Jump to section
Amazon Pay ICICI Bank Credit Card Review
- Lifetime free — no joining or annual fee ever
- 5% on Amazon.in for Amazon Prime members (unlimited)
- 3% on Amazon.in for non-Prime members
- 2% cashback at 100+ Amazon Pay partner merchants
- 1% on all other spends (excluding some exclusions)
- 1.99% forex markup (reduced from 3.5% in Oct 2025) — excellent for LTF card
- Welcome ₹200 instant cashback + welcome vouchers ~₹2,500
- Cashback credited as Amazon Pay balance — useful for Amazon ecosystem
- Cashback is as Amazon Pay balance — forces Amazon ecosystem usage
- From Jan 2026: 1% fee on wallet loads of ₹5K+
- No add-on cards (primary-only)
- Excluded from cashback: fuel, rent, tax, education, utilities, international (earns 1% only)
- No lounge access (expected at LTF tier)
- Cashback excluded on international (non-Amazon foreign currency) spends
Fees & charges
| Item | Charge |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹0 (lifetime free) |
| Annual fee | ₹0 (lifetime free) |
| Finance charge | 3.5% p.m. |
| Cash advance | 2.5% (min ₹500) |
| Forex markup | 1.99% (reduced from 3.5% on 11 Oct 2025) |
| Wallet load fee | 1% on loads ₹5,000+ (effective 15 Jan 2026) |
| Late payment | Up to ₹1,300 |
Eligibility & documents
Age
Minimum 21 years (Indian citizen) — per current ICICI eligibility page. Older “18+” framing was inaccurate.
Minimum income
Salaried: ₹20,000/month (₹2.4 lakh+/year) · Self-employed: ₹30,000/month (₹3.6 lakh+/year) — per ICICI official eligibility
Recommended CIBIL
750+
Amazon Prime
Optional but recommended — Prime members get 5% vs non-Prime 3% on Amazon.in
Typical credit limit
₹25,000 – ₹2 lakh at issuance
Documents
PAN, Aadhaar, salary slip + bank statement OR ITR, address proof
Rewards structure
Amazon.in purchases:
- Amazon Prime members: 5% cashback unlimited on Amazon.in (including Amazon Fresh, Amazon Pay)
- Non-Prime members: 3% cashback on Amazon.in
Partner merchants: 2% cashback at 100+ Amazon Pay partner merchants — grocery apps, pharmacies, food delivery, entertainment platforms, bill payment categories where Amazon Pay is accepted.
Other spends: 1% cashback on all other eligible spends.
Exclusions (earn zero or 1%): Fuel, rent, tax, education, utilities, insurance, government, EMI conversions, and international transactions (1% base only).
Cashback form: Credited as Amazon Pay balance (not statement credit or INR). Usable only within Amazon/Amazon Pay ecosystem.
Welcome benefits & milestones
Welcome benefits:
- Instant ₹200 Amazon Pay cashback on joining
- Amazon gift vouchers worth ~₹2,500 total (spread across first transactions)
- Prime members: ₹500 off on Amazon Prime membership renewal as welcome
No ongoing milestone programmes — the value is the base 5%/3%/2%/1% structure, which is already among the highest unlimited rates for any LTF card in India.
Key benefits
- 5% on Amazon.in (Prime) or 3% (non-Prime) — unlimited, no monthly cap
- 2% at 100+ Amazon Pay partner merchants
- 1% on other spends (with exclusions)
- Welcome instant ₹200 cashback + ~₹2,500 in vouchers
- 1.99% forex markup (Oct 2025 upgrade)
- Interest-free credit up to 45 days
- No add-on cards available (primary-only card)
Usage terms & fine print
Lounge access
No complimentary lounge access on this LTF card.
Fuel surcharge waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver typically applies on ₹400-₹4,000 transactions. Fuel doesn’t earn cashback.
Interest-free period
Interest-free credit up to 45 days on retail. Minimum payment 5% or ₹200.
