Best Free for Life Credit Cards UAE — No Annual Fee, No Waiver
Some UAE credit cards charge neither annual nor joining fees.
See cardsLast updated: - Sourced from official issuer documents and product pages.
Options include Liv, Wio, Mashreq, ADCB Essential and Liv Tamayaz. Wio rewards require an eligible plan.
These are the picks to start with when you want the rewards but not the commitment. Most accept AED 5,000 monthly salary, run fully digital applications, and don't require UAE credit history. Pair one with a fee-paying premium card later if your travel or category spend grows. If a small annual fee is acceptable when the rewards justify it, weigh these against the best credit cards in the UAE overall.
Best for most spends
LIV DIGITAL BANK BY EMIRATES NBD
Liv Cashback Credit Card
≈ AED 8,068 potential value / year · incl. perks · Cashback mode
Up to 2% Cashback on all spends
Cashback or Skywards Miles
2 VOX B1G1 offers + 25% off F&B from AED 40
Best for dining
MASHREQ BANK
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
≈ AED 6,480 potential value / year
3.4/5
AED 500 Welcome Bonus
Unlimited 5% Cashback on dining.
1% Cashback on international spends (non-dining)
Best for groceries
ABU DHABI COMMERCIAL BANK (ADCB)
ADCB LuLu Platinum Credit Card
≈ AED 10,228 potential value / year · incl. perks
8 LuLu Points per AED 1 spent at LuLu stores
Up to 1.25 LuLu Points per AED 1 spent on all other spends
4 lounge visits/year
Best Free for Life Credit Cards UAE — No Annual Fee, No Waiver compared
A side-by-side snapshot of annual fees, salary requirements, and standout benefits.
| Card | Annual fee | Min. salary | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Free | AED 5,000 | Up to 2% cashback on all spending, free for life, instant miles conversion |
 | Free | AED 5,000 | 6% at Union Coop, free for life, AED 5,000 minimum salary |
 | Free | AED 5,000 | 5% on dining, 1% on everything else, AED 500 welcome bonus |
 | AED 588 (waivable) | AED 5,000 | 2% on most eligible spend, AED 2,500/month cap, qualifying plan required |
 | Free | AED 5,000 | 1% cashback on all spends, AED 5,000 salary |
 | Free | AED 8,000 | 8 LuLu Points per AED 1 at LuLu stores, lounge access |
 | Free | AED 12,000 | Free-for-life Voyager Miles earning, up to 6 Miles per AED on the ENBD Travel Portal, lounge access, from AED 12,000 |
| Card | Annual fee | Min. salary | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | AED 5,000 | Up to 2% cashback on all spending, free for life, instant miles conversion |
| Free | AED 5,000 | 6% at Union Coop, free for life, AED 5,000 minimum salary |
| Free | AED 5,000 | 5% on dining, 1% on everything else, AED 500 welcome bonus |
| AED 588 (waivable) | AED 5,000 | 2% on most eligible spend, AED 2,500/month cap, qualifying plan required |
| Free | AED 5,000 | 1% cashback on all spends, AED 5,000 salary |
| Free | AED 8,000 | 8 LuLu Points per AED 1 at LuLu stores, lounge access |
| Free | AED 12,000 | Free-for-life Voyager Miles earning, up to 6 Miles per AED on the ENBD Travel Portal, lounge access, from AED 12,000 |
Liv Cashback Credit Card
Annual feeFree
Min. salaryAED 5,000
HighlightUp to 2% cashback on all spending, free for life, instant miles conversion
Tamayaz Platinum Credit Card
Annual feeFree
Min. salaryAED 5,000
Highlight6% at Union Coop, free for life, AED 5,000 minimum salary
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
Annual feeFree
Min. salaryAED 5,000
Highlight5% on dining, 1% on everything else, AED 500 welcome bonus
Wio Credit Card
Annual feeAED 588 (waivable)
Min. salaryAED 5,000
Highlight2% on most eligible spend, AED 2,500/month cap, qualifying plan required
ADCB Essential Cashback Credit Card
Annual feeFree
Min. salaryAED 5,000
Highlight1% cashback on all spends, AED 5,000 salary
ADCB LuLu Platinum Credit Card
Annual feeFree
Min. salaryAED 8,000
Highlight8 LuLu Points per AED 1 at LuLu stores, lounge access
ENBD Voyager World Credit Card
Annual feeFree
Min. salaryAED 12,000
HighlightFree-for-life Voyager Miles earning, up to 6 Miles per AED on the ENBD Travel Portal, lounge access, from AED 12,000
Use case
Best for everyday cashback
These picks earn flat cashback on most transaction types without restricting rewards to specific categories. Best for users who spread spend across dining, grocery, utilities, and online shopping.
WIO BANK
Wio Credit Card
- 2% Cashback on most spends
- 0.5% on card bills
- Up to AED 2,500/month
ABU DHABI COMMERCIAL BANK (ADCB)
ADCB Essential Cashback Credit Card
- Up to 1.25% cashback on all spends
- 0.75% on select categories
- BOGO at Reel Cinemas
LIV DIGITAL BANK BY EMIRATES NBD
Liv Cashback Credit Card
- Up to 2% Cashback on all spends
- Cashback or Skywards Miles
- 2 VOX B1G1 offers + 25% off F&B from AED 40
Use case
Best for dining and restaurants
If restaurant and cafe spend is a significant part of your monthly budget, Mashreq Cashback is the standout no-fee pick — 5% on dining with no annual fee.
3.4/5
MASHREQ BANK
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
- AED 500 Welcome Bonus
- Unlimited 5% Cashback on dining.
