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SBI Card PULSE vs HSBC Live Plus 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.

SBI Card PULSE versus HSBC Live Plus Credit Card compared
FeatureSBI Card PULSESBI Card PULSEState Bank of India4 recent changes →
HSBC Live Plus Credit CardHSBC Live Plus Credit CardHSBC4 recent changes →
Rewards by spend
Rewards0.5% base, up to 2.5% on dining1.5% base, up to 10% on dining
UPI payments (scan and pay)sameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Online shopping0.5%10%
Dining and food delivery2.5%10%
Groceries0.5%10%
Travel: flights, hotels, trains0.5%1.5%
FuelsameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Bills and recharges0.5%10%
RentsameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Insurance premiums0.5%Earns nothing
School and college fees0.5%Earns nothing
Wallet top-upssameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Taxes and government paymentssameEarns nothingEarns nothing
Spend abroad or in a foreign currency0.5%Earns nothing
Everything else0.5%1.5%
Card identity
Card typesameDiningDining
NetworksameVisaVisa
Card tiersameMidMid
Fees
Joining fee₹1,499 + GST₹999 + GST
Annual fee₹1,499 + GST₹999 + GST
Fee waived atsame₹2,00,000₹2,00,000
Eligibility
Min age-18 years
Max age-65 years
Employment typesameBOTHBOTH
Min monthly salary-₹50,000
Min credit score-750
Rewards
Reward typeReward pointsCashback
Point value₹0₹1
Fuel surcharge
Fuel surcharge waiverNoYes
Lounge access
Domestic lounge visits42
International lounge visits01
Lounge programmePRIORITY_PASS-
Priority PassYesNo
Lounge condition4 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 paid2 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year (one per 6 months) plus 1 international lounge visit per year from 1 September 2026
Forex and international
Forex markup3.5%1.99%
Interest and charges
Interest rate (monthly)same3.75%3.75%
Interest rate (annual)same45%45%
Page content
Eligibility-Age: 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 neededPAN card Aadhaar / address proof Income proof (salary slips or ITR)ID Proof: PAN Card/Form 60 Address Proof: Aadhaar, Passport, or utility bills Income Proof: Bank statements or Salary slips Photograph: Recent passport-sized photo
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Worth in Rupees at ₹20,000 a Month

SBI Card PULSE
Rewards a year
₹2,400
Fee a year
₹0
You keep
₹2,400
HSBC Live Plus Credit Card
Rewards a year
₹8,700
Fee a year
₹0
You keep
₹8,700

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

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
HSBC Live Plus Credit Card
  • Families with big food and grocery bills
  • Frequent Swiggy and Zomato users
  • People wanting simple cashback

Watch-Outs

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%
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

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

Questions People Ask

Which has the lower annual fee, SBI Card PULSE or HSBC Live Plus Credit Card?

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?

SBI Card PULSE: 4 domestic lounge visits a year; HSBC Live Plus Credit Card: 2 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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