SBI Cashback vs IDFC FIRST Wealth
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
IDFC FIRST Wealth wins 5-4. Lifetime-free premium — best zero-fee card in India. SBI Cashback is still the right call if pure online cashback — 5% on any online merchant, no partner restrictions..
Side-by-side
| Criterion | SBI Cashback | IDFC FIRST Wealth |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | · ₹999 | No annual fee |
| Joining fee | · ₹999 | None |
| Top reward rate | 5% (shopping) | · 3% (general) |
| Base reward rate | · 1% | 3% |
| Forex markup | · 3.5% | 1.5% |
| Welcome bonus | = Cashback offsets joining fee on first ₹999+ spend | = 5,000 reward points on first 90-day spend |
| Fee waiver threshold | ₹200,000 / yr | · N/A (no fee) |
| Min income | ₹360,000 | · ₹1,200,000 |
| Min credit score | 750 | · 770 |
| Editorial rating | · 4.6/5 | 4.7/5 |
Benefits compared
SBI Cashback
- 5% cashback on ALL online spends (not just listed merchants) — capped ₹5,000/month
- 1% cashback on offline spends
- Auto-credited within 2 days of statement
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver
IDFC FIRST Wealth
- 3x reward points on online spends (10x on weekends + travel)
- 4 international + 4 domestic lounge visits per quarter
- 1% fuel surcharge waiver
- Low forex markup at 1.5%
- Lifetime free — no annual fee, no fee-waiver math
FAQ
›SBI Cashback vs IDFC FIRST Wealth: which is better?
IDFC FIRST Wealth wins on more dimensions (5 vs 4). But the right answer depends on your specific spending pattern — see the calculator below.
›Can I get both?
Yes — if your credit profile supports it, holding both is the optimal play. Use SBI Cashback for online shopping, IDFC FIRST Wealth for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
SBI Cashback: Cashback offsets joining fee on first ₹999+ spend. IDFC FIRST Wealth: 5,000 reward points on first 90-day spend.