Apollo SBI Card Review
★★★☆☆ 3.0 / 5
[Card image placeholder Apollo SBI Card, Visa, front-facing]
At a Glance
| Joining Fee | ₹499 + 18% GST |
| Annual Fee | ₹499 + 18% GST (waived on ₹1,00,000 annual spends) |
| Best Suited For | Families who buy medicines, run lab tests or consult doctors inside the Apollo network |
| Reward Type | SBI Reward Points, redeemable only as Apollo Health Credits (1 RP = ₹1) |
The Apollo SBI Card is a healthcare co-brand SBI Card on the payments side, Apollo Hospitals and Apollo Pharmacy on the benefits side. At ₹499 it is the cheaper of the two Apollo cards SBI runs, sitting below the ₹1,499 Apollo SBI Card SELECT. Its single biggest hook is that a chronic-medicine household can get a genuine double dip: the OneApollo membership discount at the counter plus 3 reward points per ₹100 on the same bill.
The catch is equally simple, and you should know it before you read another line: every reward point you earn on this card comes back to you only as Apollo Health Credits. There is no cashback, no statement credit, no flight booking. If your family does not spend at Apollo regularly, the points are close to worthless to you.
Important: SBI Card relaunched its Apollo partnership in May 2025 with the Apollo SBI Card SELECT, and some trackers list the base Apollo SBI Card as closed to fresh applications. Check the live application page before you plan around this card.
Rewards & Benefits
Reward rate & earn structure
The earn table is built around Apollo first and lifestyle second:
| Spend category | Reward points | Effective value back |
|---|---|---|
| Apollo services (Apollo Hospitals, Apollo Pharmacy, Apollo 24|7) | 3 RP per ₹100 | 3% |
| Dining, movies & entertainment | 2 RP per ₹100 | 2% |
| Beauty & wellness services | 1 RP per ₹100 | 1% |
| All other retail spends | 1 RP per ₹200 | 0.5% |
Because 1 RP is worth exactly ₹1 inside the Apollo ecosystem, the percentages above are real value back, not the inflated “point value” maths you see on travel cards.
Two exclusions matter. Fuel transactions earn no reward points at all the fuel benefit on this card is a surcharge waiver only, not rewards. Cash withdrawals also earn nothing. And since 1 July 2023, SBI Card stopped giving reward points on rent payment transactions on the Apollo SBI Card, so routing your rent through a rent-payment app will not build your Health Credit balance.
Two more spend types earn no reward points across SBI’s range: EMI transactions and wallet loads.
Redemption options & point value
Redemption is where this card is unusually clean and unusually restrictive at the same time.
Points can be used three ways, all inside Apollo:
- Convert to Apollo Health Credits 1 RP becomes 1 Health Credit, worth ₹1, spendable across Apollo Pharmacy, Apollo Hospitals and the Apollo 24|7 app. Conversion is done from the SBI Card app or website.
- Instant redemption at the POS terminal at an Apollo counter.
- Apollo vouchers through the SBI Card rewards catalogue.
What you cannot do: convert to cash, adjust points against your statement, transfer to airline or hotel programmes, or redeem on the general SBI Card catalogue for electronics and gift vouchers. Treat the points as a medicine wallet, not as currency.
Welcome benefit
Pay the ₹499 joining fee and you get 500 reward points, worth ₹500 in Health Credits. The points are credited to the card account within about 20 days of card activation, so do not panic if they are missing from your first statement.
That single benefit covers the joining fee, though not the GST on it you pay ₹499 + ₹89.82 GST = ₹588.82 and get ₹500 back in Apollo-only value.
You also get a complimentary OneApollo Gold Tier membership for the first year.
This membership is worth understanding, because it is where the “up to 10% instant discount at Apollo services” line on the SBI Card page actually comes from. OneApollo Gold gives roughly 10% back on pharmaceutical products and around 5% on non-pharmaceutical products at Apollo Pharmacy, stacked on top of the 3 RP per ₹100 the card earns. From year two, you need about ₹75,000 of annual spends inside the Apollo ecosystem to retain Gold; below that you drop to Silver and the discount shrinks.
Be clear-eyed about this perk: OneApollo Silver is free to anyone who registers on the OneApollo website or app, so only the Gold upgrade is genuinely card-linked.
Milestone benefits
None. The base Apollo SBI Card carries no spend-milestone rewards. The ₹1,999 annual health check-up on ₹50,000 quarterly-window spends and the ₹7,999 Noise smartwatch on ₹6 lakh annual spends belong to the SELECT variant only.
