SBI Credit Cards

The KrisFlyer SBI Card Apex is a ₹9,999 super-premium co-brand for Singapore Airlines loyalists. It earns 10 KrisFlyer Miles per ₹200 on Singapore Airlines Group spends, 8 per ₹200 on international spends and 6 per ₹200 elsewhere, with miles credited straight to your KrisFlyer account on the statement date. A 10,000-mile welcome, a further 10,000 at ₹5 lakh spend and a fast-track to KrisFlyer Elite Gold on ₹7.5 lakh of Singapore Airlines spend anchor the value. It adds 8 domestic lounge visits plus complimentary Priority Pass with 8 international visits a year, baggage and fraud insurance, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.

Why it stands out 10 KrisFlyer Miles per ₹200 on Singapore Airlines plus an Elite Gold fast-track

Best suited for For the frequent Singapore Airlines flyer chasing KrisFlyer Miles and Elite Gold status who will use the international lounge access; poor value for anyone who doesn't fly SIA regularly.

SBI's super-premium metal flagship, AURUM delivers a genuinely premium bundle — a 1-year Club Marriott membership, unlimited international lounges via a complimentary DreamFolks membership, 16 domestic visits a year (4 per quarter, add-on cards included), 16 golf rounds and an unusually generous direct free-movie benefit — wrapped around a base reward rate of about 1% (4 reward points per ₹100 at ₹0.25/point; fuel, rent, government and wallet loads are excluded). A milestone voucher ladder (Tata CliQ ₹1,500 at ₹1L/month, Tata CliQ Luxury ₹5,000 at ₹5L, Taj ₹10,000 at ₹10L, Apple ₹20,000 at ₹20L) can lift a high-spender's effective return toward ~3.7%, and a 40,000-point (~₹10,000) welcome benefit offsets much of the ₹9,999 fee (waived at ₹12 lakh). You buy this card for its specific perks, not its everyday earning, which loses cleanly to the HDFC Infinia it is priced against.

Why it stands out Club Marriott + unlimited international lounges + 16 domestic visits — a perks-first metal card

Best suited for For high-spending SBI customers who value the lounge bundle, Club Marriott and the free-movie benefit, and will climb the milestone voucher ladder. Not for those chasing a high everyday earn rate.

The SBI Card ELITE was always a membership portfolio more than a rewards card — and in 2026 the Vistara–Air India merger pulled the Trident Privilege Red and Club Vistara Silver status memberships out. What remains is quietly decent: a low ~1.99% forex (the old 3.5% is outdated), 6 international Priority Pass visits a year (2/quarter), 5X (~2.5% at ₹0.25/point) on dining, grocery and departmental stores, 2 RP per ₹100 (~0.5%) elsewhere, and milestones worth up to ₹12,500 (50,000 RP across ₹3L/₹4L/₹5L/₹8L). SBI has since put a membership back in the slot — a complimentary 1-year Club ITC Silver Tier. A ₹5,000 e-gift welcome voucher covers about 85% of the ₹5,899 all-in year-one fee, and the ₹4,999 fee waives at ₹10 lakh. It is now a travel-leaning card for the internationally-mobile SBI customer.

Why it stands out Low ~1.99% forex + 6 international Priority Pass visits + milestones to ₹12,500

Best suited for For internationally-mobile SBI customers who value a low ~1.99% forex and international lounge access and will climb the milestone ladder. The Vistara/Trident memberships are gone, replaced by a Club ITC Silver Tier membership.

SBI Card PRIME is still SBI's solid mid-premium all-rounder — 10X (10 RP per ₹100, ~2.5% at ₹0.25/point) on dining, groceries, departmental stores and movies, plus lounges, a spend milestone and a fuel waiver, all at a ₹2,999 fee that waives at ₹3 lakh. It earns 2 RP per ₹100 (~0.5%) elsewhere, with 8 domestic lounge visits a year (2/quarter), 4 international Priority Pass visits plus the $99 Priority Pass membership, a ₹1,000 Pizza Hut voucher for every quarter you spend ₹50,000, a ₹7,000 Yatra/Pantaloons voucher at ₹5 lakh, and a ₹3,000 welcome voucher. The Vistara–Air India merger stripped out the Club Vistara Silver and Trident Privilege Red memberships that once made it distinctive; SBI has since put a Club ITC Silver Tier membership in their place.

Why it stands out 10X (~2.5%) on dining/grocery/departmental/movies, lounges and milestones at a ₹2,999 fee

Best suited for For SBI customers who spend on dining, groceries, departmental stores and movies and will use the lounges and climb the quarterly and annual voucher milestones. The old Vistara/Trident status perks are gone, replaced by Club ITC Silver.

SBI Card Miles Elite is the ₹4,999 flagship of SBI's Miles family, earning 6 Travel Credits per ₹200 on travel and 2 per ₹200 on everything else (about 1.5% and 0.5% at our 50-paisa value, up to 3% and 1% on good 1:1 transfers), with credits transferable to airline and hotel partners at up to ₹1 each. It pairs a low 1.99% foreign-currency markup with 8 domestic lounge visits a year, a complimentary Priority Pass (6 international visits, free for the first two years). A 5,000-credit welcome (on ₹1 lakh in 60 days) and a 20,000-credit milestone at ₹12 lakh reward volume, and the annual fee is fully reversed at ₹15 lakh of spend. Full value depends on transferring credits — catalogue redemption drops to ₹0.25 each.

