SBI Card PULSE Review: 2.5% on Pharmacy and Dining, Smartwatch Welcome

SBI Card PULSE costs ₹1,499 plus GST a year, waived from the second year if you spent ₹2 lakh in the preceding year, and its welcome gift is a Noise smartwatch worth ₹7,999. It earns 10 Reward Points per ₹100 on chemist, pharmacy, sports, dining and movies, worth 2.5% as statement credit, up to 7,500 points a month.

By Abhishek Kumar · Content Writer Updated 5 November 2026 Reviewed by BankCreds Financial Experts

Key facts

Joining fee: ₹1,499 + GST
Annual fee: ₹1,499 + GST. Renewal Fee is reversed if annual spends for last year >= Rs. 2,00,000.
Base reward: 2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on all other spends (about 0.5% value)
Best category: Chemist and pharmacy, sports, dining and movies: about 2.5% value
Lounge: Domestic: 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year (restricted to 1 per quarter) International: Complimentary Priority Pass membership (worth US$99) for first two years; no complimentary international visits stated (usage fee up to US$27 per visit per MITC)
Forex markup: 3.5% of the amount
Network: Visa, Mastercard

Apply on SBI Card's site

Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.

In short

A good fit for people whose regular spending goes on medicines, fitness, eating out and films, and a strong first year because the smartwatch is worth far more than the fee.

Best for

Families with steady chemist and pharmacy bills
People spending about ₹16,667 a month who can keep the ₹1,499 fee waived
Gym-goers and sports buyers who will use the FITPASS PRO membership

Skip it if

You want UPI payments, since SBI Card does not tag PULSE for UPI
Most of your money goes on groceries or online shopping, which earn 0.5%
You want free lounge visits abroad, as Priority Pass visits cost up to US$27 each

Highlights

Annual fee ₹1,499 plus GST, waived on ₹2 lakh of yearly spends
10 Reward Points per ₹100 (2.5%) on chemist, pharmacy, sports, dining and movies
Accelerated points capped at 7,500 a calendar month
Noise ColorFit Pulse 4 Pro smartwatch worth ₹7,999 as the welcome gift
₹1,500 e-voucher on ₹4 lakh of yearly retail spends

What SBI Card PULSE is built for

PULSE is SBI Card's health and lifestyle card. For ₹1,499 a year plus GST it gives 10 Reward Points per ₹100 at chemists and pharmacies, on sports goods, at restaurants and at the movies, and 2 points per ₹100 on everything else. SBI Card pays points out as statement credit at 25 paise each, so those rates come to 2.5% and 0.5%. It is offered on Visa and Mastercard, and SBI Card are taking applications.

The wrapping are fitness themed. Paying the joining fee bring a Noise ColorFit Pulse 4 Pro smartwatch worth ₹7,999, and each renewal adds a year of FITPASS PRO and of Netmeds First, as long as the joining fee was paid and you made at least one retail transaction.

What matters most

The categories. Medicine bills are steady for many families, and here they earns 2.5%, up to 7,500 points a month.
The waiver. ₹2 lakh of spends in the preceding year cancels the renewal fee, about ₹16,667 a month.
Redemption in lots. Since 1 April 2026 statement credit goes only in multiples of 4,000 points, so small balances wait.

One wrinkle: the PULSE terms and card page include sports in the 10-point list, but SBI Card's general Shop and Smile rewards terms list only chemist, pharmacy, dining and movies. We follow the PULSE terms. SBI Card also does not tag PULSE for UPI payments, so it is not a UPI card.

Changes from 2024 to 2026

Rent stopped earning points on 1 April 2024; government payments followed on 1 June 2024 and digital gaming on 1 December 2024.
SBI Card withdrew the complimentary ₹50 lakh air accident insurance with effect from 15 July 2025.
Lounge lists were revised from 10 January 2026 for SBI Card's ₹1,499 and ₹2,999 cards; the notice's examples does not name PULSE, so check your lounge before going.
Statement credit moved to 4,000-point lots on 1 April 2026, and the lower late-fee slabs changed on 1 May 2026.
Coming on 1 December 2026: 1% on large fuel and transport spends (see the fees tab).

