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PhonePe SBI Card PURPLE VS IRCTC SBI Card Premier VS Apollo SBI Credit Card VS BPCL SBI Octane Credit Card

A detailed, side-by-side look at 4 leading credit cards. Analyze the features that matter most to you and make an informed choice.
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Last updated: 3 July 2026

Fees & Charges

Joining Fee₹499 + GST
Joining Fee₹1,499 + GST
Joining Fee₹1,499 + GST
Joining Fee₹1,499 + GST
Renewal Fee₹499 + GST
Renewal Fee₹1,499 + GST
Renewal Fee₹1,499 + GST
Renewal Fee₹1,499 + GST
Spend Based WaiverAnnual Fee Reversal on spends of ₹1 lakh or more in the previous membership year.
Spend Based WaiverRenewal fee waived on achieving annual spends of ₹2 Lakhs.
Spend Based WaiverRenewal fee waiver on annual spends of Rs. 3 Lakh or more for SELECT variant.
Spend Based WaiverThe annual renewal fee is waived on an annual expenditure of ₹2,00,000 or more in the preceding year.
Foreign Transaction Fees
Foreign Transaction Fees3.5% markup on all international transactions.
Foreign Transaction Fees3.5% markup on international transactions (for base variant).
Foreign Transaction Fees3.5% of the transaction amount.
Interest Rate (APR)
Interest Rate (APR)Monthly interest rate of 3.5% (approx 42% per annum).
Interest Rate (APR)3.5% per month (42% annually) for base variant.
Interest Rate (APR)3.75% per month (45% per annum).

Rewards & Benefits

Welcome Bonuswelcome PhonePe Gift Card worth ₹500
Welcome BonusGet 1500 Reward Points (worth ₹1500) on payment of the first annual fee.
Welcome BonusRs.1,500 Apollo 24|7 e-Gift Voucher, complimentary FITPASS PRO & Apollo Circle Benefits.
Welcome BonusGet 6,000 bonus Reward Points worth ₹1,500 on payment of the annual fee, credited within 30 days.
Rewards Rate3 Reward Points on ₹100 PhonePe spends, 2 Reward Points on ₹100 online spends, 1 Reward Point on ₹100 other spends.
Rewards RateUp to 10% value back on IRCTC railway bookings. 3 RP/₹125 on dining & utilities. 1 RP/₹125 on other retail.
Rewards RateUp to 10 RP per Rs.100 on Apollo 24|7 (SELECT), 2 RP on Dining/Movies/Travel, 1 RP per Rs.200 on other spends.
Rewards RateEarn 25 Reward Points per ₹100 on BPCL fuel, lubricants, and Bharat Gas (website/app only, max 2,500 RPs/month for fuel, 500 RPs/month for Bharat Gas). Get 10 RPs per ₹100 on dining, departmental stores, groceries, and movies (max 7,500 RPs/month). Earn 1 RP per ₹100 on all other retail spends (excluding mobile wallet uploads and non-BPCL fuel).
Reward TypeReward Points
Reward TypeReward Points
Reward TypeReward Points
Reward TypeReward Points
Reward Redemption Fee
Reward Redemption FeeA fee of ₹99 is applicable per rewards redemption request.
Reward Redemption FeeRs. 99 per redemption request (for base variant). Not mentioned for SELECT.
Reward Redemption Fee₹99 + applicable taxes per redemption request (not applicable for fuel redemption at BPCL pumps).

Travel & Lifestyle

Domestic Lounge Access
Domestic Lounge Access8 complimentary railway lounge accesses annually across India (max 2 per quarter) for primary cardholders.
Domestic Lounge Access4 complimentary Domestic Lounge visits per year (max 1 per quarter) for SELECT variant.
Domestic Lounge AccessEnjoy 4 complimentary domestic airport lounge visits per calendar year, with a maximum of 1 visit per quarter.
International Lounge Access
International Lounge Access
International Lounge Access2-year complimentary Priority Pass Membership worth $99 for SELECT variant.
International Lounge Access
Travel BenefitsYatra voucher worth ₹3,000 on annual spends of ₹3 lakhs.
Travel Benefits8 complimentary railway lounge access annually (max 2/quarter). Waivers on IRCTC railway/airline booking charges.
Travel BenefitsEarn 2 RP per Rs.100 spent on Travel (SELECT). Includes lounge access benefits.
Travel Benefits
Movie Benefits
Movie Benefits
Movie BenefitsEarn 2 RP per Rs.100 on Movies & Entertainment (SELECT); 2x RP on Movies (base card).
Movie BenefitsEarn 10 Reward Points for every ₹100 spent on movie tickets, capped at 7,500 RPs per month across dining, departmental stores, groceries, and movies.
Dining Benefits
Dining BenefitsEarn 3 Reward Points per ₹125 spent on Dining expenses.
Dining BenefitsEarn 2 RP per Rs.100 on Dining (SELECT); 2x RP on Dining (base card).
Dining BenefitsEarn 10 Reward Points for every ₹100 spent on dining, capped at 7,500 RPs per month across dining, departmental stores, groceries, and movies.
Golf Benefits
Golf Benefits
Golf BenefitsNot Applicable
Golf Benefits
Fuel Surcharge Waiver1% waiver on transactions between ₹500 and ₹3,000. Max waiver ₹100 per statement cycle.
Fuel Surcharge Waiver1% waiver on fuel transactions between ₹500-₹4000 (max ₹250/cycle).
Fuel Surcharge Waiver1% waiver across all petrol pumps, capped at Rs.100/month on transactions Rs.500-Rs.4000 (SELECT).
Fuel Surcharge Waiver1% fuel surcharge waiver on fuel transactions up to ₹4,000 at all petrol pumps across India (max waiver of ₹100 per month, equivalent to ₹1,200 annual savings).

