PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno Credit Card: Features, Benefits, and Why You Should Consider Applying

Credit cards that will reward you for what you are already doing can be a game-changer in the digital payment and daily spending world. PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno Credit Card is one of such products designed to meet the needs of users who are active in the UPI ecosystem and actively use the app to pay most of the time. This blog will take you through all you need to know about the features, the fees, and how it compares to be in a position to decide whether it best fits into your wallet.

What is the PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno credit card?

PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno Credit Card is a co-branded credit card, an HDFC Bank credit card that operates on the RuPay network in collaboration with PhonePe. The card is targeted at digital-first users who would like to receive reward points and cashback on both UPI transactions (including through PhonePe) and online spending, so it is a good entry-level card in case users regularly use PhonePe to recharge their phones, pay their bills, shop online, and make transactions with UPI Scan and Pay.

Major Features & Reward Structure

Reward Structure

• Value of 1 reward point = INR 1. 

• 2 Reward points on Phonpe spends and Pincode (hyperlocal delivery app) spends, such as Recharges, Bill Payments, Insurance, Flights, Hotels, Pincode (a hyperlocal delivery app) & more. 

• PhonePe Pincode Cashback Rate: 2%. 

• 1 reward point on spend of INR 100 on Swiggy, Zomato, Uber, Myntra, Nykaa, BookMyShow, MakeMyTrip, Blinkit, District, Zepto, Rapido + 1000 brands. 

• Special Cashback Rate: 1%. 1 reward point on all scan and pay spends. 

• UPI Cashback Rate: 1%. 

Practical Example

1. Suppose you spend ₹10,000 in UNO's relevant categories in PhonePe for the month: recharge/bills, etc. You’ll earn 2% → ₹200 (200 Reward Points) – but note the monthly cap of 500 Reward Points means you don’t need to overspend beyond the cap to max out this benefit.

2. On select online brands, if you spend ₹10,000, you get 1% → ₹100 (100 Reward Points).

3. On UPI scan-&-pay transactions, say you do ₹5,000 → you get 1% → ₹50 (50 Reward Points).

So total monthly reward in this scenario: ₹350 in points (future cashback).

Welcome Benefit

Credit cardholders will get a gift card worth INR 500. 50% of the Joining Fee (INR 249) will be given back as a PhonePe Gift card on the first RuPay credit card on a UPI transaction, and the remaining 50% to be spread over the next 10 RuPay credit cards on UPI transactions (INR 25 each) and given as a PhonePe Gift Card. 

Digital & UPI-First Design

• The card has been connected to UPI (through PhonePe) to allow you to pay any UPI merchant using your credit card instead of a debit card or wallet.

• You can work with the card in the PhonePe application (monitor expenditures, pay bills, look at statements) in a completely digital manner.

Fees & Charges You Should Know

• Joining Fee: ₹499 + applicable taxes.

• Annual/Renewal Fee: ₹499 + applicable taxes. However, this is waived if you spend ₹1,00,000 or more in the previous year.

• Foreign Currency Transaction Fee: 3.50%.

• Cash Advance Fee: 2.50% or ₹500, whichever is higher.

• Rewards Redemption Fee: Some sources mention a ₹99 redemption fee for certain reward catalog redemptions.

• Late Payment Charges: These vary depending on the outstanding balance. Example: up to ₹1,300 for balances over ₹50,000.

Eligibility Criteria & How to Apply

• You must be a current or a former customer of HDFC Bank

• Age: You must be minimum 21 and 70 years old.

• Income: You must have a stable source of income.

• Credit score: A good credit score is generally required.

• You should also have the PhonePe application and your account in good standing.

• The card is released on the RuPay network and supports UPI linking - you must be at ease with UPI payments through a credit card.

How to Apply for the PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno Credit Card

1. Online Application:

• Visit the HDFC Bank website

  https://applyonline.hdfcbank.com/cards/credit-cards.html

• Select the PhonePe HDFC Bank Ultimo Credit Card option.

• Provide the required personal and financial information.

• Upload necessary documents.

• Apply for the card.

  
  

2. Visit HDFC Bank Branch:

• Visit your nearest HDFC Bank branch.

• Request an application form for the Biz Power Credit Card.

• Fill in the required details and submit them along with the necessary documents.

To know more about this card and the unbiased AI score of the card, click here

Pros and Cons of PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno credit card

Pros

• Enhanced benefits to the PhonePe users: In case you use PhonePe most of the time to recharge your phone, pay bills, travel using PhonePe, then this card rewards you 2 percent, which is better than most of the entry-level cards.

• UPI payment via credit card: It offers an opportunity to use your limit to pay UPI with a scan and pay functionality (reward 1%). This feature turned out to be one of the few cards designed to operate during the UPI era.

