Head-to-head · 🇮🇳 India
SBI ELITE vs Axis Reserve
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
IN
Premium
SBI Card
SBI ELITE
Wins 5 of 10
IN
Premium
Axis Bank
Axis Reserve
VISA
Wins 4 of 10
Verdict
SBI ELITE wins 5-4. Mid-premium SBI card with strong club benefits. Axis Reserve is still the right call if invitation-only super-premium — for ₹25l+/year spenders..
Side-by-side
| Criterion | SBI ELITE | Axis Reserve |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹4,999 | · ₹50,000 |
| Joining fee | ₹4,999 | · ₹50,000 |
| Top reward rate | · 2% (general) | 5% (general) |
| Base reward rate | · 2% | 5% |
| Forex markup | · 1.99% | No FX fee |
| Welcome bonus | = 5,000 bonus reward points + ₹5,000 e-gift voucher | = 50,000 EDGE points + Taj Epicure membership |
| Fee waiver threshold | ₹1,000,000 / yr | · ₹2,500,000 / yr |
| Min income | ₹600,000 | · ₹5,000,000 |
| Min credit score | 770 | · 820 |
| Editorial rating | · 4.4/5 | 4.7/5 |
Benefits compared
SBI ELITE
- 2 reward points per ₹100
- Free movie tickets (BookMyShow) up to ₹6K/year
- 6 international + 8 domestic lounge visits/year
- Club Vistara Silver + Trident Privilege Red
- Milestone benefits at ₹3L, ₹4L, ₹5L
Axis Reserve
- 5 EDGE points per ₹100 (effectively 5%)
- Unlimited international + domestic lounge visits
- Taj Epicure + ITC Culinaire memberships
- Concierge 24x7 globally
- 0% forex markup on first ₹15L of FX/year
- Annual ₹25K vouchers at milestones
FAQ
›SBI ELITE vs Axis Reserve: which is better?
SBI ELITE 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 ELITE for its best categories, Axis Reserve for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
SBI ELITE: 5,000 bonus reward points + ₹5,000 e-gift voucher. Axis Reserve: 50,000 EDGE points + Taj Epicure membership.