India’s biggest bank, SBI (State Bank of India), has earned the trust of millions of Indians. When it comes to credit cards, SBI stands out, offering a variety of cards catering to different spending habits. With over 63 credit cards, choosing the right one can be overwhelming. To help you pick the best SBI card for your needs, we have highlighted the top options across five categories: online shopping, offline spending, premium, super-premium, and fuel.
1. Best Credit Card for Online Shopping: SBI Cashback Credit Card
For online shoppers, the SBI Cashback Credit Card is an excellent choice. It’s not just an SBI favorite but also one of India’s top cashback credit cards. Here’s why:
- 1% cashback on all online purchases, from platforms like Flipkart to smaller e-commerce sites.
- Joining Fee: ₹999 plus GST, which is reasonable considering the benefits.
- Monthly Cashback Limit: ₹5000 (for a cashback of ₹1000, one would need to spend ₹1 lakh per month).
- Annual Fee Waiver: Spend ₹2 lakh a year, and your annual fee of ₹999 + GST is waived.
This card is perfect if you spend around ₹20,000 per month on online shopping, as you can quickly accumulate cashback, saving a significant amount each year!
2. Best Credit Card for Offline Spending: SBI SimplySAVE Card
Many of us still prefer shopping in person at grocery stores or department stores. For such expenses, the SBI SimplySAVE Card is a great choice.
- 10x reward points on every ₹150 spent on dining, groceries, movies, and department store purchases, giving a reward rate of 1.67%.
- Other Spending Rewards: 0.17%, slightly below average but still valuable for regular offline spending.
- Joining and Annual Fee: ₹499 + GST, with an initial benefit of 2000 reward points upon spending ₹2000.
SimplySAVE is ideal for anyone who spends frequently on essentials, making it a valuable option for day-to-day expenses.
3. Best Premium Card in the Affordable Range: SBI Prime Credit Card
Launched in 2017, the SBI Prime Credit Card has undergone a few changes but remains a solid choice in the premium category.
- Reward Structure: 2.5 reward points on groceries, dining, movies, and travel expenses, with 0.5 reward points on other categories (excluding fuel).
- Milestone Benefits: Earn Pizza Hut coupons worth ₹1000 on quarterly spending of ₹50,000 and get additional vouchers from Yatra or Pantaloons for annual spending of ₹5 lakh.
- Joining Fee: ₹2999 + GST, but with a welcome gift of ₹3000 from partner brands.
- Annual Fee Waiver: Spend ₹3 lakh annually, and your renewal fee is waived.
This card offers value in both rewards and perks, such as free lounge access, Club Vistara Silver membership, and golf lessons, making it ideal for people who travel often and seek premium benefits at an affordable rate.
4. Best Super Premium Card: SBI Elite Card
For those who want a super premium experience, the SBI Elite Card is a good option. While SBI Elite may have lost some perks recently, it still offers unique features.
- Reward Rate: 1 reward point for every ₹100 spent (up to 2.5% on milestone spends).
- Milestone Rewards: Tata CliQ vouchers for every ₹1 lakh spent.
- Special Perks: Complimentary membership to Club Marriott, The Wall Street Journal, and unlimited international and domestic lounge access. You also get four free movie tickets each month, which can help recover the card’s renewal fee.
- Flight Cancellation Insurance: Free flight cancellation benefits up to ₹3,300.
Though the reward rate is moderate, the additional perks make it a good choice for those seeking a high-end credit card experience.
5. Best Credit Card for Fuel: BPCL SBI Octane Card
For those who regularly fill up at BPCL stations, the BPCL SBI Octane Card is a fantastic choice for fuel savings.
- Reward Rate: 6.25% cashback on every ₹100 spent at BPCL fuel stations.
- Fuel Surcharge Waiver: Total reward rate reaches 7.25% on fuel spends.
- Joining Fee: ₹1499 + GST, with an initial benefit of 6000 reward points worth ₹1500.
- Annual Fee Waiver: Spend ₹2 lakh a year to waive the renewal fee.
If you’re looking for savings on fuel and do most of your refueling at BPCL, this card offers one of the best cashback rates in India.
Choosing the Right SBI Credit Card for You
Each of these cards has been carefully picked for its unique benefits, depending on your spending needs. Here’s a quick recap:
- Online Shopping: SBI Cashback Card
- Offline Spending: SBI SimplySAVE Card
- Affordable Premium: SBI Prime Credit Card
- Super Premium: SBI Elite Card
- Fuel: BPCL SBI Octane Card
Whether you need cashback, travel perks, or fuel savings, SBI’s diverse credit card offerings ensure that you’ll find a card tailored to your lifestyle. Let us know in the comments if you’re using any of these cards and share your experience!