• Relatively low annual fee with waiver limit: Rs499/annual fee is not that large, and assuming that you spend Rs1 lakh/year, you can have it waived.

• Redemption cashback 1:1 ratio: 1 reward point = Rs1. Considering that most of these cards diminish in value when they are redeemed in terms of travel or catalog, this is a good redemption price.

• Online experience: The application for usage is entirely digital due to the PhonePe + HDFC Bank integration.

Cons

• Limitations on reward points per month: At 500 reward points each month in all categories, you are only limited in the amount you can earn. As an example, you will still go into max despite spending much more.

• No physical/in-store promotion (in most instances): The incentives are largely focused on a limited number of categories (PhonePe spends, online brands, UPI). The value is lower in case you spend a lot offline or not in those categories.

• Welcome benefit spread out: This card provides half of the benefit as the welcome voucher or on 10 UPI transactions as opposed to all at once, like in some cards. That may delay full value.

• Relatively new: It is a relatively new co-branded card (launched in 2025), so some users report that it is not fully available or rollout has been phased.

Comparison with the “Ultimo” Variant

PhonePe HDFC Bank Ultimo Credit Card is a higher variant that has luxurious features for bigger spenders. Although we discuss this type of Uno variant specifically, here is a brief head-to-head comparison to help you determine which one best fits you.

Feature	Uno Variant	Ultimo Variant
Joining Fee	₹499 + tax	₹999 + tax
Rewards on PhonePe spends	2% (capped)	Up to 10% on PhonePe spends
Rewards on select online merchants	1% (capped)	5% on select merchants
UPI Scan & Pay	1% (capped)	1% (capped)
Travel/lifestyle perks	None significant	Complimentary lounge access (domestic) 2 per quarter, i.e., 8/year
Annual fee waiver threshold	Spend ₹1 lakh/year	Spend ₹2 lakh/year (or above, depending on variant) for waiver

So what does that mean?

The Ultimo version might be more promising (unless you can use its advantages) when it comes to spending heavily and traveling a lot, and shopping online a lot. However, in case you are a moderate spender who mostly uses Phonepe and UPI every day, the Uno would provide a moderate combination of benefits at a lower price/commitment.

To know more about other HDFC cards, click here

Final Verdict of PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno Credit Card

Unless you are a heavy PhonePe user (recharges, bill payments, utility bills, travel bookings in PhonePe), make payments via UPI, an online shopper (Amazon/Flipkart/Myntra etc), and you are accustomed to working with digital-first banking, the PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno Credit Card is a good competitor on the entry-level co-branded card market. It is quite affordable to middle-income earners with a low fee (it can be eliminated) and a fair reward system.

Nevertheless, it is not flawless: monthly limits prevent the highest possible rewards, offline spending perks are minimal, and welcome benefits are divided into several transactions instead of a single credit. Should you want more premium-like benefits and also spend a lot of money (access to the travel lounge, increased reward rates, extensive online shopping benefits, etc.), you may wish to compare it with the Ultimo one or with other premium cards available in the market.

Lesson to be learned: Utilize this card wisely - make sure to match your spending on the types of rewards (PhonePe, UPI Scan and Pay, certain online brands) and target reaching the annual spend threshold on fee waiver (where applicable) so that you can redeem points before they expire.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does the PhonePe HDFC Bank Uno Credit Card have the capacity to make UPI payments?

Yes. You can connect this card to UPI Scan and Pay a transaction through your credit card by using the PhonePe service on it. You will receive 1 percent reward points on such expenditures (with a monthly limit).

What is the monthly reward limit of each category?

In the case of the Uno card, each of the main categories (PhonePe spends 2%, online merchant spends 1%, UPI Scan & Pay spends 1%) has a cap of 500 reward points within a calendar month.

How can I get my reward points back?

 You can redeem your points in the form of cash back (statement credit) of 1 point = Rs1 (you need to earn 500 points) or through another redemption method, such as SmartBuy or Product Catalog (although at a reduced value).

Does it waive the annual/ renewal fee?

Yes. In the case of the Uno type, the renewal fee will be waived provided that you spent Rs1,000,000 in the last year (i.e., the year before renewal).

Are there any costs or disadvantages that are hidden?

Note monthly limits on rewards, the spread nature of welcome benefit (through gift cards and UPI transactions), restrictions on spending rewards offline, and common charges such as foreign currency mark-up, cash advance charges, and late charges.

 How and where can I apply?

 Application can be made through the PhonePe application (if qualified) or through the HDFC bank site as per the guidelines. The whole process is in digital form.

Am I able to transact offline store transactions (non-UPI) using the card?

Yes, the card works like any credit card for offline purchases from merchants. The expedited rewards are, however, only on certain categories and UPI/online transactions; offline spend might not get an equal bonus rate. The internet reviews observe low offline/in-store spending value.