Why it stands out 6 Travel Credits per ₹200 on travel (up to ~3% on 1:1 transfers) with a low 1.99% forex markup and Priority Pass

Best suited for For frequent flyers who spend ₹12 lakh or more a year on the card and transfer their credits to airline and hotel partners, and who value both domestic and international lounge access plus a low forex markup abroad.

The IndiGo SBI Card ELITE is SBI's premium co-brand for India's largest airline, carrying a ₹4,999 joining and renewal fee. It earns 7 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo app and web bookings (about 2.9% back — we value a BluChip at 42 paisa, matching our transfer graph, not the ₹1 that belonged to the retired 6E Rewards currency), 3 per ₹100 on hotel and travel spends and 2 per ₹100 elsewhere, though utility, government, rent, fuel and insurance earn nothing. 5,000 BluChips plus a 6E Eats voucher land every year the renewal fee is realised — a recurring benefit, not a one-off welcome — alongside up to 24,000 milestone BluChips a year and 4 6E Prime Passes. It layers on 8 domestic and 6 international lounge visits a year, travel insurance with 4 free flight cancellations, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.

Why it stands out 7 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings plus domestic and international lounges

Best suited for For the frequent IndiGo flyer who books on the card and will use both the lounges and the milestone BluChips; the base rate is ordinary for anyone who flies IndiGo only occasionally.

SBI Card MILES PRIME is the ₹2,999 mid-premium sibling in SBI's Miles family, earning 4 Travel Credits per ₹200 on travel and 2 per ₹200 on other spends (about 1% and 0.5% at our 50-paisa value, up to 2% and 1% on good 1:1 transfers), with credits transferable to airline and hotel partners at up to ₹1 each. It carries a 2.50% forex markup, 8 domestic lounge visits a year and a complimentary Priority Pass with 4 international visits (free for the first two years). A 3,000-credit welcome (on ₹60,000 in 60 days) and a 10,000-credit milestone at ₹8 lakh reward steady spenders, and the annual fee is reversed at ₹10 lakh of spend. As across the family, value lives in transferring credits — catalogue redemption falls to ₹0.25 each.

Why it stands out 4 Travel Credits per ₹200 on travel (up to ~2% on 1:1 transfers) with Priority Pass and a fee reversal at ₹10 lakh spend

Best suited for For regular flyers spending ₹8–12 lakh a year who transfer credits to partners and want Priority Pass and a fee waiver, without the Elite's higher fee and ₹15 lakh reversal threshold.

The Titan SBI Card is a lifestyle co-brand built around the Titan group, with a ₹2,999 fee reversed at ₹3 lakh of annual spend. Its headline value is quarterly-capped brand cashback — 7.5% at World of Titan, Taneira, Titan Eye+, Helios, Fastrack, Skinn, Irth and Sonata (₹10,000 a quarter), 5% at Mia, CaratLane and Zoya (₹10,000 a quarter), and 3% vouchers at Tanishq (₹25,000 a quarter). Away from Titan it earns a flat 6 Reward Points per ₹100 (~1.5%), capped at 6,000 points a month, with fuel, wallet loads, rent, utilities and government spends earning nothing. A 12,000-point welcome benefit worth ₹3,000, milestone Titan vouchers at ₹5 lakh and ₹10 lakh, and 8 domestic plus 4 international lounge visits via Priority Pass round it out. Reward Points expire 24 months after they are earned.

Why it stands out A Titan-group lifestyle card — up to 7.5% at Titan brands, 5% at Mia/CaratLane/Zoya, 3% Tanishq vouchers, plus lounges

Best suited for For committed Titan, Tanishq and CaratLane shoppers — especially anyone with a large jewellery or watch purchase on the horizon — held alongside an everyday card rather than as a primary one.

The KrisFlyer SBI Card is the ₹2,999 mid-tier version of SBI's Singapore Airlines co-brand. It earns 5 KrisFlyer Miles per ₹200 on Singapore Airlines Group and international spends and 2 per ₹200 elsewhere, with miles credited straight to your KrisFlyer account on the statement date. A 3,000-mile welcome, a further 3,000 at ₹3 lakh spend and a fast-track to KrisFlyer Elite Silver on just ₹2.5 lakh of Singapore Airlines spend make status attainable. It includes 4 domestic lounge visits plus complimentary Priority Pass with 4 international visits a year, baggage and fraud insurance, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.

Why it stands out 5 KrisFlyer Miles per ₹200 on Singapore Airlines and international spends, plus an easy Elite Silver fast-track

Best suited for For the occasional Singapore Airlines flyer who wants to accumulate KrisFlyer Miles and reach Elite Silver without paying the Apex's ₹9,999 fee.

The Landmark Rewards SBI Card PRIME is a ₹2,999 premium co-brand for Landmark Group loyalists. It earns 25 Reward Points per ₹100 (~6.25%) at Landmark stores — Lifestyle, Home Centre, Max, Spar, Baby Shop and EasyBuy — 10 per ₹100 on dining, movies and international spends and a thin 2 per ₹100 (~0.5%) elsewhere, where 4 points equal ₹1 and redeem instantly in-store. A 12,000-point welcome (₹3,000) plus a 20,000-point milestone (₹5,000) on ₹5 lakh annual spend front-load ₹8,000 of value. It adds 8 domestic lounge visits plus complimentary Priority Pass with 4 international visits a year and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, but carries no spend-based fee reversal.

