Category
International
Spends in foreign currency. Ranked net of forex markup — the reward minus the markup is what you actually keep.
No card in your wallet earns rewards on international yet.
When you add a card that does, it will rank here automatically.
Best in market
Zero-forex cards are now common, but banks spent 2025-26 stripping rewards from international spends — so rank by NET return after markup + GST. · Top-tier picks from the whole Indian market, researched 7 Aug 2026.
Standard Chartered Ultimate
3.3% rewards − 2.36% forex (2% markup + GST) — the quiet forex king of 2026
₹5,000 + GST, no assured waiver
An unusually low 2% markup paired with ~3.3% rewards on international spends gives the highest net return of any openly available card — better than every zero-forex card, because those now earn little or nothing abroad.
Multiple devaluations since 2023 (utilities/insurance cut, fuel zero) and a shrinking redemption catalogue — redeem points quickly; premium income eligibility; verify the 2% markup on your variant before travel.
IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST Mayura
0% forex markup + 5X points on international spends, plus 4 intl + 4 domestic lounge visits/quarter
₹5,999 + GST
The strongest true zero-forex card that still earns abroad after the Dec 2025 devaluation halved international earning from 10X to 5X — the best all-round card to actually carry overseas.
Back-to-back devaluations (Dec 2025 intl earn halved; Jun 2026 rewards capped at credit limit, movie benefit spend-gated); points now expire; the fee only justifies itself with regular international travel.
IDFC FIRST Bank FIRST WOW
0% forex markup, ~0.5% rewards, lifetime free — a guaranteed small positive net at zero cost
Lifetime free (FD-backed, min ₹20,000 deposit)
You already own the best free option: zero markup at Visa rates plus 4X points that — unlike Scapia and RBL World Safari — still accrue on international spends.
Credit limit equals your FD; no lounge access; always pay in local currency to dodge DCC charges — zero-forex doesn't cover DCC.
Your wallet · International
What this category is actually worth
The same checks as the wallet page, narrowed to all 0 cards that earn on international. Set a monthly figure for it in to put rupees on these.
Earnings here
What each card would return on international at your spend — raw rates, before caps.
Every card in your wallet is excluded from international — see the reasons in the table above.
Milestone progress
Milestones on these cards, against your total spend routed to one card.
None of the cards that earn here has a milestone.
Fee check — does each card pay for itself?
Value is still counted across your whole wallet, not just this category — a card earns its fee wherever it wins. Waivers are not assumed.
| Card | Fee | Value/yr | Verdict |
|---|
Where the market beats your wallet
Your best card against the top pick in Best in market, just above — the numbers only, since the pick itself is already on this page.
No market pick with a comparable rate for this category yet.