Some links on this page are affiliate links. They cost you nothing, and I only link tools I'd mention anyway.
Short answer: If you want to pay OpenAI, Anthropic or Google directly, the best card is one with zero forex markup, and Scapia is the one I'd apply for first. If you don't have an international card, can't get one, or just don't want another card, skip it and top up AICredits in rupees with UPI.
Disclosure: the aicredits.in and Scapia links are referral links, so I may earn a reward if you sign up, at no cost to you. I use AICredits. Scapia's terms below come from a third-party review page dated 28 Sept 2026, because Scapia's own site would not load for me. I have not applied for the card or paid an API bill with it.
AI API bills are in US dollars. Every rupee you lose on conversion is a rupee you could have spent on tokens. The usual culprit is the forex markup your card adds on top of the exchange rate, often with GST on that markup. A card with no markup removes the biggest avoidable cost in one go.
Why does forex markup matter for AI APIs?
You pay per token, in dollars, usually through a prepaid balance or monthly invoice. A markup applies to every top-up.
A worked example with invented numbers, so you can swap in your own. Say you spend $100 a month and the plain exchange rate is ₹88 to the dollar (illustrative, not a current rate).
| Card markup (all-in) | Monthly cost | Extra over plain rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0% | ₹8,800 | ₹0 |
| 3.5% | ₹9,108 | ₹308 |
| 3.5% plus 18% GST on the markup (about 4.13%) | ₹9,163 | ₹363 |
The GST row is a general example from card guides, not a quote for any specific bank. Check your own statement. The point holds either way: a zero-markup card makes the gap disappear, and for a heavy user that is a real saving over a year.
Why Scapia is my pick
What the review I read reports about the card (updated 28 Sept 2026):
- Zero forex markup. International spends are billed at the real exchange rate.
- Lifetime free. No joining fee, no annual fee.
- Networks. A Visa card, plus a RuPay variant that works with UPI. From 3 Sep 2026 the same review lists Axis Bank as an additional issuer with Mastercard as its main network, alongside Federal Bank and BOBCARD.
- Eligibility. You apply in the Scapia app. The review says there is no income requirement; another source I found lists income thresholds, so the sources disagree. The app is the authority.
That combination is why it suits API spend: you pay no fee to hold it, and the conversion cost is the thing you actually care about.
What Scapia won't do for you
- Rewards are modest and travel-leaning. The headline value is on travel booked in the app, and coins redeem for travel, not cashback. For API spend, treat any reward as a bonus. The review notes rewards were cut on insurance and utilities in Feb 2026, so don't build a plan around them.
- Interest is high. The review lists about 3.75% a month on unpaid balances. Pay the full bill every cycle.
- Terms changed twice this year. Lounge access and reward categories moved in February, and the issuer list changed in September. Read the current terms before applying.
- Unknowns I could not confirm: GST, TCS or limits on international spends for this card. Ask the issuer, especially if you plan to spend a lot.
- The card still has to work. Whether a given provider accepts your card is decided by the provider's billing page and your issuer's international-transaction settings, not by the markup. Enable international usage in the app first and test with a small top-up.
When a card isn't the right answer
A zero-forex card fixes cost. It doesn't fix these:
- You don't qualify for a credit card, or don't want to open one.
- Your card gets declined on a provider's billing page.
- You want to pay with UPI and see a rupee balance.
- You use several providers and want one bill and a rupee cap per key.
For those cases, use a gateway.
How AICredits fits in
Instead of buying or getting an international card, you top up an INR wallet on AICredits and get API access to 300+ models with one key. From AICredits' own site:
- Pay with UPI (GPay, PhonePe, Paytm), net banking or debit cards, processed by Razorpay.
- Minimum top-up is ₹50.
- Prices include a 5% forex buffer plus a 5% platform fee, and the rate follows the live USD/INR.
- The API is OpenAI-compatible at
https://api.aicredits.in/v1.
Their site says "300+" in the headline and "400+" in a stat, so I use 300+. For the full top-up flow and failure modes, see the UPI payment guide. To use it with Claude Code, see Claude Code in India without a credit card.
The honest price comparison
My forex math post shows how the gateway price is built: the USD price at the live rate, plus the 5% forex buffer and 5% platform fee, plus about 2.36% charged by Razorpay on each top-up. A zero-markup card adds none of that. So:
| Zero-forex card (Scapia) | AICredits | |
|---|---|---|
| Extra cost over the plain USD-to-INR rate | None from markup; check GST/TCS with the issuer | 5% forex buffer, 5% platform fee, about 2.36% top-up charge |
| Needs a card | Yes, and it must be accepted | No |
| Pay with UPI | Not for the provider's bill | Yes, from ₹50 |
| Models | One provider per account | 300+ with one key |
| Budget caps per key | Provider-specific | Per key, in rupees |
If you already have a card that works, the card is cheaper per token. If you don't, the gateway fees buy you access without any card, and you pay in rupees by UPI.
Which should you choose?
- You'll spend a lot on one provider and can get the card: apply for Scapia, enable international usage, and test with a small top-up.
- You're starting out, testing several models, or have no working card: start with ₹50 to ₹500 on AICredits, set a budget on the key, and see what you actually spend.
- You want both: use the card for your main provider and the gateway for experiments across models.
Whichever you pick, set a spending cap before you give a key to any tool or agent.
