SBI Shaurya Credit Card Review
At a Glance
| Joining Fee | ₹250 + GST (₹295 all-in) |
| Annual Fee | ₹250 + GST, waived on annual spends of ₹50,000 |
| Best Suited For | Defence personnel who spend at CSD canteens |
| Reward Type | SBI Reward Points, 4 points equal ₹1 |
At ₹295 all in, this is one of the cheapest cards SBI issues, and the fee disappears completely at ₹50,000 of annual spend, which is about ₹4,200 a month.
What you get for that is 5X Reward Points across five everyday categories including CSD canteen spends, 1,000 welcome points, and a ₹2 lakh personal accident cover on the RuPay variant.
It is a small card with a clear job, and for defence personnel it does that job at almost no cost.
Rewards & Benefits
Reward rate and earn structure
| Spend category | Earn rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| CSD canteen, dining, movies, departmental stores and grocery | 5 Reward Points per ₹100 | None published |
| All other categories | 1 Reward Point per ₹100 | None published |
Those five accelerated categories are unusually well chosen for a household budget. Grocery, departmental stores and canteen spending is where most of the monthly outgo actually sits, so the 5X rate applies to a large share of real spending rather than a narrow slice. SBI publishes no monthly cap on either tier.
Redemption and what a point is worth
Four Reward Points equal ₹1. That makes the accelerated categories worth 1.25% back and everything else 0.25%.
Points can be used to pay down your card outstanding directly, which is the cleanest option and holds the 4 to 1 rate firmly, or redeemed against the SBI rewards catalogue. On ₹50,000 of annual grocery and canteen spending you would earn 2,500 points worth ₹625, which is more than double the ₹295 fee, and that is before the fee waiver applies.
Welcome benefit and fee waiver
| Benefit | Requirement |
|---|---|
| 1,000 Reward Points, worth ₹250 | Payment of the first year fee of ₹250, credited within 15 working days |
| Renewal fee waiver | ₹50,000 or more of annual spend |
The welcome points are worth ₹250 against a ₹250 fee, so the card effectively pays for itself on day one. The ₹50,000 waiver threshold is the lowest in SBI’s range and is cleared by around ₹4,200 a month, which most households will pass without thinking about it.
Insurance and fuel
| Personal accident insurance cover | ₹2,00,000, on RuPay network cards only |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% on ₹500 to ₹3,000, max ₹100 per statement cycle |
Read the network condition on the accident cover carefully. SBI states it applies only on RuPay network cards, so if you are issued a Visa or Mastercard variant the cover does not come with it. If the insurance is part of why you want the card, confirm the network at application.
Fees & Charges
| Joining fee | ₹250 + GST |
| All-in first year cost | ₹295 |
| Renewal fee, per annum | ₹250 + GST from the second year |
| Spend needed for fee waiver | ₹50,000 of annual spend |
| Add-on card fee, per annum | Nil |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% on ₹500 to ₹3,000, max ₹100 per statement cycle |
GST of 18% takes the first year cost to ₹295, and the 1,000 welcome points return ₹250 of that. From the second year, ₹50,000 of spending removes the fee entirely. In practice this card costs a defence household nothing to hold, which is the right way to think about it.
The thing that catches people out is the fuel band, which stops at ₹3,000 rather than the ₹4,000 used on most SBI cards, with a ₹100 monthly ceiling on top.
A single large refill falls outside the waiver entirely. Fuel also sits in the 1 point per ₹100 tier rather than the 5X list, so this is not the card to keep in the vehicle. Interest rates, forex markup and cash advance charges are set out in SBI Card’s Most Important Terms and Conditions for this product.
Eligibility & Documents Required
The card is aimed at defence personnel, and CSD canteen spending sits at the centre of its reward structure.
SBI does not publish an income floor, age band or credit score cut-off for it, and it is not currently offered for online application, so there is no live eligibility form to check.
Expect to show proof of service alongside the standard set: PAN, proof of identity, proof of current address and recent income proof. Approach an SBI Card branch or your unit’s banking channel to ask about current issuance.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Fee waived at just ₹50,000 of annual spend | No airport lounge access at all |
| Welcome points worth ₹250 against a ₹250 fee | Accident cover only on RuPay network cards |
| 5X points on CSD, grocery, dining, movies and departmental stores | Base rate of 0.25% outside those categories |
| ₹2 lakh personal accident cover included | Fuel waiver capped at ₹100 and ₹3,000 per transaction |
SBI Shaurya Credit Card vs Competitors
| Card | Annual fee | Lounge access |
|---|---|---|
| SBI Shaurya Credit Card | ₹250, waived at ₹50,000 | None |
| Shaurya Select SBI Credit Card | ₹1,499, waived at ₹1.5 lakh | 4 domestic visits a year |
| SBI SimplySAVE Credit Card | Charged annually | None |
The natural comparison is the Shaurya Select, which costs ₹1,499 but adds lounge access, a bigger accident cover and milestone vouchers.
If your annual spending is under ₹1.5 lakh, stay on this card. SBI SimplySAVE covers similar everyday categories for anyone outside the defence services.
How to Apply
SBI Card is not currently offering this product for online application on its website, so the apply route there is not reliable.
Serving and retired defence personnel should approach an SBI Card branch, an SBI branch handling defence salary accounts, or the SBI Card helpline to ask about issuance.
Existing holders keep the terms above. Confirm you are being issued the RuPay variant if the ₹2 lakh accident cover matters to you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the SBI Shaurya Credit Card annual fee waived?
Yes, on annual spends of ₹50,000 or more. That is roughly ₹4,200 a month, the lowest waiver threshold in SBI’s range. Below it you pay ₹250 + GST, which is ₹295.
Which spends earn 5X Reward Points?
CSD canteen, dining, movies, departmental stores and grocery. At 4 points to ₹1 that is 1.25% back, with no monthly cap published.
Does the Shaurya card give lounge access?
No. SBI lists no domestic or international lounge visits on this card. For lounge access you need the Shaurya Select version.
What insurance is included?
A complimentary personal accident cover of ₹2,00,000, but only on RuPay network cards. Confirm your card network if this is important to you.
What are the welcome benefits?
1,000 Reward Points worth ₹250, credited within 15 working days of paying the first year fee of ₹250.
Can I pay my card bill with Reward Points?
Yes. SBI allows points to be used against your card outstanding at 4 points to ₹1, which is usually the best value redemption route.
Bottom Line
For serving or retired defence personnel this is close to a free card that pays you to use it. The welcome points cover the joining fee, ₹50,000 of ordinary spending removes it thereafter, and the 5X list covers canteen, grocery and departmental store spending where a household actually spends. There is very little to argue with at ₹295.
Do not expect it to be your only card. There is no lounge access, the base rate outside those five categories is a weak 0.25%, the fuel waiver is the smallest SBI offers, and the accident cover vanishes if you are issued a non-RuPay variant. If you spend more than ₹1.5 lakh a year, the Shaurya Select earns more and adds lounge visits for a fee it also waives.