PULSE fees, waiver and charges

You pay ₹1,499 plus GST to join, and SBI Card bills the same ₹1,499 plus GST as renewal fee in each later year, so ₹1,768.82 whenever it is charged (₹1,499 plus ₹269.82 of GST at 18%). Add-on cards cost nothing.

Can you get the renewal fee reversed?

SBI Card reverses it when the last year's spends reach ₹2,00,000, which is about ₹16,667 a month (₹2,00,000 divided by 12). A couple who run their pharmacy, dining and daily bills through PULSE get there without much efforts; someone using it only for medicines will not, and pays the ₹1,768.82 every year after the first. The first year itself is never free, but the ₹7,999 smartwatch is worth more than four times the fee with GST.

Interest, late payment and cash

Revolving a balance costs 3.75% a month (45% a year), the rate SBI Card has charged on unsecured cards since 1 November 2024. ₹20,000 revolved for 40 days costs about ₹986.30 (₹20,000 x 45% x 40, divided by 365), and SBI Card's smallest interest charge is ₹25. You get 20 to 50 days free on purchases only if the last bill was cleared fully, and payments have 3 grace days after the due date.

Outstanding amount due	Late payment charge
Up to ₹100	Nil
₹100 to ₹500	₹100
₹500 to ₹1,000	₹500
₹1,000 to ₹10,000	₹750
₹10,000 to ₹25,000	₹950
₹25,000 to ₹50,000	₹1,100
Above ₹50,000	₹1,300

Taxes are extra, and missing the minimum due two cycles running adds ₹100 more each cycle till it is cleared. Cash withdrawals cost 2.5% with a ₹500 minimum, so below ₹20,000 you is paying the minimum (₹500 divided by 2.5%), with interest from the day you withdraw; ATMs let you take no more than ₹15,000 a day. Over-limit use, only if you opted in, costs 2.5% or ₹600, whichever higher.

Forex and the special fees

Forex: 3.5% plus GST. Paying in rupees abroad, or to a merchant registered outside India, draws the same 3.5% when the bill is ₹1,000 or more. A ₹50,000 trip costs ₹1,750 in mark-up plus ₹315 of GST, ₹2,065.
Rent: ₹199 plus taxes on every payment, so ₹234.82 a payment (₹199 plus ₹35.82), with no points.
Utilities above ₹50,000 in a billing cycle: 1%. Since 1 November 2025, 1% on school fees paid through third-party apps and on any wallet load above ₹1,000.
Starting 1 December 2026, any single transport payment above ₹30,000 draws 1%, and so does the whole cycle's fuel once it pass ₹50,000.
Fuel surcharge waiver: 1% on each fill of ₹500 to ₹4,000, at most ₹250 a statement cycle.
Cash payment at an SBI branch ₹250, cheque payment ₹200, dishonoured payment 2% (minimum ₹500).

