SBI PRIME and ELITE are two premium credit cards from SBI Cards. Both started off as well rewarding cards but have seen some devaluations over the years. Here is a detailed comparison of SBI PRIME vs ELITE credit card and their rewards/benefits.
Fees and Charges
| Fee Type | SBI PRIME | SBI ELITE |
|---|---|---|
| Joining/Renewal Fee | Rs 2999 | Rs 4999 |
| Welcome Benefit | Rs 3000 Gift Voucher | Rs 5000 Gift Voucher |
| Renewal Fee Waiver | Rs 3 Lakhs spend in a membership year | Rs 10 Lakhs spend in a membership year |
SBI ELITE has a 66% higher fee than SBI PRIME. Even the renewal fee waiver is set at Rs 10 Lakhs which is difficult to achieve.
The gift vouchers options for the welcome benefit are Bata/Hush Puppies, Pantaloons, Aditya Birla Fashion, Shoppers Stop, and Yatra.com in case of both cards.
Rewards
SBI PRIME has an edge with extra rewards on birthday spending. The value as per the max cap is Rs 500 valid once a year.
| Spend Category | SBI PRIME | SBI ELITE |
|---|---|---|
| Dining, Groceries, Departmental stores and Movies | 10 reward points per Rs 100 | 10 reward points per Rs 100 |
| Other Spends | 2 reward points per Rs 100 | 2 reward points per Rs 100 |
| Birthday Spends (one day before, on birthday and one day after) | 20 reward points per Rs 100 Capped at 2000 RP per year | Same as regular rewards rate. No extra benefit. |
Milestone Rewards
SBI ELITE is better than SBI PRIME with better milestone rewards for high spenders. But, this is against a higher annual fee as well. We get a total of 50000 bonus reward points on achieving annual spending of Rs 8 Lakhs with SBI ELITE. With each RP equal to 25 paise, this will be a total benefit of Rs 12500. The extra return on spending with this milestone benefit is 1.5%.
SBI PRIME
- Rs 1000 Pizza Hut Gift Voucher on spending Rs 50000 in a calendar quarter
- Rs 7000 Yatra or Pantaloons Gift Voucher on spending Rs 5 Lakhs in a membership year
SBI ELITE
- 10000 Bonus RP on annual spends of Rs 3 Lakhs and Rs 4 Lakhs in a membership year
- 15000 Bonus RP on annual spends of Rs 5 Lakhs and Rs 8 Lakhs in a membership year
Common Benefits
Both ELITE and PRIME carry the same benefits for Vistara and Trident Privilege.
Club Vistara Silver Membership
ELITE also comes with Club Vistara Silver membership. We get 1 complimentary upgrade voucher and 9 CV points/Rs 100 on Vistara flight spends.
Trident Privilege Membership
- Trident Privilege Red Tier Membership and corresponding benefits
- 10 points for every Rs 100 spent during the stay at participating hotels
Extra Benefits on SBI ELITE
Complimentary Movie Tickets
We get 2 free movie tickets per month on BookMyShow. The per ticket discount price is capped at Rs 250. We have to pay additional fees if any plus the convenience charges.
This is a total benefit of Rs 6000/year.
ELITE also comes with Club Vistara Silver membership. We get 1 complimentary upgrade voucher and 9 CV points/Rs 100 on Vistara flight spends.
Forex Markup
- 1.99% foreign currency mark-up charges on international transactions
Complimentary Airport Lounge Access
SBI PRIME
- 4 complimentary visits per calendar year to International Airport Priority Pass Lounges outside India (2 visits/quarter)
- 8 complimentary visits per calendar year to Domestic Lounges in India through Visa / Mastercard / American Express (2 visits/quarter)
SBI ELITE
- 6 complimentary visits per calendar year to International Airport Priority Pass Lounges outside India (2 visits/quarter)
- 8 complimentary visits per calendar year to Domestic Lounges in India through Visa / Mastercard / American Express (2 visits/quarter)
Which card is better – SBI ELITE vs SBI PRIME?
This will depend on the planned spending on the card. For high spends who can spend Rs 10 Lakh in a year, the ELITE is a better choice. The milestone rewards, free BMS tickets, and better lounge access are great benefits on ELITE.
If spends are between Rs 3 Lakhs and 10 Lakhs then PRIME would be a better choice.
This comparison is valid only if you are looking to choose a card between PRIME and ELITE. When compared to other cards, both are not so rewarding for their respective segments. We have many better options available which provide better rewards at a lower annual fee. To check some options, do visit the best credit cards of 2022 article.
