💳 Kiwi RuPay Credit Card — Up to 5% Cashback on UPI (with Neon)
Yes Bank • Rupay Card
Description
Issuer: Kiwi (co-issued with Yes Bank / Axis partnerships noted)
Network: RuPay
Best For: Heavy UPI users, everyday payments, digital-first spenders
Welcome Benefits
No standard joining bonus listed for the base LTF card.
Occasional promotional waivers on Neon for early subscribers (e.g., waivers for cards issued in specific windows when subscribed within 15 days — check current Kiwi offers).
Virtual card issued quickly; instant UPI linking enables immediate earning
Rewards
Core mechanics
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Base earn: 6 Kiwis per ₹100 on eligible UPI spends.
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1 Kiwi = ₹0.25 → base effective cashback = 1.5% on UPI.
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Redemption: Kiwis redeemable as statement credit / bank transfer via the Kiwi app (Rewards → Transfer).
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Minimum redemption: 500 Kiwis (then multiples of 500).
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Earn rounding: Post-June-2025 rule — Kiwis are earned on ₹100 multiples (e.g., ₹299 may count as ₹200 for Kiwi earning).
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Monthly cap: Cashback may be limited relative to your credit limit (text notes a cap: “limited to 1% of total credit limit in a month” — verify on your card’s MITC).
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Exclusions: Telecom, utilities, jewellery, fuel, rent, insurance, education, government services — these categories typically don’t earn Kiwis.
Neon subscription (paid, milestone model)
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Subscription fee: ₹999 / year (may be waived in promos).
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Base Neon earn: flat 2% on UPI Scan & Pay (credited instantly as Kiwis).
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Milestone boosts (retroactive):
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₹50,000 UPI → 3% + 1 lounge access
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₹1,00,000 UPI → 4% + 1 lounge access
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₹1,50,000+ UPI → 5% + 1 lounge access
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Retroactive credit: Once you cross a milestone, earlier eligible transactions in the period are upgraded to the milestone rate (big win if you accelerate spend to hit a milestone).
Eligibility
Typical age: 21–60 years (varies by issuing partner).
CIBIL / credit: High CIBIL preferred (text cites ~750+ for some Kiwi products).
Income: Varies by partner; Yes Bank Klick notes min annual income ~₹3 Lakh; confirm with the issuer.
Restriction: You must not already hold the same partner’s Kiwi/Axis/Yes Bank variant in some offers — check the specific card T&Cs.
Fees
Joining Fee: NIL (Lifetime Free)
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Annual / Renewal Fee: NIL (Lifetime Free)
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Neon Subscription (optional): ₹999 / year (boosts UPI earnings and unlocks milestone benefits)
Lifetime-free pricing makes Kiwi attractive as a no-cost starter card; Neon adds cost but can be profitable for high UPI volumes.
Documents Needed
PAN Card (mandatory)
Aadhaar (for eKYC / address)
Proof of income if requested (salary slips / ITR) — depends on variant and credit assessment
vKYC / video KYC completed via Kiwi app for instant issuance
Value Illustration
Base (no Neon):
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UPI spend ₹10,000 / month → base 1.5% = ₹150 / month → ₹1,800 / year.
With Neon (example, reach ₹1.5L milestone):
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Annual UPI ₹1,50,000 → 5% cashback = ₹7,500 → subtract Neon fee ₹999 → net ₹6,501.
Break-even: Neon becomes net-positive at around ₹50,000 UPI per year (3% milestone → ₹1,500 cashback vs ₹999 cost → net +₹501).
Practical tip: Because Neon milestones are retroactive, if you’re close to a tier it can make sense to accelerate eligible UPI spends (within T&C limits) to trigger retro credit.
Final Summary
Who should get it: Digital-first users who pay most everyday bills via UPI and can easily cross Neon milestones (≥ ₹50k–1.5L UPI/year). As a lifetime-free card with straightforward cashback and instant UPI linking, Kiwi is an excellent starter and day-to-day card.
Key trade-offs: Neon costs ₹999/year and is worthwhile only if you hit the spend milestones. Small transactions and excluded categories reduce effective earns (₹100 multiples and 500-Kiwi min redemption make tiny earners less useful). Check monthly caps tied to credit limit.
Disclosure: We may earn a commission from qualifying approvals.