In our CRED review, we will look at what CRED as a payment tool does, and why we need a third-party app like it when we already have the default bank apps available.
If you are still unaware of CRED, look up for its adverts the first thing. You’ll find them entertaining while also getting a hint about what it does.
If you need detailed information, you can refer to this article. I have written this review after a meticulous analysis of the app and its pros and cons.
I have to admit, I love the innovative CRED ads as much as I love the UI. Both are exceptionally thought and executed.
I started using CRED after Aayush (who’s the man behind AayushBhaskar.com and BforBloggers) suggested it to me for payment of my Credit card dues. I’m so thankful he did!
Without further ado, let’s start our review that reveals what CRED is about, why you should use it, what it offers, and more. You can directly skip portions from the table of contents below.
What is CRED?
CRED is a Bangalore-based startup by Kunal Shah, who founded FreeCharge (now acquired by Axis Bank). Currently the CEO of CRED, Kunal was also previously associated with Y Combinator, an investor-funding startup.
Kunal is an avid investor and a seasoned entrepreneur. In terms of the management of the company, we can be assured that the product comes from people who know about offering value to their customers.
CRED is a Credit Card payment app. The app facilitates payment of Credit card dues. Yes, that’s all it does. But it’s not what CRED does, but how it does what it does that matters.
CRED offers reward points, known as CredCoins and cashback for paying Credit card dues. And we are not just talking about insignificant points here. It is by far the most rewarding app for Credit card payments. Let’s discuss more on that.
CRED is available on both Google Play and Apple Store. it supports Visa, MasterCard, Rupay, American Express, and Discover cards.
Why is it Unique?
CRED is unique in a number of ways :
Focus on Credit Cards
Unlike other payment apps, CRED focuses solely on the niche of Credit card payment. It is different from the other payment apps wherein you can pay utility bills, recharge your cell phones, buy merchandise and even buy stocks! For CRED, the kingpin is the credit card using the population in India.
Trust and Credit Score
CRED is a member-only service. That means you can become a member only if your Credit score is upwards of 750. Normally, 650 – 800 is considered a good credit score.
CRED stresses on Trust as a benchmark for using their service. A good credit score implies that you have been honest and trustful about paying off money on time. It honors that trust factor through cashback and bulk amounts of CRED coins.
Is CRED Safe?
CRED has 256-bit encryption and has PCI DSS certification. It is cent percent secure, and your transactions are safe through their platform.
CRED Rewards Structure
The CRED rewards structure is simple. Every time you pay your Credit Card bill through Cred, you get equivalent CRED coins. So, if your Credit card bill for the October cycle is Rs. 6288, you will get 6288 CRED Coins when you pay through Cred.
How to Redeem CRED coins?
You redeem or ‘burn’ coins at their partner sites for buying products or services. Burning CRED coins is simple. At the partner sites, you either have to pay through your Credit card linked to CRED or you have to provide the promo code provided by Cred.
It also provides the opportunity to burn CRED points for cashback. Users have reported getting high cashback amounting to thousands of rupees by burning CRED coins.
Partner Sites
CRED has hundreds of partner sites wherein you can redeem CRED coins, or earn cashback by purchasing using the credit cards linked to your account. Some partner sites require you to put in the promo code provided by CRED. While some partner brands need you to click on the link provided in the app.
CRED also has a CRED Store where you can burn your coins for curated products related to
- International and domestic getaways
- Health and wellness
- Home solutions
- Food
- Workspace essentials
- Entertainment
They keep on adding new partner sites to add to CRED’s brand value. Some of the most notable partners are
- Amazon – 5% cashback on all orders
- Book My Show – discounts of up to Rs. 225
- Big Basket – 20% discount on first order above Rs. 800
- 1mg – cashback of up to Rs. 165
Some other notable brands on CRED are :
- Puma
- Cross (if you still love pens in this digital era)
- Ajio
- Myntra
- ixigo
Intrigued by CRED but yet to get a new credit card? Check our credit card reviews that feature cards for first-time users.
