Meet these thresholds and you're likely to be approved. Final call is HSBC's.
We've modeled this card's value for a default urban spender. Tweak the persona to see how it shifts — or personalize with your real spends.
Base rate, accelerated categories, milestones, and what each reward point is actually worth when you redeem.
Plays grounded in this card's specific levers. Updated each time HSBC tweaks the program.
Accelerated cashback tops out at Rs 1,000 per statement cycle, unlocked by Rs 10,000 in dining, food delivery and grocery spend. Push that Rs 10,000 through each cycle — Rs 12,000 annualises to Rs 12,000 cashback versus just Rs 180 at the 1.5% base.
In the first 30 days: Rs 5,000 of online spend earns the full Rs 1,000 welcome cashback (20% up to cap), Rs 10,000 unlocks 3-month Instamart+, and Rs 20,000 triggers the Rs 1,000 Amazon voucher — Rs 2,000+ stacked on a Rs 1,179 joining fee.
Domestic lounge access is 4 visits/year but each quarter's visit requires >Rs 50,000 spend in the previous quarter, and the benefit only activates after >Rs 10,000 in the first 90 days. Front-load Rs 10,000 early, then hold Rs 50k/quarter to unlock all four.
Annual fee is waived above Rs 2 lakh anniversary-year spend. At a Rs 16,667/month run rate — modest if you route dining and groceries here — the Rs 1,179 renewal disappears and base spend still earns 1.5% (Rs 3,000 on Rs 2 lakh).
Fuel, utilities, insurance, rent, telecom, education, government, wallet loads and jewellery earn zero on Live+. Route these elsewhere so the Rs 10,000 cycle-cap trigger is reached on eligible dining/grocery spend only — every excluded rupee is a wasted slot.
Fees, transaction charges, interest rates — all inclusive of taxes where noted.
Charges below are base amounts; GST applies where applicable.
Non-reward perks — lounges, dining, golf, insurance, concierge. Worth factoring into the total value, even when hard to price.
4 domestic visits per year. Primary cardholder.
₹2,000 Welcome reward points.
Air accident cover, lost-card liability, emergency card replacement abroad.
Joining and annual fee are both Rs 999 (Rs 1,179 with GST). The annual fee is waived on more than Rs 2 lakh of anniversary-year spend — roughly Rs 16,667/month. Route dining and grocery spend here and the waiver is comfortably in reach.
Last verified 2026-04. Sources: Issuer website, CardExpert, PaisaBazaar. Next scheduled review: 6 months from last update.
