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AU Zenith+ vs AXIS Horizon

Side-by-side comparison of the AU Small Finance Bank Zenith+ and the Axis Bank Horizon. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.

Zenith+
Horizon

The short answer

Pick Zenith+ for spending abroad.

Pick Horizon for lounge access.

Horizon costs ₹1,999 less a year but waives only at Not offered spend, Zenith+ at ₹8,00,000.

Head-to-head

  • Annual fee Annual fee outcome: tie.
    Zenith+ ₹4,999 Waivable at ₹8,00,000 spend
    Horizon ₹3,000 Annual-fee waiver not offered
    ₹1,999/yr apart · waiver gates differ
  • Forex markup Forex markup outcome: Zenith+ wins.
    Zenith+ 0.99%
    Horizon 3.5%
    Zenith+ saves ~₹2,510 per ₹1L abroad
  • Domestic lounge Domestic lounge outcome: Horizon wins.
    Zenith+ 8/year (2 per quarter)
    Horizon 32/year (8 per quarter)
  • Rewards Rewards outcome: insufficient data to compare.
    Zenith+ Not safely INR-comparable
    Horizon ~2%
    conservative base value
    Zenith+: Limited data Horizon: Strong data

Reward earning explained

Zenith+

3 pts / ₹100

Limited data
Horizon

2 EDGE Miles / ₹100 · 5 EDGE Miles/₹100 on eligible airline and axis Travel Edge

Strong data

Example usage at this monthly spend

At ₹50k/month spend:

  • Horizon: ~₹1,000/month at base rate
  • AU Zenith+: Base earn not clearly specified

Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.

All fields

Field Zenith+ AU Small Finance Bank Horizon Axis Bank
Lounge Access
Domestic lounge visits
8/year (2 per quarter) vs 32/year (8 per quarter)
8/year (2 per quarter) 32/year (8 per quarter)
Railway lounge visits
Only available for AU Zenith+
8 railway lounge visits per year (max 2/quarter) Not specified
International lounge visits 2 per quarter 2 per quarter
Forex / International Use
Forex markup
Source agreement differs — verify both.
0.99% vs 3.5%
0.99% 3.5%
Fees
Recurring annual fee
₹4,999 vs ₹3,000
₹4,999 ₹3,000
Annual-fee waiver
₹8,00,000 vs Not offered
₹8,00,000 Not offered
Monthly interest rate
1.99% / month vs 3.75% / month
1.99% / month 3.75% / month
Fuel benefit
Surcharge waiver available · ₹400–₹5,000 transactions · ₹1,000/month waiver cap vs 1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹5,000 transactions · ₹400/month waiver cap · Fuel rewards excluded
Surcharge waiver available · ₹400–₹5,000 transactions · ₹1,000/month waiver cap 1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹5,000 transactions · ₹400/month waiver cap · Fuel rewards excluded
Rewards
Points per ₹100
3 pts / ₹100 vs 2 EDGE Miles / ₹100
3 pts / ₹100 2 EDGE Miles / ₹100
Conservative base value
Not safely INR-comparable vs ~2%
Not safely INR-comparable ~2%
Earn ceiling Not stated Not stated
Point value (headline channel)
Issuer headline rate at the travel/SmartBuy channel — not the lowest redemption option.
Only available for Horizon
Not specified ₹1
Insurance — Lost card liability cover
Only available for Horizon
Not specified ₹10 lakh
Insurance — Underwriter
Only available for Horizon
Not specified Insured by The New India Assurance Co. Ltd

Notes

  • Card benefits change frequently. Always verify current terms on the issuer's official website or app before applying.