CRED. Accelerated rewards, however, apply only to spending made through PhonePe.<\/p> <\/div>

Q4. What is the maximum I can earn monthly on the ULTIMO?<\/strong>

Up to \u20b92,000 per month across all three reward tiers, capped at 2,000 points total. At 1:1 redemption, that translates directly to \u20b92,000 in statement credit.<\/p> <\/div>

Q5. Does fuel spend earn rewards or count toward the fee waiver?<\/strong>

Neither. Fuel transactions are excluded from reward point accrual and the annual fee waiver calculation. Only the 1% surcharge waiver applies to transactions between \u20b9400 and \u20b95,000.<\/p> <\/div> <\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A \u20b90 joining fee sounds like a no-brainer until you read the fine print. Here’s what you actually gain, what you quietly give up, and whether the UNO or the ULTIMO makes more sense for your spending right now. What Actually Happened HDFC Bank and PhonePe rolled out a limited-period offer waiving the joining fee […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":13344,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"postBodyCss":"","postBodyMargin":[],"postBodyPadding":[],"postBodyBackground":{"backgroundType":"classic","gradient":""},"footnotes":""},"categories":[177],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-13343","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-credit-card-guide"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nHDFC PhonePe Credit Cards First Year Free, Worth It?<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"HDFC PhonePe UNO and ULTIMO are now first-year free. See what you gain, what you give up, and which card actually fits your spending before you apply.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards First Year Free, Worth It?\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"HDFC PhonePe UNO and ULTIMO are now first-year free. See what you gain, what you give up, and which card actually fits your spending before you apply.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"CreditCard Basket\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-07-10T06:00:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-07-10T06:00:41+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1382\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"913\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/webp\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"admin\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"6 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"admin\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/54f9ad8eda8369a7ef225648d68cc69e\"},\"headline\":\"Did HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards Go First-Year Free? Here’s Everything You Need to Know\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-10T06:00:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-10T06:00:41+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":1125,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp\",\"articleSection\":[\"Credit card Guide\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":[\"WebPage\",\"FAQPage\"],\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/\",\"name\":\"HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards First Year Free, Worth It?\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-07-10T06:00:24+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-07-10T06:00:41+00:00\",\"author\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/54f9ad8eda8369a7ef225648d68cc69e\"},\"description\":\"HDFC PhonePe UNO and ULTIMO are now first-year free. See what you gain, what you give up, and which card actually fits your spending before you apply.\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#breadcrumb\"},\"mainEntity\":[{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662337755\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662360745\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662389589\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662410184\"},{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662426915\"}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/07\\\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp\",\"width\":1382,\"height\":913},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Did HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards Go First-Year Free? Here’s Everything You Need to Know\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/\",\"name\":\"CreditCard Basket\",\"description\":\"Blog\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/54f9ad8eda8369a7ef225648d68cc69e\",\"name\":\"admin\",\"image\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/41817752231397e8ea0b4b1a28d78b96.jpg?ver=1784795681\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/41817752231397e8ea0b4b1a28d78b96.jpg?ver=1784795681\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/wp-content\\\/litespeed\\\/avatar\\\/41817752231397e8ea0b4b1a28d78b96.jpg?ver=1784795681\",\"caption\":\"admin\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/author\\\/admin\\\/\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662337755\",\"position\":1,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662337755\",\"name\":\"Q1. Can I get the HDFC PhonePe card completely free forever?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Only if you hit the annual spend threshold: \u20b91 lakh for UNO and \u20b92 lakh for ULTIMO. Cross\u00a0<br>Those numbers and the renewal fee are waived automatically every year.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662360745\",\"position\":2,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662360745\",\"name\":\"Q2. Do I lose welcome benefits under the first-year free offer?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Yes. Welcome gift cards and scratch card rewards are available only when the joining fee is paid. Zero fee in means zero welcome benefits out.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662389589\",\"position\":3,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662389589\",\"name\":\"Q3. Can I use these cards on Google Pay or only PhonePe?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Both are RuPay cards and work on any UPI app, including Google Pay, BHIM, Paytm, and CRED. Accelerated rewards, however, apply only to spending made through PhonePe.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662410184\",\"position\":4,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662410184\",\"name\":\"Q4. What is the maximum I can earn monthly on the ULTIMO?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Up to \u20b92,000 per month across all three reward tiers, capped at 2,000 points total. At 1:1 redemption, that translates directly to \u20b92,000 in statement credit.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662426915\",\"position\":5,\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/creditcardbasket.in\\\/blog\\\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\\\/#faq-question-1783662426915\",\"name\":\"Q5. Does fuel spend earn rewards or count toward the fee waiver?