Why it stands out 25 Reward Points per ₹100 (~6.25%) at Landmark stores, plus lounge access and Priority Pass

Best suited for For the Landmark Group regular spending ₹5 lakh-plus a year who will use the 6.25% earn and value the lounge access; poor value for anyone whose spending is spread across many retailers.

The Reliance SBI Card PRIME is a ₹2,999 premium co-brand built for heavy Reliance Retail shoppers, earning up to 20 Reward Points per ₹100 (~5%) on AJIO and JioMart, 10 (~2.5%) at other Reliance Retail stores, 5 (~1.25%) on dining, movies, domestic airlines and international spends, and 2 (~0.5%) on other retail, with each point worth ₹0.25 and redeemable mainly into Reliance Retail vouchers. It adds 8 domestic lounge visits a year plus a Priority Pass with 4 international visits, a monthly BookMyShow movie ticket up to ₹250, and Reliance vouchers worth up to ₹8,750 across annual milestones. The ₹2,999 fee is reversed on ₹3 lakh of annual spend, but off-ecosystem spend earns a thin 0.5% and fuel, rent and wallet loads earn nothing.

Why it stands out Up to ~5% on AJIO and JioMart with lounge access, a monthly movie ticket and up to ₹8,750 in vouchers

Best suited for For committed AJIO, JioMart and Reliance Retail shoppers — households routing ₹3 lakh-plus a year through the Reliance ecosystem — who also want lounge access and a monthly movie ticket.

Amit shops online exclusively — Amazon for electronics, Myntra for clothes, Swiggy for food, MakeMyTrip for travel. All online, all earning a flat 5% — SBI Cashback has no merchant list, only a category exclusion list (utility bills, insurance, fuel, rent, wallet loads, education, jewellery, railways and EMI earn nothing, whether online or offline). His ₹15,000/month online spend earns ₹9,000/year. An April 2026 devaluation split the cap into ₹2,000/month online (5% stops at ₹40,000 online spend) and ₹2,000/month offline (1%), a ₹4,000/month combined ceiling (down from ₹5,000) — so the max benefit is now ₹48,000/year, not ₹60,000 — and added gaming, toll and government payments to the exclusions. The ₹999 fee is waived at ₹2L annual spend, which he clears in six weeks.

Why it stands out Flat 5% on online shopping at any merchant — the exclusions are category-level (utilities, rent, fuel, wallet), not a merchant list

Best suited for The card for online-first spenders who are not loyal to one platform. Amazon, Myntra, BookMyShow, MakeMyTrip, Zomato — all earn 5% with no merchant restriction; just route utilities, rent and fuel elsewhere, since those categories earn nothing here. If your online spend is ₹8,000+/month and spread across multiple sites, this beats every co-branded card.

If you fill up at BPCL, the conversation is short — the Octane wins. At up to 7.25% value-back on BPCL fuel (25 reward points per ₹100, ~6.25% at ₹0.25/point, plus a 1% surcharge waiver, with the fuel reward capped at 2,500 points/month) it is the strongest card you can use at a BPCL pump — rival fuel co-brands are tied to other networks, so the choice really comes down to where you fill up. Unlike most single-purpose fuel cards it also earns 10X on dining, groceries, departmental stores and movies. The ₹1,499 fee has a clear ₹2 lakh-spend waiver, with 4 domestic lounge visits a year, a 6,000-point (~₹1,500) welcome benefit and a ₹2,000 e-gift voucher at ₹3 lakh of spend. For a BPCL household spending ₹4,000/month on fuel, fuel alone recovers the ₹1,769 all-in fee in about six months, sooner in year one when the welcome covers most of it. It is strictly BPCL-network, with a poor 0.25% non-fuel base.

Why it stands out Up to 7.25% on BPCL fuel — the highest return available at BPCL pumps — plus 10X on grocery/dining/movies

Best suited for For BPCL pump loyalists spending ₹3,000+/month on fuel who will also use the 10X dining/grocery/movie categories. Not for IOCL/HPCL-side drivers or those wanting a strong base rate.

The IRCTC SBI Premier is a rare card built specifically around railway booking — 8% value-back on AC-class IRCTC tickets, a 1% railway transaction-charge waiver and railway-station lounge access (8 visits/year), for ₹1,499. That 8% is 10 reward points per ₹125, redeeming 1:1 against IRCTC; IRCTC markets the same benefit as "up to 10%" by reading those points against ₹100, but SBI's T&C states ₹125 and that is the figure we use. Off-rail it earns a 1 RP per ₹125 base — about 0.8%, because SBI sweeps the points to your IRCTC account monthly where each is worth ₹1 — plus 3X on dining and on utility bills paid by standing instruction, and 4% on IRCTC air bookings and e-catering (capped at 750 points a statement cycle). The fee waives at ₹2 lakh. For the crores of Indians whose intercity travel is rail, it is one of a handful of cards built around that reality, and a regular AC traveller recovers its fee within months. Off-rail earning is ordinary and points redeem only against IRCTC tickets, so pair it with a generalist.

Why it stands out 8% back on AC-class IRCTC tickets + railway-station lounge access for ₹1,499

Best suited for For regular intercity rail travellers who book AC-class tickets on IRCTC and will use the station lounges. Off-rail earning is thin, so hold a generalist card alongside it.