PULSE: fees and charges

Joining fee	₹1,499 + GST
Annual or renewal fee	₹1,499 + GST
Annual fee waiver	Renewal Fee is reversed if annual spends for last year >= Rs. 2,00,000.
Add-on card fee	Nil
GST	Charged on top of the fees and charges listed
In the bank’s words	Annual Fee: Rs. 1,499 + taxes; Renewal Fee (per annum): Rs. 1,499 + taxes from second year onwards; Add-on Card Fee (per annum): Nil
Interest on unpaid balances	Up to 3.75% a month (45% a year)
Late payment fee	Nil up to Rs.100; Rs.100 (Rs.100-500); Rs.500 (Rs.500-1,000); Rs.750 (Rs.1,000-10,000); Rs.950 (Rs.10,000-25,000); Rs.1,100 (Rs.25,000-50,000); Rs.1,300 (above Rs.50,000) of outstanding amount due; plus Rs.100 additional if MAD is missed two consecutive cycles (continues each cycle until MAD is cleared). Taxes extra.
Cash withdrawal	2.5% of transaction amount, minimum Rs.500, at domestic and international ATMs; finance charges from the date of withdrawal (no free credit period); max Rs.15,000 cash per day at ATMs (MCC 6011), within cash limit.
Over-limit fee	2.5% of overlimit amount, minimum Rs.600, once per billing cycle; only if the cardholder has consented to over-limit use
Forex markup	3.5% of the amount
Other fees	Rent payments (MCC 6513): Rs.199 + taxes processing fee per transaction Utility payments (MCC 4900): 1% of total utility payments if they exceed Rs.50,000 in a billing cycle (since 1 Dec 2024) Education payments via third-party apps (CRED, Cheq, MobiKwik etc.): 1% of amount (since 1 Nov 2025); paying the school or college directly is free Wallet loads (MCC 6540, 6541): 1% of every load above Rs.1,000 (since 1 Nov 2025) Transportation (MCC 4111, 4784, 4131): 1% of every transaction above Rs.30,000 (from 1 Dec 2026) Fuel (MCC 5172, 5541, 5542, 5983): 1% of total fuel spends if they exceed Rs.50,000 in a billing cycle (from 1 Dec 2026) Dynamic currency conversion fee on INR transactions of Rs.1,000 or more at international locations or overseas-registered merchants: same rate as the card's forex markup Cash payment at SBI branch: Rs.250; cheque payment: Rs.200; payment dishonour: 2% of amount, minimum Rs.500 Card replacement: Rs.100 to Rs.250 (Rs.1,500 for AURUM) Reward redemption fee: Rs.99 on physical products, statement credit and physically sent vouchers (not on AURUM) Priority Pass lounge use beyond complimentary visits: up to USD 27 per visit + taxes Minimum finance charge Rs.25; interest-free period 20 to 50 days on retail purchases only if previous balance paid in full; 3-day grace period after due date

Earning and using PULSE points

The 10-point rate covers chemist and pharmacy, sports, dining and movies, and it stops at 7,500 points a calendar month. That ceiling is reached at ₹75,000 of such spends (7,500 divided by 10, times ₹100), worth ₹1,875 (7,500 x ₹0.25), so a normal household never meet it. Above it, and on all other spends, you earn 2 points per ₹100.

Fuel, rent, government payments, digital gaming and wallet loads earn nothing, and neither do cash withdrawals, balance transfers or the bank's own fees. If you turn a purchase into EMI its points is taken back.

What points are worth, and the 4,000 rule

Statement credit is the one value SBI Card states: 4 points to ₹1. The catalogue's value is not stated. From 1 April 2026 SBI Card converts points to statement credit only in blocks of 4,000 (₹1,000 each), with a ceiling of 60,000 points, or ₹15,000, per month, and each request costs ₹99 plus taxes, ₹116.82 at 18%. Points lasts 24 months. So a light user who earn under 8,000 points a year can cash only one lot and must carry the rest.

Welcome, milestones and memberships

Welcome: the Noise smartwatch worth ₹7,999, on payment of the joining fee.
₹1,500 e-voucher when annual retail spends reach ₹4 lakh, about ₹33,333 a month (₹4,00,000 divided by 12).
Renewal fee waived at ₹2 lakh, plus 1-year FITPASS PRO and Netmeds First memberships with every renewal. SBI Card put no rupee value on these, so we leave them out below.

Three worked examples

Per month	Light: ₹15,000	Typical: ₹30,000	Heavy: ₹60,000
Chemist and pharmacy at 10 per ₹100	₹3,000: 300	₹5,000: 500	₹10,000: 1,000
Dining at 10 per ₹100	₹2,000: 200	₹4,000: 400	₹10,000: 1,000
Movies and sports at 10 per ₹100	None	₹2,000: 200	₹5,000: 500
Other spends at 2 per ₹100	₹8,000: 160	₹16,000: 320	₹30,000: 600
Fuel, no points	₹2,000	₹3,000	₹5,000
Points a year	(300 + 200 + 160) x 12 = 7,920	(500 + 400 + 200 + 320) x 12 = 17,040	(1,000 + 1,000 + 500 + 600) x 12 = 37,200
Value at ₹0.25	₹1,980	₹4,260	₹9,300
Vouchers and fuel waiver	None	None	₹1,500 + ₹600
Less one redemption	₹116.82	₹116.82	₹116.82
Renewal fee	₹1,768.82	Waived	Waived
Net a year	₹94.36	₹4,143.18	₹11,283.18

Light. Non-fuel spends of ₹13,000 a month make ₹1,56,000 a year (x 12), below ₹2 lakh, so the renewal fee is due. ₹1,980 of points minus ₹116.82 and ₹1,768.82 leaves only ₹94.36. Worse, 7,920 points is under two lots, so you can take one ₹1,000 credit and 3,920 points waits for next year.

