Kotak Cashback Plus Credit Card – Benefits, Fees & Eligibility

Introduction

The Kotak Cashback+ Credit Card, issued by Kotak Mahindra Bank, is designed to maximize monthly savings for its users. Available on networks like RuPay (with UPI on CC functionality) and Visa, this card positions itself as a strong contender in the mid-range segment, offering significant cashback on everyday essential spends. Its top differentiating benefits include up to 5% cashback on online food deliveries, groceries, and entertainment, 3% cashback on fuel spends, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.

Welcome Benefits

• The card offers a "first year free" benefit as a limited-time offer, waiving the joining fee.

Fees & Charges Breakdown

• Joining Fee: ₹750 + GST
• Condition for waiver of Joining Fees: First year free (Limited Time Offer)
• Annual Fees: ₹750 + GST
• Condition for waiver of Annual Fees: Annual retail spends of ₹200,000 or above
• Reward Redemption Fee: Redemption is free of cost.
• Fuel Surcharge Waiver rules: 1% fuel surcharge waiver is available on transactions between ₹500 to ₹4000. The maximum waiver is capped at ₹3500 in an anniversary year.
• Cash Advance Charges: Cash withdrawal is not allowed on this card.
• Add-on Card Fee: Add-on cards are issued free of cost.
• Add-on Card Limit: Up to 3 add-on cards can be obtained, in addition to one primary Credit Card. Add-on cardholders must be 18 years and above. The add-on card shares the same limit as the primary card, subsumed under the primary card's overall limit.

Rewards & Cashback Structure

• Accelerated Cashback Earning Rate:
  • 5% cashback on online groceries and food deliveries.
  • 5% cashback on online movie tickets and OTT subscriptions.
  • 3% cashback on fuel spends across all fuel stations.
• Base Cashback Earning Rate:
  • Unlimited 0.5% cashback on other eligible spends.
  • For the RuPay variant, UPI on CC spends will earn unlimited 0.5% cashback (base cashback) on all spends, except excluded Merchant Category Codes (MCCs).
• Cashback Capping:
  • Cashback earned on accelerated spends is capped at 750 points per billing cycle.
  • Once the capping of 750 reward points per billing cycle is met, accelerated categories will earn no reward points.
  • Cashback on non-accelerated categories is unlimited.
• Cashback Value: 1 reward point is equivalent to ₹1 and will be earned only in multiples of ₹1.
• Cashback Redemption:
  • Accrued reward points can only be redeemed as cashback against statement outstanding on the Kotak Unbox platform.
  • Minimum 100 points are required for redemption.
  • Effective 16th October 2026, a minimum of 500 points will be required for redemption.
• Cashback Expiry: Unclaimed cashback will expire in 1 year.
• Cashback Not Applicable On (Restricted Categories):
  • Rent
  • B2B transactions
  • Utilities
  • Insurance
  • Education and Government
  • Wallet
  • Online skill-based gaming
  • EMI
  • These restrictions are based on Merchant Category Codes (MCCs).
• Illustrative Annual Benefits (based on ₹2,88,000 annual spend):
  • 5% Cashback on online spends (food delivery, groceries, entertainment): ₹6,000 annually (on ₹1,20,000 spend).
  • 3% Cashback on fuel & 1% fuel surcharge waiver: ₹3,360 annually (on ₹84,000 spend).
  • 0.5% Cashback on other eligible spends: ₹420 annually (on ₹84,000 spend).
  • Annual Fee Waiver (on anniversary spends of ₹2 lakhs or above): ₹750.
  • Total Annual Benefit: ₹10,530.

Travel, Lounge & Lifestyle Perks

• PVR INOX Buy 1, Get 1 Offer:
  • Offer valid till 30th September 2026.
  • Available on www.pvrcinemas.com / PVR App OR www.inoxmovies.com / INOX App.
  • Maximum discount per card per month is capped at ₹250.
  • This offer can be used once per month on the Kotak Cashback+ Credit Card.
• BookMyShow Offer:
  • Enjoy 20% off up to ₹150 on minimum spends of ₹299 on BookMyShow.
  • Offer valid till 30th September 2026.
  • Available on https://in.bookmyshow.com/ / BookMyShow App.
  • Offer can be availed once per card per month.

Important Product Details

• Overall Verdict: The Kotak Cashback+ Credit Card is ideal for individuals who frequently spend on online food delivery, groceries, entertainment, and fuel, seeking direct cashback benefits.
• Positive Highlights:
  • High cashback rates (up to 5%) on key spending categories.
  • Dedicated cashback and waiver on fuel spends.
  • Unlimited cashback on non-accelerated spends.
  • Free add-on cards.
  • No charges for reward redemption.
  • Availability of movie offers.
  • RuPay variant supports UPI on CC spends for base cashback.
• Negative Highlights:
  • Capping on accelerated cashback categories (750 points per billing cycle).
  • Several categories are excluded from cashback earning (e.g., rent, utilities, insurance).
  • Cash withdrawal is not permitted.
  • Minimum redemption points will increase from 100 to 500 points from 16th Oct 2026.
• UPI Linking Capability: The RuPay variant of the card supports UPI on CC spends, earning 0.5% base cashback on eligible transactions.

Other Details

• Network Offers: Cardholders can explore VISA Rewards offers and RuPay Select offers available on their respective network portals. All network offers are subject to the terms and conditions of the merchants and the network.
• Cashback Redemption Platform: Cashback can be redeemed through the Kotak Unbox platform.
• Legal Disclaimers: Hyperlinks to external websites for partner offers are provided for convenience, and Kotak Mahindra Bank does not control or endorse such websites, bearing no responsibility for them.