EMI conversion
EMI conversion on transactions ₹3,000+. Tenures 3-24 months. Interest varies. Processing fee typically 1%.
Digital wallets & UPI
Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay all supported. Visa tap-to-pay. No UPI linking (Visa, not RuPay).
Insurance cover
Lost card liability cover
Compared with alternatives
Flipkart Axis (₹500) →
Full comparison available. Amazon Pay wins on LTF + 5% Amazon; Flipkart Axis wins on 5% Flipkart + Myntra + 4% Preferred Merchants.
HDFC Millennia (₹1K) →
Half-the-fee if waived, but earns on 10 brands (vs Amazon-only here). Broader ecosystem value.
HDFC Swiggy (₹500) →
Different ecosystem (10% Swiggy). Pair Amazon Pay ICICI + HDFC Swiggy for food + Amazon optimisation.
Axis ACE (₹499) →
5% Google Pay utility bills — different use case. Pair with Amazon Pay ICICI as dual-wallet combo.
Who the Amazon Pay ICICI Bank is for
Any Amazon shopper — Prime or non-Prime. This is the default first recommendation for Indian cardholders. With Amazon Prime, the 5% unlimited cashback on all Amazon purchases is unbeatable at zero fee. Also useful as a travel-companion card now with 1.99% forex.
Not the right card if: you shop primarily outside Amazon (Flipkart, Myntra, local). Pair with Flipkart Axis or HDFC Millennia for broader coverage. Also not right if you want lounge access or travel perks.
How to apply & how to cancel
Apply: Apply via amazon.in/apaycc-landing or icicibank.com. Pre-approved offer often visible in Amazon app for eligible customers. Instant approval flow; card delivery 7-10 days. Video-KYC supported.
Cancel: Call ICICI helpline (1860 120 7777). Amazon Pay balance retained in Amazon account even after card closure. Clear dues before closing.
Final verdict
Amazon Pay ICICI is still India’s #1 must-hold credit card for most people. At zero fee with 5% unlimited on Amazon (Prime) + 2% partners + 1% everywhere + newly-reduced 1.99% forex, it dominates the LTF segment. The Jan 2026 wallet-load fee is minor. If you don’t already hold this card, apply today.
Frequently asked questions
Is Amazon Pay ICICI really lifetime free?
Yes — no joining fee, no annual fee ever. Has been since launch and confirmed through the renewed 2025 ICICI-Amazon partnership.
What changed with the forex markup?
From 11 October 2025, ICICI reduced the forex markup on Amazon Pay ICICI from 3.5% to 1.99%. Makes this card competitive for international spend — a major upgrade at the LTF tier.
What is the Jan 2026 wallet load fee?
From 15 January 2026, wallet load transactions of ₹5,000 or more incur a 1% fee. Smaller loads (under ₹5K) are not charged. Affects users who top up Paytm/PhonePe wallets via this card.
Can Prime members really get 5% unlimited?
Yes — no monthly cap on Amazon.in cashback for Prime members. 5% earn is uncapped regardless of monthly spend.
Is the Amazon Pay balance same as cash?
Amazon Pay balance works like cash within Amazon ecosystem: Amazon purchases, bill payments via Amazon Pay, recharges, etc. Cannot be withdrawn to bank account directly.
Can I add a family member as an add-on?
No — Amazon Pay ICICI is a primary-only card with no add-on cards available. Each family member needs their own card.
Do I earn 5% if I use Amazon Pay balance + card together?
No — cashback applies only on the card-charged portion. Amazon Pay balance portion doesn’t generate additional cashback.
What counts as “Amazon Pay partner merchants” for 2%?
Merchants accepting Amazon Pay where you use Amazon Pay UPI or Amazon Pay wallet via this card. 100+ partners — grocery apps (BBDaily), pharmacies, food delivery, entertainment, utility billers.
Data current as of April 2026. Credit card fees, rewards and benefits are revised periodically by issuers. Always confirm current terms with the issuer before applying.