HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card Review: No Fee, 2 Points per ₹150 Spent
The HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card charges nothing to join or renew and earns 2 reward points per ₹150, and most of HSBC's airline partners give 1 mile for every 2 points. It refunds the 1% fuel surcharge on fuel bills from ₹400 to ₹4,000, up to ₹250 a month, but HSBC publishes no rupee value for its points and asks the same ₹6,00,000 salary as HSBC's Live+ and TravelOne.
Key facts
- Joining fee
- Nil
- Annual fee
- Nil
- Base reward
- 2 reward points for every Rs 150 spent
- Best category
- Hotels, flights and car rentals booked through HSBC Travel with Points: Up to 6X reward points
- Lounge
- Domestic: None listed International: None listed
- Forex markup
- 3.5% of the amount
- Network
- Visa
Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
In short
A genuinely free HSBC card with steady points, airline transfers and a fuel waiver, best kept as a low-cost first or backup card rather than a big earner.
Best for
- Salaried people on ₹6,00,000 a year or more in HSBC's 21 cities who want a card with no fee at all
- Car and bike owners who fill fuel in amounts of ₹400 to ₹4,000
- Occasional flyers happy to turn points into Air India, Singapore Airlines or British Airways miles
Skip it if
- You want a known rupee value for every point
- You spend abroad often, as the mark-up is 3.5%
- You need airport lounge access, which this card does not list
Highlights
- No joining, annual or add-on fee
- 2 reward points per ₹150; most airlines convert 2 points to 1 mile
- 1% fuel surcharge waived on ₹400 to ₹4,000 fills, up to ₹250 a month, after the first 90 days
- Points valid 3 years from the end of the month earned
- Lost card cover up to ₹3,00,000
A no-fee HSBC card built around points and fuel
Visa Platinum is the no-fee card among the HSBC India cards we review, and it is taking new applications. There's no joining fee, no annual fee, no charge for add-on cards and no spend target to chase for keeping it free. It earns reward points, 2 for every ₹150, which you can turn into airline miles, gift cards, merchandise or Apple products.
It is not a cashback card. HSBC's app shows how many points a gift card needs but not what one point is worth in rupees, so your value depend on what you redeem for. Airline miles are the clear case: most partners take 2 points for 1 mile.
What decides its worth
- It is free for life on HSBC's current fee schedule, so even small use leave you ahead.
- The 1% fuel surcharge is waived on fills of ₹400 to ₹4,000, up to ₹250 a month, though not in the first 90 days after issue.
- The entry bar matches Live+, TravelOne and RuPay Cashback: ₹6,00,000 a year if you're salaried, ₹12,00,000 if self-employed, and a home in one of 21 cities.
Status and changes
We did not found any dated change to this card for 2024 to 2026 in HSBC's documents. Only the wording on point expiry differs: an older service guide has points lapsing at the end of the third card-membership year, the newer Rewards Marketplace terms give 3 years from the end of the month earned, and we follow the newer terms. HSBC's other cards are on our HSBC India hub.
Fees and charges: free to hold, costly to misuse
Joining fee nil, annual fee nil, every year, and add-on cards free, with no waiver condition. GST is still apply on any other charge you trigger, since HSBC quotes every charge exclusive of GST; at 18%, a ₹500 bounced-payment charge becomes ₹590 (₹500 plus ₹90).
Interest and the late fee
Revolving costs 3.75% a month, 45% a year, counted from the transaction date. Leave ₹8,000 unpaid for 40 days and the daily formula gives about ₹394.52 (₹8,000 x 45% x 40 / 365). A free card used to roll balances become expensive very fast.
Miss the Minimum Payment Due by more than 3 days and the late fee equals that minimum, never below ₹250 and never above ₹1,200 in a month. So a missed ₹180 minimum still costs ₹250, and a missed ₹2,000 minimum costs ₹1,200.
Cash, forex, fuel and the rest
- Cash advance: 2.5% with a ₹500 minimum, and interest from the day you withdraw; ₹30,000 in cash costs ₹750 (2.5% of ₹30,000) in fees alone.
- Forex: 3.5% of each foreign currency transaction, so ₹50,000 spent abroad adds ₹1,750 (₹50,000 x 3.5%) before GST.
- Fuel: the 1% surcharge is waived on ₹400 to ₹4,000 transactions up to ₹250 a month; the waiver don't apply in the first 90 days.
- Rent: 1% processing fee plus taxes, with no points earned.
- Going over the limit costs the higher of 2.5% and ₹500, plus GST. Paying cash at a branch is ₹100, a failed NACH, dishonoured SI or bounced cheque ₹500, and overseas ATM cash from your bank account ₹100.
We found no separate charge for wallet loads, utilities or education in the schedule, though all three earn zero points. Balance transfers cost 10.99% to 15.99% yearly, and the processing fee is 1.5% with ₹200 as the minimum.