Typical. ₹27,000 of non-fuel spends a month is ₹3,24,000 a year, so the fee is waived but the ₹4 lakh voucher is missed. Redeeming 16,000 points in one request gives ₹4,000, the other 1,040 roll over, and the year's points are worth ₹4,143.18 after one fee.

Heavy. ₹55,000 of non-fuel spends a month is ₹6,60,000 a year, which brings the ₹1,500 voucher. Two ₹2,500 fills a month save 1% each, ₹50 a month or ₹600 a year (₹50 x 12), well within the ₹250 cap. Even here the ₹25,000 of category spend is a third of the ₹75,000 that would fill the cap.

PULSE: higher-reward categories

Category	Rate	Cap
Chemist and pharmacy, sports, dining and movies	10 Reward Points per Rs. 100, about 2.5% value	capping of 7,500 Reward Points per calendar month; then 2 RP per Rs.100, ₹7,500, calendar month

PULSE: how rewards work

Earned as	Reward Points
Base rate	2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on all other spends. About 0.5% value back
Minimum spend rules	Not published by the bank
No rewards on	Fuel (MCC 5172, 5541, 5542, 5983) Rent since 1 Apr 2024 Government transactions since 1 Jun 2024 Digital gaming since 1 Dec 2024 e-Wallet loads (MCC 6540, 6541) Balance transfer, cash advance, fees and charges EMI conversions (points forfeited)
Lower rewards on	None published
Value of a point	Statement credit (pay card outstanding): 4 Reward Points = Rs. 1 Rewards catalogue: Not stated
Redemption fee	Rs. 99 + taxes on physical products, statement credit and physically sent vouchers (MITC)
Expiry	24 months
Welcome benefits	Noise ColorFit Pulse 4 Pro smartwatch worth Rs. 7,999 on payment of joining fee
Milestone benefits	Rs. 1,500 e-voucher on annual retail spends of Rs. 4 lakh Renewal fee waived on annual spends of Rs. 2 lakh Complimentary 1-year FITPASS PRO and 1-year Netmeds First memberships on card renewal every year (subject to joining fee payment and at least one retail transaction)
Lounge access	Domestic: 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year (restricted to 1 per quarter) International: Complimentary Priority Pass membership (worth US$99) for first two years; no complimentary international visits stated (usage fee up to US$27 per visit per MITC) Condition: No spend condition stated
Fuel surcharge waiver	1% waiver for each transaction between Rs. 500 and Rs. 4,000; max Rs. 250 per statement cycle (T&C)
Insurance cover	Fraud liability cover Rs. 1 lakh; loss of check-in baggage up to Rs. 72,000 (US$1,000); delay of check-in baggage Rs. 7,500; loss of travel documents up to Rs. 12,500; flight delay up to Rs. 7,500. Complimentary air accident cover of Rs. 50 lakh discontinued from 15 July 2025.

Eligibility and how to apply for PULSE

SBI Card uses one rulebook for its cards. Salaried applicants need to be 21 or older, self-employed ones above 25 to apply online, and retired pensioners above 40 may apply online too. For the upper age limit SBI Card's eligibility page say 60 years in its checklist and 70 years in its FAQ, so both are on record. No minimum income is published for PULSE, or for any SBI card. SBI Card's card finder shows PULSE in the 50 to 99K monthly income bracket, but that is a filter for browsing, not an eligibility floor.

A score in the 750 to 900 band is what SBI Card prefers. You don't need an SBI bank account, but you do need to live at somewhere SBI Card services.

