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Axis Bank ACE vs IDFC FIRST Bank Swyp Credit Cards – Fees, Lounge, Forex

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

ACE
Swyp

The short answer

Verdict

Pick Swyp for lounge access.

Head-to-head

Three core metrics
  • Annual fee
    ACE ₹499 Waivable at ₹2,00,000 spend
    Swyp ₹499 Annual-fee waiver not offered
  • Forex markup
    ACE 3.5%
    Swyp 3.5%
  • Domestic lounge
    ACE 4/year Conditional · Domestic: 4/year · requires ₹50,000 spend in the previous 3 calendar months
    Swyp 16/year railway
    Swyp: +12 lounge visits/yr

Reward earning explained

Per card
ACE

1.5% · Up to 5% on Google Pay

Strong data

Pick based on what matters

3 dimensions

Start with the constraint you care about most: annual fee (Axis Bank ACE: ₹499 vs IDFC FIRST Bank Swyp: ₹499), forex markup (3.5% vs 3.5%), or lounge access (4/year vs 16/year railway).

  • Forex markup Tie

    Both cards are similar for forex

    Forex markup is 3.5%.

  • Lounge access IDFC FIRST Bank Swyp wins

    IDFC FIRST Bank Swyp is better for lounge access

    IDFC FIRST Bank Swyp is stronger here. Domestic lounge access is no airport lounge access.

  • Rewards Insufficient data

    Insufficient data to compare rewards

    Available evidence is incomplete: Axis Bank ACE conservative base value ~1.5% per ₹100. IDFC FIRST Bank Swyp has no conservative base value for comparison.

    ACE: Strong data Swyp: Strong data

All fields

Example usage at this monthly spend

At ₹50k/month spend:

  • ACE: ~₹750/month at base rate
  • IDFC FIRST Swyp: Base earn not clearly specified

Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.

Field ACE Axis Bank Swyp IDFC FIRST Bank
Insurance — Lost card liability cover
Only available for IDFC FIRST Swyp
Not specified ₹25,000
Insurance — Underwriter
Only available for IDFC FIRST Swyp
Not specified Insured by New India Assurance
Lounge Access
Domestic lounge visits
spend-gated on some cards — see caveats
4/year vs 16/year railway
4/year 16/year railway
International lounge visits No international lounge access No international lounge access
Forex / International Use
Forex markup 3.5% 3.5%
Fees
Recurring annual fee ₹499 ₹499
Annual-fee waiver
₹2,00,000 vs Not offered
₹2,00,000 Not offered
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 1% surcharge waiver · ₹200–₹5,000 transactions · ₹200/month waiver cap
1% surcharge waiver · ₹400–₹4,000 transactions · ₹500/month waiver cap 1% surcharge waiver · ₹200–₹5,000 transactions · ₹200/month waiver cap
Rewards
Base cashback
Only available for ACE
1.5% Not specified
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.
₹1 vs ₹0.25
₹1 ₹0.25
Point validity
Only available for IDFC FIRST Swyp
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.