The Flipkart SBI Card is a focused shopping cashback card — ₹500 joining and renewal fee — that pays 5% cashback on Flipkart, 7.5% on Myntra (SBI's highest co-brand online rate), 4% at four select merchants SBI does not name, and 1% unlimited on everything else, all credited automatically to your statement within two working days of statement generation. Each accelerated tier carries its own ₹4,000-per-calendar-quarter cap. It adds 5% cashback on Cleartrip travel bookings and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver (up to ₹400 per cycle). The welcome benefit is a ₹250 Flipkart e-gift voucher within 60 days of fee realisation. The ₹500 renewal fee is reversed on ₹3.5 lakh of annual spend. Fuel, rent, government, education, insurance, gaming, jewellery, wallet loads, voucher purchases and EMI all earn nothing.

Why it stands out 5% cashback on Flipkart and 7.5% on Myntra, automatic, on a low ₹500 card

Best suited for For regular Flipkart and Myntra shoppers who want high, automatic cashback for a token fee and don't mind that value is concentrated inside the Flipkart-Myntra-Cleartrip ecosystem.

The Tata Neu Infinity SBI Card is a NeuCoins co-brand with a ₹1,499 fee reversed at ₹3 lakh of annual spend. It pays 5% back as NeuCoins on non-EMI spends at Tata Neu and partner Tata brands (BigBasket, Croma, Westside, Tata 1mg, Air India, Taj) and 1.5% on everything else, including UPI transactions on this RuPay variant, plus an additional up to 5% via NeuPass on select Tata Neu categories. Several categories carry their own monthly NeuCoin ceilings — grocery, insurance, utilities and telecom at 2,000 each, UPI at 500 — and fuel, wallet loads, rent, government, education, gaming, cash advances and EMI earn nothing at all. A NeuCoin is worth ₹1 within the Tata ecosystem, and a 1,499-NeuCoin welcome benefit covers about 85% of the ₹1,769 all-in first-year fee. SBI's terms exclude Merchant EMI and Flexipay from earning, unlike the HDFC Tata Neu cards. It carries an unusually low 1.99% forex markup, 8 domestic lounge visits (2 per quarter, on ₹75,000 previous-quarter spend) and 4 international visits via Priority Pass — though SBI's published Tata Neu domestic lounge list contains no metro airport at all.

Why it stands out 5% NeuCoins across the Tata group, 1.5% on RuPay UPI, and a low 1.99% forex markup

Best suited for For regular Tata Neu, BigBasket, Croma and Westside shoppers, RuPay UPI users who want rewards on UPI, and occasional international spenders wanting a low forex markup.

SBI Card PULSE is built for health-conscious urban professionals. Earns accelerated reward points on chemist and pharmacy, dining, movies and sports. The welcome benefit is a Noise ColorFit Pulse 4 Pro smartwatch SBI values at ₹7,999, plus a year of FITPASS PRO and a year of Netmeds First, and there is a ₹1,500 e-voucher at ₹4 lakh of annual retail spend.

Why it stands out Rewards on gym, pharmacy, and health-app spending

Best suited for For working professionals who spend ₹3,000+/month on gym, pharmacy, and health apps. If health spending is a significant budget line, PULSE is one of the few Indian credit cards that rewards it specifically.

The BPCL SBI Card is a ₹499 fuel co-brand built around Bharat Petroleum: 4.25% value back at BPCL pumps — 13X Reward Points (3.25%) plus a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, on transactions up to ₹4,000, with the point portion capped at 1,300 per billing cycle. It adds 5 Reward Points per ₹100 (~1.25%) on dining, departmental stores, grocery and movies (combined 5,000-point monthly cap) and 1 point per ₹100 (~0.25%) on other retail. Points are worth ₹0.25 each (4 points = ₹1), redeemable against BPCL fuel, instantly at select pumps, or in the Shop n Smile catalogue. A 2,000-point (~₹500) welcome gift covers about 85% of the ₹589 all-in first-year fee, and from 1 May 2026 the ₹499 renewal fee is reversed on ₹1 lakh of annual spend.

Why it stands out A ₹499 fuel card paying 4.25% value back at BPCL pumps, plus 5X on dining, groceries and movies

Best suited for For the regular BPCL fuel customer — a commuter with steady monthly fuel spend who also puts dining, groceries and movies on the card, ideally as a dedicated fuel card alongside a broader everyday one.

SBI Card MILES is SBI's flexible-miles entry — generic Travel Credits that transfer to 26 airline and hotel partners at up to ₹1 each, with no single-airline lock-in. The base MILES earns 2 Travel Credits per ₹200 on travel and 1 per ₹200 on other spend (about 0.5% and 0.25% at our 50-paisa value, up to 1% and 0.5% on good 1:1 transfers), with a 1,500-credit welcome, a 5,000-credit milestone at ₹5 lakh, and the ₹1,499 fee waived at ₹6 lakh. For the occasional flyer who wants travel rewards without the alliance homework, it is a sensible low-commitment start. The value hinges entirely on your willingness to transfer — catalogue redemptions crater to ₹0.25 and the travel portal pays ₹0.50, which is the value we model by default — and fuel, rent, utilities, wallet loads and insurance are excluded from earning. Frequent travellers will outgrow it for a deeper-partnered card.

