Best Credit Card for Grocery Shopping in India 2026 — Top 5 Compared
Which credit card gives the most cashback on groceries in India? We compare HSBC Live+, Amazon Pay ICICI, SBI Cashback and more with real monthly spend maths.
The average Indian household spends Rs 8,000 to Rs 20,000 per month on groceries — on BigBasket, Zepto, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, DMart, and local supermarkets. If you are paying for all of this with a debit card or a credit card that earns 0.5% or less, you are leaving a significant amount of money unrewarded.
The right credit card can return 2% to 10% on grocery spend — which translates to Rs 2,000 to Rs 20,000 per year purely from your grocery budget. This guide compares the five best options with honest numbers.
Quick Comparison Table
| Card | Grocery Reward Rate | Monthly Cap |
|---|---|---|
| HSBC Live+ | 10% on Swiggy/Zomato/Zepto/DMart | Rs 1,000 per month |
| Amazon Pay ICICI | 5% on Amazon Fresh (Prime) | No monthly cap |
| Flipkart Axis Bank | 5% on Flipkart Grocery + Myntra | No cap on grocery |
| SBI Cashback Card | 5% on all online grocery (BigBasket, Swiggy etc.) | Rs 4,000 total/month (all categories) |
| Axis Ace (Google Pay) | 5% via Google Pay for utilities/bills; 2% other | No category cap on 2% base rate |
1. HSBC Live+ Credit Card — Best for Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and Zomato Grocery
The HSBC Live+ is a lifetime-free card that gives 10% cashback specifically on food delivery and grocery platforms — Swiggy (including Instamart), Zomato (including Blinkit), Zepto, and DMart Online. This is the highest reward rate you will find on a free card for these specific platforms.
Related reading: Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card Review.
Related reading: SBI Cashback Card Review.
Reward rate: 10% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, Zepto, Dmart
Monthly cashback cap: Rs 1,000 per month on the 10% category
Reward on everything else: 1.5% cashback
Annual fee: Lifetime free
Real maths for a household spending Rs 8,000/month on grocery via these apps: 10% = Rs 800 cashback per month = Rs 9,600 per year. You hit the Rs 1,000 cap at Rs 10,000 of grocery spend in this category. The cashback is credited directly to your card statement — no portal, no coins.
The HDFC Swiggy Credit Card, which gave 10% on Swiggy including Instamart, has stopped accepting new applications as of February 10, 2026. Existing holders retain benefits. HSBC Live+ is now the strongest Swiggy/grocery alternative for new applicants.
2. Amazon Pay ICICI Credit Card — Best for Amazon Fresh and Big Basket
For Amazon Prime members who order grocery via Amazon Fresh or BigBasket (now part of Amazon ecosystem after Tata acquisition), the Amazon Pay ICICI card gives 5% cashback with no monthly cap. This is a permanent benefit — not a limited-period offer.
Reward rate: 5% on Amazon for Prime members (including Amazon Fresh)
Reward rate non-Prime: 3% on Amazon
Reward on other online: 2%
Reward on offline: 1%
Annual fee: Lifetime free
Real maths: Spend Rs 15,000/month on Amazon Fresh. 5% = Rs 750/month = Rs 9,000/year. Cashback comes as Amazon Pay balance — usable on Amazon for anything. No cap is the big advantage here.
3. SBI Cashback Credit Card — Best for BigBasket and Multi-Platform Grocery
After the April 2026 devaluation (cap reduced from Rs 5,000 to Rs 4,000 total per billing cycle), the SBI Cashback card still gives 5% on all online transactions — which includes BigBasket, Blinkit, Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and any other grocery delivery app paid online.
Related reading: Reward Points vs Cashback.
Reward rate: 5% on all online purchases (grocery included)
Total monthly cap: Rs 4,000 across all online categories combined (not just grocery)
Offline/UPI rate: 1%
Annual fee: Rs 999 (waived at Rs 2 lakh annual spend)
Real maths: Spend Rs 12,000/month online (grocery Rs 8,000 + other Rs 4,000). 5% on all = Rs 600/month from grocery alone. But watch the Rs 4,000 total cap — if your total online spend is Rs 80,000/month, you hit the cap early.
4. Flipkart Axis Bank Credit Card — Best for Flipkart Quick Grocery
Reward rate: 5% on Flipkart (including Flipkart Quick Grocery) + Myntra
Reward on other online: 4% on partner apps (Swiggy, Uber, PVR, Myntra)
Reward on general: 1.5%
Annual fee: Rs 500 (waived at Rs 2 lakh annual spend)
Best for households primarily ordering grocery from Flipkart Quick. The 4% on Swiggy also works for Instamart grocery.
5. HDFC Millennia Credit Card — Best Rounded Option for Grocery + Everything Else
Reward rate: 5% on Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Zomato, BookMyShow, Cult.fit, Myntra
Monthly cashback cap: Rs 1,000 per month across 5% category
Reward on general: 1%
Annual fee: Rs 1,000 (waived at Rs 1 lakh quarterly spend)
If your grocery split across Amazon Fresh, BigBasket, and Swiggy Instamart and you also spend on Swiggy food delivery — the Rs 1,000 monthly cap on the 5% category will be shared across all these platforms. Good all-rounder but the cap limits pure grocery reward potential.
How to Maximise Grocery Rewards — Card Stacking Strategy
The smartest approach for a household spending Rs 15,000+ on grocery: use two cards.
HSBC Live+ for Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, and Zomato grocery (10% up to Rs 1,000 cap)
Amazon Pay ICICI for Amazon Fresh and BigBasket (5% with no cap)
Combined: First Rs 10,000 on Swiggy/Zepto earns Rs 1,000. Next Rs 10,000 on Amazon Fresh earns Rs 500. Total: Rs 1,500/month = Rs 18,000/year on grocery alone. Both cards are lifetime free.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Does credit card cashback work on grocery paid via UPI?
Only for RuPay credit cards linked to UPI. For Visa/Mastercard credit cards, you need to pay directly via the app's credit card payment option, not through UPI.
Q: Is BigBasket grocery covered under Amazon Pay ICICI 5% cashback?
Only for orders placed through Amazon (Amazon Fresh). BigBasket orders placed on the BigBasket app directly earn only 1% to 2% on most cards.
Q: What happened to the HDFC Swiggy credit card?
HDFC stopped issuing new Swiggy cards as of February 10, 2026. Existing holders keep their benefits. HSBC Live+ is the best current alternative for Swiggy/Instamart cashback.