June 22, 2025 · 11 mins read
Santhosh Kumar
Having a credit card can be an effective financial tool when utilised capably. However, as your financial needs evolve, you may wonder: Can I Have Two Credit Cards From The Same Bank? The reply is "yes"—in most cases, banks permit clients to hold different credit cards, indeed from the same backer. However, this isn't fair when applying for another card; it's essential to understand why you'd need one, how it impacts your credit, and what rules you must follow.
In India, credit card companies such as SBI Card, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and others frequently offer distinctive card variations tailored to specific lifestyle needs, including travel benefits, fuel investment funds, cashback rewards, or premium benefits. If you do your homework, multiple credit cards from the same bank can provide you with assorted advantages. However, without clear arrangements, you might end up with covering benefits, high-interest costs, and an untidy Repayment routine.
Example: An SBI Card Prime for relaxing getaways + SBI Cashback Card for everyday Expenses.
Upgraded Credit Limit: Banks regularly survey credit limits intermittently. If you ask for a moment card, they might bundle the constraint, giving you more credit overall without increasing reliance on a single card.
Cost Management: Having isolated cards for trade, travel, goods, or online shopping allows for clear tracking of expenses and multi-faceted costs, making a significant difference in budgeting and charge documentation.
Backup in Emergencies: If one card is declined, blocked, or stolen, another card from the same bank can act as a Backup, minimising disruption.
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The Save Bank of India permits clients to have different credit cards. There are no RBI-imposed limits—your bank decides your Eligibility based on credit history and Repayment behaviour.
1: SBI Card: Permits up to 4–5 credit cards per client, depending on pay and credit performance.
2: HDFC Bank: Licenses up to 3–4 dynamic cards; more if you appear to be a model repayer.
3: ICICI Bank: Allows 2–3 cards; occasionally more for premium customers.
Each bank's approach varies—some underscore tie-in items like co-branded carrier cards, whereas others limit the add-up to check to ensure risk management.
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Banks typically look for a CIBIL score of 700 or higher. Scores over 750 get speedier Approvals and higher credit lines.
Self-employed individuals may require ITRs and supporting explanations; salaried clients can provide payslips and Form 16. A higher salary legitimises higher combined card limits.
If you’ve kept up an investment funds account, credit, or FD for a while, banks consider the relationship positively. A long-standing residency can lead to less demanding approvals.
Timely payments on existing commitments significantly affect Eligibility. Delinquencies, defaults, or high usage rates harmed Approval chances.
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1: Applying for a moment card is compared to the first:
2: Select the variation that best suits your needs.
3: Provide upgraded wage and KYC details.
4: The bank audits your existing credit obligations.
5: Approval generally runs on the premise of credit bureau checks.
Difficult Inquiries: Every credit card application leads to a difficult request. Different requests in rapid progression may slightly lower your score, but long-term borrowing can offset that.
Credit Utilisation: A centre figure in your credit score. Part costs spread across multiple cards can lower person-to-person use rates, boosting your score—provided that limits stay satisfactory and utilisation is managed.
Payment Record: Each card has its own charging cycle, ensuring convenient Payments on all. Missed Payments, indeed on one card, are reflected and can influence your overall score.
Credit Age: Opening a modern card brings down the normal credit age. If you're beginning out, one or two cards over longer periods are way better than multiple short-lived ones.
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Example: ICICI Platinum Chip Card for ordinary buys + ICICI Sapphiro/Visa for travel. Appreciate cashback on basic supplies, offline investing, and airport lounge access. relaxesewards Card + Co-Branded Card
Example: HDFC MoneyBack Mastercard + HDFC Diners Club for way of life. MoneyBack for ordinary paybacks; Coffee shops for premium feasting, travel and golf benefits.
Example: IndianOil SBI Card for restricted fuel Payments + SBI Elite/Viza for big-ticket worldwide purchases and relaxed access.
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1: Casual clients may discover the yearly Fees of premium cards burdensome. Consider:
2: Fee waivers through least spends (e.g., ₹3 Lakh/year).
3: Joining rewards that balanced the cost.
4: Renewal expense inversions using proceeded usage.
Pay consideration to the Interest rate if you carry an adjustment. Maintain a strategic distance from overspending since you have more limits.
Issuing add-on cards to family members requires additional caution—the primary holder is responsible for any misuse.
For visit voyagers: HDFC Diners/World Mastercard, SBI Premier, and Axis Magnus—these have lower foreign exchange (forex) markup, while Classic or similar variations might charge 3–4%.
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Remain Organised: Maintain a note or app that records card names, charging due dates, credit limits and benefits.
Utilise Payment Tools: Enable e-mandate or auto-debit for each card. Utilise UPI updates or Google Calendar alerts.