Dining benefits
Dining, movies and entertainment earn 2 RP per ₹100, which is 2% back but again, only redeemable at Apollo. There is no complimentary dining programme (no EazyDiner Prime, no restaurant discount tie-up) on this card. If you eat out ₹5,000 a month, that is 100 RP a month, or ₹1,200 a year of medicine money.
Travel benefits
There are none worth the name. No air miles, no hotel memberships, no travel insurance, no concierge. This is a healthcare card and SBI has not pretended otherwise on the base variant.
Airport lounge access (domestic / international)
No lounge access domestic or international. If lounge visits are on your must-have list, the Apollo SBI Card SELECT gives 4 domestic visits a year (1 per quarter) plus a complimentary Priority Pass membership, at ₹1,499.
Insurance & protection covers
The base card carries the standard SBI Card zero-liability protection on lost or stolen cards, provided you report the loss to the SBI Card helpline promptly fraudulent transactions after that report are not billed to you.
The ₹1 lakh personal accident cover discussed in Apollo SBI coverage online is an Apollo Circle benefit bundled into the SELECT variant, not the base card.
Fees & Charges
All fees below are stated exclusive of tax; 18% GST applies on top of every fee and charge.
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹499 |
| Annual (renewal) fee | ₹499 |
| Annual fee waiver | On ₹1,00,000 spends in the previous card anniversary year |
| Finance charges | 3.75% per month (45% per annum) |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1%, capped at ₹100 per month |
| Forex markup | 3.50% of the transaction value |
| Cash advance fee | 2.5% of the amount, subject to a minimum of ₹500 |
Late payment charges (on total amount due):
| Outstanding balance | Charge |
|---|---|
| Up to ₹500 | Nil |
| ₹501 – ₹1,000 | ₹400 |
| ₹1,001 – ₹10,000 | ₹750 |
| ₹10,001 – ₹25,000 | ₹950 |
| ₹25,001 – ₹50,000 | ₹1,100 |
| Above ₹50,000 | ₹1,300 |
Joining & annual fee, and how to get it waived
You pay ₹499 + GST when the card is issued and the same amount every anniversary from year two. Spend ₹1,00,000 in a membership year and the next year’s fee is reversed. That is roughly ₹8,333 a month on the card achievable if this is your main card, tough if you keep it purely for pharmacy runs.
Run the honest maths: if you only use the card for ₹4,000 a month of Apollo spends, you earn about 1,440 RP a year (₹1,440 of Health Credits) against ₹589 of fee including GST. Still positive, but the fee is not waived, and the value only exists if you actually spend those credits at Apollo.
Some older listings quote the waiver threshold as ₹90,000.
Forex markup
Forex markup is the fee the issuer adds on every transaction billed in a foreign currency. On this card it is 3.50%, which is the standard SBI Card rate for non-premium cards and is high by 2026 standards. On a ₹1,00,000 foreign spend that is ₹3,500 plus GST. Do not take this card abroad.
Interest rate & finance charges
Finance charges run at 3.75% per month, which annualises to 45%. This applies from the transaction date on any balance you carry past the due date, and from day one on cash withdrawals with no interest-free period. Pay in full every month and this number never touches you; revolve on it and it will erase several years of Health Credits in a single cycle.
Fuel surcharge waiver
You get a 1% fuel surcharge waiver, capped at ₹100 per month, at fuel stations across India. That caps out at ₹10,000 of monthly fuel spends. Remember that fuel transactions earn zero reward points on this card you get the waiver, nothing more.
Cash advance & other charges
Cash withdrawal on a credit card is an expensive habit anywhere, and this card is no exception: a withdrawal fee plus finance charges from day one, and no reward points. Add-on cards for family members are available free on SBI Card, which is worth doing here a spouse or parent using an add-on card at Apollo Pharmacy earns into the same Health Credit pool.
Eligibility & Documents Required
SBI Card does not publish a hard income cut-off for this card. Broad criteria:
- Age: 21 to 70 years (add-on cards from 18 years)
- Occupation: Salaried or self-employed with a stable, verifiable income
- Credit history: Approval is subject to SBI Card’s internal credit and risk policy and a satisfactory CIBIL score
- Residence: Indian resident, in a city where SBI Card services the card
Documents: PAN, Aadhaar-based e-KYC / Video KYC / in-person KYC, proof of address, and income proof (latest salary slips or Form 16 for salaried; ITR for self-employed).
