Updated September 28, 2026 · SumCue Editorial Team
ICICI Bank vs Upgrade
ICICI Bank
Upgrade
Higher score in this comparison
Where ICICI Bank and Upgrade differ
| Compare | ICICI BankReviewVisitVisit | UpgradeReviewVisitVisit |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹3,500 | $0 |
| APR | 9.99% to 16.5% | 7.74% to 35.99%Lower |
| Currency conversion fee | 3.5% | 3%Lower |
| Rewards type | Points | Cashback |
| Rewards rate | 4 points per INR 100 international spend, 2 points per INR 100 domestic spend, 1 point per INR 100 utility and insurance spend | 3% cash back on gas, groceries, streaming and monthly subscriptions, and utilities; 1% on everything else, uncapped |
| Perks | Welcome vouchers worth over INR 13,000 from Tata CLiQ, EaseMyTrip, Da Milano, Croma and EazyDiner, 2 complimentary international and 4 domestic airport lounge visits, Up to 4 complimentary golf rounds per month, 24/7 concierge service (i Assist), Air accident insurance cover up to INR 3 crore, 1% fuel surcharge waiver on fuel transactions up to INR 4,000, BookMyShow movie offers, up to INR 500 off the second ticket | Visa Zero Liability protection, Travel and Emergency Assistance Services, Roadside Dispatch, Upgrade Shopping offers, Rewards do not expire, 24/7 fraud monitoring and real time alerts, Flexible payment options Pay Now, Pay in 4, Pay Over Time (coming soon) |
| Credit needed | Good | Not confirmed |
Same on both: Card kind (Credit).
We earn a commission when you sign up through links on this site. Partner status can affect where a brand appears in our rankings. Partners with a live offer in your country come first, then every other brand by score.
Key differences
- Upgrade scores higher overall: 9.2 vs 8.9.
- APR is lower at Upgrade: 7.74% to 35.99% vs 9.99% to 16.5%.
- Currency conversion fee is lower at Upgrade: 3% vs 3.5%.
- Perks: only ICICI Bank offers Welcome vouchers worth over INR 13,000 from Tata CLiQ, EaseMyTrip, Da Milano, Croma and EazyDiner, 2 complimentary international and 4 domestic airport lounge visits, Up to 4 complimentary golf rounds per month.
- Perks: only Upgrade offers Visa Zero Liability protection, Travel and Emergency Assistance Services, Roadside Dispatch.
- Support channels: only ICICI Bank offers Chat.
- Support channels: only Upgrade offers Email.
- Features: only ICICI Bank offers Rewards.
- Features: only Upgrade offers Same day funding, Credit line.
Our verdict on each
ICICI Bank
ICICI Bank is a full-service Indian bank covering saving, spending and borrowing, so it suits customers who want one provider. The savings account pays 2.5% on a variable rate, with easy access to cash, bill payments and transfers by UPI, IMPS, NEFT and RTGS, and personal loans disburse instantly.
Upgrade
Upgrade suits US borrowers who want a direct lender with fixed rate personal loans, a credit line and quick access to money, and the fee is taken from the proceeds before you see it. It scores 6.4 on offer, and the arrangement fee runs 1.85% to 9.99% on top of the rate.
Score breakdown
| Area | ICICI Bank | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | 8.6Card costs weigh heavy: an annual fee of INR 3,500 on the Sapphiro card, and personal loan rates of 9.99% to 16.5%. | 9.0Higher |
| Offer | 9.4 | 9.4Direct lender with loans of $1,000 to $50,000 over 24 to 84 at 7.74% to 35.99%, plus same day funding and a credit line. |
| Trust | 9.0 | 9.4Higher |
Licences and countries
| Country | ICICI Bank | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| India | Not confirmed | |
| United States | Not confirmed |
Additional countries for ICICI Bank: 1. Additional countries for Upgrade: 1.
