Imagine standing at your neighborhood kirana store, scanning a simple UPI QR and walking out with groceries — but instead of cash or debit, you just paid on credit. That’s the magic RuPay Credit Cards bring to the table. They’re the only ones today that let you link credit with UPI for everyday merchant payments. But here’s the twist: when you step into airports, luxury lounges, or swipe internationally, Visa and Amex still flex their global muscles.
First, separate “network” vs “card”
- Network = RuPay, Visa, American Express (Amex).
- Card = the specific product your bank issues on one of those networks (fees, rewards, perks depend on this).
Where RuPay is better
1) Pay on credit at UPI QRs
Only RuPay credit cards can be linked to UPI for merchant payments. You scan the usual UPI QR and choose your RuPay credit card as the source—no POS machine needed. Visa and American Express credit cards are not linkable to UPI for merchant QR payments as of Aug 2025.
Tip: Don’t confuse paying a card bill via UPI (possible even for Amex) with using that card for UPI merchant purchases (RuPay-only today).
2) India-first QR-enabled Credit Cards
UPI is India’s dominant in-store payment; linking a credit card to those QRs is precisely what “RuPay Credit Card on UPI” enables.
At-a-glance comparison (Aug 2025)
| Use case | RuPay Credit Card | Visa Credit Card | Amex Credit Card |
| UPI merchant QR (pay on credit) | Yes (link card to UPI; scan & pay) | No | No |
| Domestic QR ubiquity | Excellent (rides UPI rails) | N/A for UPI-QRs | N/A for UPI-QRs |
| International acceptance | Growing (via JCB/Discover/Diners partners) | Best overall | Strong at major merchants |
| Travel ecosystems | Good Benefits | Good benefits | Premium Benefits |
| Bill payment via UPI | Yes | Yes (as bank transfer) | Yes (as bank transfer) |
Where Visa/Amex are better
1) International acceptance
Visa enjoys the broadest global acceptance; Amex is strong at large merchants, hotels, airlines, and travel-heavy corridors. RuPay’s international reach relies on partner networks (e.g., Discover/Diners in many regions; JCB in Asia) and is improving, but it’s not as universal as Visa yet.
2) Premium travel ecosystems
Airline/hotel co-brands, concierge, transfer partners, and lounge tie-ups are typically richer on select Visa/Amex products (varies by issuer and card). These benefits come from the card product, not just the network. (For example, Amex continually tweaks travel perks.)
The practical decision guide
- You live on UPI QRs and want credit + rewards at everyday merchants: pick RuPay (only network linkable to UPI merchant QRs today).
- You travel abroad frequently or rely on premium travel perks: keep a Visa (and/or Amex) alongside for universal acceptance and travel ecosystems.
- You want both: carry RuPay for UPI QRs in India, plus Visa/Amex for international/offline acceptance.
How Kiwi fits
Kiwi offers a RuPay Credit Card that can be linked to UPI through the Kiwi app, allowing users to pay at merchants by scanning standard UPI QR codes. On eligible everyday offline UPI transactions, the card provides cashback that is directly withdrawable to the bank account. There is also an optional Neon plan (₹999/year) that provides higher milestone-based cashback—3% at ₹50,000 in annual spends, 4% at ₹1,00,000 (minus prior cashback), and 5% at ₹1,50,000 (minus prior cashback)—and includes three airport lounge accesses. The card does not have any joining or annual fees. Certain categories are excluded from cashback, including utilities, government payments, fuel, jewelry, some professional and business services, and tolls.
FAQs
Can Visa or Amex be added to UPI for merchant QR payments?
No, not for merchant QRs as of Aug 2025. You can pay those cards’ bills via UPI, but you can’t use them for UPI merchant QR purchases.
Does RuPay work abroad?
Sometimes—via partner networks such as Discover/Diners and JCB where enabled. Coverage is not yet as universal as Visa’s. Carry a backup when traveling.
Is there any extra cost to pay by UPI on credit?
Consumers typically don’t pay extra; merchant-side fees/waivers are policy decisions that change over time. (Government/NPCI guidance has evolved; check current terms.)
Bottom line
- For UPI QR on credit inside India, RuPay is the clear winner today.
- For global acceptance and travel ecosystems, add Visa/Amex to your wallet.
- Many Indians carry a RuPay + Visa (or Amex) combo to cover both worlds.
