My younger son got his first job offer in January 2024.
₹6.5 lakh per annum. Bangalore based startup. He was excited.
Then reality hit. “Dad, I need a credit card. Everyone at work uses cards for everything.”
He had zero credit history. Banks wouldn’t even look at his application.
HDFC rejected him. ICICI wanted a fixed deposit. SBI asked for income proof for 6 months.
He had been on the job for 3 weeks.
This is the problem young professionals face. You need credit to build credit. But you can’t get credit without credit history.
That’s when we looked at new age credit cards built specifically for this problem.
OneCard and Uni Card both launched around 2020. Both target young professionals. Both approve based on alternate data, not just traditional credit scores.
I helped my son get both cards. He’s been using them for 10 months now. I’ve been tracking his experience closely.
After watching a 20 year old navigate modern credit cards, here’s what actually works.
What is OneCard?
OneCard launched in 2020 from Pune. Built by FPL Technologies.
They partner with Federal Bank and other banks to issue actual credit cards. Not prepaid. Not wallets. Real credit.
My son got approved in 12 minutes. Credit limit of ₹40,000 to start.
The approval process was different. They looked at his job offer letter. His salary account. His UPI transaction history.
Traditional banks don’t do this. They just want credit score and income tax returns.
OneCard’s pitch is simple. Metal card. Mobile first experience. 5X rewards on top spending categories.
My son’s top categories became food delivery and online shopping. He gets 5% back automatically. No activation needed.
The card arrived in 8 days. Actual metal. He was impressed. “Feels premium,” he said.
Similar to how I chose credit cards after returning to India, starting with the right card matters.
The catch: OneCard gives 5X rewards only on your top 2 categories. Everything else gets just 1%. You need to spend strategically.
What is Uni Card?
Uni Card is different. They call it a pay 1/3rd card.
Built by Uni Cards and Payments, backed by Lightspeed Venture Partners. They partnered with SBM Bank initially.
The concept confused me at first. It’s not a traditional credit card. Not exactly a buy now pay later service either. Something in between.
My son got his Uni Card in June 2024. Approval took 8 minutes.
How it works: Every purchase gets split into 3 parts automatically. You pay 1/3rd immediately. The other 2/3rds over the next 2 months. No interest if paid on time.
The credit limit isn’t traditional either. It adjusts based on your payment behavior. Starts lower. Grows as you use responsibly.
What attracted my son? The 1% cashback on everything. Plus additional rewards through their “Uni Coins” that can be used for bill payments.
The app is gamified. Missions. Challenges. Rewards for completing tasks. Very Gen Z.
When I was setting up my banking after returning, these kinds of innovative products didn’t exist. Would have made life easier.
Head to Head Comparison
Let me show you what matters for young professionals starting their careers.
| Feature | OneCard | Uni Card |
|---|---|---|
| Joining Fee | Free | Free |
| Annual Fee | Free (₹500 for metal variant) | Free |
| Approval Time | 10 to 15 minutes | 5 to 10 minutes |
| Starting Credit Limit | ₹30,000 to ₹1 lakh | ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 (grows with usage) |
| Reward Rate | 5X (5%) on top 2 categories, 1% on rest | 1% flat cashback on everything |
| Payment Model | Traditional monthly billing | Pay 1/3rd upfront, rest in 2 months |
| EMI Conversion | Available on purchases above ₹3,000 | Built into every transaction automatically |
| International Usage | Yes, 1% to 2% forex markup | Yes, 3.5% markup |
| Physical Card | Metal card available | Plastic card only |
| Credit Building | Reports to CIBIL | Reports to CIBIL |
| App Experience | Clean, minimal interface | Gamified with missions and challenges |
Sources: OneCard website, Uni Card website, personal usage data from both cards
The numbers tell part of the story. Daily use by a 20 year old tells more.
Last month my son spent ₹18,000 across both cards.
OneCard: ₹12,000. Food delivery and shopping were his top categories. Got 5% back. That’s ₹600 in rewards.