Where they rank in our lists
| Ranking | ICICI Bank | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Loans | 124 of 2043 | 94 of 2043 |
| Personal loans | 104 of 1317 | 80 of 1317 |
| Credit and debit cards | 43 of 1594 | 26 of 1594 |
| Credit cards | 15 of 421 | 9 of 421 |
If neither fits
DKB has apr at 6.99%, against 9.99% to 16.5% for ICICI Bank and 7.74% to 35.99% for Upgrade.
DKB reviewEvery fact side by side
| Fact | ICICI Bank | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Fixed rate | Fixed rate |
| Features | Rewards | Same day funding, Credit line |
| Legal entity | ICICI Bank Ltd. | Upgrade, Inc. |
| Headquarters | India | United States |
| Founded | 1994 | Not confirmed |
| Support channels | Phone, Help centre, Chat | Email, Phone, Help centre |
Loans
| Fact | ICICI Bank | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Loan amount | ₹50,000 to ₹5,000,000 | $1,000 to $50,000 |
| Term | 12 to 72 months | 24 to 84 monthsHigher |
| Arrangement fee | Up to 2% of loan amount plus taxes (Personal Loan processing charge) | 1.85%-9.99% one-time origination fee, deducted from loan proceeds |
| Credit check | Hard | Soft prequal |
| Funding time | Instant disbursement | Within 1 business day of clearing verifications |
| Representative example | Not confirmed | $10,000 unsecured personal loan, 36-month term, 17.59% APR including 13.94% yearly interest rate and 5% one-time origination fee; $9,500 received, $341.48 monthly payment, $12,293.46 total |
| Rate type | Variable | Fixed |
| Lender type | Direct lender | Direct lender |
| Free early repayment | No | YesHas it |
| Eligibility | Indian citizens aged 18-58 years; salaried minimum monthly income 30,000 rupees | Be a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or living in the U.S. on a valid visa; be at least 18 years old (or older where the majority age is higher); provide verifiable bank account information and a valid email address |
| Origination fee (%) | 2% | 1.85% to 9.99%Lower |
| Loan types | Personal, Debt consolidation | Personal, Debt consolidation, Secured, CarCovers more |
| Use cases | Home improvement | Home improvement |
Savings
| Fact | ICICI Bank | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Headline rate | 2.5% | Not confirmed |
| Minimum deposit | ₹2,500 to ₹15,000 | Not confirmed |
| Access terms | Easy access to funds: cash withdrawals, utility bill payments and online fund transfers through UPI, IMPS, NEFT and RTGS | Not confirmed |
| Monthly fee | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Account kind | Easy access | Not confirmed |
Mortgages
| Fact | ICICI Bank | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Initial rate | 7.55% | Not confirmed |
| Maximum loan to value | 80% to 90% | Not confirmed |
| Purpose | Purchase, Remortgage | Not confirmed |
Debit cards
| Fact | ICICI Bank | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| Free ATM withdrawals | Not confirmed | $0 |
| Card type | Not confirmed | Debit |
| Cashback rate | Not confirmed | 2% |
| Card network | Not confirmed | Visa |
Where each stands against the rest
| Fact | ICICI Bank | Upgrade | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| APR | 9.99% to 16.5%below the median | 7.74% to 35.99%below the median | 11.635 |
| Currency conversion fee | 3.5%highest quarter | 3%highest quarter | 1% |
Median across 486 listed providers.
Pros and cons
ICICI Bank
Pros
- Personal loans disburse with Instant disbursement, on amounts of INR 50,000 to INR 5,000,000 over terms of 12 to 72.
- The savings account is easy access, taking a minimum deposit of INR 2,500 to INR 15,000.
- The card pays points on spending, with lounge visits, golf rounds, concierge help and welcome vouchers added.
Cons
- Foreign spend on the card carries a currency conversion fee of 3.5%.
- Personal loan applications run a hard credit check, and good credit is the bar.