Why it stands out Flexible Travel Credits transferable to 24 airline & hotel partners at up to ₹1 each — no airline lock-in

Best suited for For occasional flyers who want flexible, transferable travel rewards without committing to one airline. Transfer to partners for full value; frequent travellers will outgrow it for a deeper-partnered card.

The Shaurya Select SBI Card is the step-up defence card for serving and retired armed-forces members — first year free, then a ₹1,499 renewal reversed at ₹1.5 lakh of annual spend. It pays 10 Reward Points per ₹100 (~2.5%) on dining, movies, departmental stores, grocery and CSD canteen spends — SBI markets that as 5X, which is 5× this card's 2-point base, not the entry Shaurya's 1-point base — capped at 6,000 points a calendar month across those categories together, and 2 points per ₹100 (~0.5%) everywhere else. On top of the earning it adds 4 domestic airport lounge visits a year, 24x7 concierge and milestone vouchers worth up to ₹7,000 on ₹5 lakh spend. Points are worth ₹0.25 each, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver applies.

Why it stands out Upgraded defence card — 5X on everyday categories plus 4 lounge visits, concierge and vouchers up to ₹7,000

Best suited for For armed-forces members who have outgrown the entry Shaurya and spend enough to use the lounges and clear the ₹1.5 lakh waiver — those wanting travel and lifestyle perks layered on top of everyday 5X earning.

The Doctor's SBI Card (in association with IMA) is a ₹1,499 profession-specific card for registered medical practitioners, tied to Indian Medical Association membership. Its genuine differentiator is a ₹20 lakh professional indemnity insurance cover reimbursing legal and defence costs, out-of-court settlements and court awards. Rewards are secondary: 5X Reward Points (~1.25%) on medical supplies, travel AGENTS (MCC 4722 — not airlines or hotels booked direct) and international spends, each capped at 7,500 points a month (plus 5X on all spends on Doctor's Day), but only 1 point per ₹100 (~0.25%) elsewhere, with points worth Re.0.25 each. It adds Priority Pass with 4 international lounge visits a year, 4 domestic visits, a ₹5,000 milestone voucher at ₹5 lakh spend and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver; the ₹1,499 fee is reversed at ₹2 lakh of annual spend.

Why it stands out A card for registered doctors whose real draw is a ₹20 lakh professional indemnity cover, not its rewards

Best suited for For practising, IMA-member doctors who value bundled professional indemnity cover and have meaningful medical, travel and international spends — not for anyone chasing everyday rewards.

The IndiGo SBI Card is the low-fee doorway into IndiGo's BluChips rewards, with a ₹1,499 joining and renewal fee. It earns 3 IndiGo BluChips per ₹100 on IndiGo app and web bookings (about 1.3% back — we value a BluChip at 42 paisa, not the ₹1 that belonged to the retired 6E Rewards currency), 2 per ₹100 on hotel and travel spends and 1 per ₹100 elsewhere, with utility, government, rent, fuel and insurance excluded. 2,500 BluChips land every year the renewal fee is realised — a recurring benefit worth about ₹1,050 at our valuation, roughly 70% of the ₹1,499 fee (60% of the ₹1,769 all-in), not a one-off welcome — and up to 7,500 milestone BluChips reward steady spend. It includes 4 domestic lounge visits a year (unlocked on ₹50,000 prior-quarter spend) and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, but no international lounges or travel insurance at this tier.

Why it stands out A low-fee ₹1,499 entry into IndiGo BluChips with 3 per ₹100 on IndiGo bookings

Best suited for For the occasional IndiGo flyer who wants to earn BluChips without committing to the ELITE's ₹4,999 fee, and who doesn't need international lounge access.

The PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK is a co-brand with PhonePe that pays its best rate exactly where most cards pay nothing: 10% reward points (1 RP = ₹1) on spends made inside the PhonePe app — utilities, recharges, bill payments, insurance and travel — plus 5% on other online spends and 1% on UPI and everything else. It is issued on RuPay (UPI-linkable) and Visa. A 1 July 2026 devaluation cut the caps. PhonePe-app spends are now capped at 1,500 RP/month (was 2,000), online at 1,000 RP/month (was 2,000), and insurance at just 500 RP/month, with tolls, gifts, jewellery, education and any insurance/utility/UPI routed outside PhonePe excluded. A ₹1,500 PhonePe gift card on joining covers most of the ₹1,769 all-in first-year fee, and the fee is waived at ₹3 lakh annual spend; ₹5 lakh earns a ₹5,000 Yatra voucher. It also includes a 1% fuel surcharge waiver (₹500–₹4,000 transactions, capped ₹250/cycle) and a complimentary 2-year Priority Pass membership, though international lounge visits on it are self-paid.

Why it stands out 10% reward points on PhonePe-app spends (utilities, recharges, bills, travel) — the highest rate on a category most cards exclude

Best suited for PhonePe-first users with regular utility, recharge and bill-payment spend who will route it all through the PhonePe app and redeem points as statement credit. Best paired with a flat cashback card for spends outside the PhonePe ecosystem.

