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Every Secured Credit Card in India Ranked: Rs 90 to Rs 75,000 FD — Complete 2026 Guide for CIBIL Rebuilding

14 secured credit cards in India ranked by minimum FD. Start at Rs 90 (Supercard) or Rs 1,500 (Fi). No CIBIL check needed. Complete comparison with fees.

By HonestMoney.in Editorial Team | Updated April 26, 2026

A Secured Credit Card Is the Cheapest CIBIL Rebuilding Tool. Net Cost: Zero. Here Are All 14 Options Ranked.

If your CIBIL score is below 600 — whether from a loan default, settlement, or write-off — a secured credit card is the single best starting point for recovery. No CIBIL check. No income proof. Your fixed deposit earns interest while the card builds positive credit history that’s reported to all bureaus every 15 days.

The options range from Rs 90 (Supercard by Utkarsh SFB) to Rs 75,000 (ICICI Rubyx). Here’s every secured card available in India in 2026, ranked by minimum FD, with the exact details that matter for credit rebuilding.

The Complete Secured Credit Card Comparison (2026)

Tier 1: Lowest Entry (Rs 90 - Rs 5,000 FD)

Bank / Card	Min FD	Credit Limit	Annual Fee	Key Feature	Best For
Supercard (Utkarsh SFB)	Rs 90	Tiny (based on FD)	Nil	Absolute lowest entry point in India	Proving concept, testing the process
Federal Bank SimpliFi (Fi app)	Rs 1,500	80% of FD	Nil year 1; Rs 2,000 from year 2	Lowest practical entry, good app UX	Budget-conscious rebuilders
SBM Step Up / Niyo Global	Rs 5,000	Up to 90% of FD	Nil	Zero forex markup on international transactions	Rebuilders who travel or shop internationally
IDFC FIRST EARN	Rs 5,000	80% of FD	Nil year 1; Rs 499 from year 2	Known bank, good rewards	Starter card with upgrade path to IDFC FIRST range

Verdict: The Supercard at Rs 90 is a novelty — the credit limit is too small for meaningful use. Federal Bank SimpliFi at Rs 1,500 is the real lowest practical entry. For most people, IDFC FIRST EARN at Rs 5,000 offers the best balance of low entry and brand credibility.

Tier 2: Sweet Spot (Rs 10,000 - Rs 25,000 FD)

Bank / Card	Min FD	Credit Limit	Annual Fee	Key Feature	Best For
Kotak 811 DreamDifferent	Rs 10,000	80% of FD	Nil (lifetime free if limit > Rs 18K)	Truly lifetime free, good app, solid bank	Best overall value — no fees ever
AU NOMO	Rs 10,000	80% of FD	Rs 199 joining, Nil renewal	Effective lifetime free, decent rewards	AU Bank customers, semi-urban users
Axis My Zone Easy	Rs 15,000	80-90% of FD	Rs 500	Axis Bank upgrade ecosystem	Those wanting Axis card benefits later
IDFC FIRST WOW!	Rs 20,000	80% of FD	Nil (lifetime free)	Zero forex markup, no annual fee	International spenders, frequent travelers
SBI Unnati	Rs 25,000	80-90% of FD	Nil for 4 years; Rs 499 from year 5	India’s largest bank, trusted bureau reporting	Those who want PSU bank credibility on report

Verdict: Kotak 811 DreamDifferent at Rs 10,000 with lifetime free annual fee is the best card in this tier for pure CIBIL rebuilding. If you want zero forex markup, go IDFC FIRST WOW! at Rs 20,000. If you want the most recognizable bank name on your credit report, SBI Unnati at Rs 25,000.

Tier 3: Premium (Rs 50,000 - Rs 75,000 FD)

Bank / Card	Min FD	Credit Limit	Annual Fee	Key Feature	Best For
ICICI Instant Platinum	Rs 20,000-50,000	Up to 90% of FD	Varies	4 variants available, good rewards	ICICI ecosystem users
ICICI Coral	Rs 50,000	Up to 90% of FD	Rs 500	Lounge access, dining privileges	Those who want lifestyle benefits while rebuilding
YES Bank Prosperity Rewards Plus	Rs 50,000	90% of FD	Rs 399 + GST	Good rewards program	YES Bank savings account holders
Axis Privilege Easy	Rs 65,000	80-90% of FD	Rs 1,500 + GST	Premium Axis tier benefits	Those wanting premium card experience
ICICI Rubyx	Rs 75,000	Up to 90% of FD	Rs 3,000	Premium tier, best ICICI rewards	High-spenders rebuilding after a one-time incident

Verdict: Premium secured cards make sense only if you need the lifestyle benefits (lounge access, rewards) and have the capital. For pure CIBIL rebuilding, they offer zero advantage over a Rs 10,000 card. The bureau reports the same data regardless of credit limit or card tier.