Uni Card: ₹6,000. Got 1% flat. That’s ₹60 cashback. Plus earned 300 Uni Coins worth about ₹100.
OneCard gave better returns that month.
But here’s what happened the month before. His top categories on OneCard shifted to fuel and groceries. His Swiggy spending only got 1% back.
Uni Card’s flat 1% was more predictable that month.
What this means: OneCard rewards better spending but requires category awareness. Uni Card is simpler but lower rewards.
Feature Breakdown for Young Professionals
Let me dive into what actually helps someone starting their career.
For OneCard:
What works really well:
The metal card gets compliments. Shallow? Maybe. But confidence matters when you’re 20 and building professional image.
Statement date flexibility. My son set his billing cycle to the 5th of every month. Two days after salary hits. Makes payment planning easier.
The 5X rewards are real. When food delivery is your top category and you spend ₹8,000 monthly, you get ₹400 back. That’s significant.
Credit limit increases happen faster. My son started at ₹40,000. Now at ₹80,000 after 10 months. Doubled.
What doesn’t work well:
Understanding top categories takes a month. New cardholders don’t immediately get 5X benefits everywhere.
The 1% reward on non top categories is disappointing. Worse than many traditional cards.
No cashback on rent payments through cards. Many young professionals pay rent via credit card for rewards. Doesn’t work here.
For Uni Card:
What works brilliantly:
The automatic split payment reduces sticker shock. Bought a ₹9,000 phone? Only pay ₹3,000 now. Rest spread out.
Perfect for young professionals with variable income. Freelancers. Gig workers. People between jobs.
The gamification actually changes behavior. My son completed a “pay on time for 3 months” mission. Got 500 bonus coins. He was motivated to maintain the streak.
No interest if paid on time. The automatic EMI is genuinely zero cost if you’re disciplined.
What could improve:
The 1% flat cashback is lower than OneCard’s 5X on top categories. You sacrifice rewards for payment flexibility.
Credit limit growth is slower. My son is still at ₹35,000 after 5 months. OneCard gave him more headroom.
The card isn’t accepted everywhere. Some merchants don’t recognize it. Happened 3 times in 10 months.
Think of it like choosing between different neobanks. Features matter based on your financial discipline.
The real difference: OneCard optimizes for rewards. Uni Card optimizes for cash flow management.
My Son’s Real Usage Pattern
He uses both cards strategically now.
OneCard is his primary card. About 70% of spending goes here. Food delivery, shopping, entertainment. His top categories. Gets 5% back.
Uni Card is for larger purchases that need payment flexibility. Bought a laptop for ₹45,000. Used Uni Card. Paid ₹15,000 immediately. Rest over 2 months.
Smart approach. Use each card where it adds most value.
His spending breakdown looks like this:
Food delivery: ₹6,000 monthly on OneCard. 5% back.
Online shopping: ₹4,000 monthly on OneCard. 5% back.
Groceries and fuel: ₹5,000 monthly on Uni Card. 1% back plus automatic split.
Large purchases: Always Uni Card for payment flexibility.
He’s earning about ₹500 to ₹700 monthly in total rewards. On ₹15,000 to ₹18,000 spending.
That’s 3 to 4% effective return. Not bad for someone with zero credit history 10 months ago.
His CIBIL score went from 0 to 732 in this time. Both cards report regularly.
“The Uni Card saved me when my laptop died unexpectedly. Didn’t have ₹45,000 sitting around. The automatic split let me buy it without stress.”
Which Card for Young Professionals?
The honest answer depends on your financial situation.
Let me make this simple.
Choose OneCard if:
You have stable monthly income from a salaried job.
You want maximum rewards on regular spending.
Your top spending categories are consistent month to month.
You value a premium looking card.
You’re disciplined about paying full balance monthly.
Choose Uni Card if:
Your income is variable or you’re between jobs.
You need payment flexibility more than maximum rewards.
You make occasional large purchases.
You like gamification and find it motivating.
You’re building financial discipline and the automatic split helps.
