1.5% · Up to 5% on Google Pay
Strong data Pairwise comparison
Compare 3+ cards →
AXIS ACE vs IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus
Side-by-side comparison of the Axis Bank ACE and the IDFC FIRST Bank HPCL Power Plus. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.
The short answer
Pick ACE for rewards.
Pick HPCL Power Plus for spending abroad.
Head-to-head
- Annual fee Annual fee outcome: tie. ACE ₹499 Waivable at ₹2,00,000 spendHPCL Power Plus ₹499 Waivable at ₹1,50,000 spend
- Forex markup Forex markup outcome: HPCL Power Plus wins. HPCL Power Plus saves ~₹3,500 per ₹1L abroadACE 3.5%HPCL Power Plus 0%
- Domestic lounge Domestic lounge outcome: tie. ACE 4/year Conditional · Domestic: 4/year · requires ₹50,000 spend in the previous 3 calendar monthsHPCL Power Plus 4/year (1 per quarter) Conditional · Domestic: 1/quarter · requires ₹20,000 spend in the previous month (unlocks the following month)
- Rewards Rewards outcome: ACE wins. conservative base valueACE ~1.5%HPCL Power Plus ~1%
Reward earning explained
1% · Up to 30 pts / ₹150 on HPCL
Strong dataExample usage at this monthly spend
At ₹50k/month spend:
- ACE: ~₹750/month at base rate
- IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus: ~₹500/month at base rate
Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.
All fields
| Field | ACE Axis Bank | HPCL Power Plus IDFC FIRST Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge Access | ||
| Domestic lounge visits spend-gated on some cards — see caveats 4/year vs 4/year (1 per quarter) | 4/year | 4/year (1 per quarter) |
| International lounge visits Only available for ACE | No international lounge access | Not specified |
| Forex / International Use | ||
| Forex markup Source agreement differs — verify both. 3.5% vs 0% | 3.5% | 0% |
| Fees | ||
| Recurring annual fee | ₹499 | ₹499 |
| Annual-fee waiver ₹2,00,000 vs ₹1,50,000 | ₹2,00,000 | ₹1,50,000 |
| Interest-free period Up to 50 days vs Up to 45 days | Up to 50 days | Up to 45 days |
| Monthly interest rate Only available for ACE | 3.75% / month | Not specified |
| 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 2,400 points per month; at 30 pts / ₹150, this lane reaches the cap at ₹12,000 of eligible spend | ₹500 per statement cycle — shared across Google Pay (domestic), Ola (domestic), Swiggy (domestic) & Zomato (domestic) | 2,400 points per month at 30 pts / ₹150, this lane reaches the cap at ₹12,000 of eligible spend |
| 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 IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus | Not specified | 2 years |
| Insurance — Personal accident cover Only available for IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus | Not specified | ₹2 lakh |
| Insurance — Lost card liability cover Only available for IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus | Not specified | ₹25,000 |
| Insurance — Underwriter Only available for IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus | Not specified | Insured by New India Assurance |
Notes
- Axis Bank ACE Credit Card: Condition: ₹50,000 spend in the previous 3 calendar months
- IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus Credit Card: Condition: ₹20,000 spend in the previous month (unlocks the following month)
- 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 siteIDFC FIRST Bank HPCL Power Plus
Verify with issuer , opens external site