The Apollo SBI Card SELECT is a ₹1,499 health co-brand that pays 10 Reward Points per ₹100 (~10%) at Apollo 24|7 and Apollo Pharmacy, up to 25% Circle value back on medicine, 2 points per ₹100 on dining, movies and travel, and 1 point per ₹200 elsewhere. Every point is worth Re. 1 but redeems only as Apollo Health Credits, so the value stays inside the Apollo ecosystem. It bundles a genuinely differentiated wellness set — a 1-year FITPASS PRO membership, a complimentary comprehensive health check-up, a ₹1,500 Apollo welcome voucher and a Noise smartwatch at ₹6 lakh spend. Travel extras include 4 domestic lounge visits a year, a 2-year Priority Pass and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver; the ₹1,499 fee is reversed at ₹3 lakh of annual spend.

Why it stands out 10 points per ₹100 at Apollo plus a wellness bundle, with points locked to Apollo Health Credits

Best suited for For a household that regularly buys medicines and books consultations through Apollo 24|7 and Apollo Pharmacy, and values FITPASS and an annual health check-up alongside its card rewards.

The Doctor's SBI Card is a ₹1,499 profession-specific card for registered medical practitioners — the non-IMA variant, with the same benefits as the IMA edition minus the Indian Medical Association tie-up. Its standout is a ₹20 lakh professional indemnity insurance cover reimbursing legal and defence costs, out-of-court settlements and court awards. Rewards are secondary: 5X Reward Points (~1.25%) on medical supplies, travel AGENTS (MCC 4722 — not airlines or hotels booked direct) and international spends (plus 5X on all spends on Doctor's Day), but only 1 point per ₹100 (~0.25%) elsewhere, with points worth Re.0.25 each. It adds Priority Pass with 4 international lounge visits a year, 4 domestic visits, a ₹5,000 milestone voucher at ₹5 lakh spend and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver; the ₹1,499 fee is reversed at ₹2 lakh of annual spend.

Why it stands out A card for registered doctors whose real draw is a ₹20 lakh professional indemnity cover, not its rewards

Best suited for For practising, non-IMA doctors who value bundled professional indemnity cover and have meaningful medical, travel and international spends — not for anyone chasing everyday rewards.

The Paytm SBI Card SELECT is a ₹1,499 mid-fee co-brand that pays 5% value back on Paytm Travel, Movies and Mall purchases, 2% on all other Paytm App purchases and 1% on any other spend — credited as Reward Points worth ₹1 each since 1 July 2024, and only on transactions of ₹100 or more. It adds 4 domestic lounge visits a year (max 1 per quarter), a Priority Pass whose membership fee is waived for two years, ₹2,00,000 cyber-fraud cover and milestone vouchers (₹2,000 at ₹4 lakh and ₹4,000 at ₹6 lakh of annual retail spend). The ₹1,499 renewal fee is waived on ₹2 lakh of annual spend. Wallet loads, fuel and — since 9 March 2026 — school and education spends earn nothing, though fuel gets a 1% surcharge waiver, and the 3.5% forex markup makes it a poor card abroad.

Why it stands out 5% back on Paytm Travel, Movies and Mall, with lounge access and a 2-year Priority Pass

Best suited for For heavy Paytm App users — travel, recharges and shopping — who clear ₹2 lakh a year to waive the fee, and occasional flyers who want lounge access and Priority Pass on a mid-fee card.

The Landmark Rewards SBI Card SELECT is the ₹1,499 middle rung of SBI's Landmark co-brand ladder. It earns 15 Reward Points per ₹100 (~3.75%) at Landmark stores — Lifestyle, Home Centre, Max, Spar, Baby Shop and EasyBuy — 10 per ₹100 on dining, movies and international spends and a thin 2 per ₹100 (~0.5%) elsewhere, where 4 points equal ₹1 and redeem instantly in-store. A 6,000-point welcome (₹1,500) covers about 85% of the ₹1,769 all-in fee in year one, and a 12,000-point milestone (₹3,000) lands on ₹3 lakh annual spend. It has no lounge access — that sits on the PRIME variant — but includes a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, and carries no spend-based fee reversal.

Why it stands out 15 Reward Points per ₹100 (~3.75%) at Landmark stores on a mid-tier ₹1,499 card

Best suited for For the regular-but-not-heavy Landmark Group shopper who wants strong store rewards at a moderate fee without paying for lounge access.

The SBI SimplyCLICK is the entry-level online shopping card done right — 10X on a set of online partner brands (BookMyShow, Apollo 24|7, Dominos, IGP, Myntra, Yatra, Netmeds and Cleartrip), 5X on all other online spend, and 1X offline, plus twice-yearly Cleartrip/Yatra vouchers worth ₹2,000 each at ₹1 lakh and ₹2 lakh of online spend that return several times the ₹499 fee (waived at ₹1 lakh of total spend). Note Amazon was dropped from the 10X partner list — it now earns the ordinary 5X online rate (a ₹500 Amazon welcome voucher remains). With SBI points around ₹0.25, the 10X works out to roughly 2.5% on partner brands. Still one of the better budget online cards; upgrade to SBI Cashback once your online spend grows.

Why it stands out 10X on online partner brands + 5X on all other online spend, plus ₹2,000 milestone vouchers

Best suited for For budget online shoppers who buy across the 10X partner brands (BookMyShow, Myntra, Cleartrip, Netmeds and more). Heavy Amazon shoppers should note Amazon is now only 5X here — the SBI Cashback card may suit better.

