1.5% · Up to 5% on Google Pay
Strong dataAxis Bank ACE vs AU Small Finance Bank CheQ Credit Cards – Fees, Lounge, Forex
Side-by-side comparison of the Axis Bank ACE and the AU Small Finance Bank CheQ. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.
The short answer
VerdictPick CheQ for upi.
Head-to-head
Three core metrics- Annual fee CheQ saves ₹499/yrACE ₹499 Waivable at ₹2,00,000 spendCheQ ₹0
- Forex markup ACE 3.5%CheQ Not specified
- Domestic lounge ACE 4/year Conditional · Domestic: 4/year · requires ₹50,000 spend in the previous 3 calendar monthsCheQ Lounge access not verified
Reward earning explained
Per card1 pt / ₹100
Strong dataPick based on what matters
4 dimensionsStart with the constraint you care about most: annual fee (Axis Bank ACE: ₹499 vs AU Small Finance Bank CheQ: ₹0), forex markup (3.5% vs Not specified), or lounge access (4/year vs Lounge access not verified).
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Forex markup Insufficient data Insufficient data to compare forex
Only Axis Bank ACE has comparable evidence here. Forex markup is 3.5%.
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Lounge access Tie Both cards are similar for lounge access
Domestic lounge access is 4 per year. No verified lounge entitlement or explicit no-lounge evidence on file.
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Rewards Insufficient data Insufficient data to compare rewards
Available evidence is incomplete: Axis Bank ACE conservative base value ~1.5% per ₹100. AU Small Finance Bank CheQ is not safely INR-comparable (no usable point value).
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upi AU Small Finance Bank CheQ wins AU Small Finance Bank CheQ is better for UPI usage
AU Small Finance Bank CheQ is stronger here. Supports UPI via RuPay network.
All fields
Example usage at this monthly spend
At ₹50k/month spend:
- ACE: ~₹750/month at base rate
- CheQ AU: Base earn not clearly specified
Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.
| Field | ACE Axis Bank | CheQ AU Small Finance Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge Access | ||
| Domestic lounge visits spend-gated on some cards — see caveats Only available for ACE | 4/year | Not specified |
| International lounge visits Only available for ACE | No international lounge access | Not specified |
| Forex / International Use | ||
| Forex markup CheQ AU unclear; ACE shows 3.5% (verify). | 3.5% | Not specified |
| Fees | ||
| Recurring annual fee ₹499 vs ₹0 | ₹499 | ₹0 |
| Annual-fee waiver Only available for ACE | ₹2,00,000 | Not specified |
| Interest-free period Only available for ACE | Up to 50 days | Not specified |
| Monthly interest rate | 3.75% / month | 3.75% / month |
| Fuel benefit 1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹4,000 transactions · ₹500/month waiver cap vs Surcharge waiver available · ₹500–₹5,000 transactions · ₹150/month waiver cap | 1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹4,000 transactions · ₹500/month waiver cap | Surcharge waiver available · ₹500–₹5,000 transactions · ₹150/month waiver cap |
| Rewards | ||
| Base earn Some reward lanes are unsupported — base rate only for comparison. 1.5% vs 1 pt / ₹100 | 1.5% | 1 pt / ₹100 |
| Conservative base value ~1.5% vs Not safely INR-comparable | ~1.5% | Not safely INR-comparable |
| Earn ceiling ₹500 per statement cycle — shared across Google Pay (domestic), Ola (domestic), Swiggy (domestic) & Zomato (domestic) vs Not stated | ₹500 per statement cycle — shared across Google Pay (domestic), Ola (domestic), Swiggy (domestic) & Zomato (domestic) | Not stated |
| Point value (headline channel) Issuer headline redemption rate — see each card page for the full channel grid. Only available for ACE | ₹1 | Not specified |
Notes
- Axis Bank ACE Credit Card: Condition: ₹50,000 spend in the previous 3 calendar months
- Card benefits change frequently. Always verify current terms on the issuer's official website or app before applying.
Axis Bank ACE
Verify with issuer , opens external siteAU Small Finance Bank CheQ
Verify with issuer , opens external site