SimplySAVE SBI Card Review: 10X on Groceries, Dining and Movies
SimplySAVE SBI Card is a ₹499 (plus GST) everyday card that earns 10 Reward Points per ₹150 on dining, movies, departmental stores and groceries, about 1.67% at ₹0.25 a point, and 1 point per ₹150 on other spends. The renewal fee is reversed at ₹1 lakh of yearly spend, and the RuPay variant works on UPI. It suits families whose card spending is mostly supermarket runs and eating out rather than online shopping or travel.
Key facts
- Joining fee
- ₹499 + GST
- Annual fee
- ₹499 + GST. Renewal Fee is reversed if annual spends for last year >= Rs. 1,00,000.
- Base reward
- 1 Reward Point per Rs. 150 spent on all other spends (about 0.17% value)
- Best category
- Dining, movies, departmental stores, grocery and supermarkets: about 1.67% value
- Lounge
- Domestic: None listed on card page International: None listed on card page
- Forex markup
- 3.5% of the amount
- Network
- Visa, Mastercard, RuPay
Opens the bank's own page for this card. Approval and the credit limit are the bank's decision.
In short
A cheap, easy everyday card for grocery and dining spends with a RuPay UPI option, though its 1.67% top rate and 0.17% base rate are modest.
Best for
- Families whose main card spends are supermarkets, restaurants and movies
- First-time card users who want a low fee that is easy to get reversed
- UPI users who want a RuPay credit card for merchant payments
Skip it if
- You mostly shop online, where an online rewards or cashback card pays more
- You need airport lounges or a low forex markup
Highlights
- Joining and renewal fee ₹499 plus GST, reversed at ₹1 lakh of yearly spend
- 10 points per ₹150 (about 1.67%) on dining, movies, departmental stores and groceries
- Category points capped at 5,000 a month
- 2,000 welcome points (₹500) on ₹2,000 of spend within 60 days
- RuPay variant can be linked to UPI
A plain everyday card from SBI Card
SimplySAVE is the card SBI Card pitch at people who spend in the real world: the weekly supermarket bill, a family dinner, a movie on Sunday. SBI Cards and Payment Services Limited issues it in Visa, Mastercard and RuPay versions for ₹499 a year plus GST. It's often a first credit card, and the low fee is easy to get reversed. The rest of SBI's range is on our SBI Card hub.
What stands out
- 10X on four everyday categories. Restaurants, cinemas, departmental stores and supermarkets pay 10 points per ₹150, roughly 1.67% back, up to 5,000 points a month.
- Points per ₹150, not per ₹100. Everything else earns 1 point per ₹150, only about 0.17%, and part-blocks below ₹150 earns nothing.
- RuPay and UPI. The RuPay variant can be linked to UPI for paying shops and merchants.
2024 to 2026 changes
Three categories dropped out of the points programme in 2024: rent on 1 April, government payments on 1 June and digital gaming on 1 December. Then from 1 April 2026 points can be turned into bill credit only 4,000 at a time, and no more than 60,000 a month, which slow down how often a light user can cash in. On 23 September 2026 SBI Card announced a fully digital route on SBI's YONO app to get the secured SimplySAVE Advantage against an SBI fixed deposit.
Status: the card is active and taking applications. For other everyday cards, see our credit cards guide.
SimplySAVE fees and charges
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹499 plus GST |
| Renewal fee from year two | ₹499 plus GST |
| Fee with 18% GST | ₹588.82 |
| Renewal reversed at | ₹1 lakh of spends in the previous year |
| Add-on card | Nil |
Is the waiver easy to reach?
Yes for most households. ₹1,00,000 a year is about ₹8,334 a month (₹1,00,000 divided by 12), and the grocery bill plus a couple of dinners often fulfils it. The tax works out as 18% of ₹499, which is ₹89.82. If you only use the card now and then, budget the ₹588.82 every year, since there are no other fee reversals or vouchers.
Interest and late payment
Unpaid balances attract 3.75% a month, which is 45% a year; SBI Card set that rate from 1 November 2024. The interest-free window of 20 to 50 days only applies when you paid the earlier bill in full. Late fees are in slabs that rises with the amount due, starting at ₹100 once more than ₹100 is due and topping out at ₹1,300 above ₹50,000, with an added ₹100 each cycle after two missed minimums in a row. The slabs were last revised on 1 May 2026 and GST is extra.
Cash, foreign spends and special categories
Cash withdrawals cost 2.5% of the amount, at least ₹500, plus interest from that day. The foreign currency markup is 3.5%, and rupee transactions of ₹1,000 or more abroad, or with a merchant based overseas, pay it too. Over-limit use, if you have agreed to it, costs 2.5% of the excess with a ₹600 minimum.