CRED Benefits
Welcome Credits
After joining, you instantly get a number of CRED coins. I got 857 CRED coins after registering, even without paying my credit card dues!
I’m not sure on what basis they provided 857 coins. It is not my Crif/Experian credit score. Perhaps they have an internal algorithm that calculates welcome credits specific to each profile.
Referral Benefits
For each referral, you and your referral will get 2%, up to Rs. 1000, on the first payment done through CRED. What is best is both the parties get the referral benefits. So, if you refer your brother to use the app, and he pays his first credit card dues using it, you both will get the c ashback benefits.
Registration Process
I was blown away by the ease of registration. This really has been one of the most amazing things about CRED.
You practically need only your mobile number and the OTP to get verified. Once you provide your mobile number, CRED integrates all your Credit cards by pulling up your Crif or Experian data.
Crif and Experian are Credit bureaus that store Credit details of most banks and lending organizations.
Once all your Credit cards are linked, you only need to authorise CRED to verify the accounts by sending Re. 1 to each account.
CRED Drawbacks
There have been a number of complaints regarding CRED that payments are not getting processed on time. However, the number of successful payments is more than the number of failed ones.
CRED only has an email address – [email protected] – as a means of communicating with them. Given that you are trusting your money with CRED, they should come up with a chat option and a phone service to address customer grievances.
CRED’s partner brands are the ones that focus on the good living, luxury and wellness aspects. Some people might not find much usage for many of the products listed on the partner sites. 5% cashback on Amazon does stand out though.
Our Verdict
CRED is a trustworthy app that has lots to offer for credit card payments. It can be safely said that CRED is by far the most rewarding payment facilitator for credit card dues.
The partner sites are great for someone who is looking for wellness and luxury items. There are some like Amazon and BigBasket that will appeal to all kinds of shoppers.
The good part is, they are constantly adding partner brands. With growing popularity, more brands that appeal to a large majority of users will be included. We recommend using CRED.
Download CRED for Andriod and iOS
CRED FAQs | Review Conclusion
What other bills can you pay with CRED?
You can only pay Credit Card bills. You can also pay your rent through Credit Card under the CRED Rent feature, but that is still in the beta stage i.e it is available by invitation.
Is CRED members only?
Yes, CRED is members only in the sense that only members with a credit score of above 750 can successfully register with CRED.
What if I do not qualify?
You can wait and reapply again after 6 months. In the meantime, try to be consistent and timely with your credit card payment schedule.
How does CRED remind its members of dues?
CRED sends Whatsapp notifications as well as in-app notifications of payment reminders.
I do not want to be reminded through Whatsapp. What should I do?
You can opt-out of receiving Whatsapp notification from CRED by replying “STOP” in the Whatsapp conversation thread.
Is CRED trustworthy?
Yes, CRED has 256-bit encryption and certification from PCI DSS.
Can I pay my utility bills like the phone bill?
No, you can only pay your credit card bills.
What is the Credit score range to qualify for CRED?
You need a credit score of 750 and above to qualify for using CRED.
What documents do you need to register?
No documents are needed to register with CRED. It will pull up your credit score from credit bureaus like CRIF and Experian.
How is CRED better than paying through other payment apps?
When you pay through CRED, you get cashback or Credcoins that you can use to buy merchandise or services.
How has your experience of using CRED been? Let us know.
I was blown away by the ease of registration. This really has been one of the most amazing things about CRED. Customer 08388914441
You practically need only your mobile number and the OTP to get verified. Once you provide your mobile number, CRED integrates all your Credit cards by pulling up your Crif or Experian data.
Indeed, the best startups make sure the customer onboarding is smooth and frictionless.
CRED is okay for paying CC dues. The rest of it is BS. Besides being able to part pay for mediocre products, CRED coins can only be used for gambling for elusive jackpots. Sheer waste of time.