The Shaurya SBI Card is a low-cost entry card for serving and retired armed-forces members — a ₹250 fee, waived at just ₹50,000 of annual spend. It pays 5X Reward Points (5 per ₹100, ~1.25%) on dining, movies, departmental stores, grocery and CSD canteen spends, and 1 point per ₹100 (~0.25%) on everything else. A 1,000-point welcome benefit worth about ₹250 covers most of the ₹295 all-in first-year fee, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver applies. Points are worth ₹0.25 each, and there is no lounge access.

Why it stands out A ₹250 defence card paying 5X on everyday categories including CSD canteen, with a welcome bonus that nearly covers the fee

Best suited for For defence personnel who want a genuinely low-cost everyday rewards card — first-time armed-forces cardholders and CSD-canteen, dining and grocery-heavy households.

The SBI SimplySAVE is the offline counterpart to the SimplyCLICK — 10 reward points per ₹150 on dining, movies, groceries and departmental stores, a welcome bonus worth most of the fee, and a ₹499 charge that waives at ₹1 lakh. It pays you for spending you were doing anyway. The standing SBI caveat applies: a modest point value (~₹0.25 on portal redemption) pulls the real return on the bonus categories to about 1.7% (10 RP per ₹150), with other spends earning 1 RP per ₹150 (~0.17%). A 2,000-point welcome bonus on ₹2,000 of spend in 60 days is worth ₹500, about 85% of the ₹589 all-in fee, and there is a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.

Why it stands out 10X (~1.7%) on dining/movies/grocery/departmental, with a welcome bonus worth most of the fee

Best suited for For everyday offline spenders on dining, groceries, movies and departmental stores who want a low-fee card that pays back the fee. Pair it with an online card for e-commerce.

The PhonePe SBI Card PURPLE is a ₹499 RuPay card that links to UPI, so eligible PhonePe App and scan-and-pay spends still earn rewards — 3 Reward Points per ₹100 (~3%) on PhonePe spends, 2 per ₹100 (~2%) on other online spends and 1 per ₹100 (~1%) elsewhere, each point worth ₹1. A 1 July 2026 devaluation cut the monthly caps — PhonePe spends now cap at 750 RP/month (insurance sub-capped at 250 RP/month) and online spends at 750 RP/month, both down from 1,000 — and excluded tolls, gifts, jewellery, education fees, and any utility, insurance or UPI routed outside the PhonePe app. Other spends cap at 1,000 RP/month, and nothing under ₹100 earns at all. Points redeem against a wide array of vouchers or for cash/statement value, and the ₹499 renewal fee is reversed on ₹1 lakh of annual spend. A ₹500 PhonePe gift card welcome covers most of the ₹589 all-in first-year fee, a ₹3,000 Yatra voucher lands at ₹3 lakh of spend, and there is a 1% fuel surcharge waiver. There is no lounge access at this tier and the 3.5% forex markup makes it a poor card abroad.

Why it stands out A RuPay-on-UPI card paying ~3% on PhonePe App spends, with the fee reversed at ₹1 lakh

Best suited for For heavy PhonePe App users who pay bills, recharge and scan-to-pay by UPI, and first-time cardholders who want a UPI-linked RuPay rewards card that clears the ₹1 lakh fee-reversal bar.

The Tata Neu Plus SBI Card is the low-fee entry into the Tata Neu ecosystem — a ₹499 fee reversed at just ₹1 lakh of annual spend. It pays 2% back as NeuCoins on non-EMI spends at Tata Neu and partner Tata brands and 1% on everything else, including UPI transactions on this RuPay variant, plus an additional up to 5% via NeuPass on select Tata Neu categories. Several categories carry their own monthly NeuCoin ceilings — grocery at 1,000 (half the Infinity's), insurance, utilities and telecom at 2,000 each, UPI at 500 a statement cycle — and fuel, wallet loads, rent, government, education, gaming, cash advances and EMI earn nothing at all. A NeuCoin is worth ₹1 within the Tata group, and a 499-NeuCoin welcome benefit covers about 85% of the ₹589 all-in first-year fee. SBI's terms exclude Merchant EMI and Flexipay from earning, unlike the HDFC Tata Neu cards. Perks are modest — 4 domestic lounge visits a year (1 per quarter, on ₹50,000 previous-quarter spend), a 1% fuel surcharge waiver and a standard 3.5% forex markup.

Why it stands out A ₹499 NeuCoins starter — 2% across Tata brands, 1% on RuPay UPI, fee reversed at just ₹1 lakh

Best suited for For first-time or light Tata shoppers who want a cheap, low-commitment card that also pays a little on RuPay UPI — not for anyone who spends heavily inside the Tata group.

The IRCTC SBI Platinum Card is a ₹500 co-brand built for train travellers, giving 8% value back as Reward Points on IRCTC AC-class tickets (AC1, AC2, AC3, Executive Chair Car and Chair Car) booked on the IRCTC website or app — 10 Travel Reward Points per ₹125, each worth ₹1 against a ticket. SBI markets this as "up to 10%"; its Travel Reward Point Calculation clause states the ₹125 ratio and that is the figure we use. General non-fuel spends earn a thin 1 point per ₹125 — worth about 0.8%, since SBI sweeps the balance to your IRCTC account monthly where each point is worth ₹1 against a ticket — and fuel and cash earn nothing. There is no spend-based fee waiver, but a 500-point (~₹500) renewal bonus covers about 85% of the ₹590 all-in fee each year, and new cardholders get 350 activation points. It adds 4 railway lounge visits a year and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver.

