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SBI Cashback Credit Card vs Axis Bank ACE Credit Card

The SBI Cashback Credit Card and Axis Bank ACE Credit Card are the two most recommended cashback cards in India under ₹1,000 — but they earn in very different ways. SBI Cashback gives you a higher 5% rate on online purchases, while Axis ACE gives a flat 1.5% on every single rupee spent, anywhere. The right pick depends entirely on where you actually spend money.

Axis ACE is the simpler, more versatile everyday card; SBI Cashback earns more only if your online spend consistently hits ₹15K+ a month.

CashbackCard A
Annual Fee
₹999
Reward Rate
5% Flat Cashback
Apply Now Read full review →
Recommended
Grocery & RetailCard B

Axis Bank ACE Credit Card

Retail & Groceries

Annual Fee
₹499
Reward Rate
1.5% Flat Cashback
Apply Now Read full review →

Feature comparison

FeatureSBI CashbackAxis Bank
Annual Fee₹999 (Waived on ₹2L spend)₹499 (Waived on ₹2L spend)
Reward Rate5% Flat Cashback1.5% Flat Cashback
Best ForOnline ShoppingRetail & Groceries
First-Card Friendly
Lounge Access
Zero Forex Markup

Spending category coverage

Which categories does each card reward?

CategorySBI CashbackAxis Bank
Online shopping
Groceries
Dining
Utility bills
Everyday spending

Earning example

Scenario: Monthly spend: ₹20,000 online + ₹10,000 offline

SBI Cashback Credit Card
₹1,000 (5% on online, capped at ₹2,000/cycle)
Offline earns 1% = ₹100. Total: ₹1,100/month.
Axis Bank ACE Credit Card
₹450 (1.5% on all ₹30,000)
No category restrictions. Utilities via GPay earn 5%: ₹500 extra if applicable.

Our verdict: which card should you pick?

Pick SBI Cashback Credit Card

  • Your monthly online spend (Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, Nykaa) is consistently above ₹15,000 — at that level, the 5% rate earns back the ₹500 fee difference before the cap bites.
  • You want direct statement credit, not reward points — SBI Cashback credits straight to your outstanding, no redemption portal required.
  • You carry a separate fuel card and don't need utility bill rewards.

Pick Axis Bank ACE Credit Card

  • Your spend is split across online, offline, dining, fuel, and bills — Axis ACE earns 1.5% on everything with zero exclusion anxiety.
  • You pay utility bills via Google Pay — ACE gives 5% on those, which can be worth ₹200-500 a month on its own.
  • You want the lower ₹499 annual fee with an achievable ₹2L waiver.
  • You order from both Swiggy and Zomato — ACE gives 4% on both, while SBI Cashback treats them as generic online spend.

Full pros & cons

SBI Cashback Credit Card

What's good
  • Direct statement credit — no point conversion needed
  • Works across Amazon, Flipkart, Swiggy, and 100+ online merchants
  • 1% cashback on offline POS spends (capped at ₹2,000/month)
Watch out for
  • 5% online cashback capped at ₹2,000/cycle; total cap across categories: ₹4,000/cycle (reduced from ₹5,000 in April 2026)
  • Government, rent, wallet load, utility, toll, and digital gaming payments excluded
  • No airport lounge access
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Axis Bank ACE Credit Card

What's good
  • Uncapped 1.5% cashback on all online and offline spends
  • 5% cashback on utility bill payments via Google Pay, PhonePe, or any BBPS-enabled UPI app
  • 4% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, and Ola
Watch out for
  • 5% and 4% cashback categories have a strict combined cap of ₹500 per month
  • Lounge access requires a heavy ₹50,000 spend in the previous quarter
  • Cashback credited only after statement generation
Apply Now

Frequently asked questions

Which earns more cashback — SBI Cashback or Axis ACE?
It depends on your spending mix. SBI Cashback earns 5% on online purchases but caps out at ₹2,000 per cycle — so the maximum from online spend is ₹2,000/month. Axis ACE earns 1.5% flat with no cap, plus 4% on Swiggy/Zomato/Ola and 5% on utilities via Google Pay. For an average household spending ₹25K/month across categories, Axis ACE typically earns ₹450-800/month vs SBI Cashback's ₹400-600.
Can I hold both SBI Cashback and Axis ACE at the same time?
Yes. You can hold cards from different banks simultaneously. Many savvy cardholders use SBI Cashback for online shopping (to hit the 5% cap) and Axis ACE for everything else, maximising earnings across both categories.
Which card is better for first-time users?
Axis ACE is the better starter card. Its simple 1.5% flat structure has no category tracking required, the ₹499 fee is lower, and the 5% utility bills rate makes bill payments rewarding from day one. SBI Cashback's monthly cap mechanics require more attention to optimise.
Is the SBI Cashback annual fee waivable?
Yes, the ₹999 fee is waived if you spend ₹2 lakh in the preceding year. Axis ACE's ₹499 fee is also waived on ₹2 lakh annual spend. Both thresholds are achievable for anyone using the card as a daily driver.

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