Track Reward Points: Know recovery arrangements. A few banks allow you to combine focuses over variations or change them to fuel vouchers.
Screen Usage: If you're approaching 30–40% usage on any card, consider adjusting your investments to remain more beneficial for your credit score.
Review Summaries Quarterly: Review explanations each quarter to cancel underused cards or update them as needed based on advancing requirements.
Abundance Investing Temptation: More credit can lead to overspending. Work out discipline.
Yearly Fees Stack Up: Check if benefits exceed fees—especially if multiple premium cards carry partitioned fees.
Missed Payments: Multiple due dates increase the chance of losing one, affecting the score severely.
Credit Mix & Age: While assortment is great for credit blend, modern cards may decrease your normal age of accounts.
Read More:: How Does Foreclosure Affect Your CIBIL Score?
Add‑On Cards for Family: You can issue an add‑on card to a life partner or family beneath the same limit—easy for following combined spend, even though benefits vary slightly.
Co‑Branded Cards: Banks bundle with carriers, retail or fuel partners—bringing speciality focal points without requiring entirely new cards.
Supplement through Other Issuers: You can keep one essential bank and hold one credit card each from other banks with complementary strengths—such as Axis Bank for EMI and SBI for Air Travel.
Has SBI Prime for relaxing get to + SBI Co‑branded UAE/Nisner/SBI Tip top Tip top connected with transformation for miles + SBI Cashback for everyday groceries.
Result:
1: Lounge Get to: 8 per year.
2: 2% cashback on breakfast, groceries
3: Fuel extra charge waiver on petrol up to ₹400/month
HDFC MoneyBack for retail and basic supplies, HDFC Formal attire for travel, and HDFC Diners for feasting. Picks up include:
1: 2% cashback over online/offline
2: Lounge gets domestically.
3: Dining voucher redemptions
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ICICI Coral small‑spend + ICICI HPCL Super Saver fuel + ICICI Sapphiro + add‑on for office costs. Picks up from focuses, fuel rebates, relaxation visits—and keeps travel and office expenses apart.
Knowing if you can have two credit cards from the same bank is a fair step. The genuine advantage lies in understanding when it makes sense to apply for a moment card from the same backer. Timing and technique matter. If you use it as well before long or without a straightforward arrangement, it may do more harm than good. Here's how to choose the right moment.
If you've utilised your existing credit card capably for at least 6–12 months—paid bills on time, kept your credit use moo, and dodged EMI defaults—your bank is more likely to endorse your moment card. This utilisation history appears that you can oversee credit responsibly.
Pro Tip: If your bank hasn't offered you a moment card proactively, inquire with your relationship manager or check pre-approved offers in your net managing account dashboard.
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Let's say you currently hold a card that's incredible for fuel and offline shopping, but you've begun investing more in travel and dining. Instead of cancelling the ancient card, apply for a moment one with benefits custom-made to your unused lifestyle.
Example: If you hold an HDFC Centuries card for shopping, including an HDFC Formal attire or Diners Club Benefit card for travel, it makes sense.
If you routinely use 70–80% of your credit limit on one card, it's time to expand your available credit. A moment card from the same bank—assuming your wage and score legitimise it—can decrease your credit use proportion, which in turn moves forward your CIBIL score.
Note: Maintain a strategic distance from utilising a moment card as a pardon to overspend. The objective is to lower usage, not increment debt.
Freelancers, business professionals, and specialists often need to track professional expenses independently. Alternatively, applying for a trade credit card from a reputable bank can be a speedy and straightforward workaround. A few banks indeed permit custom names on card statements.
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Banks regularly roll out special offers for existing clients, such as lifetime free cards, higher compensation rates, or zero joining Fees. If you're currently with a bank and they offer you a great deal on a momentary credit card, and it aligns with your financial habits, consider taking the offer. Continuously examined the fine print—sometimes "lifetime free" requires a particular yearly spend.
Whether it's an occasion overseas, an unused phone, or a wedding expense—if a big-ticket buy is coming up, you might need a moment credit card with highlights like:
1: Lower Interest EMI conversions
2: Welcome rewards or cashback
3: Higher exchange limits
Select a card that matches the kind you're almost to make. Reward: You can earn accelerated rewards and take advantage of bank partner deals.
Read More:: What is the Use of CIBIL Score?
Yes—you can hold 2–5 cards depending on your credit score, salary, spending conduct and bank policy.
A single complex request can cause a 5–10 point drop, but the long‑term impact is negligible if your Repayment remains strong.
Banks regularly offer isolated limits; a few banks also provide a shared limit. It isn't permitted to exchange constraints directly from one card to another.
Yes—provided you meet the minimum investment criteria for each within the indicated period.
For most clients, two to three is perfect. As well, multiple may complicate administration or weaken normal account age.
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