Security & Other

Insurance Benefits
Insurance BenefitsComplimentary fraud liability cover of ₹1 lakh & overseas accident cover of ₹50 lakh.
Insurance BenefitsZero Lost Card Liability. No other specific insurance benefits mentioned.
Insurance BenefitsComplimentary Fraud Liability Cover of ₹1 Lakh.
Cash Advance Charges
Cash Advance Charges2.5% of cash advance or ₹500, whichever is higher.
Cash Advance Charges2.5% of amount or Rs. 500, whichever is higher (for base variant).
Cash Advance Charges2.5% of the withdrawn amount (minimum ₹500).
Best valueHigher costHighlights apply to Joining Fee and Renewal Fee only.

PhonePe SBI Card PURPLE

IRCTC SBI Card Premier

Apollo SBI Credit Card

BPCL SBI Octane Credit Card

Who is it for?

Who is it for?

Who is it for?

Who is it for?

Pros

Key benefits and features.

Enjoy a high reward rate of 3% on all eligible PhonePe spends, maximizing value.

Receive a valuable milestone benefit: a ₹3,000 Yatra voucher on ₹3 lakhs annual spend.

Benefit from a welcome PhonePe Gift Card worth ₹500, adding immediate value upon joining.

The annual fee is easily waived on a reasonable annual spend of just ₹1 lakh.

Enhanced security features with Chip and PIN technology protect your transactions effectively.

Pros

Key benefits and features.

Offers significant savings and rewards for frequent Indian Railways travelers.

Generous 1:1 reward point value, with 1500 bonus points offsetting joining fee.

Enjoy complimentary railway lounge access and waivers on IRCTC booking fees.

Achieve annual fee waiver on spends over Rs. 2 Lakhs, enhancing long-term value.

Pros

Key benefits and features.

Offers exclusive healthcare benefits and instant discounts at select Apollo Services.

Provides additional discounts when using the card at Apollo Hospitals for medical treatments.

Earns accelerated reward points on healthcare expenditures, maximizing savings on wellness.

Includes appealing welcome benefits, providing significant value upon card activation.

Offers reward points on general spending categories like dining, movies, entertainment.

Pros

Key benefits and features.

High value back of 7.25% on fuel purchases at BPCL stations.

Accelerated 10X Reward Points on dining, movies, groceries, and departmental stores.

Complimentary domestic airport lounge access (4 visits annually).

Valuable welcome benefit of 6,000 Reward Points worth ₹1,500.

Opportunity to earn e-Gift Vouchers worth ₹2,000 on achieving annual spend milestones.

Cons

Key drawbacks and limitations.

Lack of explicit details on interest rates, foreign currency markup, and other common charges.

No explicit mention of lounge access or other premium travel/lifestyle benefits.

Reward earning caps are not specified for any category, leading to uncertainty.

The term 'eligible' spends implies unstated exclusions for reward earning.

Cons

Key drawbacks and limitations.

A redemption fee of Rs. 99 applies to each reward point redemption request.

High foreign currency markup of 3.5% for all international transactions.

Certain valuable insurance benefits like air/rail accident cover will be discontinued.

A 1% charge is levied on online railway ticket cancellations booked with the card.

Cons

Key drawbacks and limitations.

The card's specialized focus primarily benefits frequent users of Apollo healthcare services.

Its value proposition is somewhat limited for individuals not regularly using Apollo Centres.

Lounge access and premium travel benefits may vary greatly depending on the specific card variant.

Reward point redemption is restricted only to Apollo Health Credits, services, or vouchers.

The base variant of the Apollo SBI Card lacks both domestic and international lounge access.

Cons

Key drawbacks and limitations.

A reward redemption fee of ₹99 + taxes applies to most redemption requests, except for fuel.

No international lounge access or specific international travel benefits.

Reward points for fuel and other categories are capped monthly.

The annual fee is higher than the base BPCL SBI Card variant.

How We Compare These Cards

Every comparison on CardsForYou is built from the same verified data set we use across the site - joining and renewal fees, reward rates, forex markup, lounge access, and insurance benefits - sourced directly from each issuer and refreshed regularly. We highlight the lower-cost option on fees automatically, but "best" always depends on your own spending pattern: a card that wins on annual fee may lose on reward rate for a heavy spender, and vice versa. Use the table above alongside your own typical monthly spend to judge real value, not just the headline numbers.