How we score: the 4-pillar index

What the score is

Every card and broker on Credwiser carries a score out of 100. It is an editorial judgment by our research desk, not an automated calculation and not a vote. The desk assigns it using the four pillars below, after reading the issuer's official MITC document or the broker's official tariff. Scores are re-checked whenever an issuer revises its terms.

What you actually keep. Reward rates minus the annual fee with 18% GST, minus joining costs. A card that pays 5% cashback but charges a high fee scores lower than a free card paying 2%, if the math says so.

The fine print, weighed honestly. Monthly and annual reward caps, category exclusions, minimum spend for lounge access, waiver thresholds. A headline rate that only applies to the first ₹10,000 a month loses points here.

How hard the issuer makes it to find the truth. Clear MITC documents, upfront fee tables and honest marketing score well. Buried caps, vague lounge conditions and drip pricing score badly.

Does this card match how Indians actually spend? UPI compatibility via RuPay, fuel surcharge waivers, utility bill rewards and railway lounge access matter more here than foreign hotel chains.

What never affects a score

Referral commissions. Advertising. Partnerships. No brand can pay for a higher score or a better rank, which is why our homepage shows 0 paid placements. If a card pays us a referral fee, the card page says so next to the apply link.

When we are wrong

Issuers change terms without telling us. When a reader spots an error or an outdated figure, we verify it against the official document, fix it, and record it in our public corrections log. That log is the proof that this page means what it says.