For digital KYC: your PAN, plus an Aadhaar copy with its first 8 digits hidden or any other government proof of address.
Salary slips, an ITR or other income proof, when SBI Card wants them.

There are four routes in: the Apply Now link on the PULSE page, SBI Card's ILA chatbot, the 39 02 02 02 helpline (add your STD code first), or any SBI branch. The fixed-deposit Advantage cards on SBI's YONO app cover ELITE, PRIME, SimplyCLICK and SimplySAVE, not PULSE. For service, see SBI customer care numbers.

What SBI Card checks

As an NBFC, SBI Card follows the RBI's separate 2025 card Directions for non-bank issuers. These requires a look at your independent means and at the limits you hold elsewhere, and written reasons if you are refused. Since 1 July 2026 lenders report to credit bureaus as on the 9th, 16th, 23rd and last day of each month, so a missed payment show up on your report sooner than before. A card that isn't activated cannot be reported at all.

PULSE: eligibility and documents

Age (salaried)	21 years or above (minimum). Maximum age stated as 60 years in one place and 70 years in another on SBI Card's listing page
Age (self-employed)	Above 25 years (minimum, for online application)
Income (salaried)	Stable income; SBI Card says the specific minimum varies by card and does not publish it for this card
Income (self-employed)	Stable income; minimum not published for this card
Other conditions	Positive credit history preferred; good credit score, preferably between 750 and 900; SBI banking relationship not mandatory; residence must be in a location serviced by SBI Card; retired pensioners above 40 can apply online. SBI Card's card finder files this card under monthly income '50 to 99K' - a browsing filter, not a stated eligibility minimum.
Documents	PAN card (for digital KYC) Copy of Aadhaar card with first 8 digits masked, or any valid government address proof (for digital KYC) Income documents such as salary slip or income tax return may be required, depending on card eligibility and SBI Card policy
How to apply	Online at sbicard.com (eApply; card pages carry an "Apply Now" link for cards sold online), through the chatbot ILA, by calling the SBI Card helpline 39 02 02 02 (prefix city STD code) or at the nearest SBI branch. Since 23 Sep 2026, SBI fixed-deposit holders can also apply for the secured "Advantage" variants (ELITE, PRIME, SimplyCLICK, SimplySAVE) on SBI's YONO app. Some co-brand cards (PhonePe, Google Pay Flex, Eternal) have no Apply button on sbicard.com.
Card customer care	1860 180 1290 / 1860 500 1290 / 39 02 02 02 (prefix local STD code) / 1800 180 1290 (toll free); AURUM: 1860 500 2000

These are the bank's published conditions. Meeting them does not guarantee a card: approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.

Who gains from PULSE, and who should pass

The biggest winner is a family with regular medicine bills that also eats out and goes to the movies. ₹10,000 a month in those categories earns ₹250 back (1,000 points x ₹0.25), and if the card also carry the daily spends to ₹16,667 a month, the fee goes too. People who already pay for a gym may value the FITPASS PRO membership more than the points.

Year one is the easy part: the smartwatch worth ₹7,999 is a clear gain over the ₹1,768.82 fee. From year two the card has to earn its keep, and the light example shows how much thin that is below ₹2 lakh of spends.

Skip it if your spending is mostly groceries, online shopping or bills, which all earn 0.5%. Skip it if you want UPI, since SBI Card doesn't tag PULSE for it, or if you travel abroad: forex is 3.5% and the Priority Pass comes without free visits, each costing up to US$27 plus taxes. Rent payers pays ₹199 plus taxes each month and earn nothing.

The trade-offs are smaller ones. The 4,000-point lots and the ₹116.82 fee push you to redeem once a year, the domestic lounge is just one visit a quarter, and the travel insurance no longer includes air accident cover.