How to Choose: The Decision Framework

If your only goal is CIBIL rebuilding:

Pick Kotak 811 DreamDifferent (Rs 10,000 FD, lifetime free). Lowest meaningful cost, zero annual fees, reports to all bureaus, good app for tracking. Done.

If you have less than Rs 10,000 to spare:

Pick Federal Bank SimpliFi via Fi (Rs 1,500 FD). Cancel before year 2 to avoid the Rs 2,000 annual fee, or upgrade to a better card by then.

If you also shop internationally:

Pick IDFC FIRST WOW! (Rs 20,000 FD) or SBM Step Up (Rs 5,000 FD). Both have zero forex markup — saves 1.5-3.5% on every international transaction.

If you want upgrade potential to a premium card:

Pick ICICI Instant Platinum (Rs 20,000-50,000 FD) or Axis My Zone Easy (Rs 15,000 FD). Both banks actively upgrade secured cardholders to regular cards after 12-18 months of good behavior.

The CIBIL Rebuilding Strategy With a Secured Card

Getting the card is step one. Using it correctly is what actually rebuilds your score.

Month 1: Setup

Open the FD at the required minimum amount
Apply for the secured card (online for most banks, branch visit for SBI)
Receive virtual card instantly (physical card arrives in 5-7 days)
Immediately set up NACH auto-pay for full statement balance — this is non-negotiable
Link the card to 2-3 small recurring payments (mobile recharge, OTT subscription, utility bill)

Month 1-6: The Discipline Phase

Rule	Why	What Happens If You Break It
Spend below 30% of limit	Utilization is 25-30% of CIBIL score	Score stagnates despite on-time payments
Pay full balance before due date	Partial payment = high utilization carried forward	Finance charges of 2.5-3.5% per month + score damage
No other credit applications	Each hard inquiry costs 5-10 points	Lost progress, signal of desperation to lenders
Check CIBIL monthly (soft pull)	Verify payments are reporting correctly	Catch errors before they compound

Expected Score Trajectory

Month	Expected Score Range	What’s Happening
Month 0 (start)	300-550	Baseline after default/settlement
Month 1-2	320-570 (+10-20)	First on-time payments register, minimal impact
Month 3-4	380-620 (+40-60)	Pattern of on-time payments begins to weigh
Month 5-6	450-680 (+70-110)	6-month track record significantly impacts score
Month 7-9	530-720 (+80-120)	Compound effect of utilization + payment history
Month 10-12	600-750 (+70-100)	12-month milestone — major trust signal to bureaus

These ranges assume: secured card as the only new credit product, Settled/Written Off converted to Closed by Month 2, zero missed payments, utilization under 30%.

Adding Credit Mix After 6 Months

A credit profile with only a credit card is one-dimensional. After 6 months of perfect card payments, add a secured loan for credit mix diversity (worth ~10% of CIBIL score).

Best option: Small gold loan of Rs 25,000-50,000 with monthly EMI repayment. Gold loans below Rs 2.5 lakh need no CIBIL check. Interest cost: Rs 1,000-3,000 over 6 months. This adds a “secured loan” to your credit mix alongside the “revolving credit” from the card.

Second option: Loan against FD from any bank. No CIBIL check since the loan is secured by your deposit. Confirm with the bank that they report the loan to credit bureaus — not all banks report overdraft-style facilities.

Common Mistakes That Waste 6 Months of Progress

1. Getting multiple secured cards simultaneously. Each application is a hard inquiry. Three cards opened in one month = 3 inquiries = 15-30 points lost. One card is sufficient for CIBIL rebuilding.

2. Using the card for large purchases and paying minimum due. If your limit is Rs 9,000 and you spend Rs 8,500 (94% utilization), your credit utilization tanks your score even if you pay the minimum on time. The bureau sees the high balance at statement generation, not after your payment.

3. Paying after the due date “because it’s just a day late.” DPD reporting is binary. Even 1 day late = “030” in your DPD column. That mark stays for 36 months. The recovery agent of your old loan was annoying. A missed secured card payment is self-inflicted damage.