I recommend most young professionals start with OneCard. Better rewards. Faster credit limit increases. More acceptance.
Add Uni Card later if you need payment flexibility for specific situations.
My son’s approach of using both works well. But it requires tracking. Not everyone wants that complexity.
Quick summary:
OneCard for better rewards if you have stable income.
Uni Card for payment flexibility if income is variable.
Both build credit history equally well.
Both are free with no annual fees.
Your financial situation determines the better fit.
The Salary Account Integration Question
Both cards work well with modern salary accounts.
My son’s salary comes into his Jupiter account. Links smoothly with both cards.
OneCard pulls from any bank account automatically. Set autopay. Forget about it.
Uni Card also supports autopay. But the 1/3rd payment happens immediately when you buy. The remaining 2/3rds auto debit over 2 months.
The integration with UPI is seamless for both. Load money. Pay bills. Transfer rewards. All through UPI.
What impressed me? Both cards send payment reminders 3 days before due date. Then 1 day before. Then on due date.
My son has never missed a payment. The reminders work.
When you’re managing finances as a young professional, these small features matter.
What Others Are Saying
I asked in my BackToIndia Facebook group. Got 89 responses.
OneCard users loved the metal card and 5X rewards. Common complaint? Categories sometimes shift unexpectedly.
Uni Card users appreciated the payment flexibility. Common complaint? Rewards are lower than OneCard.
Several young professionals mentioned using both strategically. OneCard for daily spending. Uni Card for large purchases.
One interesting pattern. Fresh graduates heavily favor Uni Card. They have lower initial salaries and need payment flexibility.
Professionals 2 to 3 years into their careers prefer OneCard. They have stable income and want better rewards.
If you want more experiences from young professionals or have specific questions, ask in the BackToIndia Facebook group. Over 5,000 members sharing credit card experiences.
My Honest Take After 10 Months
Both cards solve real problems for young professionals.
OneCard solves the rewards problem. Traditional cards give poor returns. OneCard gives 5X where it matters.
Uni Card solves the cash flow problem. Big purchases strain monthly budgets. Uni Card splits them automatically.
Different problems. Different solutions.
My son needed both. He started earning ₹54,000 monthly post tax. Living in expensive Bangalore.
Rent takes ₹18,000. Food and basics another ₹12,000. Transport ₹4,000. That’s ₹34,000 fixed.
Leaves ₹20,000 for savings and discretionary spending.
When his laptop died, ₹45,000 would have wiped out 2 months of savings. Uni Card let him spread that cost.
His daily Swiggy and Amazon spending on OneCard gets him 5% back. That’s ₹300 to ₹400 monthly he uses for weekend entertainment.
Both cards play a role in his financial life.
The worst choice? Not getting any credit card and staying invisible to credit bureaus. Credit history matters for future loans, apartments, even jobs sometimes.
TLDR
OneCard:
Metal card with premium feel.
5X rewards (5%) on top 2 spending categories.
1% on everything else.
Traditional monthly billing cycle.
Better for stable salaried professionals.
Faster credit limit increases.
Uni Card:
Plastic card only.
1% flat cashback on all spending.
Automatic payment split into 3 parts.
Zero interest if paid on time.
Better for variable income or payment flexibility needs.
Gamified app with missions and rewards.
Bottom line: OneCard for maximum rewards with stable income. Uni Card for payment flexibility with variable income.
My recommendation: Start with OneCard if you have regular salary. Add Uni Card if you need payment flexibility for large purchases.
Real benefit: Both cards give young professionals access to credit without traditional requirements. Build credit score from zero.
Sources:
- OneCard Official Website
- Uni Card Official Website
- Reserve Bank of India Credit Card Guidelines
- CIBIL TransUnion
- Personal usage data from son’s OneCard account (January 2024 to October 2024)
- Personal usage data from son’s Uni Card account (June 2024 to October 2024)
- User feedback from BackToIndia Facebook community
- Economic Times – Credit Cards for Young Professionals 2024
- Statista – Credit Card Usage Among Millennials in India