- Free early repayment is not offered, so settling a personal loan early carries a charge.
Upgrade
Pros
- Fixed rate personal loans with an APR of 7.74% to 35.99%
- Free early repayment lets you settle the balance early without a charge
- Soft prequalification, so a soft prequal credit check comes before a hard search
Cons
- The arrangement fee of 1.85% to 9.99% is deducted from loan proceeds, so the amount received is lower than the amount borrowed
- The top of the APR range is far above the site median of 15.5%
- The smallest loan is $1,000 to $50,000, which rules out small emergency amounts
Who each suits
ICICI Bank
Who it suits
- Salaried Indian citizens of adult age who want savings, a card and loans from one bank.
- Savers comfortable with a variable savings rate and borrowers happy with a fixed rate loan.
- Cardholders who want a credit card with lounge, golf and concierge perks on top of points.
Who should look elsewhere
- wise, if a card with no annual fee matters most, since its annual fee is £0.
- bunq, if you would rather hold a euro account with an annual fee of €0 on the card.
- Varo Believe Secured Credit Card, if a secured card with an annual fee of $0 is the better fit.
Upgrade
Who it suits
- US residents who want one lender for a loan and a credit line
- Borrowers consolidating debt or funding home improvement who value a fixed rate
- Adults who prefer a soft prequal credit check before committing
Who should look elsewhere
- Borrowers who would rather pay fees up front, since the arrangement fee of 1.85% to 9.99% comes out of the amount borrowed
- Anyone outside the US, as eligibility is tied to US residency and citizenship status
- Borrowers who need a very large sum, since the maximum is $1,000 to $50,000
Current offers
ICICI Bank
Current offer
Bonus
Sapphiro Credit Card welcome vouchers: Vouchers worth over INR 13,000
Upon payment of the joining fee of INR 6,500 + GST; vouchers worth INR 3,000 from Tata CLiQ, INR 4,000 from EaseMyTrip, INR 5,000 from Da Milano, INR 1,500 from Croma and an EazyDiner Prime Membership worth INR 1,095; issued within 45 business days
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Discount code
BookMyShow buy one get one movie offer on Sapphiro Credit Card: Up to INR 500 off the second ticket
From Apr 1, 2026 requires spending INR 25,000 or more on the Sapphiro Credit Card in the preceding spends quarter; one movie offer per month per card variant for dual-network cards
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Bonus
Sapphiro Credit Card milestone reward points: 4,000 reward points on INR 4 lakh annual spend, plus 2,000 points per additional INR 1 lakh, up to 20,000 points
Awarded in an anniversary year on qualifying annual spend
Source, checked September 26, 2026
Country by country
| Country | ICICI Bank | Upgrade |
|---|---|---|
| India | Yes | No |
| United States | No | Yes |
Questions about each
ICICI Bank
What does the card cost to hold each year?+
The annual fee on the card is INR 3,500, which sits above cards that charge nothing. Foreign currency transactions add a conversion fee of 3.5% on top. It is a credit card, so balances are meant to be cleared in full rather than carried.
What rewards does the card pay?+
Rewards come as points, earning more on international spend than on domestic, utility and insurance purchases. The credit card also carries welcome vouchers with travel, dining and retail partners, lounge visits, golf rounds, a round the clock concierge service, air accident cover and a fuel surcharge waiver.
Upgrade
What rate will I pay on an Upgrade personal loan?+
Upgrade offers fixed rate loans with an APR of 7.74% to 35.99% and terms of 24 to 84. Loans cover personal, debt consolidation, secured and car borrowing, and the model is fixed rate rather than variable, so repayments stay the same each month.
How much does an Upgrade loan cost in fees?+
An arrangement fee of 1.85% to 9.99% applies, and it is deducted from your loan proceeds rather than billed separately. That means the amount you receive is lower than the amount you borrow, so the fee and the interest rate stack up.
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