4. Closing the card after 6 months because “score improved enough.” Credit age is 15% of your score. A 6-month-old card contributes far less than a 24-month-old card. Keep the card open for at least 2 years.

5. Not checking if the bank reports to all 4 bureaus. If your secured card only reports to CIBIL, your Experian and CRIF scores won’t improve. Some lenders check these non-CIBIL bureaus. Verify before applying.

Eligibility and Application Process

All secured credit cards share these basic requirements:

Requirement	Details
Age	18+ years (21+ for some banks)
KYC	PAN card + Aadhaar card
Income proof	Not required
CIBIL score check	Not performed
FD tenure	Minimum 180 days (varies by bank)
FD type	Non-tax-saver, single holder FD (no joint FDs)
Existing relationship	Some banks require a savings account first

Process: Open savings account (if required) → Place FD → Apply for secured card referencing the FD → Bank places lien on FD → Virtual card issued instantly, physical card in 5-7 days.

Rejection reasons (rare): KYC mismatch, PAN not linked to Aadhaar, existing fraud flag on PAN, incomplete application. CIBIL score is never a rejection reason for secured cards.

When to Graduate From Secured to Unsecured

Your secured card served its purpose once:

CIBIL score is consistently above 720 for 3+ months
You have 12+ months of “000” (on-time) DPD entries
All Settled/Written Off accounts are converted to Closed
No hard inquiries in the last 6 months

At this point, apply for one unsecured credit card — preferably from the bank where you hold a salary account (highest approval probability). Once approved, keep both the secured and unsecured cards active. The secured card with 12-18 months of history contributes to credit age, while the unsecured card signals that a bank trusts you without collateral.

Release the FD lien only after you’ve held the unsecured card for 6+ months and confirmed your CIBIL remains stable above 720.

How to Remove Name from CIBIL Defaulter List — Before rebuilding with a secured card, first fix the underlying negative entry (Settled, Written Off, or Suit Filed) using the 5-scenario removal guide
18-Month CIBIL Recovery Playbook After Default — The full rebuilding strategy where your secured card fits into Phase 2 alongside gold loans and NBFC products
Settled vs Closed vs Written Off — Fix Guide — Convert your account status before applying for a secured card — Closed status accelerates the entire rebuilding timeline

HonestMoney.in Editorial Team

Research-backed content sourced from official publications, regulatory filings, verified data, and real-world experiences. Updated April 2026.

FAQ 11

Frequently Asked Questions

Research-backed answers from verified data and published sources.

What is a secured credit card and how does it help rebuild CIBIL score?

A secured credit card is issued against a fixed deposit you place with the bank. Your FD amount determines the credit limit (typically 80-90% of FD value). No income proof or CIBIL score check is needed for approval. Every on-time payment is reported to all four credit bureaus, building positive payment history which constitutes 35% of your CIBIL score. After 6 months of perfect payments, most rebuilders see their score increase by 80-120 points. After 12 months, scores typically reach the 680-750 range. Your FD continues earning 6.5-7% interest while pledged as collateral.

Can I get a secured credit card with CIBIL score below 400?

Yes. Secured credit cards have no minimum CIBIL score requirement because the bank's risk is covered by your fixed deposit collateral. Even with a score of 300, active write-offs, or settlement marks on your report, you will be approved as long as your KYC documents (PAN and Aadhaar) are valid and you open the required minimum FD. Cards like Supercard by Utkarsh SFB (Rs 90 FD), Federal Bank SimpliFi via Fi (Rs 1,500 FD), and IDFC FIRST EARN (Rs 5,000 FD) are available at the lowest entry points.

Which secured credit card has the lowest minimum FD requirement?

Supercard by Utkarsh Small Finance Bank has the absolute lowest entry at Rs 90, though the card is bare-bones with very limited features. For practical daily use, Federal Bank SimpliFi via Fi starts at Rs 1,500 FD with no first-year annual fee. SBM Step Up and IDFC FIRST EARN both start at Rs 5,000. For a lifetime-free card with mainstream bank backing, Kotak 811 DreamDifferent at Rs 10,000 is the sweet spot. The FD continues earning interest so your actual out-of-pocket cost is zero regardless of the deposit amount.

Does a secured credit card report to all 4 credit bureaus?

