HDFC Bank Millennia 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
HDFC Bank Millennia and Cashback SBI Card differ first on recurring cost: HDFC Bank Millennia has an annual fee of ₹1,000 against ₹999 + GST for Cashback SBI Card, so Cashback SBI Card is cheaper to hold. On rewards, HDFC Bank Millennia earns 1% in CashPoints while Cashback SBI Card earns 1% cashback on eligible offline point-of-sale spend. 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 | Cashback SBI Card |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer | HDFC Bank | SBI Card |
| Joining fee | ₹1,000 | ₹999 + GST |
| Annual fee | ₹1,000 | ₹999 + GST |
| Fee waiver | ₹1,00,000 annual eligible spend | ₹2,00,000 annual eligible spend |
| Base rewards | 1% in CashPoints | 1% cashback on eligible offline point-of-sale spend |
| Accelerated routes | Amazon/BookMyShow/Cult.fit/Flipkart/Myntra/Sony LIV/Swiggy/Tata CLiQ/Uber/Zomato | 5% cashback on eligible online spend |
| Reward exclusions | fuel, rent, wallet load, emi, government | fuel, rent, wallet load, utility, insurance, school, jewellery, railways, gift card, digital gaming, toll, government, merchant emi, flexipay emi |
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | Not recorded — confirm with issuer | Not recorded — confirm with issuer |
| Domestic lounge | up to 4/yr as an alternative to the ₹1,000 quarterly milestone voucher (₹1L/quarter spend) | none (removed) |
| International lounge | none | none |
| Card networks | Visa, Mastercard | Visa, RuPay |
| Best suited to | online shopping, first card, young professional | online shopping, cashback, first card |
| Issuer evidence | Checked 2026-07-16 | Checked 2026-07-28 |
Frequently asked questions
Is the HDFC Bank Millennia better than the Cashback SBI Card?
Neither is universally better. HDFC Bank Millennia charges ₹1,000 a year and earns 1% in CashPoints; 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, HDFC Bank Millennia or Cashback SBI Card?
Cashback SBI Card has the lower recorded annual fee at ₹999 + GST. 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 Cashback SBI Card?
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.