Pros

Noise smartwatch worth ₹7,999 as the welcome gift, more than four times the fee with GST
10 Reward Points per ₹100 (2.5%) on chemist, pharmacy, sports, dining and movies
Wide 7,500-point monthly cap, room for ₹75,000 of category spends
Renewal fee waived on ₹2 lakh a year, about ₹16,667 a month
FITPASS PRO and Netmeds First memberships with every renewal
Free add-on cards and 4 domestic lounge visits a year with no spend condition stated

Cons

Only 0.5% on groceries, online shopping and other everyday spends
Statement credit only in 4,000-point lots since 1 April 2026, at ₹99 plus taxes each time
Not tagged for UPI by SBI Card; issued on Visa and Mastercard
The ₹50 lakh air accident insurance was withdrawn from 15 July 2025
Priority Pass visits are not free: up to US$27 plus taxes each
Forex mark-up of 3.5% plus GST, and rent costs ₹199 plus taxes a payment

PULSE compared with three lifestyle cards

These cards cost ₹999 to ₹2,999 a year plus GST and reward dining and daily spending; the side-by-side table on this tab list fees, earn rates, caps, lounges and forex.

SBI Card PRIME

The SBI Card PRIME is twice the fee at ₹2,999, waived on ₹3 lakh. It uses the same 10 points per ₹100 and 7,500-point monthly cap but on dining, departmental stores, grocery and movies, so groceries earns 2.5% and medicines do not. It adds 8 domestic lounge visits a year at Set B lounges, 4 Priority Pass visits abroad, a ₹3,000 welcome voucher and a RuPay option for UPI.

AU Ananta

The AU Ananta costs ₹2,000, charged on activation, with the annual fee waived on ₹3 lakh. It pays 5 points per ₹100 on shopping, dining and travel, 1.25% at AU's ₹0.25, plus up to 50,000 milestone points (₹12,500) at ₹10 lakh a year. Its 16 domestic lounge visits needs flight bookings of ₹5,000 or more on AU Rewardz, and forex is 3.49%.

HSBC Live+

The HSBC Live+ is the most cheapest at ₹999, reversed with GST above ₹2,00,000 a year. It pays 10% cashback on dining, food delivery, grocery, shopping and utilities, capped at ₹1,200 a month, and 1.5% on most other spends; pharmacy is not in its 10% list. 2 domestic lounge visits and 1 international come each year, forex is 1.99%, and HSBC needs ₹6 lakh a year of salary in its listed cities.

Who should pick which

PULSE: medicines, fitness, dining and movies, plus a strong first-year gift.
PRIME: groceries and dining for a bigger household, with more lounges and UPI.
Ananta: wide shopping and travel spend chasing large milestones.
Live+: cash back on food and groceries, if you meet HSBC's rules.

Browse the full SBI Card range, our best dining credit cards list, or the credit cards hub for the basics.

PULSE against similar cards

Term	SBI Card PULSE This card	SBI Card PRIME	AU Ananta Credit Card	HSBC Live+ Credit Card
Bank	SBI Card	SBI Card	AU Small Finance Bank (AU Bank)	HSBC India
Joining fee	₹1,499 + GST	₹2,999 + GST	₹2,000 + GST	₹999 + GST
Annual fee and waiver	₹1,499 + GST. Renewal Fee is reversed if annual spends for last year >= Rs. 2,00,000.	₹2,999 + GST. Renewal fee waived on annual spends of Rs. 3 lakhs (MITC: in the preceding year)	₹2,000 + GST. For 2nd year onwards Fee Waiver: Rs.3,00,000 retail spends done in previous card anniversary year. No joining fee waiver.	₹999 + GST. Annual fee, including GST, fully reversed if total eligible spend across primary and add-on cards in the anniversary year exceeds Rs 2,00,000
Base reward	2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on all other spends (about 0.5% value)	2 Reward Points per Rs. 100 on all other retail spends, except fuel (about 0.5% value)	2 Reward Points per Rs.100 on all other retail spends (about 0.5% value)	1.5% unlimited cashback on most other spends (exclusions apply) (about 1.5% value)
Best category	Chemist and pharmacy, sports, dining and movies: about 2.5% value	Birthday spends: about 5% value	Shopping, dining and travel: about 1.25% value	Dining, food delivery, grocery, shopping and utility spends: about 10% value
Lounges	Domestic: 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year (restricted to 1 per quarter) International: Complimentary Priority Pass membership (worth US$99) for first two years; no complimentary international visits stated (usage fee up to US$27 per visit per MITC)	Domestic: 8 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits a year (max 2 per quarter); from 10 Jan 2026 only at the lounges in SBI Card's 'Set B' list International: 4 complimentary Priority Pass lounge visits per calendar year outside India (max 2 per quarter); Priority Pass membership complimentary	Domestic: 4 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per calendar quarter (16 a year) International: None published	Domestic: 2 complimentary domestic lounge visits a year, limited to 1 visit every 6 months International: 1 complimentary international lounge visit a year (from 1 September 2026)
Forex markup	3.5% of the amount	3.5% of the amount	3.49% of the amount	1.99% of the amount
Network	Visa, Mastercard	Visa, Mastercard, American Express, RuPay	Visa	Visa
Published minimum income	Stable income; SBI Card says the specific minimum varies by card and does not...	Stable income; SBI Card says the specific minimum varies by card and does not...	Minimum monthly income as specified by the bank (no figure published)	₹50,000 a month
Status	Taking applications	Taking applications	Taking applications	Taking applications

