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Credit CardsComparisons

HSBC Live+ Credit Card vs IDFC FIRST Select

A head-to-head comparison of HSBC Live+ Credit Card and IDFC FIRST Select across fees, rewards, and spending categories to help you decide which card suits your wallet better.

Grocery & RetailCard A

HSBC Live+ Credit Card

Supermarket Runs

Annual Fee
₹999
Reward Rate
10% on Dining/Groceries
Apply Now Read full review →
Grocery & RetailCard B

IDFC FIRST Select

High Volume Spenders

Annual Fee
Lifetime Free
Reward Rate
10X on incremental spends
Apply Now Read full review →

Feature comparison

FeatureHSBC Live+IDFC FIRST
Annual Fee₹999 (Waived on ₹2L spend)Lifetime Free
Reward Rate10% on Dining/Groceries10X on incremental spends
Best ForSupermarket RunsHigh Volume Spenders
First-Card Friendly
Lounge Access
Zero Forex Markup

Spending category coverage

Which categories does each card reward?

CategoryHSBC Live+IDFC FIRST
Groceries
Dining
Everyday spending
Airport lounge access

Quick verdict

Choose HSBC Live+ Credit Card if:

  • You spend heavily on dining

Choose IDFC FIRST Select if:

  • Lower annual fee (₹Nil vs ₹999)
  • You spend heavily on everyday spending
  • This is your first credit card

Full pros & cons

HSBC Live+ Credit Card

What's good
  • Massive 10% grocery and dining multiplier
  • 1.5% unlimited cashback on all other eligible spends
  • 4 complimentary domestic lounge visits per year (1 per quarter)
Watch out for
  • 10% Cashback category is strictly capped at ₹1,000 per month
  • No international lounge access

IDFC FIRST Select

What's good
  • Lifetime free with no annual charges ever
  • Reward points never expire
  • Domestic lounge access available
Watch out for
  • Lounge access requires ₹20,000 spend in the previous calendar month
  • 10X multiplier only activates after spending ₹20,000 in a billing cycle
  • Tiered reward calculation is complex to track
  • Reward earning base revised from ₹150 to ₹200 per point (devaluation)