HSBC Visa Platinum: fees and charges
| Joining fee | Nil |
|---|---|
| Annual or renewal fee | Nil |
| Annual fee waiver | No joining or annual fee |
| Add-on card fee | Nil |
| GST | Charged on top of the fees and charges listed |
| In the bank’s words | Joining fee INR0, annual fee INR0. Add-on cards free. |
| Interest on unpaid balances | Up to 3.75% a month (45% a year) |
| Late payment fee | 100% of the Minimum Payment Due, minimum Rs 250 and maximum Rs 1,200 a month; charged only if the minimum payment does not reach HSBC within 3 days of the payment due date |
| Cash withdrawal | 2.5% of the amount, minimum Rs 500; finance charge from the date of withdrawal |
| Over-limit fee | 2.5% of the over-limit amount or Rs 500, whichever is higher, plus GST |
| Forex markup | 3.5% of the amount |
| Other fees |
|
How points are earned and what they turn into
The base rate is 2 reward points for every ₹150. Two faster routes exist: up to 6X on hotels, flights and car rentals booked through HSBC's Travel with Points, and 5X on Apple products on the HSBC Unicorn portal. HSBC states no cap on either and doesn't say which bookings gets the full 6X, so treat it as a best case.
Zero points go to utilities, tax, rent, money transfers, jewellery, insurance, fuel, e-wallets, education and government, and Instant EMI, among others. Waiver-eligible fuel earns nothing either, so on fuel the benefit is the refund, not reward.
What a point is worth
Air India Maharaja Club, Etihad, British Airways and Singapore Airlines KrisFlyer, along with most other partners, give 1 mile for 2 points. Hainan and Turkish want 4 points a mile and United 3, so those partners gives fewer miles. For gift cards and merchandise HSBC publishes no rupee value and states no redemption fee. Points stay valid for 3 years from the end of the calendar month you earn them, oldest used first.
Welcome benefits
Log on to the HSBC India Mobile Banking app and spend ₹5,000 or more in the first 30 days for 2,000 points, which is 1,000 miles at 2 to 1. A single transaction of ₹300 or more on activation bring a voucher worth up to ₹500 from Amazon Pay, Zomato or Swiggy, along with a 2-month EazyDiner membership. There are no milestone rewards.
Three spending patterns
| Monthly spend | Light: ₹10,000 | Typical: ₹25,000 | Heavy: ₹50,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eligible shopping, dining and travel | ₹7,500 | ₹18,000 | ₹37,500 |
| Fuel, in fills of ₹400 to ₹4,000 | ₹2,000 | ₹4,000 | ₹6,000 |
| Excluded: rent, utilities, insurance, wallets | ₹500 | ₹3,000 | ₹6,500 |
| Points a month (2 per ₹150) | 100 | 240 | 500 |
| Points a year | 1,200 | 2,880 | 6,000 |
| As miles at 2 points to 1 | 600 | 1,440 | 3,000 |
| Fuel surcharge saved a year | ₹240 | ₹480 | ₹720 |
| Annual fee | ₹0 | ₹0 | ₹0 |
Light, ₹10,000 a month. ₹7,500 of eligible spend earns 100 points (₹7,500 divided by 150, times 2), so 1,200 a year (100 x 12), or 600 miles. Two ₹1,000 fuel fills save ₹20 a month (1% of ₹2,000), ₹240 a year (₹20 x 12) after the 90-day wait. With a nil fee, all of it are gain.
Typical, ₹25,000 a month. ₹18,000 of eligible spend gives 240 points (₹18,000 divided by 150, times 2), 2,880 a year (240 x 12) or 1,440 miles (2,880 / 2). Two ₹2,000 fills save ₹40 a month, ₹480 a year (₹40 x 12). The 2,000 welcome points lift year one to 4,880 points (2,880 plus 2,000).
Heavy, ₹50,000 a month. ₹37,500 of eligible spend earns 500 points a month (₹37,500 divided by 150, times 2), 6,000 a year (500 x 12) or 3,000 miles, and two ₹3,000 fills save ₹60 a month, ₹720 a year (₹60 x 12). Still, a heavy spender can find a known cash rate on other card, so this one suits better as the fuel and backup card.
