Which card has a lower forex fee: Axis Bank Primus Credit Card or ICICI Emeralde Credit Card?

Axis Bank Primus Credit Card has lower forex markup (0% vs 2%).

Which card has a lower annual fee: Axis Bank Primus Credit Card or ICICI Emeralde Credit Card?

ICICI Emeralde Credit Card has a lower annual fee (₹12,000 vs ₹3,00,000).

Which card offers better lounge access?

Axis Bank Primus Credit Card: Unlimited domestic lounge. ICICI Emeralde Credit Card: Unlimited domestic lounge.

Which card has a higher base reward rate?

ICICI Emeralde Credit Card has higher base reward value (~1.5% vs ~1%).

Axis Bank Primus vs ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Cards – Fees, Lounge, Forex

Side-by-side comparison of the Axis Bank Primus and the ICICI Bank Emeralde. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.

Travel → Axis Bank Primus Axis Bank Primus is stronger here. Forex markup is 0%.

Forex → Axis Bank Primus Axis Bank Primus is stronger here. Forex markup is 0%.

Low fee → ICICI Bank Emeralde ICICI Bank Emeralde is stronger here. ICICI Bank Emeralde has a lower annual fee (₹12,000 vs ₹3,00,000).

Quick comparison

Feature	Primus	Emeralde
Annual fee	₹3,00,000	₹12,000 Waivable at ₹10,00,000 spend
Forex fee	0%	2%
Domestic lounge	Unlimited	Unlimited

Fees: Emeralde wins

Confidence: High

Forex: Primus wins

Confidence: High

Lounge: Tie

Confidence: High

Primus 1 pts / ₹100 on General spend Strong data

Emeralde 6 pts / ₹100 on General spend Strong data

Pick based on what matters

Start with the constraint you care about most: annual fee (Axis Bank Primus: ₹3,00,000 vs ICICI Bank Emeralde: ₹12,000), forex markup (0% vs 2%), or lounge access (Unlimited vs Unlimited).

Axis Bank Primus is better for travel Strong data vs Strong data Axis Bank Primus is stronger here. Forex markup is 0%.
Axis Bank Primus is better for forex Strong data vs Strong data Axis Bank Primus is stronger here. Forex markup is 0%.
Both cards are similar for lounge access Domestic lounge access is unlimited.
Both cards are similar for rewards Strong data vs Strong data Estimated base reward value is ~1% on base spend. Estimated base reward value is ~1.5% on base spend.
ICICI Bank Emeralde is better for fees Strong data vs Strong data ICICI Bank Emeralde is stronger here. ICICI Bank Emeralde has a lower annual fee (₹12,000 vs ₹3,00,000).
Both cards are similar for UPI usage Visa network does not support UPI payments.

Explore: Axis Bank Primus card page · ICICI Bank Emeralde card page · best credit cards in India

Standard view

Example usage at this monthly spend

At ₹50k/month spend:

Emeralde: ~₹750/month at base rate
Primus: ~₹500/month at base rate

Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.

	Primus Axis Bank	Emeralde ICICI Bank
Lounge Access
Domestic lounge visits	Unlimited	Unlimited
Forex / International Use
Forex markup Source agreement differs — verify both. 0% vs 2%	0%	2%
Fees
Annual fee ₹3,00,000 vs ₹12,000	₹3,00,000	₹12,000
Joining fee ₹5,00,000 vs ₹12,000	₹5,00,000	₹12,000
Fee waiver spend Only available for Emeralde	Not specified	₹10,00,000
Rewards
Points per ₹100 1 pts vs 6 pts	1 pts	6 pts
Point cash value ₹1 vs ₹0.25	₹1	₹0.25

Notes

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

Axis Bank Primus vs ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Cards – Fees, Lounge, Forex

Quick comparison

Pick based on what matters

Related comparisons

Example usage at this monthly spend

Notes