Kotak 811 Super: Is This Zero Balance Account Actually Super?

So if you are looking to open a new bank account, here is everything you need to know about one account you might be exploring: the Kotak 811 Super. Maybe you’ve heard about it, maybe you haven’t. But I’m going to provide a deep dive into its benefits, those hidden terms and conditions, and what you really get with this account.

Because, I’m using it for a year now. Earlier, I was using Kotak’s basic 811 account, then I updated my account as it promised some exclusive benefits that I will talk about and try to debunk in this particular article.

The Big Bank Balance Problem in Today’s Banking

So, let us first talk about what’s the scenario in today’s banking, you know?

Basically, if you try to open a bank account at popular places like HDFC, ICICI, or Axis Bank in a metropolitan city, then they actually require you to maintain around a ₹10,000 minimum balance. And recently, these popular banks also revised that to an upper limit. So, on your base, you need to maintain ₹10,000 account balance to use the account.

For many people, it might be hard to maintain this amount for a month.

Kotak promises a Zero Balance Account. That’s what it promises. But technically, it is. It, it, it may show contradictory. So, let us try to understand in simple words: what are the benefits of a Kotak 811 Super, and how you can open a new account in Kotak.

Why Kotak 811 Super is Not the Basic One

Let me clarify that we are talking about the Kotak 811 Super. That is not actually the basic one. The basic account is like a wallet account, where you have a lot of limitations.

But if you’re looking for some benefits, like cashback on debit card transactions, a higher limit on daily withdrawal, and cashback on making UPI payments (even though not all are there, the Debit Card one is key), then here is the Kotak 811 Super you should know.

Open Zero Balance Account

The Hidden Minimum Balance Requirement

Hooter promises a zero balance account, but to be eligible for the Super benefits, there’s a trick.

The minimum balance requirements earlier used to be less. You needed to manage a deposit transaction of ₹5,000, but now it has been revised. And for getting the benefits, you should deposit and make a single transaction for ₹10,000 every month.

You can actually instantly reverse (withdraw) it. For example, you need to just make one entry of ₹10,000 to be eligible for the Super benefits for that month. So, while you don’t need to maintain an average monthly balance (AMB) that leads to non-maintenance charges, you need that monthly credit transaction for the perks.

Now, the benefit of doing this single credit is what unlocks the major feature:

The Benefits of Kotak 811 Super Account

1. The Big Benefit: 5% Cashback on Debit Card Spending

So, the Kotak 811 Super provides a debit card that is usable online, offline, and for every transaction, you get 5% cashback—that was one of the key offerings of the Super account. It’s a debit card that you can save 5%.

• The cashback is usually capped at ₹500 per month.
• You cannot use the cashback on things like Wallet Top-ups or Fund Transfers.
• The spending must be on eligible spends (Supermarket, online stores, whatever merchant is).

2. Bill Payment Cashback (Flat 1%)

For bill payments done through the application, it offers a flat 1% cashback. You can get cashback up to ₹20 three times a month.

There is another part: If you are able to find the correct MCC (Merchant Category Code) then you can also get the full 5% cashback (up to ₹500 per month) even on credit card bill payment. But that is actually a tricky part.

3. UPI Milestone Rewards

Third, it has some UPI-based milestone rewards.

For example, after completing the first three UPI payments, you will receive some cash back. Then, once you reach a spending milestone like spending ₹6,500 via UPI (as far as its current offering goes), you will also receive some additional rewards.

So, to summarise, the best benefits of the Super account are:

1. The huge 5% cashback with the debit card.
2. The flat 1% cashback on recharge and bill payment, up to three times a month.
3. The UPI milestone-based rewards for the active transactions you do.

How to Open Kotak 811 Super Account

The bank account can basically be opened online by visiting the Kotak 811 Super website.

Once you apply, as usual, you need to verify your details. So, one of their executive will verify your details. In my case, I applied for the Kotak 811 upgrade, and the executive visited my residence and completed all the KYC process. I need to work around 24 hours. It took instantly to get my account functional, and then all the chequebooks and other details were delivered.

In some cases, you might need to visit the nearest Kotak branch for verification, so you need to figure that out, because online application with offline verification is necessary.

So here is basically how you can open the account online.

Kotak 811 Super Opening Link [Assured ₹50]

Originally, you will start with the basic Kotak 811 account. All you need to do is enter your PAN and Aadhaar details for OTP authentication. Once that’s done, you’ll be prompted for the initial deposit:

• If you are going to open the basic Kotak 811 account, then you will need around ₹2,000.
• But for the Super Account, you will need to deposit ₹10,000.

Once the deposit is successful, your account will be instantly activated. You might also be offered the Video KYC option to make it a Full KYC account immediately with no restrictions.

In that case, if the online process is not fully activating you, you can visit the bank. Generally, because this online/offline facility is not available everywhere, you may have to go to the nearest branch and ask them to complete the remaining steps or the Full KYC verification.

Final Take

The Kotak 811 Super is a great upgrade from the basic 811 if you are an active spender, but remember the ₹10,000 monthly credit rule is the key to unlocking that powerful 5% cashback.