Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards Credit Card Review
At a Glance
| Joining Fee | ₹250 + GST (₹295 all-in), waived on a ₹500 spend within 30 days for digital applications |
| Annual Fee | ₹250 + GST (₹295 all-in) from the second year |
| Best Suited For | Beginners who spend mainly on dining, hotels and fuel and want a very low fee |
| Reward Type | Standard Chartered Reward Points (360 Rewards) |
The Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards Credit Card is one of the cheapest rewards cards in India. It earns 5 reward points per ₹150 on hotels, restaurants and fuel, and 1 point per ₹150 on everything else.
There is no monthly cap on the points you earn. Each point is worth ₹0.25 in the bank’s 360 Rewards catalogue, so the return is easy to work out.
The fee is just ₹250 + GST, and digital applicants can skip the joining fee with a single ₹500 spend. This review covers the earn rate, the fees, who qualifies and who should pick another card.
Rewards & Benefits
Reward rate and earn structure
| Spend type | Reward rate | Return at ₹0.25 a point |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels, restaurants and fuel | 5 points per ₹150, no monthly cap | About 0.83% |
| All other spends | 1 point per ₹150, no monthly cap | About 0.17% |
| Cash advances, fees, finance charges, refunds | No points | Nil |
The 5X categories are matched by merchant category code. If a restaurant or fuel station is registered under a different code, you get the base 1 point instead, and the bank will not correct it.
Points are tracked at card level. Primary and supplementary cardholders each earn their own points, and points appear in the rewards portal once your monthly statement is generated.
Rent payments (MCC 6513) carry a separate 1% processing fee. Paying rent with this card costs more than the points it could earn.
Redemption and point value
You redeem points on the 360 Rewards portal, for products, vouchers or services in its catalogue. The bank’s terms set the value at 1 point = ₹0.25.
So ₹150 at a restaurant earns 5 points, worth ₹1.25. The same ₹150 on groceries earns 1 point, worth ₹0.25. Every redemption also carries a ₹99 handling and courier charge.
Say you spend ₹5,000 a month on dining and fuel and ₹15,000 on everything else. That earns about 267 points a month, worth roughly ₹67.
Over a year that adds up to about ₹800, against an all-in fee of ₹295. Redeem in one go to pay the ₹99 charge only once.
Welcome benefit and value
If you paid the joining fee, you get 100% cashback up to ₹500 on restaurant spends within 90 days of card setup. Customers who used the ₹500-spend waiver get no joining benefit.
Standard Chartered estimates the yearly value at ₹500 from dining and fuel on about ₹60,000 of spends, plus ₹300 from other spends on about ₹1,80,000. That is ₹800 a year on ₹2.4 lakh of total spends.
Other features
Supplementary cards for family members are lifetime free. You can convert outstanding balances of up to ₹5,00,000 into EMI with zero processing fee, and take a Dial-A-Loan of up to ₹5,00,000 for 12 to 60 months.
The bank’s page lists no lounge access, fuel surcharge waiver or insurance cover for this card.
Fees & Charges
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹250, waived on a ₹500 spend within 30 days (digital applications) |
| Annual fee, year 2 onwards | ₹250 |
| Supplementary card | Nil |
| Interest | 3.75% a month (45% a year) |
| Overseas transactions | 3.5% |
| Cash withdrawal at ATM | 3%, minimum ₹300 |
| Late payment | ₹100 (₹101 to ₹500 due), ₹500 (up to ₹5,000), ₹700 (up to ₹10,000), ₹1,200 (above ₹10,000) |
| Over-limit | 2.5% of the over-limit amount, minimum ₹500 |
| Rent payments | 1% processing fee |
| Reward redemption | ₹99 per redemption |
| Cash payment at branch | ₹299 |
| Cheque bounce | ₹500 |
All fees attract 18% GST. Apply through the bank’s website or app and make one purchase of ₹500 or more within 30 days, and the ₹250 joining fee is not charged.
The bank has not published a spend target that waives the renewal fee, so plan on paying ₹295 a year from year two.
The charge that catches people out is the cash withdrawal fee. It is 3% with a ₹300 minimum, and interest starts on the same day.
Eligibility & Documents Required
| Criteria | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Age | 21 to 65 years (add-on holders from 18) |
| Income | Stable monthly income; the bank’s fee schedule lists ₹20,000 gross monthly income |
| Location | A city where Standard Chartered sources credit cards |
Keep your PAN, Aadhaar or another address proof, and income proof such as salary slips or ITR ready. Approval depends on the bank’s own credit checks.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fee of only ₹250 + GST | Only 0.17% back on regular spends |
| 5X points on dining, hotels and fuel with no cap | ₹99 charge on every redemption |
| Fixed point value of ₹0.25 | No published renewal fee waiver |
| Free supplementary cards | No lounge access or fuel surcharge waiver |
SC Platinum Rewards vs Competitors
| Feature | Platinum Rewards | SC Smart Credit Card | SC Super Value Titanium |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹250 | ₹499 | ₹750 |
| Reward type | Points | Cashback | Cashback |
| Supplementary card | Free | Free | Free |
Platinum Rewards is the cheapest of the three. If most of your spending is online rather than at restaurants, the Standard Chartered Smart Credit Card is the better fit for its extra ₹249.
How to Apply
Open the Platinum Rewards page on Standard Chartered India’s website and start the online application. Enter your personal, income and address details and finish the KYC steps.
Applying digitally matters, because only digital applications qualify for the joining fee waiver. Once the card is set up, make a ₹500 purchase within 30 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the SC Platinum Rewards Credit Card free?
Not fully. Digital applicants avoid the ₹250 joining fee by spending ₹500 within 30 days, but the ₹250 + GST annual fee applies from the second year.
What is 1 Platinum Rewards point worth?
₹0.25 on the 360 Rewards portal, as set in the card’s terms. Each redemption has a ₹99 handling charge.
Does the card give 5X points on fuel?
Yes, 5 points per ₹150 at fuel stations coded under the fuel merchant category. Standard Chartered lists no fuel surcharge waiver, so the surcharge still applies.
Is there a cap on reward points?
No. The bank says there is no limit on monthly rewards earned on this card.
What is the minimum income for SC Platinum Rewards?
The fee schedule lists ₹20,000 gross monthly income, and the product page asks for a stable monthly income. You must be 21 to 65.
Does the card have lounge access?
No lounge access is listed for this card. It is a basic rewards card, not a travel card.
Bottom Line
The Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards Credit Card is a low-cost starter card built around dining, hotels and fuel. In those categories it returns about 0.83% with no cap, and it costs only ₹295 a year all-in.
Get it if you eat out often, want your first credit card, or need a cheap card to build a credit history.
Skip it if most of your spends are online shopping, groceries or bills, where it returns just 0.17%. Skip it too if you want lounge access or a fee waiver, since a cashback card will pay you more.
Fees and features are as of October 2026. Check Standard Chartered’s site before applying.