HSBC Visa Platinum: higher-reward categories
| Category | Rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Hotels, flights and car rentals booked through HSBC Travel with Points | Up to 6X reward points | Not stated |
| Apple purchases on the HSBC Unicorn portal | 5X reward points | Not stated |
HSBC Visa Platinum: how rewards work
| Earned as | Reward points |
|---|---|
| Base rate | 2 reward points for every Rs 150 spent |
| Minimum spend rules | Not published by the bank |
| No rewards on |
|
| Lower rewards on | None published |
| Value of a point |
|
| Redemption fee | Not stated |
| Expiry | Points valid 3 years from the end of the calendar month in which they are earned (oldest used first) |
| Welcome benefits |
|
| Milestone benefits | None published |
| Lounge access | Domestic: None listed International: None listed |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% fuel surcharge waived on transactions of Rs 400 to Rs 4,000, capped at Rs 250 a month; not in the first 90 days; no reward points on waiver-eligible fuel transactions |
| Insurance cover | Lost card liability cover up to Rs 3,00,000 for misuse from 24 hours before reporting |
Who can get the Visa Platinum, and how to apply
HSBC uses one rulebook for this card, Live+, TravelOne and RuPay Cashback, which makes a no-fee card harder to get here than at banks whose free cards asks much lower income.
- If you draw a salary: age 18 to 65 and income of ₹6,00,000 a year, about ₹50,000 a month (₹6,00,000 / 12).
- If you run a business or practice: age 25 to 65 and ₹12,00,000 a year.
- Residence in India in one of 21 cities. In the north: Delhi NCR, Gurgaon, Noida, Chandigarh, Amritsar, Jaipur and Lucknow. In the west and centre: Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Baroda, Surat, Indore and Nagpur. In the south: Bengaluru, Chennai, Hyderabad, Kochi, Coimbatore and Trivandrum. In the east, Kolkata.
Documents and ways to apply
The Visa Platinum page has no document list of its own. Going by HSBC's other card pages, keep your latest salary slip (if salaried), residence proof, ID proof and PAN handy. HSBC takes applications online with video KYC, over phone and at branches. Complete the online route with video KYC by 31 March 2027 and you get a ₹250 Amazon eGift voucher, an offer that began on 1 January 2026. Full KYC, by video or in person, is needed because a revolving card account can't be opened on an Aadhaar OTP check alone.
How HSBC decides
The RBI's 2025 card Directions make HSBC assess credit risk on your own financial means and take into account the limits other lenders already gave you. Experian and CRIF scores both run from 300 to 900; above 750 on Experian and above 700 on CRIF are generally seen as good. If HSBC declines, it has to explain the specific reasons in writing. Only HSBC decide whether to issue the card.
HSBC Visa Platinum: eligibility and documents
| Age (salaried) | 18 to 65 years |
|---|---|
| Age (self-employed) | 25 to 65 years |
| Income (salaried) | Minimum Rs 6,00,000 a year |
| Income (self-employed) | Minimum Rs 12,00,000 a year |
| Other conditions | Indian resident living in one of: Chennai, Gurgaon, Delhi NCR, Pune, Noida, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Kochi, Coimbatore, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Amritsar, Baroda, Indore, Lucknow, Nagpur, Surat or Trivandrum. minIncomeMonthly is the annual salaried figure divided by 12. |
| Documents |
|
| How to apply | Online on hsbc.bank.in with video KYC (an Rs 250 Amazon eGift voucher is offered for online applications completed with video KYC, 1 Jan 2026 to 31 Mar 2027), by phone, or at a branch. Premier card only for HSBC Premier banking customers via branch or 1800 120 4722. |
| Card customer care | 1800 267 3456 / 1800 121 2208 (personal banking and credit cards, toll free, 6.30 am to 8.30 pm); Premier 1800 266 3456 / 1800 120 4722 (24x7) |
These are the bank's published conditions. Meeting them does not guarantee a card: approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
Where the Visa Platinum fits in a wallet
It suits a salaried person in an HSBC city who wants a no-cost card for fuel and everyday spends and likes the idea of airline miles. Someone filling a car two or three times a month inside the ₹400 to ₹4,000 band gets the surcharge back each time, and over a year that come to a few hundred rupees with no fee to set against it.
The honest weakness is the earn rate. 2 points per ₹150 is about 1.33 points per ₹100 (2 divided by 150, times 100), or 1 mile per ₹150 at the usual ratio. Without a published rupee value you can't line it up against a cashback card, and if you never fly, the gift-card value is a guess. The 3.5% mark-up and the missing lounge also keeps it away from travel use; for that, HSBC's TravelOne is built differently.
Skip it if your income is under ₹6,00,000, you live outside the listed cities, or you want a fixed cash return. And don't be tempted for carrying balances because the card is free: at 45% a year, the interest outruns any points you could earn. Our reward points explainer shows how to judge a points card when the bank gives no fixed value.