Paying rent costs a ₹199 plus GST processing fee every time. Utility bills over ₹50,000 in one cycle draw 1% on the whole amount since 1 December 2024. Since 1 November 2025, loading a wallet with more than ₹1,000 cost 1% of the load, and so does paying school or college fees through a third-party app, though paying the institution directly is free. Two more arrive on 1 December 2026: 1% on a cycle's total fuel once it passes ₹50,000, and 1% on any transport payment above ₹30,000.
At the pump, SBI Card refunds the 1% fuel surcharge when a single fill is between ₹500 and ₹3,000, to a maximum of ₹100 per statement cycle, but not when you pay with the RuPay card over UPI.
SimplySAVE: fees and charges
| Joining fee | ₹499 + GST |
|---|---|
| Annual or renewal fee | ₹499 + GST |
| Annual fee waiver | Renewal Fee is reversed if annual spends for last year >= Rs. 1,00,000. |
| Add-on card fee | Nil |
| GST | Charged on top of the fees and charges listed |
| In the bank’s words | Annual Fee: Rs. 499 + taxes; Renewal Fee (per annum): Rs. 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 |
|
SimplySAVE rewards and three family budgets
How the points add up
The 10X list is dining, movies, departmental stores, and grocery and supermarkets, at 10 points per ₹150. Everything else, earn 1 point per ₹150. Since points accrue per full ₹150, a ₹80 coffee earns nothing and a ₹450 dinner, three full blocks, earns 30 points. Value at ₹0.25 a point: 10 points on ₹150 is ₹2.50, which is 1.67%, and 1 point on ₹150 is 0.17%.
The 10X points are capped at 5,000 a month, after which those categories fall to 1 point per ₹150. 5,000 divided by 10, times ₹150, is ₹75,000 of category spend a month, so almost no household hit it. Buying groceries at Metro Cash and Carry, Flipkart Wholesale or Walmart won't get you the 10X.
Fuel, rent, wallet loads, gaming and government payments earn no points, and neither do cash advances, balance transfers, Encash, Flexipay or fees; EMI conversions lose their points. UPI payments to merchants on the RuPay variant earn points the same way as a swipe, minus these exclusions.
Redeeming, expiry and welcome points
4 points equal ₹1 as statement credit. Since 1 April 2026 you need blocks of 4,000 points and can redeem up to 60,000 points a month, with a ₹99 plus GST fee each time, so one block of 4,000 gives ₹1,000 minus ₹116.82. Catalogue values aren't published. Points lapse on the last day of the 24th month.
New cardholders who paid the ₹499 first-year fee get 2,000 bonus points, which SBI Card values at ₹500, on spending ₹2,000 or more within 60 days of receiving the card. There are no milestone gifts beyond the fee reversal.
Worked examples for three households
These assume bills in full ₹150 blocks; odd amounts earns a little lesser.
| Per month | Light | Typical | Heavy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries, dining, movies | ₹4,500 | ₹15,000 | ₹30,000 |
| Other spends | ₹4,500 | ₹9,000 | ₹21,000 |
| Points a month | 330 | 1,060 | 2,140 |
| Points a year | 3,960 | 12,720 | 25,680 |
| Value a year at ₹0.25 | ₹990 | ₹3,180 | ₹6,420 |
| Renewal fee | Reversed | Reversed | Reversed |
Light, ₹9,000 a month. ₹4,500 of groceries is 30 blocks of ₹150, so 300 points, and ₹4,500 of other spends is 30 points: 330 a month, 3,960 a year, worth ₹990. ₹9,000 times 12 is ₹1,08,000, just over the ₹1 lakh line, so the fee is reversed. In year one the 2,000 welcome points add ₹500 against the ₹588.82 joining cost.
Typical, ₹24,000 a month. ₹15,000 in the 10X categories is 100 blocks, 1,000 points, and ₹9,000 elsewhere is 60 points, so 1,060 a month and 12,720 a year, worth ₹3,180. ₹24,000 times 12 is ₹2,88,000, far above the waiver line.
Heavy, ₹51,000 a month. ₹30,000 in the categories is 200 blocks, 2,000 points, and ₹21,000 elsewhere is 140, so 2,140 a month, 25,680 a year, worth ₹6,420, with the fee reversed. Even here the 5,000-point cap is far away.
That is about 1.05% of total spend for the heavy family (₹6,420 out of ₹51,000 times 12, or ₹6,12,000), because the base rate pull the average down.
