Is the PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK Worth It?
Enter what you spend where this card pays more, and the benefits you would use. See what it is worth to you in rupees, after its fee.
- 207Cards to check
- FreeCost
- Utility bills card
- ₹1,769 fee a year (with GST)
- Fee waived from ₹25,000 a month
- 1% base, up to 5% on online shopping; 10% only at partner merchants
- 4 lounge visits a year
- Pays in reward points
- utility bills only at PhonePe app: 10% back, up to ₹1,500 a month
- online shopping: 5% back, up to ₹1,000 a month
- spending ₹25,000 or more a month: the ₹1,769 fee is waived
- flyers: 4 airport lounge visits a year
- you spend less than ₹25,000 a month (₹3,00,000 a year, rent and wallet loads not counted): the ₹1,769 fee is then charged
- most of your spending is fuel, rent, education or wallet top-ups: those earn nothing on this card
- you rarely spend on PhonePe app: the 10% rate applies only there, everything else earns 1%
- you often pay in foreign currency: 3.5% is added to every foreign spend
- you sometimes pay only the minimum due: interest of 3.75% a month (45% a year) outweighs any reward
Your spend a month, by kind
Terms on the normal rate: 1% RP on UPI (RuPay scan & pay via PhonePe) and all other spends, capped 2,000 RP/month; 1 RP = ₹1 statement credit
Also earns nothing on: Gift cards, Utilities outside PhonePe, Insurance outside PhonePe, UPI outside PhonePe.
Total on the card: ₹0 a month
Abroad and benefits
Every rate on this card, and what your spend earns
| Spend category | Rate | Monthly cap | Where it applies | Your spend earns |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UPI payments (scan and pay) | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Online shopping | 5% | ₹1,000 | All merchants in the categoryTerms: 5% RP on online/e-commerce spends; cap cut to 1,000 RP a month from Jul 2026 | - |
| Dining and food delivery | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Groceries | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Fuel | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Bills and recharges | 1% | No cap | Anywhere else in the category | - |
| Bills and recharges, only at listed merchants | 10% | ₹1,500 | Only at: PhonePe appTerms: 10% RP on PhonePe-app spends (utilities, recharges, bills, travel), bills paid outside the app earn nothing; cap 1,500 RP a month, insurance sub-capped 500 RP a month (from Jul 2026). No points under ₹100 | - |
| Rent | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Insurance premiums | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| School and college fees | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Wallet top-ups | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Taxes and government payments | Earns nothing | - | earns nothing on this card | - |
| Spend abroad or in a foreign currency | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
| Everything else | 1% | No cap | The card's normal rate | - |
Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in, India Credit Card Facts, CC BY 4.0, adapted by SkyloFin.
Common Questions
When is a credit card worth its annual fee?
When the rewards you actually earn in a year are more than the fee plus 18% GST, or when you spend enough for the bank to waive the fee. This calculator works out both from the card's own published terms.
Why is GST added to the fee?
Card fees carry 18% GST, so a ₹1,000 fee costs ₹1,180. Where the bank already quotes the fee with GST, it is not added twice.
What does 'capped' mean?
Many cards limit the reward you can earn in a month in a category. Spending above the cap earns nothing extra, so the calculator stops counting there.
Is a lifetime free card always better?
Not always. A paid card with higher rewards can leave you with more once you spend enough. The break-even line shows the monthly spend where that starts.
Guides in Plain Words
Short reads that explain how it works before you decide.
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