Pros
- No joining, annual or add-on card fee, and no spend condition to keep it free
- 2 reward points per ₹150, with most airline partners converting 2 points to 1 mile
- 1% fuel surcharge waived on fills of ₹400 to ₹4,000, up to ₹250 a month
- 2,000 welcome points for spending ₹5,000 in 30 days, plus a voucher worth up to ₹500 on activation
- Lost card liability cover of up to ₹3,00,000 for misuse from 24 hours before you report it
Cons
- No published rupee value for points redeemed as gift cards or merchandise
- Same ₹6,00,000 salaried income bar as HSBC's Live+ and TravelOne, and only in 21 cities
- No lounge access listed and a 3.5% forex mark-up
- No points on utilities, rent, insurance, fuel, e-wallets, education or tax payments
- Fuel waiver starts only after the first 90 days, and waived fills earn no points
Visa Platinum next to other free cards
Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards
The Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards Credit Card is free for digital applications under its terms (a one-time ₹250 plus GST if you spend under ₹500 in 30 days), though SC's FAQ and fee table show ₹250 a year. It earns 5 points per ₹150 on dining and fuel and 1 elsewhere, at ₹0.25 a point, for a gross income of ₹20,000 a month. No lounge, no fuel waiver, 3.5% forex.
IDFC FIRST Classic
The IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card is free with no spend condition and needs ₹3 lakh a year. It earns 3 points per ₹200 at ₹0.25 a point, and 10 per ₹200 on dining, travel and birthday spends. Forex is zero since 9 September 2026, though international spends earn no points from 26 October 2026. Its fuel waiver tops out at ₹200 a cycle, and an add-on cost ₹499 plus GST.
ICICI Bank Platinum Chip
The ICICI Bank Platinum Chip Credit Card is also free to hold and earns 2 points per ₹100, 1 on utility and insurance. Like HSBC, ICICI publishes no rupee value per point. Its fuel waiver works only at HPCL pumps on ₹400 to ₹4,000, add-ons are ₹199, forex is 3.5% with no lounge stated, and the income asked is ₹20,000 a month.
Choosing between them
Pick Visa Platinum for miles transfers and the ₹250 monthly fuel waiver if you clear the ₹6,00,000 bar. Platinum Rewards suits diners on a smaller salary, FIRST Classic is for someone who eat out often and wants points at a known value, and Platinum Chip is a plain ICICI option for HPCL users. Our lifetime-free cards guide and the credit cards hub have more.
HSBC Visa Platinum against similar cards
| Term | HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card This card | Platinum Rewards Credit Card | FIRST Classic Credit Card | ICICI Bank Platinum Chip Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | HSBC India | Standard Chartered | IDFC FIRST Bank | ICICI Bank |
| Joining fee | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Annual fee and waiver | Nil | Nil | Nil | Nil |
| Base reward | 2 reward points for every Rs 150 spent | 1 reward point for every Rs 150 spent on other categories | 3X Reward Points on eligible spends (about 0.375% value) | 2 reward points per ₹100 on retail spend |
| Best category | Hotels, flights and car rentals booked through HSBC Travel with Points: Up to 6X reward points | Fine dining outlets: 5 reward points per Rs 150 | Hotel bookings via 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' in the IDFC FIRST Bank app: about 5% value | No higher-reward category published |
| Lounges | Domestic: None listed International: None listed | Domestic: None listed International: None listed | Domestic: No airport lounge. 4 complimentary railway lounge visits every quarter. International: None | Domestic: None stated International: None stated |
| Forex markup | 3.5% of the amount | 3.5% of the amount | 0% (no markup) | 3.5% of the amount |
| Network | Visa | Visa | Not stated by the bank | Not stated by the bank |
| Published minimum income | ₹50,000 a month | ₹20,000 a month | ₹25,000 a month | ₹20,000 a month |
| Status | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications |
Frequently asked questions
Is the HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card really lifetime free?
What is an HSBC Visa Platinum reward point worth?
What income do I need for the HSBC Visa Platinum card?
Does the HSBC Visa Platinum card offer lounge access or a low forex mark-up?
Has anything changed on the HSBC Visa Platinum card recently?
How does the fuel surcharge waiver work on HSBC Visa Platinum?
Related
- HSBC India Credit Cards 2026: Live+, TravelOne, Premier and RuPay
- Standard Chartered Platinum Rewards Credit Card Review: 5X on Dining, Fuel
- IDFC FIRST Classic Credit Card Review: Free, With 10X on Your Birthday
- ICICI Bank Platinum Chip Credit Card Review: No Fee, 2 Points per ₹100
- Best Lifetime Free Credit Cards in India 2026: Zero Fee in the MITC
Sources
- The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, India (HSBC India): HSBC Credit Card Key Fact Statement; Important Terms and Conditions - HSBC Platinum Credit Card and HSBC Live+ Credit Card; HSBC Rewards Marketplace Terms and Conditions; HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card rewards; HSBC Platinum Credit Card Service Guide; HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card; HSBC Visa Platinum Credit Card (footnote); Contact HSBC
Last verified: 5 November 2026
Written by Anjali Bhargawa, reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts
BankCreds does not sell cards or take applications. Fees and rewards change; the bank's own terms on the day you apply are what count, and approval is the bank's decision.