HDFC Bank Millennia vs BPCL SBI Card OCTANE
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
HDFC Bank Millennia and BPCL SBI Card OCTANE differ first on recurring cost: HDFC Bank Millennia has an annual fee of ₹1,000 against ₹1,499 + GST for BPCL SBI Card OCTANE, so HDFC Bank Millennia is cheaper to hold. On rewards, HDFC Bank Millennia earns 1% in CashPoints while BPCL SBI Card OCTANE earns 1% in Reward Points. Both publish the same 3.5% forex markup. 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 | HDFC Bank Millennia | BPCL SBI Card OCTANE |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | HDFC Bank | SBI Card |
| Joining fee | ₹1,000 | ₹1,499 + GST |
| Annual fee | ₹1,000 | ₹1,499 + GST |
| Fee waiver | ₹1,00,000 annual eligible spend | ₹2,00,000 annual eligible spend |
| Base rewards | 1% in CashPoints | 1% in Reward Points |
| Accelerated routes | Amazon/BookMyShow/Cult.fit/Flipkart/Myntra/Sony LIV/Swiggy/Tata CLiQ/Uber/Zomato | 25 Reward Points per ₹100 at eligible BPCL fuel and lubricant outlets · 25 Reward Points per ₹100 on eligible Bharatgas website/app payments · 10 Reward Points per ₹100 on eligible dining, departmental-store, grocery and movie spend |
| Reward exclusions | fuel, rent, wallet load, emi, government | fuel, wallet load, non BPCL fuel |
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | Not recorded — confirm with issuer | ₹100/mo fuel surcharge waiver |
| Domestic lounge | up to 4/yr as an alternative to the ₹1,000 quarterly milestone voucher (₹1L/quarter spend) | 4/yr (1 per quarter, restricted Jan 2026) |
| International lounge | none | none |
| Card networks | Visa, Mastercard | Visa, RuPay |
| Best suited to | online shopping, first card, young professional | fuel, daily commuter |
| Issuer evidence | Checked 2026-07-16 | Checked 2026-08-01 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the HDFC Bank Millennia better than the BPCL SBI Card OCTANE?
Neither is universally better. HDFC Bank Millennia charges ₹1,000 a year and earns 1% in CashPoints; BPCL SBI Card OCTANE charges ₹1,499 + GST and earns 1% in Reward Points. 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, HDFC Bank Millennia or BPCL SBI Card OCTANE?
HDFC Bank Millennia has the lower recorded annual fee at ₹1,000. 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, HDFC Bank Millennia or BPCL SBI Card OCTANE?
Both publish a 3.5% forex markup, so compare international reward eligibility and lounge access instead.
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.