\",\"answerCount\":1,\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Neither. Fuel transactions are excluded from reward point accrual and the annual fee waiver calculation. Only the 1% surcharge waiver applies to transactions between \u20b9400 and \u20b95,000.\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards First Year Free, Worth It?","description":"HDFC PhonePe UNO and ULTIMO are now first-year free. See what you gain, what you give up, and which card actually fits your spending before you apply.","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards First Year Free, Worth It?","og_description":"HDFC PhonePe UNO and ULTIMO are now first-year free. See what you gain, what you give up, and which card actually fits your spending before you apply.","og_url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/","og_site_name":"CreditCard Basket","article_published_time":"2026-07-10T06:00:24+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-07-10T06:00:41+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1382,"height":913,"url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp","type":"image\/webp"}],"author":"admin","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"admin","Est. reading time":"6 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/"},"author":{"name":"admin","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/54f9ad8eda8369a7ef225648d68cc69e"},"headline":"Did HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards Go First-Year Free? Here’s Everything You Need to Know","datePublished":"2026-07-10T06:00:24+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-10T06:00:41+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/"},"wordCount":1125,"commentCount":0,"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp","articleSection":["Credit card Guide"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":["WebPage","FAQPage"],"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/","url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/","name":"HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards First Year Free, Worth It?","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp","datePublished":"2026-07-10T06:00:24+00:00","dateModified":"2026-07-10T06:00:41+00:00","author":{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/54f9ad8eda8369a7ef225648d68cc69e"},"description":"HDFC PhonePe UNO and ULTIMO are now first-year free. See what you gain, what you give up, and which card actually fits your spending before you apply.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#breadcrumb"},"mainEntity":[{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662337755"},{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662360745"},{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662389589"},{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662410184"},{"@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662426915"}],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp","contentUrl":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/HDFC-PhonePe-Credit-Card.webp","width":1382,"height":913},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Did HDFC PhonePe Credit Cards Go First-Year Free? Here’s Everything You Need to Know"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/","name":"CreditCard Basket","description":"Blog","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/54f9ad8eda8369a7ef225648d68cc69e","name":"admin","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/41817752231397e8ea0b4b1a28d78b96.jpg?ver=1784795681","url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/41817752231397e8ea0b4b1a28d78b96.jpg?ver=1784795681","contentUrl":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-content\/litespeed\/avatar\/41817752231397e8ea0b4b1a28d78b96.jpg?ver=1784795681","caption":"admin"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/"],"url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/author\/admin\/"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662337755","position":1,"url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662337755","name":"Q1. Can I get the HDFC PhonePe card completely free forever?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Only if you hit the annual spend threshold: \u20b91 lakh for UNO and \u20b92 lakh for ULTIMO. Cross\u00a0<br>Those numbers and the renewal fee are waived automatically every year.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662360745","position":2,"url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662360745","name":"Q2. Do I lose welcome benefits under the first-year free offer?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Yes. Welcome gift cards and scratch card rewards are available only when the joining fee is paid. Zero fee in means zero welcome benefits out.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662389589","position":3,"url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662389589","name":"Q3. Can I use these cards on Google Pay or only PhonePe?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Both are RuPay cards and work on any UPI app, including Google Pay, BHIM, Paytm, and CRED. Accelerated rewards, however, apply only to spending made through PhonePe.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662410184","position":4,"url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662410184","name":"Q4. What is the maximum I can earn monthly on the ULTIMO?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Up to \u20b92,000 per month across all three reward tiers, capped at 2,000 points total. At 1:1 redemption, that translates directly to \u20b92,000 in statement credit.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Question","@id":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662426915","position":5,"url":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/book-hotel-with-credit-card-points\/#faq-question-1783662426915","name":"Q5. Does fuel spend earn rewards or count toward the fee waiver?","answerCount":1,"acceptedAnswer":{"@type":"Answer","text":"Neither. Fuel transactions are excluded from reward point accrual and the annual fee waiver calculation. Only the 1% surcharge waiver applies to transactions between \u20b9400 and \u20b95,000.","inLanguage":"en-US"},"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13343","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=13343"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13343\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13345,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/13343\/revisions\/13345"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/13344"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=13343"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=13343"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/creditcardbasket.in\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=13343"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}