Federal Bank Scapia vs Cashback SBI Card
A field-by-field comparison of fees, reward rates, accelerated categories, caps, exclusions, lounge access and forex markup, using each issuer's own published terms. Affiliate payout never decides the verdict.
Short answer
Federal Bank Scapia and Cashback SBI Card differ first on recurring cost: Federal Bank Scapia has an annual fee of ₹0 against ₹999 + GST for Cashback SBI Card, so Federal Bank Scapia is cheaper to hold. On rewards, Federal Bank Scapia earns 10 Scapia Coins per ₹100 on eligible Visa spends (worth ₹2 toward Scapia travel) while Cashback SBI Card earns 1% cashback on eligible offline point-of-sale spend. Federal Bank Scapia has the lower forex markup at 0%. Neither card wins outright: the better choice depends on which accelerated categories match your spend, the monthly caps, the exclusions and issuer approval fit.
Source: CardMasters issuer-evidence catalogue, release 2026-08-25. Confirm final terms with the issuer.
| Feature | Federal Bank Scapia | Cashback SBI Card |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | Federal Bank | SBI Card |
| Joining fee | ₹0 | ₹999 + GST |
| Annual fee | ₹0 | ₹999 + GST |
| Fee waiver | No waiver recorded | ₹2,00,000 annual eligible spend |
| Base rewards | 10 Scapia Coins per ₹100 on eligible Visa spends (worth ₹2 toward Scapia travel) | 1% cashback on eligible offline point-of-sale spend |
| Accelerated routes | travel booked on Scapia app | 5% cashback on eligible online spend |
| Reward exclusions | rent, fuel, wallet load, emi, intl, education, gift card, card payment, crypto, insurance, utility, telecom, government, business service, financial institution, cash advance | fuel, rent, wallet load, utility, insurance, school, jewellery, railways, gift card, digital gaming, toll, government, merchant emi, flexipay emi |
| Forex markup | 0% | 3.5% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | Not recorded — confirm with issuer | Not recorded — confirm with issuer |
| Domestic lounge | unlimited domestic lounge access unlocks after ₹20,000 eligible spend in the preceding billing cycle; active-card, app QR, location and boarding-pass checks apply | none (removed) |
| International lounge | none | none |
| Card networks | Visa, RuPay | Visa, RuPay |
| Best suited to | international travel, zero forex, young traveler | online shopping, cashback, first card |
| Issuer evidence | Checked 2026-07-28 | Checked 2026-07-28 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Federal Bank Scapia better than the Cashback SBI Card?
Neither is universally better. Federal Bank Scapia charges ₹0 a year and earns 10 Scapia Coins per ₹100 on eligible Visa spends (worth ₹2 toward Scapia travel); Cashback SBI Card charges ₹999 + GST and earns 1% cashback on eligible offline point-of-sale spend. The better card is the one whose accelerated categories, caps and exclusions match your actual spending, after subtracting the annual fee and GST.
Which of the two has the lower annual fee, Federal Bank Scapia or Cashback SBI Card?
Federal Bank Scapia has the lower recorded annual fee at ₹0. A spend-based waiver may reduce the effective cost of the other card, so check the waiver threshold before deciding.
Which is better for international spending, Federal Bank Scapia or Cashback SBI Card?
Federal Bank Scapia publishes the lower forex markup at 0% versus 3.5%. Also confirm whether international transactions earn rewards, since some issuers exclude them.
Can I hold both cards together?
Yes, provided each is approved on its own merits and you can pay both statements in full. Holding both makes sense only when their accelerated categories do not overlap; otherwise the second card adds an annual fee without adding rewards.