SimplySAVE: higher-reward categories
| Category | Rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Dining (MCC 5812, 5813, 5814), movies (MCC 7832), departmental stores (MCC 5311), grocery and supermarkets (MCC 5411) | 10 Reward Points for every Rs.150 spent (10X), about 1.67% value | maximum cap of 5,000 Reward Points per month; after that 1 RP per Rs.150, ₹5,000, month |
SimplySAVE: how rewards work
| Earned as | Reward Points |
|---|---|
| Base rate | 1 Reward Point per Rs. 150 spent on all other spends. About 0.17% value back |
| Minimum spend rules | Points accrue per full Rs.150 (Shop & Smile example: spend of Rs.80 earns no point) |
| No rewards on |
|
| Lower rewards on |
|
| Value of a point |
|
| Redemption fee | Rs. 99 + taxes on physical products, statement credit and physically sent vouchers (MITC) |
| Expiry | 24 months; points lapse on the last day of the 24th month |
| Welcome benefits |
|
| Milestone benefits |
|
| Lounge access | Domestic: None listed on card page International: None listed on card page |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% waiver on transactions between Rs. 500 and Rs. 3,000 at all petrol pumps in India; max Rs. 100 per statement cycle; not on fuel paid by RuPay card via UPI |
| Insurance cover | None listed on card page |
Applying for SimplySAVE
Who can apply
SBI Card takes salaried applicants from 21 years onwards of age, self-employed people once they are over 25 (when applying online) and retired pensioners over 40. Its own eligibility page list the maximum age as 60 in the checklist and 70 in the FAQ, so we give both. Income must be stable, and SBI Card does not publish a minimum for SimplySAVE. In SBI Card's online card finder it shows up when you browse the "Less than 50K" income range, which is a filter, not a requirement.
Documents
For digital KYC, keep your PAN ready along with Aadhaar with its first 8 digits blacked out, or another valid government address proof. If SBI Card wants income proof, it may ask for a salary slip or ITR depending on your profile.
Ways to apply, including against a fixed deposit
- Online on SBI Card's website or through its ILA chatbot.
- Over the phone on 39 02 02 02 (add your STD code first), or in person at any SBI branch.
- Through the YONO app if you have an SBI fixed deposit: since 23 September 2026 it offers SimplySAVE Advantage, the secured version. Its fee is ₹499 with the same waiver rule, and secured cards carry interest of 2.75% monthly, 33% yearly. SBI Card does not publish the minimum FD or how much limit you get against it.
The FD route help people with a thin credit history or irregular income, since the deposit backs the limit. For service queries, our page of SBI Card helpline numbers lists them all.
How the decision gets made
A score preferably between 750 and 900, a positive repayment record, and an address in an area SBI Card covers. Having an SBI bank account isn't required. Under RBI rules the issuer must assess your own repayment capacity and your other credit limits, give a Key Fact Statement with the application, and explain a rejection in writing. Approval rests with SBI Card.
SimplySAVE: 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 'Less than 50K' - a browsing filter, not a stated eligibility minimum. |
| Documents |
|
| 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.
Is SimplySAVE the right everyday card?
It suits a household that puts ₹10,000 to ₹30,000 a month on groceries, restaurants and movies, pays in stores or by UPI, and wants a card that costs nothing after the first year. For them the fee reversal is almost automatic and the 1.67% on everyday categories is steady value with no tracking of partner lists.
It is less useful if your spending is mostly online. The sister SimplyCLICK SBI Card pays 2.5% at its online partners for the same ₹499. Drivers who also buy groceries may do better with the BPCL SBI Card OCTANE, which pays 2.5% on the same kind of categories plus fuel points, though for ₹1,499.
The honest trade-off is that 0.17% base rate. Anything outside the four categories earns almost nothing, and points are only worth ₹0.25 each with a ₹99 redemption fee. Keep it as your grocery and dining card and use another one for the rest, that way it pay its way. A ₹499 card that costs nothing from year two and earn steadily on food is still a sensible first step for many new card users.
Pros
- 10 points per ₹150 (about 1.67%) on dining, movies, departmental stores and groceries
- ₹499 renewal fee reversed at ₹1 lakh of yearly spend, about ₹8,334 a month
- 2,000 welcome points worth ₹500 on ₹2,000 of spend in the first 60 days
- RuPay variant links to UPI for merchant payments
- Secured SimplySAVE Advantage on YONO for SBI fixed deposit holders since 23 September 2026
Cons
- Other spends earn 1 point per ₹150, only about 0.17%
- Points accrue per full ₹150, so small bills earn little or nothing
- Statement credit only in 4,000-point blocks with a ₹99 plus GST fee
- No lounge access and a 3.5% forex markup
- No points on fuel, rent, wallet loads, government payments or gaming
SimplySAVE against similar everyday cards
Here's how two other everyday cards and SBI's own online sibling compares on the same kind of spending.
IDFC FIRST Millennia
The FIRST Millennia Credit Card is lifetime free with a 0% forex markup. It earns 10 points per ₹200 on dining, travel and birthday spends, which is 1.25% at ₹0.25 a point, and 3 points per ₹200 (0.375%) elsewhere, including groceries. On ₹10,000 of restaurant bills it gives 500 points worth ₹125, while SimplySAVE gives 66 full blocks of ₹150, 660 points worth ₹165. It asks for ₹3 lakh of yearly income and charges 3.85% a month interest.
