Key differences
- ADCB has the wider range: 16 cards open to new applicants, against 7.
- ADCB has more free for life cards: 7 to 3.
- ADCB has more Islamic cards: 6 to 0.
- ADCB has more dedicated cashback cards: 3 to 1.
- ADCB has more cards with no foreign transaction fee: 1 to 0.
- ADCB has more cards with a welcome bonus: 10 to 7.
- Both banks have cards from a AED 5,000 minimum salary.
- Mashreq doesn't publish a minimum salary for 4 of its cards.
Side by side
| Mashreq | ADCB | |
|---|---|---|
| Cards open to new applicants | 71 more for nationals or private clients | 162 more for nationals or private clients |
| Free for life | 3 | 7 |
| Islamic cards | 0 | 6 |
| Annual fees | Free to AED 1,575 | Free to AED 1,575 |
| Lowest published salary | AED 5,000 | AED 5,000 |
| Cashback / travel / rewards / shopping | 1 / 0 / 2 / 4 | 3 / 1 / 6 / 6 |
| Emirates Skywards cards | 0 | 0 |
| Etihad Guest cards | 0 | 0 |
| Hotel points cards | 0 | 0 |
| No foreign transaction fee | 0 | 1 |
| Cards with airport lounge access | 5 | 10 |
| Cards with a welcome bonus | 7 | 10 |
Counts cover cards open to new applicants, checked against each bank's own pages. Updated 2 Nov 2026. Information only, not financial advice.
Best cards from each bank
Top Mashreq cards
-
1
Mashreq
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
Free for life with 5% on dining in the UAE and abroad and no minimum spend.
Fee: Free for lifeSalary: AED 5,000
-
2
Mashreq
Mashreq Platinum Plus Credit Card
10 Vantage points per AED on supermarkets, fuel and dining for a modest fee.
Fee: AED 313.95Salary: AED 5,000
-
3
Mashreq
Mashreq noon Credit Card
5% back on noon, Namshi and NowNow, free for life.
Fee: Free for lifeSalary: Not published
Top ADCB cards
-
1
ADCB
365 Cashback Credit Card
High rates where most people spend: 6% on dining, 5% on fuel and Salik, 3% on groceries. Needs AED 5,000 a month on the card.
Fee: AED 383.25 from yr 2Salary: AED 5,000Top rate needs: AED 5k/mo
-
2
ADCB
Essential Cashback Credit Card
Simple flat cashback on everything, free for life, if you don't want to track categories.
Fee: Free for lifeSalary: AED 5,000Top rate needs: AED 1k/mo
-
3
ADCB
Traveller Credit Card
10% cashback on any airline and on hotels worldwide, with no foreign currency fee.
Fee: AED 1,575Salary: AED 20,000Top rate needs: AED 5k/mo
Questions people ask
Is Mashreq or ADCB better for credit cards?
It depends on what you want from the card. Choose Mashreq for Mashreq Cashback, one of our top picks; choose ADCB for a wider range (16 cards to 7), more free for life cards (7 to 3), more Islamic cards (6 to 0), more dedicated cashback cards (3 to 1), more cards with no foreign transaction fee (1 to 0) and more cards with a welcome bonus (10 to 7). Both banks have cards from a AED 5,000 minimum salary.
Which has more free for life credit cards, Mashreq or ADCB?
ADCB, with 7 free for life cards against 3.
What salary do I need for a credit card from Mashreq or ADCB?
Mashreq's lowest published minimum salary is AED 5,000 and ADCB's is AED 5,000 a month. Mashreq doesn't publish a minimum salary for 4 of its cards.