HDFC vs AXIS Forex Card

[sandeep98grover]

Hi!
I have an Axis Multicurrency Forex Card. I travel to the USA often and also indulge in online shopping from Amazon.com.
As of today (28-Dec-2023) the 1 USD = 83.19 INR. While reloading my Axis Bank Multicurrency Forex Card, it shows me a conversion rate of almost 86.19 INR which is almost 3.6% in conversion rates (+ 100 Rs loading charges + 159 in taxes).


From what I could check on the HDFC website for the Regalia ForexPlus Card, it shows that the conversion rate they charge is 84.86, which is around 2% in conversion charges.
Also from the website I can see that the card loading fee is 75 INR + around 150 INR taxes (approx).

Am I missing something here or is the HDFC Regalia ForexPlus Card an overall better/superior Forex Card than the Axis Multicurrency Forex Card? Has anyone used these Forex Cards or is aware of the actual overall cost of having these Forex cards?
Or is there any bank that offers a 0% markup fee, and has lower conversion charges that I should use instead of the above?

PS -
1. I am aware that HDFC Regalia ForexPlus Card has an annual fee of Rs 1000 which is more than that of Axis Multicurrency Forex Card which charges Rs 300 annually.
2. I have an HDFC Regalia Credit Card which has a markup fee of 2%.
3. 95% of my spending is in the USA, and I reload my Forex Card with USD so I don't really care about the markup fee on a Forex Card.

 

[anuragmukherjee28]

Axis Multicurrency Forex Card vs HDFC Regalia ForexPlus Card

Feature	Axis Multicurrency Forex Card	HDFC Regalia ForexPlus Card
Type	Multicurrency	Single currency (USD only)
Currencies supported	16	1
Reloadable	Yes	Yes
Transaction fee	None	None
Annual fee	Rs. 299	Rs. 1000
Benefits	Competitive exchange rates, No cross-currency mark-up charges, Instant currency conversion, 24/7 customer support, Free travel insurance (up to Rs. 1 lakh)	Zero cross-currency mark-up charges, Airport lounge access, Complimentary travel insurance (up to Rs. 50 lakh), Reward points on spends
Currency Loading Fee	2.5% of the amount loaded (waived off for amounts above Rs. 10,000)	1% of the amount loaded (capped at Rs. 125)
Forex Markup Fee	Varies depending on currency, typically around 1-2.5%	Zero for USD spends
Cross-Currency Conversion Fee	None	Applicable if spending a currency different from the loaded currency; fee varies depending on currencies involved
ATM Withdrawal Fee	Rs. 125 + foreign ATM operator's charge	Rs. 100 + foreign ATM operator's charge
Replacement Card Fee	Rs. 100	Rs. 250
Card Blocking Fee	Rs. 100	Rs. 100

this comparison might help you , but for USD conversion ,I feel that HDFC regalia forex plus card is a better alternative