Most secured cards from major banks and SFBs report to all four bureaus: CIBIL (TransUnion), Experian, Equifax, and CRIF High Mark. However, some smaller banks or fintech-issued cards may report to only one or two bureaus. Before applying, confirm with the issuing bank that they report to all four. This matters because different lenders pull different bureaus. SBI and HDFC primarily check CIBIL, but Bajaj Finance checks Experian, and some NBFCs use CRIF High Mark. If your card only reports to CIBIL, your Experian score will not improve.

How much of the secured credit card limit should I use each month?

Keep spending below 30% of your credit limit. If your FD is Rs 10,000 and your limit is Rs 9,000, spend no more than Rs 2,700 per month. Lower is better. Keeping utilization below 10% signals minimal credit dependency and maximizes score improvement. Never use more than 50% even temporarily. Credit utilization is 25-30% of your CIBIL score and is the fastest factor to change since it reflects in the very next reporting cycle (every 15 days under current RBI rules). Pay the full statement balance before the due date, not just the minimum.

Can I convert a secured credit card to an unsecured regular card later?

Yes, most banks offer automatic conversion after 12-18 months of perfect payment history. ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and Kotak Mahindra proactively upgrade secured cardholders to unsecured cards once the CIBIL score reaches 700-750. After conversion, your FD is released and you get a regular credit card with a limit based on your income. SBI Unnati cardholders can apply for a regular SBI credit card after 12 months and close the Unnati card to release the FD. IDFC FIRST Bank offers seamless migration to their regular card range. Always confirm the upgrade path before choosing your secured card.

What happens to my FD interest while the card is active?

Your FD continues earning interest at the prevailing rate (typically 6.5-7.5% for 1-year FDs at major banks). The bank places a lien on the FD meaning you cannot withdraw or break it while the card is active. But the interest is credited to your account as usual. When you close the card and release the lien, you get back your full FD amount plus all accumulated interest. This makes the effective cost of a secured credit card zero or even slightly positive since the interest earned partially offsets any annual fees.

Should I get one expensive secured card or multiple cheap ones?

One card is sufficient for CIBIL rebuilding. Multiple cards do not speed up score recovery. In fact, multiple simultaneous applications create hard inquiries that temporarily lower your score by 5-10 points each. Open one secured card, use it for 6-12 months, then consider adding a second credit product (like a gold loan) for credit mix diversity. If you must choose between a Rs 10,000 FD lifetime-free card and a Rs 50,000 FD card, pick the cheaper one. The CIBIL impact of on-time payments is identical regardless of credit limit.

What if I miss a payment on my secured credit card?

Missing a payment on a secured card is catastrophic for your rebuilding plan. A single missed payment can drop your score by 50-70 points and is reported to all bureaus in the next 15-day cycle. It also defeats the entire purpose of getting the card. Set up NACH auto-pay for the full statement balance immediately after activation. If your auto-debit fails due to insufficient funds, pay manually within the same day. If you miss the due date by even 1 day, the DPD column shows 030 and that mark stays on your report for 36 months.

Are there any hidden fees in secured credit cards I should watch for?

Watch for these: (1) FD premature closure penalty if you close the card before the FD matures (typically 0.5-1% of FD). (2) Finance charges of 2.5-3.5% per month on unpaid balances, same as regular cards. (3) Cash advance fees of 2.5% of the amount. (4) Annual fees from year 2 onwards on cards marketed as free for year 1 only (Fi charges Rs 2,000 from year 2, SBI Unnati charges Rs 499 from year 5). (5) Forex markup of 1.5-3.5% on international transactions (exception: SBM/Niyo and IDFC FIRST with zero markup). Always read the most important terms document before applying.

Can NRIs get a secured credit card to rebuild India CIBIL?

Most secured credit cards require an Indian residential address and domestic KYC. NRIs can open NRO fixed deposits in India and some banks issue secured cards against NRO FDs. SBI, ICICI, and HDFC offer NRI-specific secured card variants but availability varies by branch and NRI status type. The easier route for NRIs is to use a domestic address of a family member for KYC purposes (if the bank allows it) or visit a branch in India during a trip. Cards issued against NRO FDs report to Indian credit bureaus and build CIBIL history.

Disclaimer: This information is for educational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice. Credit scores are calculated by credit bureaus (CIBIL, Experian, Equifax, CRIF) using proprietary models. Score ranges and factors may vary by bureau. Check your credit report directly from RBI-licensed credit bureaus for accurate information.