SBI Card PULSE vs SimplySAVE 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.
| Feature |  SBI Card PULSEState Bank of India4 recent changes → |  SBI SimplySAVE Credit CardState Bank of India4 recent changes → | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rewards by spend | |||
| Rewards | 0.5% base, up to 2.5% on dining | 0.17% base, up to 1.67% on dining | |
| UPI payments (scan and pay)same | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Online shopping | 0.5% | 0.17% | |
| Dining and food delivery | 2.5% | 1.67% | |
| Groceries | 0.5% | 1.67% | |
| Travel: flights, hotels, trains | 0.5% | 0.17% | |
| Fuelsame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Bills and recharges | 0.5% | 0.17% | |
| Rentsame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Insurance premiums | 0.5% | 0.17% | |
| School and college fees | 0.5% | 0.17% | |
| Wallet top-ups | Earns nothing | 0.17% | |
| Taxes and government paymentssame | Earns nothing | Earns nothing | |
| Spend abroad or in a foreign currency | 0.5% | 0.17% | |
| Everything else | 0.5% | 0.17% | |
| Card identity | |||
| Card typesame | Dining | Dining | |
| Networksame | Visa | Visa | |
| Card tier | Mid | Entry | |
| Fees | |||
| Joining fee | ₹1,499 + GST | ₹499 + GST | |
| Annual fee | ₹1,499 + GST | ₹499 + GST | |
| Fee waived at | ₹2,00,000 | ₹1,00,000 | |
| Eligibility | |||
| Employment typesame | BOTH | BOTH | |
| Rewards | |||
| Reward typesame | Reward points | Reward points | |
| Point valuesame | ₹0 | ₹0 | |
| Fuel surcharge | |||
| Fuel surcharge waiver | No | Yes | |
| Fuel waiver cap | - | ₹100 | |
| Lounge access | |||
| Domestic lounge visits | 4 | - | |
| International lounge visits | 0 | - | |
| Lounge programme | PRIORITY_PASS | - | |
| Priority Pass | Yes | No | |
| Lounge condition | 4 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 markupsame | 3.5% | 3.5% | |
| Interest and charges | |||
| Interest rate (monthly)same | 3.75% | 3.75% | |
| Interest rate (annual)same | 45% | 45% | |
| Page content | |||
| Documents needed | PAN card Aadhaar / address proof Income proof (salary slips or ITR) | PAN card Aadhaar / valid address proof Latest 3 months bank statement Income proof, salary slips (salaried) or ITR (self-employed) Recent passport-size photograph | |
| Apply | Apply Now | Apply Now | |
Worth in Rupees at ₹20,000 a Month
- Rewards a year
- ₹2,400
- Fee a year
- ₹0
- You keep
- ₹2,400
- Rewards a year
- ₹1,320
- Fee a year
- ₹0
- You keep
- ₹1,320
At this spend, SBI Card PULSE comes out ₹1,080 a year ahead of SBI SimplySAVE 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
- 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
- First-time card users
- Families with regular grocery bills
- People who eat out often
Watch-Outs
- 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%
- Very low rate outside 10X categories
- Accelerated points are capped monthly
- No lounge access
Card data sourced via CardAdvisor.in (SBI Card PULSE, SBI SimplySAVE 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 SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card?
SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card. SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card: ₹499; SBI Card PULSE: ₹1,499. Check whether a spend-based waiver applies before you decide.
Which is better for spending abroad?
SBI Card PULSE has the lowest forex markup. SBI Card PULSE: 3.5%; SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card: 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: SBI Card PULSE 0.5%, SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card 0.17%. Bonus categories, rates limited to named merchants and monthly caps change the picture, so compare the rewards by spend too.
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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