ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card vs ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card
Last verified 20 Oct 2026 · how we compare
Side by side
| Feature | ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card | ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | ICICI Bank | ICICI Bank |
| Joining fee | ₹12,000 | ₹12,499 |
| Annual fee | ₹12,000 | ₹12,499 |
| Fee waiver | From the second year, the ₹12,000 annual fee is reversed if you spend ₹10 lakh or more in the card year. Rent, government, education and EMI payments don't count towards it. ICICI's product page says the waiver applies to the next year's fee; its terms say the fee for the year in which you reach ₹10 lakh is reversed when that year ends. ICICI lists no welcome benefit for paying the joining fee. | From the second year, the ₹12,499 annual fee is reversed if you spend ₹10 lakh or more in the card year. Rent, government, education and EMI payments don't count towards it. ICICI's product page says the waiver applies to the next year's fee; its terms say the fee for the year in which you reach ₹10 lakh is reversed when that year ends. Paying the joining fee, and each annual fee, brings 12,500 bonus reward points plus Taj Epicure Plus and EazyDiner Prime memberships. |
| Everyday spends (value back) | – | 3% |
| Online shopping (value back) | – | 3% |
| Fuel (value back) | 0% | 0% |
| Groceries (value back) | – | 3% |
| Travel (value back) | – | 3% |
| Bills and utilities (value back) | – | 3% |
| Dining and food delivery (value back) | – | 3% |
| Rewards in short | 4 reward points per ₹100 on spends in India and abroad, and 1 per ₹100 on utilities and insurance; ICICI doesn't publish what a point is worth on this card. Buy-one-get-one BookMyShow tickets (up to ₹750 off the second, up to 4 times a month) after ₹25,000 of spend in the previous quarter, a ₹5,000 birthday voucher (Tata CLiQ on Amex, Postcard Hotels on Mastercard) and up to 4 golf rounds a month. Fuel, rent and wallet loads earn nothing. | 6 reward points per ₹200 on most spends: about 3% back if you use the points for flight and hotel vouchers or select brand vouchers (₹1 a point), 1.8% on catalogue products (₹0.60 a point) or 1.2% as statement credit (₹0.40 a point). 12,500 bonus points each time the joining or annual fee is paid, EaseMyTrip flight vouchers worth ₹6,000 at ₹8 lakh of yearly spend, and buy-one-get-one BookMyShow tickets (up to ₹750 off, twice a month). Fuel, rent, government, tax and wallet payments earn nothing. |
| Works on UPI | No | No |
| Airport lounge | Unlimited lounge visits in India by swiping the card and unlimited visits abroad through Priority Pass, for the primary cardholder only, with no spend condition. Add-on cardholders don't get lounge access. | Unlimited lounge visits in India by swiping the card and unlimited visits abroad through Priority Pass, for the primary cardholder and add-on cardholders, with no spend condition. Guests pay $29 plus GST a visit abroad. |
| Forex markup | 2% | 2% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% waiver at all petrol pumps on fuel payments of up to ₹4,000 each, on up to ₹50,000 of fuel spend per statement cycle. GST on the surcharge isn't refunded at non-HPCL pumps, and fuel payments above ₹10,000 carry a 1% fee. | 1% waiver at all petrol pumps on fuel payments of up to ₹4,000 each, up to ₹1,000 of waiver (₹1 lakh of fuel) per statement cycle. GST on the surcharge isn't refunded at non-HPCL pumps, and fuel payments above ₹10,000 carry a 1% fee. |
| Card network | Mastercard, American Express | Not published by the bank |
| Minimum income (salaried) | ₹1,50,000 a month | Not published by the bank |
Value back is the % of spend you get at the bank's published redemption value. “–” means the bank doesn't publish it. Fees exclude GST.
Which one to pick
Pick the ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card if
you haven't been offered Private Metal and earn ₹1.5 lakh a month (or ₹18 lakh a year self-employed)
₹12,000 joining, ₹12,000 a year
Pick the ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card if
your ICICI relationship manager offers it and you want a published ₹1 point value and add-on lounge access
₹12,499 joining, ₹12,499 a year
CreditParakh is not a bank or lender. Approval, limits and final terms are decided by the issuer.
Questions people ask
What's the difference between ICICI Emeralde and Emeralde Private Metal?
Emeralde is open to apply: Indian citizens aged 21 to 65 with an income of ₹1.5 lakh a month (salaried) or ₹18 lakh a year (self-employed). Emeralde Private Metal is by invitation only through an ICICI relationship manager, with no published income criteria, and ICICI can downgrade or withdraw it if you fall below a relationship value it doesn't publish. Private Metal gives 12,500 points plus Taj Epicure Plus and EazyDiner Prime memberships each time the fee is paid; ICICI lists no welcome benefit for Emeralde.
Which earns more?
We can't say for sure. Emeralde earns 4 points per ₹100 in India and abroad, and 1 per ₹100 on utilities and insurance, but ICICI doesn't publish what an Emeralde point is worth. Private Metal earns 6 points per ₹200 (3 per ₹100), worth ₹1 each on flight, hotel or select brand vouchers (about 3%), ₹0.60 on catalogue products or ₹0.40 as statement credit. Private Metal also gives EaseMyTrip flight vouchers worth ₹6,000 at ₹8 lakh of yearly spend.
Which has better lounge access?
Both give unlimited visits in India (swipe the card) and abroad (Priority Pass) with no spend condition. Private Metal covers add-on cardholders too, and guests pay $29 plus GST a visit abroad; Emeralde covers the primary cardholder only. Since January 2026, each Private Metal add-on card costs a one-time ₹3,500.
What about movies, fuel and bills?
Emeralde gives buy-one-get-one BookMyShow tickets (up to ₹750 off the second) up to 4 times a month, after ₹25,000 of spend in the previous quarter; Private Metal gives it twice a month. Private Metal waives the fuel surcharge up to ₹1,000 a statement cycle, Emeralde on up to ₹50,000 of fuel spend a cycle. Private Metal earns its full rate on utility bills up to 1,000 points a cycle; Emeralde earns 1 point per ₹100 on the first ₹80,000 of utilities a cycle. Neither earns on fuel, rent or wallet loads.
Full details: ICICI Bank Emeralde Credit Card · ICICI Bank Emeralde Private Metal Credit Card · find the card that fits your spending
Last verified 20 Oct 2026 on each issuer's official page. Fees and rewards change; check the issuer's terms before you apply.