Why it stands out 8% value back on IRCTC AC-class train tickets on a ₹500 co-brand card

Best suited for For the frequent train traveller who books AC-class tickets on IRCTC and wants a cheap dedicated rail card whose renewal bonus covers most of the fee — not a primary everyday card.

The SBI Card Unnati is an FD-backed starter card issued against a lien on an SBI fixed deposit of ₹25,000 or more, which makes approval accessible to those with little credit history. It is free for its first 4 years — but not lifetime free, as a ₹499 annual fee applies from the 5th year. Rewards are bare-minimum — 1 Reward Point per ₹100 (~0.25%), plus ₹500 cashback on reaching ₹50,000 of annual spend. Fuel, rent, government payments, cash advances, balance transfers and Flexipay earn nothing, though a 1% fuel surcharge waiver applies. SBI publishes no minimum income and no minimum credit score for this card — the FD lien is the gate, and applications go through an SBI branch rather than online.

Why it stands out An FD-backed starter card, free for its first 4 years, for building a credit history

Best suited for For first-time cardholders and SBI fixed-deposit holders building or rebuilding a credit history with minimal cost and easy approval — not for anyone who already has good credit.

The Apollo SBI Card is a ₹499 entry-level health co-brand that pays 3X Reward Points per ₹100 (~3%) on Apollo services, stacked with up to 10% instant discount, plus 2X on dining and entertainment and 1 point per ₹200 on other spends. Each point is worth Re. 1 and converts to Apollo Health Credits, with the practical touch of instant redemption right at the Apollo POS counter. A 500-point welcome covers about 85% of the ₹589 all-in fee, a complimentary OneApollo Gold Tier membership layers on extra loyalty benefits, and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver rounds it out. The ₹499 renewal fee is waived on ₹1 lakh of annual spend, but there is no lounge access or travel benefit.

Why it stands out A ₹499 entry health card — 3X points plus up to 10% instant discount on Apollo services

Best suited for For the Apollo Pharmacy regular — a household with recurring medicine, wellness or clinic spends who wants a cheap, low-commitment way to earn value back at the counter.

The Paytm SBI Card is a ₹499 entry co-brand built around the Paytm App, paying 3% value back on Paytm Mall, Movies and Travel, 2% on other Paytm App spends and 1% on everything else including UPI — credited as Reward Points worth ₹1 each since 1 July 2024, and only on transactions of ₹100 or more. It includes a complimentary Super Saver Membership (formerly Paytm First), ₹1,00,000 cyber-fraud cover and a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, and spending ₹1 lakh a year earns the membership again on renewal. Wallet loads, fuel and — since 9 March 2026 — school and education spends earn nothing. There is no lounge access and no spend-based fee waiver — the ₹499 renewal simply applies from year two — and the 3.5% forex markup makes it a poor choice abroad.

Why it stands out 3% on Paytm Mall, Movies and Travel and 2% on other Paytm App spends at a low ₹499 fee

Best suited for For first-time cardholders and regular Paytm App users who want a cheap card that rewards recharges, bill payments, movies and travel booked through Paytm.

The Reliance SBI Card is a ₹499 entry co-brand for Reliance shoppers, earning 10 Reward Points per ₹100 (~2.5%) on AJIO and JioMart, 5 (~1.25%) at other Reliance Retail stores, 5 (~1.25%) on dining and movies, and 1 (~0.25%) on other retail, with each point worth ₹0.25 and redeemable only into Reliance Retail vouchers. A ₹500 welcome voucher covers most of the ₹589 all-in joining fee, milestone vouchers worth up to ₹2,250 land across the year, and there is a 1% fuel surcharge waiver; the ₹499 renewal fee is reversed on ₹1 lakh of annual spend. There is no lounge access or movie ticket at this tier — those sit on the PRIME variant — and fuel, property rental and wallet loads earn nothing.

Why it stands out ~2.5% on AJIO and JioMart at a low ₹499 fee that reverses at ₹1 lakh of spend

Best suited for For regular AJIO, JioMart and Reliance Retail shoppers on a budget, and first-time cardholders loyal to the Reliance ecosystem who want a low-fee co-brand without premium extras.

The Landmark Rewards SBI Card is the ₹499 entry rung of SBI's Landmark co-brand ladder. It earns 10 Reward Points per ₹100 (~2.5%) at online and retail Landmark stores — Lifestyle, Home Centre, Max, Spar, Baby Shop and EasyBuy — 5 per ₹100 (~1.25%) on dining, movies and international spends, and a token 1 per ₹100 (~0.25%) on other retail, with points worth ₹0.25 each (4 RP = ₹1). A ₹500 welcome-points benefit covers most of the ₹589 all-in fee, and 8,000 bonus points (₹2,000) land on ₹2 lakh of annual retail spend. It adds a 1% fuel surcharge waiver but has no lounge access and no spend-based fee reversal.

Why it stands out ~2.5% at Lifestyle and Home Centre on a low-fee card whose welcome points cover most of the fee

Best suited for For occasional Lifestyle, Home Centre, Max and Spar shoppers — or first-time cardholders loyal to the Landmark Group — who want a near-free store-rewards card without premium extras.