SBI Card Unnati benefits
- Fees
No joining fee, and no annual fee for the first 4 years
- Rewards1
reward point per ₹100 spent; 2,000 points pay ₹500 of your bill
- Fuel1%
fuel surcharge waiver on ₹500 to ₹3,000
up to ₹100 a month
- Benefit
Made for SBI customers
including Jan Dhan account holders, who are new to credit
Good to know
- ₹499 annual fee before GST from the 5th year
SBI Card Unnati rewards and cashback
| Where you spend | Rate | Monthly limit |
|---|---|---|
| Everything else | 1 points per ₹100 | None |
We value one point at ₹0.25 in the usual redemption.
No rewards on: Fuel, rent payments (from 1 April 2024), cash advances, balance transfers, Encash and Flexipay.
All reward rules
- 1 reward point for every ₹100 spent, with no higher rate on any category.
- SBI Card's terms show that 2,000 reward points pay ₹500 of your card bill, so 1 point is worth ₹0.25. You need at least 2,000 points to redeem.
- Reward points stay valid for 24 months and expire on the last day of the 24th month.
What the SBI Card Unnati gives back in a year
Say you spend ₹30,000 a month, like our “online shopper” pattern. Worked out with the same maths as the calculator above.
| Spending | A month | Back | A year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries | ₹3,000 | 0.25% | ₹90 |
| Dining and food delivery | ₹2,000 | 0.25% | ₹60 |
| Online shopping | ₹18,000 | 0.25% | ₹540 |
| Travel | ₹1,000 | 0.25% | ₹30 |
| Fuel | ₹1,000 | 0% | ₹0 |
| Bills and utilities | ₹2,000 | 0.25% | ₹60 |
| Everything else | ₹3,000 | 0.25% | ₹90 |
| Total | ₹30,000 | ₹870 | |
| Renewal fee with GST | −₹589 | ||
| You keep | ₹281* |
SBI Card Unnati annual fee and charges
- Joining fee
- Free
- Annual fee
- ₹499
- Foreign currency markup
- 3.5%
No joining fee. The annual fee of ₹499 before GST is waived for the first 4 years and is charged from the 5th year. SBI Card's fee table shows no spend-based waiver after that.
Fuel surcharge: 1% waiver on fuel transactions from ₹500 to ₹3,000, up to ₹100 a month.
SBI Card Unnati eligibility
SBI Card says the Unnati card is for all SBI customers, including Jan Dhan account holders, and is meant to help people with no credit history get a credit card. The SBI Card documents we read do not state a fixed deposit amount, a minimum age or a minimum income for this card, so check them with SBI before you apply.
The bank alone decides approval and your credit limit.
SBI Card Unnati lounge access
The bank's terms list no fixed number of free airport lounge visits on this card.
Is the SBI Card Unnati right for you?
A card with a ₹499 yearly fee, paying a below-average 0.25% on most spends.
Worth its fee if you spend about ₹21,000 a month or more. Below that, the ₹499 fee costs more than the card gives back on spending like the example above.
Good for you if
- It is your first credit card: the terms are simple and the fee is low or nil.
Not for you if
- Your rewards would not reach ₹589 a year: that is the renewal fee with GST, and spending does not waive it.
Check the latest fees and terms on the bank's page before you apply.
Alternatives to SBI Card Unnati
Two similar cards to weigh up before you apply. The last column shows what each may be worth on ₹30,000 a month of mixed spending, after the renewal fee with GST. Rates paid only at named brands are not counted, so a brand card can earn more if you shop there.
| Card | Annual fee | Rewards up to | You keep a year |
|---|---|---|---|
| SBI Card Unnati | ₹499 | 0.25% | ₹221* |
| IDFC FIRST Hello Cashback Credit Card | ₹1,000 | 3% | ₹5,160* |
| PhonePe SBI Card PURPLE | ₹499 | 3% | ₹3,840* |
If most of your spending looks like the example above, the IDFC FIRST Hello Cashback Credit Card may suit you better: it would leave you ₹7,800 a year, against ₹281 with the SBI Card Unnati.
*Estimate only, not a promise. We work it out from the bank's published terms and the spending you enter. What you actually get depends on the bank, your transactions and any change in its terms.
Frequently asked questions
Is the SBI Unnati Credit Card free?
It is free for the first 4 years: there is no joining fee and no annual fee. From the 5th year, SBI Card charges ₹499 a year plus GST.
Who can get the SBI Card Unnati?
SBI Card says the card is for all SBI customers, including Jan Dhan account holders, and for people who have never had credit. SBI Card checks your application before it issues the card.
Does SBI Card Unnati need a fixed deposit?
The SBI Card documents we read for Unnati do not mention a fixed deposit or an amount. Ask your SBI branch or SBI Card before you apply. We will add the rule once SBI Card publishes it.
How do I use SBI Unnati reward points?
You earn 1 point per ₹100. Once you have 2,000 points you can use them to pay ₹500 of your card bill, or pick items from the rewards catalogue. Points expire after 24 months.