HSBC Live+
The HSBC Live+ card costs ₹999 plus GST with a ₹2 lakh waiver and pays 10% back on dining, food delivery and grocery (shopping and utilities too), capped at ₹1,200 a month, plus 1.5% elsewhere. ₹12,000 of grocery and dining a month earns the full ₹1,200 there, against 800 points worth ₹200 on SimplySAVE (80 blocks of ₹150). The catch: ₹6 lakh of yearly income and a list of cities.
SimplyCLICK SBI Card
Same ₹499 fee and ₹1 lakh waiver, but built for online spends: 10 points per ₹100 at 11 partners and 5 per ₹100 on other online buys. Pick SimplyCLICK if your groceries come by app, SimplySAVE if you shop in person.
| Your situation | Better fit |
|---|---|
| Supermarket, dining and movies in person, UPI user | SimplySAVE SBI Card |
| Want no fee at all and dine out often | IDFC FIRST Millennia |
| Income above ₹6 lakh in an HSBC city | HSBC Live+ |
| Most shopping done online | SimplyCLICK SBI Card |
Run your own numbers with our card comparison tool.
SimplySAVE against similar cards
| Term | SimplySAVE SBI Card This card | SimplyCLICK SBI Card | BPCL SBI Card OCTANE | FIRST Millennia Credit Card |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bank | SBI Card | SBI Card | SBI Card | IDFC FIRST Bank |
| Joining fee | ₹499 + GST | ₹499 + GST | ₹1,499 + GST | Nil |
| Annual fee and waiver | ₹499 + GST. Renewal Fee is reversed if annual spends for last year >= Rs. 1,00,000. | ₹499 + GST. Renewal Fee is reversed if annual spends for last year >= Rs. 1,00,000. | ₹1,499 + GST. Renewal Fee is reversible if annual spend for last year ≥ Rs. 200,000 | Nil |
| Base reward | 1 Reward Point per Rs. 150 spent on all other spends (about 0.17% value) | 1 Reward Point per Rs. 100 on all other spends (about 0.25% value) | 1 Reward Point per Rs (about 0.25% value) | 3X Reward Points on eligible spends (about 0.375% value) |
| Best category | Dining, movies, departmental stores, grocery and supermarkets: about 1.67% value | Online spends with exclusive partners: Apollo 24x7, BookMyShow, Cleartrip, Domino's, GyFTR, IGP, Myntra, Netmeds, Swiggy, Tata CLiQ, Yatra: about 2.5% value | BPCL fuel and lubricants at BPCL pumps: about 6.25% value | Hotel bookings via 'FIRST Rewards Gallery' in the IDFC FIRST Bank app: about 5% value |
| Lounges | Domestic: None listed on card page International: None listed on card page | Domestic: None listed on card page International: None listed on card page | Domestic: 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits per calendar year (max 1 per quarter); from 10 Jan 2026 only at lounges in SBI Card's 'Set A' list International: None listed | Domestic: No airport lounge. 4 complimentary railway lounge visits every quarter. International: None |
| Forex markup | 3.5% of the amount | 3.5% of the amount | 3.5% of the amount | 0% (no markup) |
| Network | Visa, Mastercard, RuPay | Visa, Mastercard | Visa, RuPay | Not stated by the bank |
| 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... | Stable income; SBI Card says the specific minimum varies by card and does not... | ₹25,000 a month |
| Status | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications | Taking applications |
Frequently asked questions
What is the SimplySAVE SBI Card annual fee and how is it reversed?
How much are SimplySAVE reward points worth?
What do I need to apply for the SimplySAVE SBI Card?
Is SimplySAVE a good card for travel?
What is SimplySAVE Advantage, launched on YONO in September 2026?
Can I use SimplySAVE on UPI and still earn points?
Related
- SimplyCLICK SBI Card Review: 10X Online Points for a ₹499 Fee
- BPCL SBI Card OCTANE Review: 25 Points per ₹100 on BPCL Fuel
- FIRST Millennia Credit Card Review: Free for Life, 10X on Food and Travel
- HSBC Live+ Credit Card Review: 10% Cashback Capped at ₹1,200 a Month
- SBI Card Credit Cards 2026: Caps, Fees and the Card That Fits You
Sources
- SBI Cards and Payment Services Ltd: Most Important Terms & Conditions (PDF 'MITC- Common-30OCT26', Ver FY 27, 16); SimplySAVE SBI Card Terms & Conditions booklet; SimplySAVE SBI Card Terms & Conditions booklet (welcome offer); Shop & Smile Program Terms & Conditions (rewards program T&C for all SBI cards); SimplySAVE SBI Card product page (page content served from SBI Card's card data file); SBI Card UPI FAQ; 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)
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.