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HSBC Live Plus vs LIC Classic Credit Card Compared

Which credit card suits you? Side by side on the numbers that decide it. A blank means the provider has not published that figure, not that it is zero. Data last verified: 11 October 2026.

HSBC Live Plus Credit Card versus LIC Classic Credit Card compared
FeatureHSBC Live Plus Credit CardHSBC Live Plus Credit CardHSBC4 recent changes →
LIC Classic Credit CardLIC Classic Credit CardIDFC First Bank7 recent changes →
Rewards by spend
Rewards1.5% base, up to 10% on dining0.6% on most spends; 1.2% only at partner merchants
UPI payments (scan and pay)sameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Online shopping10%0.6%
Dining and food delivery10%0.6%
Groceries10%0.6%
Travel: flights, hotels, trains1.5%0.6%
FuelsameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Bills and recharges10%0.6%; 1.2% only at LIC insurance premium payments made on LIC of India's official website
RentsameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Insurance premiumssameEarns nothingEarns nothing
School and college feesEarns nothing0.6%
Wallet top-upsEarns nothing0.6%
Taxes and government paymentsEarns nothing0.6%
Spend abroad or in a foreign currencysameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Everything else1.5%0.6%
Card identity
Card typeDiningUtility bills
NetworkVisaMastercard
Card tierMidEntry
Fees
Joining fee₹999 + GSTFree
Annual fee₹999 + GSTFree
Lifetime freeNoYes
Fee waived at₹2,00,000-
Eligibility
Min age18 years-
Max age65 years-
Employment typesameBOTHBOTH
Min monthly salary₹50,000-
Min credit score750-
Rewards
Reward typeCashbackReward points
Point value₹1₹0
Fuel surcharge
Fuel surcharge waiversameYesYes
Lounge access
Domestic lounge visits24
International lounge visits10
Railway lounge visits-8
Lounge condition2 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year (one per 6 months) plus 1 international lounge visit per year from 1 September 20261 domestic airport + 2 railway lounge visits per quarter
Forex and international
Forex markup1.99%None
Interest and charges
Interest rate (monthly)3.75%-
Interest rate (annual)45%-
Redemption
Redemption fee-₹99
Page content
EligibilityAge: 21 to 65 years Employment: Salaried and Self Employed Salaried Income: Rs 50000/monthly Self Employed: ITR > Rs 12,00,000/annually Credit Score: 750+-
Documents neededID Proof: PAN Card/Form 60 Address Proof: Aadhaar, Passport, or utility bills Income Proof: Bank statements or Salary slips Photograph: Recent passport-sized photoPAN card Aadhaar / valid address proof Income proof (salary slips or ITR)
ApplyApply NowApply Now

Worth in Rupees at ₹20,000 a Month

HSBC Live Plus Credit Card
Rewards a year
₹8,700
Fee a year
₹0
You keep
₹8,700
LIC Classic Credit Card
Rewards a year
₹1,440
Fee a year
₹0
You keep
₹1,440

At this spend, HSBC Live Plus Credit Card comes out ₹7,260 a year ahead of LIC Classic Credit Card. Worked out from each card's published reward rate, caps and fee, on ₹20,000 a month. Your own spend changes the answer: try the rewards calculator.

Best For

HSBC Live Plus Credit Card
  • Families with big food and grocery bills
  • Frequent Swiggy and Zomato users
  • People wanting simple cashback
LIC Classic Credit Card
  • Utility bills only at LIC insurance premium payments made on LIC of India's official website: 1.2% back
  • Anyone who wants no annual fee, ever
  • Flyers: 4 airport lounge visits a year
  • Spending abroad: 0% markup, most cards add 3.5%

Watch-Outs

HSBC Live Plus Credit Card
  • 10% categories share one Rs 1,200 monthly cap
  • No cashback on fuel, rent, insurance, education, wallets or EMIs
  • No cashback on international spends
  • Lounge visits cut to just 2 domestic a year
LIC Classic Credit Card
  • Skip it if most of your spending is fuel, rent, insurance or foreign spends: those earn nothing on this card
  • Skip it if you pay mostly by UPI: a Visa or Mastercard card cannot pay by UPI
  • Skip it if you rarely spend on LIC insurance premium payments made on LIC of India's official website: the 1.2% rate applies only there, everything else earns 0.6%

Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in (HSBC Live Plus Credit Card, LIC Classic Credit Card), India Credit Card Facts, CC BY 4.0, adapted by SkyloFin.

Questions People Ask

Which has the lower annual fee, HSBC Live Plus Credit Card or LIC Classic Credit Card?

LIC Classic Credit Card. LIC Classic Credit Card: no annual fee; HSBC Live Plus Credit Card: ₹999. Check whether a spend-based waiver applies before you decide.

Which is better for spending abroad?

LIC Classic Credit Card has the lowest forex markup. LIC Classic Credit Card: 0%; HSBC Live Plus Credit Card: 1.99%. The markup is charged on every foreign-currency transaction, before GST.

Which earns more on everyday spending?

On spends outside any bonus category: HSBC Live Plus Credit Card 1.5%, LIC Classic Credit Card 0.6%. Bonus categories, rates limited to named merchants and monthly caps change the picture, so compare the rewards by spend too.

Which gives airport lounge access?

HSBC Live Plus Credit Card: 2 domestic lounge visits a year; LIC Classic Credit Card: 4 domestic lounge visits a year. Some cards need a minimum spend in the quarter before a visit counts, so check the lounge terms.

Can I hold more than one of these cards?

Usually yes, if each bank approves you. Many people keep one card for everyday spending and another for a specific use such as travel. Each application is a separate credit check.

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