Frequently asked questions

Is the SBI Card PULSE renewal fee waived?

Yes, if your spends in the preceding card year reach ₹2 lakh, about ₹16,667 a month. Otherwise the renewal fee is ₹1,499 plus GST, or ₹1,768.82 at 18%. The first-year fee of the same amount is always charged, and paying it is what brings the Noise smartwatch worth ₹7,999. Add-on cards are free.

How much are SBI Card PULSE Reward Points worth?

As statement credit each point is worth 25 paise, 4 points to ₹1, so the 10-point categories return 2.5% and other spends 0.5%. From 1 April 2026 you can redeem for statement credit only in blocks of 4,000 points, up to 60,000 a month, paying ₹99 plus taxes each time. Points are valid for 24 months.

What are the eligibility rules for SBI Card PULSE?

Salaried applicants must be 21 or over and self-employed applicants over 25. On the top age, SBI Card's own page shows 60 in its checklist and 70 in its FAQ. No minimum income is published for PULSE or any SBI card, SBI Card likes to see a score of 750 to 900, and the approval decision stays with SBI Card.

Does SBI Card PULSE give airport lounge access?

PULSE includes 4 free domestic lounge visits a year, no more than 1 in any quarter, with no spend condition stated. It also comes with a Priority Pass membership worth US$99 for the first two years, but SBI Card states no free visits with it, so each Priority Pass visit costs up to US$27 plus taxes. Forex mark-up is 3.5% plus GST.

What changed on SBI Card PULSE recently?

SBI Card dropped the ₹50 lakh air accident insurance from 15 July 2025. From 1 April 2026 statement credit is allowed only in multiples of 4,000 points, and the late fee slabs were revised on 1 May 2026. From 1 December 2026 SBI Card adds 1% on fuel above ₹50,000 in a billing cycle and on transport transactions above ₹30,000.

Which spends earn 10 points on SBI Card PULSE?

Chemist and pharmacy, sports, dining and movies earn 10 Reward Points per ₹100 under the PULSE terms, up to 7,500 points a calendar month. SBI Card's general rewards terms list only chemist, pharmacy, dining and movies, so sports is the one category stated two ways. Fuel, rent, wallet loads, government payments and digital gaming earn nothing.

Sources

SBI Cards and Payment Services Ltd: Most Important Terms & Conditions (PDF 'MITC- Common-30OCT26', Ver FY 27, 16); SBI Card PULSE T&C booklet; Shop & Smile Program Terms & Conditions (rewards program T&C for all SBI cards); SBI Card PULSE T&C booklet (fuel surcharge); SBI Card PULSE product page (page content served from SBI Card's card data file); SBI Card credit card listing (data feed behind the 'Credit Cards' listing page and card finder); SBI Card credit cards listing page, 'Get ready to apply' checklist (content file /templatedata/common/content-tab); SBI Card credit cards listing page, 'Get ready to apply' checklist; SBI Card credit cards listing page FAQ (content file /templatedata/common/faq); SBI Card credit cards listing page FAQ

Last verified: 5 November 2026

Written by Abhishek Kumar, 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.