How to Choose the Best Debit Card for Paying Your Credit Card Bill & Getting Rewards

Paying your credit card bill doesn’t have to be just another transaction — it can be a way to earn rewards too. If you pick the right debit card, you can make money work for you even when settling your dues. Let’s dive into how to choose such a card, what to watch out for, and some strong contenders. ✅ What to Look for Reward Percentage & Cap: Cards may offer 0.5%–2.5% cashback or rewards on bill-payment spends. But there’s often a monthly cap (for example, ₹750 or ₹400). Eligible Platforms: Usually the reward applies only if you use specific platforms or portals recognised by the bank (e.g., a bill-pay portal via your bank or via a partner). Eligible Spend Types: Make sure your chosen payment (credit-card bill) qualifies. Some banks exclude bills to the same bank or certain MCC codes. Fees & Conditions: If your debit card has high maintenance charges or annual fees, the net benefit may reduce. Transparency & Track-Record: Check user feedback or bank disclosures. Some offers may change or be withdrawn. 🌟 Top Examples A bank offering 1% cashback on bill payments via certain portals, capped at say ₹750 per month. Another offering 2.5% but capped at a lower monthly reward (for instance, ₹400) and only valid for certain spend channels. Some top-tier debit cards with higher spend thresholds provide higher caps or bonus rewards if you meet milestones. ⚠️ Things to Watch Some banks do not allow reward when you pay your own bank’s credit card — only other-bank credit cards may work. Refunds or failed payments may reduce your eligible spend and hence reduce the reward. Caps or monthly caps may mean after a certain spend, rewards stop. So more spend doesn’t always mean more reward beyond the cap. Payment via ineligible portals or via wallet/UPI may not count — make sure you use the correct method. 🎯 How to Make It Work for You Use your eligible debit card to pay your credit card bill via a recognised bill-pay portal or bank app. Try to plan your bill payment so that you hit enough spend to get full reward, but don’t exceed the cap wastefully. Avoid spending via excluded categories for this purpose when trying to maximise reward. Monitor monthly caps and keep track of how much of the cap you’ve used. Combine this with other savings strategies (e.g., use a credit card for other purchases) for overall benefit.