1% · Up to 30 pts / ₹150 on HPCL
Strong data Pairwise comparison
Compare 3+ cards →
IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus vs STANDARD CHARTERED Smart
Side-by-side comparison of the IDFC FIRST Bank HPCL Power Plus and the Standard Chartered Bank India Smart. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.
The short answer
Pick HPCL Power Plus for spending abroad.
Head-to-head
- Annual fee Annual fee outcome: tie. HPCL Power Plus ₹499 Waivable at ₹1,50,000 spendSmart ₹499 Waivable at ₹1,20,000 or more spend
- Forex markup Forex markup outcome: HPCL Power Plus wins. HPCL Power Plus saves ~₹3,500 per ₹1L abroadHPCL Power Plus 0%Smart 3.5%
- Domestic lounge Domestic lounge outcome: insufficient data to compare. HPCL Power Plus 4/year (1 per quarter) Conditional · Domestic: 1/quarter · requires ₹20,000 spend in the previous month (unlocks the following month)Smart No complimentary lounge access
- Rewards Rewards outcome: tie. conservative base valueHPCL Power Plus ~1%Smart ~1%
Reward earning explained
1% · Up to 2% on online spend
Strong dataExample usage at this monthly spend
At ₹50k/month spend:
- IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus: ~₹500/month at base rate
- Standard Chartered Smart: ~₹500/month at base rate
Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.
All fields
| Field | HPCL Power Plus IDFC FIRST Bank | Smart Standard Chartered Bank India |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge Access | ||
| Domestic lounge visits spend-gated on some cards — see caveats 4/year (1 per quarter) vs No complimentary lounge access | 4/year (1 per quarter) | No complimentary lounge access |
| International lounge visits Only available for Standard Chartered Smart | Not specified | No international lounge access |
| Forex / International Use | ||
| Forex markup Source agreement differs — verify both. 0% vs 3.5% | 0% | 3.5% |
| Fees | ||
| Recurring annual fee | ₹499 | ₹499 |
| First-year cost Only available for Standard Chartered Smart | Not specified | ₹0 |
| Annual-fee waiver ₹1,50,000 vs ₹1,20,000 or more | ₹1,50,000 | ₹1,20,000 or more |
| Interest-free period Only available for IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus | Up to 45 days | Not specified |
| Monthly interest rate Only available for Standard Chartered Smart | Not specified | 3.75% / month |
| Late-payment charge Only available for Standard Chartered Smart | Not specified | ₹100–₹1,200 depending on outstanding balance |
| Fuel benefit No surcharge waiver vs No surcharge waiver · Fuel rewards excluded | No surcharge waiver | No surcharge waiver · Fuel rewards excluded |
| Rewards | ||
| Base cashback | 1% | 1% |
| Earn ceiling 2,400 points per month; at 30 pts / ₹150, this lane reaches the cap at ₹12,000 of eligible spend vs ₹500 per statement cycle | 2,400 points per month at 30 pts / ₹150, this lane reaches the cap at ₹12,000 of eligible spend | ₹500 per statement cycle |
| Point value (headline channel) Issuer headline redemption rate — see each card page for the full channel grid. Only available for Standard Chartered Smart | Not specified | ₹1 |
| Point validity Only available for IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus | 2 years | Not specified |
| Insurance — Personal accident cover Only available for IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus | ₹2 lakh | Not specified |
| Insurance — Lost card liability cover Only available for IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus | ₹25,000 | Not specified |
| Insurance — Underwriter Only available for IDFC FIRST HPCL Power Plus | Insured by New India Assurance | Not specified |
Notes
- 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.
IDFC FIRST Bank HPCL Power Plus
Verify with issuer , opens external siteStandard Chartered Bank India Smart
Verify with issuer , opens external site