- 1% Cashback on international spends (non-dining)
Use case
Best for supermarket and grocery spend
For heavy supermarket spenders, these no-fee cards offer elevated cashback or points at UAE grocery chains — Liv Tamayaz at Union Coop and ADCB LuLu Platinum at LuLu stores.
LIV DIGITAL BANK BY EMIRATES NBD
Tamayaz Platinum Credit Card
- 6% cashback at Union Coop
- 2% on domestic dining and fuel
- 1% on intl and domestic retail
ABU DHABI COMMERCIAL BANK (ADCB)
ADCB LuLu Platinum Credit Card
- 8 LuLu Points per AED 1 spent at LuLu stores
- Up to 1.25 LuLu Points per AED 1 spent on all other spends
- 4 lounge visits/year
Use case
Best with a welcome bonus
These no annual fee cards also carry a signup offer — cashback credited on first transactions — without a joining fee or annual fee.
3.4/5
MASHREQ BANK
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
- AED 500 Welcome Bonus
- Unlimited 5% Cashback on dining.
- 1% Cashback on international spends (non-dining)
ABU DHABI COMMERCIAL BANK (ADCB)
ADCB Essential Cashback Credit Card
- Up to 1.25% cashback on all spends
- 0.75% on select categories
- BOGO at Reel Cinemas
Use case
Best for first-time cardholders
Low minimum salary, simple rewards structure, and zero annual fee make these picks straightforward for applicants who are new to credit cards in the UAE.
WIO BANK
Wio Credit Card
- 2% Cashback on most spends
- 0.5% on card bills
- Up to AED 2,500/month
ABU DHABI COMMERCIAL BANK (ADCB)
ADCB Essential Cashback Credit Card
- Up to 1.25% cashback on all spends
- 0.75% on select categories
- BOGO at Reel Cinemas
Why choose No annual fee cards
1.
No annual cost, permanently free
Free-for-life cards carry no annual fee waiver condition — the card stays free regardless of annual spend, with no minimum spending requirement to maintain the benefit.
2.
Competitive cashback without the yearly cost
Some no-fee cards deliver 2–6% cashback on specific categories, matching or exceeding returns on cards that charge AED 300–600 per year.
3.
Low income eligibility threshold
Most cards in this category start at AED 5,000 minimum salary, making them accessible to a wider range of applicants including those early in their career.
7 cards in the UAE
LIV DIGITAL BANK BY EMIRATES NBD
Liv Cashback Credit Card
- Salary: AED 5,000+
- Free for life
- Up to 2% Cashback on all spends
- Cashback or Skywards Miles
- 2 VOX B1G1 offers + 25% off F&B from AED 40
LIV DIGITAL BANK BY EMIRATES NBD
Tamayaz Platinum Credit Card
- Salary: AED 5,000+
- Free for life
- 6% cashback at Union Coop
- 2% on domestic dining and fuel
- 1% on intl and domestic retail
3.4/5
MASHREQ BANK
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
- Salary: AED 5,000+
- No Annual Fee
- AED 500 Welcome Bonus
- Unlimited 5% Cashback on dining.
- 1% Cashback on international spends (non-dining)
WIO BANK
Wio Credit Card
- Salary: AED 5,000+
- No Annual Fee with Wio Plan
- 2% Cashback on most spends
- 0.5% on card bills
- Up to AED 2,500/month
ABU DHABI COMMERCIAL BANK (ADCB)
ADCB Essential Cashback Credit Card
- Salary: AED 5,000+
- No Annual Fee
- Up to 1.25% cashback on all spends
- 0.75% on select categories
- BOGO at Reel Cinemas
ABU DHABI COMMERCIAL BANK (ADCB)
ADCB LuLu Platinum Credit Card
- Salary: AED 8,000+
- No Annual Fee
- 8 LuLu Points per AED 1 spent at LuLu stores
- Up to 1.25 LuLu Points per AED 1 spent on all other spends
- 4 lounge visits/year
3.9/5
EMIRATES NBD
ENBD Voyager World Credit Card
- Salary: AED 12,000+
- 75,000 Miles on AED 35,000
- No Annual Fee
- 6 Miles/AED on Voyager Portal
- 3 Miles/AED on other travel
Eligibility criteria
General requirements for credit card applications in the UAE. Exact thresholds vary by bank and card tier.
| Minimum age | 21 years |
| Monthly salary | AED 5,000–12,000 |
| Employment | Salaried employees or self-employed professionals |
| Residency | UAE residents with a valid Emirates ID and residence visa |
| Credit history | AECB credit score is checked; a clean record strengthens approval |
| Minimum age | 21 years |
| Monthly salary | AED 5,000–12,000 |
| Employment | Salaried employees or self-employed professionals |
| Residency | UAE residents with a valid Emirates ID and residence visa |
| Credit history | AECB credit score is checked; a clean record strengthens approval |
Always confirm the latest eligibility details with the issuing bank before applying.
Documents you will need
Prepare these before you start an application. Some banks accept digital uploads; others require originals at a branch.
UAE nationals
1.Emirates ID
2.Khulasat Al Qaid (Family Book)
3.Salary certificate (less than 30 days old)
4.Bank statements — last 3 months
5.Passport copy
Expats & residents
1.Emirates ID
2.Valid passport with residence visa page
3.Salary certificate or employment letter
4.Bank statements — last 3 months
5.Proof of address (utility bill or tenancy contract)
The final list of required documents may differ based on the bank and card. Self-employed applicants may also need a trade licence and audited financial statements.
Frequently asked questions
Common questions about Best Free for Life Credit Cards UAE — No Annual Fee, No Waiver
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