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Axis Bank ACE vs HDFC Bank UPI RuPay Credit Cards – Fees, Lounge, Forex

Side-by-side comparison of the Axis Bank ACE and the HDFC Bank UPI RuPay. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.

ACE
UPI RuPay

The short answer

Verdict

Pick ACE for lounge access and rewards.

Pick UPI RuPay for upi.

Head-to-head

Three core metrics
  • Annual fee
    ACE ₹499 Waivable at ₹2,00,000 spend
    UPI RuPay ₹99 Waivable at ₹25,000 spend
    UPI RuPay saves ₹400/yr
  • Forex markup
    ACE 3.5%
    UPI RuPay 3.5%
  • Domestic lounge
    ACE 4/year Conditional · Domestic: 4/year · requires ₹50,000 spend in the previous 3 calendar months
    UPI RuPay No complimentary lounge access
    ACE: +4 lounge visits/yr

Reward earning explained

Per card
ACE

1.5% · Up to 5% on Google Pay

Strong data
UPI RuPay

1% · Up to 3% on Dining Grocery Supermarket

Strong data

Pick based on what matters

4 dimensions

Start with the constraint you care about most: annual fee (Axis Bank ACE: ₹499 vs HDFC Bank UPI RuPay: ₹99), forex markup (3.5% vs 3.5%), or lounge access (4/year vs No complimentary lounge access).

  • Forex markup Tie

    Both cards are similar for forex

    Forex markup is 3.5%.

  • Lounge access Axis Bank ACE wins

    Axis Bank ACE is better for lounge access

    Axis Bank ACE is stronger here. Domestic lounge access is 4 per year.

  • Rewards Axis Bank ACE wins

    Axis Bank ACE is better for rewards

    Axis Bank ACE is stronger here. Axis Bank ACE conservative base value ~1.5% vs HDFC Bank UPI RuPay's ~1%.

  • upi HDFC Bank UPI RuPay wins

    HDFC Bank UPI RuPay is better for UPI usage

    HDFC Bank UPI RuPay 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
  • UPI RuPay: ~₹500/month at base rate

Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.

Field ACE Axis Bank UPI RuPay HDFC Bank
Lounge Access
Domestic lounge visits
spend-gated on some cards — see caveats
4/year vs No complimentary lounge access
4/year No complimentary lounge access
International lounge visits
Only available for ACE
No international lounge access Not specified
Forex / International Use
Forex markup 3.5% 3.5%
Fees
Recurring annual fee
₹499 vs ₹99
₹499 ₹99
Annual-fee waiver
₹2,00,000 vs ₹25,000
₹2,00,000 ₹25,000
Monthly interest rate 3.75% / month 3.75% / month
Late-payment charge
Only available for UPI RuPay
Not specified ₹100–₹1,300 depending on outstanding balance
Fuel benefit
1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹4,000 transactions · ₹500/month waiver cap vs No surcharge waiver
1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹4,000 transactions · ₹500/month waiver cap No surcharge waiver
Rewards
Base cashback
1.5% vs 1%
1.5% 1%
Earn ceiling
₹500 per statement cycle — shared across Google Pay (domestic), Ola (domestic), Swiggy (domestic) & Zomato (domestic) vs 500 CashPoints per month
₹500 per statement cycle — shared across Google Pay (domestic), Ola (domestic), Swiggy (domestic) & Zomato (domestic) 500 CashPoints per month
Point value (headline channel)
Issuer headline redemption rate — see each card page for the full channel grid.
Only available for ACE
₹1 Not specified
Point validity
Only available for UPI RuPay
Not specified 2 years

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.