Axis ACE Credit Card
The best all-rounder card in India — 1.5% uncapped on everything, 5% on bills, 4% on food delivery.
By Ashutosh · Updated June 2026
Axis ACE is the card we recommend more than any other. Not because it has the highest rate in any single category, but because it has no weak spots. 1.5% uncapped on all spending (no category restrictions, no monthly cap) means you never earn below average, anywhere, on anything except fuel.
Add 5% on utility bills via Google Pay (electricity, broadband, water — categories most cards ignore) and 4% on Swiggy/Zomato/Ola, and you have a card that quietly out-earns flashier competitors. The ₹500/month cap only applies to the 5% and 4% accelerated rates — the 1.5% base is completely uncapped.
Everyone. Seriously. Even if you have a premium card, Axis ACE should be your backup for categories your primary card doesn't cover well. The 1.5% floor means you never lose.
You only shop on one platform (get the dedicated card instead — Amazon ICICI for Amazon, Flipkart card for Flipkart). But even then, ACE is a great complement.
5% bills (GPay), 4% Swiggy/Zomato/Ola, 1.5% all other · ₹500/mo cap on 5%+4% only · 1.5% base uncapped
This is the most misunderstood cap in Indian credit cards. The ₹500/month cap ONLY applies to the accelerated rates — 5% on utility bills and 4% on food delivery. Once you've earned ₹500 in accelerated cashback, those categories drop to 0%.
But the 1.5% base rate on everything else has NO cap. Spend ₹5 lakh in a month on general purchases and you'll earn ₹7,500 with no cap hit. This makes ACE the most reliable floor-rate card in India.
In practice: ₹500 accelerated cap means optimal bill+food spending is about ₹10,000-12,500/month on those categories. Above that, switch to your 1.5% base categories — still earning more than most cards' standard rates.
PROS
- 5% on utility bills (rare)
- 4% on food delivery
- 1.5% base is uncapped
- Lounge: 4/year (conditional on ₹50K prev-3mo spend)
CONS
- ₹500/mo cap on 5%+4% categories
- After cap, accelerated → 0%
- Fuel excluded
- Utility bills via Google Pay: 5% on electricity, water, broadband, gas. Most cards give 0-1% on utilities. On ₹5K monthly bills, that's ₹250/month or ₹3,000/year.
- Food delivery: 4% on Swiggy, Zomato, Ola. Second only to HDFC Swiggy card (10%) but more versatile across platforms.
- Everything else: 1.5% uncapped on all other spending — groceries, fuel, offline shopping, travel, subscriptions. This is the reliable base that never lets you down.
- Backup card: For categories where your primary card earns 0-1%, ACE's 1.5% ensures you're always earning above average.
1.5% on e-commerce when Amazon Pay ICICI gives 5% on Amazon and Axis Flipkart gives 5% on Flipkart — both with no cap.
1.5% on travel when HDFC Regalia gives up to 13% via SmartBuy. For travel, a dedicated travel card wins.
After the ₹500 cap on 4%, food delivery drops to 0%. If you spend ₹15K+/month on Swiggy alone, HDFC Swiggy card's 10% (₹1,500 cap) is better.
The budget power combo. Millennia for Swiggy/Amazon/Flipkart at 5%, ACE for utilities (5%), offline (1.5%), and everything Millennia doesn't cover.
View HDFC Millennia →Amazon card for Amazon (5%), ACE for literally everything else. Total cost under ₹500/year. Best value combo in Indian credit cards.
View Amazon Pay ICICI →Regalia for travel/SmartBuy/lounges, ACE for everyday domestic spending. Premium travel perks with a solid everyday floor.
View HDFC Regalia →Is the 1.5% base rate really uncapped?
Yes. The 1.5% on general purchases has no monthly or annual cap. Only the accelerated rates (5% bills, 4% food) are capped at ₹500/month combined.
Does 5% work on all bill payments via Google Pay?
Most utility bills paid through Google Pay qualify — electricity, water, broadband, DTH, gas. The bill must be paid using the Axis ACE card linked to GPay.
Axis ACE vs HDFC Millennia — which is better?
Different strengths. Millennia peaks higher (5% on partners) but drops to 1% elsewhere and has a ₹1K/month cap. ACE never drops below 1.5% and has no base rate cap. For most people, both together is the answer.
Does Axis ACE earn on fuel?
The 1.5% base rate technically applies to all MCC codes, but fuel transactions are typically excluded from cashback by Axis Bank. You get the fuel surcharge waiver only.
What happens to accelerated cashback after ₹500 cap?
The 5% and 4% rates drop to 0% for the rest of the month. Your 1.5% base on other categories continues uncapped. The cap resets on the next billing cycle.