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HSBC Live Plus Credit Card vs SBI Card PULSE 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 SBI Card PULSE compared
FeatureHSBC Live Plus Credit CardHSBC Live Plus Credit CardHSBC4 recent changes →
SBI Card PULSESBI Card PULSEState Bank of India4 recent changes →
Rewards by spend
Rewards1.5% base, up to 10% on dining0.5% base, up to 2.5% on dining
UPI payments (scan and pay)sameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Online shopping10%0.5%
Dining and food delivery10%2.5%
Groceries10%0.5%
Travel: flights, hotels, trains1.5%0.5%
FuelsameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Bills and recharges10%0.5%
RentsameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Insurance premiumsEarns nothing0.5%
School and college feesEarns nothing0.5%
Wallet top-upssameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Taxes and government paymentssameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Spend abroad or in a foreign currencyEarns nothing0.5%
Everything else1.5%0.5%
Card identity
Card typesameDiningDining
NetworksameVisaVisa
Card tiersameMidMid
Fees
Joining fee₹999 + GST₹1,499 + GST
Annual fee₹999 + GST₹1,499 + GST
Fee waived atsame₹2,00,000₹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 waiverYesNo
Lounge access
Domestic lounge visits24
International lounge visits10
Lounge programme-PRIORITY_PASS
Priority PassNoYes
Lounge condition2 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year (one per 6 months) plus 1 international lounge visit per year from 1 September 20264 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits a year (1 per quarter), with no spend condition, plus a complimentary Priority Pass membership worth $99 for the first two years, the membership only, international visits are paid
Forex and international
Forex markup1.99%3.5%
Interest and charges
Interest rate (monthly)same3.75%3.75%
Interest rate (annual)same45%45%
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 / address proof Income proof (salary slips or ITR)
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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
SBI Card PULSE
Rewards a year
₹2,400
Fee a year
₹0
You keep
₹2,400

At this spend, HSBC Live Plus Credit Card comes out ₹6,300 a year ahead of SBI Card PULSE. 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
SBI Card PULSE
  • Dining: 2.5% back, up to ₹1,875 a month
  • Spending ₹16,667 or more a month: the ₹1,769 fee is waived
  • Flyers: 4 airport lounge visits a year

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
SBI Card PULSE
  • Skip it if you spend less than ₹16,667 a month (₹2,00,000 a year, rent and wallet loads not counted): the ₹1,769 fee is then charged
  • Skip it if most of your spending is fuel, rent, wallet top-ups or government payments: 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 dining: the 2.5% rate applies only there, everything else earns 0.5%

Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in (HSBC Live Plus Credit Card, SBI Card PULSE), 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 SBI Card PULSE?

HSBC Live Plus Credit Card. HSBC Live Plus Credit Card: ₹999; SBI Card PULSE: ₹1,499. Check whether a spend-based waiver applies before you decide.

Which is better for spending abroad?

HSBC Live Plus Credit Card has the lowest forex markup. HSBC Live Plus Credit Card: 1.99%; SBI Card PULSE: 3.5%. 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%, SBI Card PULSE 0.5%. 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; SBI Card PULSE: 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.

Work Out the Numbers

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