No issuer can guarantee approval, and no card guarantees a credit-score outcome. Applying and being rejected leaves a hard enquiry on your bureau report, so apply once, with your details accurate.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 3% back on all Apollo Hospitals, Apollo Pharmacy and Apollo 24|7 spends | Points redeemable only inside the Apollo ecosystem — no cashback, no statement credit, no transfers |
| ₹500 welcome points effectively refund the ₹499 joining fee | Base earn rate of 1 RP per ₹200 (0.5%) is weak for everyday spends |
| OneApollo Gold membership discount stacks on top of card rewards | No lounge access, no milestone benefits, no travel or insurance perks |
| Low ₹499 fee with a reachable ₹1 lakh waiver | 3.50% forex markup makes it unusable abroad |
| 2% back on dining, movies and entertainment | Gold tier must be re-earned with ~₹75,000 of annual Apollo spends |
| Free add-on cards let the whole family earn into one Health Credit pool | Availability for new applicants is uncertain after the SELECT relaunch |
Apollo SBI Card vs Competitors
| Apollo SBI Card | Apollo SBI Card SELECT | SBI Card PULSE | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joining / annual fee | ₹499 | ₹1,499 | ₹1,499 |
| Fee waiver spend | ₹1,00,000 | ₹3,00,000 | ₹2,00,000 |
| Apollo earn rate | 3 RP per ₹100 (3%) | 10 RP per ₹100 (10%) | — |
| Other accelerated earn | 2 RP per ₹100 on dining, movies, entertainment | 2 RP per ₹100 on dining, movies, entertainment, travel | 10X on chemist, pharmacy, dining, movies |
| Welcome benefit | 500 RP (₹500) + OneApollo Gold | ₹1,500 Apollo 24|7 voucher + Apollo Circle + FITPASS PRO | Noise smartwatch + FitPass Pro |
| Health check-up | No | Yes, worth ₹1,999 on ₹50,000 spends in 90 days | No |
| Lounge access | None | 4 domestic visits/year + Priority Pass membership | 4 domestic visits/year |
| Redemption | Apollo Health Credits only | Apollo Health Credits only | Standard SBI catalogue |
The short read: if your household spends more than roughly ₹1.5 lakh a year at Apollo, SELECT’s 10% earn rate pays back its extra ₹1,000 of fee several times over. Below that, the base card’s lower fee is the safer choice. If you want health-flavoured rewards you can spend outside one hospital chain, SBI Card PULSE is the more flexible option.
How to Apply
- Go to the Apollo SBI Card page on SBI Card’s website and check the card is open for applications.
- Click Apply Now and enter your PAN, mobile number and basic details. Use the same mobile number registered with your Apollo 24|7 account, so the card links correctly to your OneApollo profile and Health Credit wallet.
- Complete employment and income details.
- Finish KYC Aadhaar e-KYC, Video KYC or in-person verification.
- Track the application on the SBI Card website. If it is rejected, SBI Card’s policy is that you may reapply after six months.
- On delivery, activate through the SBI Card app or website and set your PIN immediately.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Apollo SBI Card annual fee? ₹499 plus 18% GST, charged at joining and again every card anniversary. The renewal fee is reversed if you spend ₹1,00,000 or more in the previous membership year.
How many reward points does the Apollo SBI Card give on Apollo spends? 3 reward points per ₹100 spent at Apollo Hospitals, Apollo Pharmacy and Apollo 24|7 a 3% return, since 1 reward point equals 1 Apollo Health Credit worth ₹1. Other spends earn 1 RP per ₹200.
Can I redeem Apollo SBI Card points for cashback? No. Points on this card convert only to Apollo Health Credits, or to Apollo vouchers, or can be redeemed instantly at an Apollo POS terminal. There is no cash, statement-credit or airline-transfer option.
Does the Apollo SBI Card offer airport lounge access? No. The base card has no domestic or international lounge access. The Apollo SBI Card SELECT at ₹1,499 offers 4 domestic lounge visits a year plus a Priority Pass membership.
What is the welcome benefit on the Apollo SBI Card? 500 reward points worth ₹500, credited within about 20 days of card activation once the joining fee is paid, plus a complimentary OneApollo tier membership for the first year.
What is the minimum salary for the Apollo SBI Card? SBI Card does not publish a fixed income figure for this card. Approval depends on a stable verifiable income, age between 21 and 70, and a satisfactory credit score under SBI Card’s internal risk policy.
Does the Apollo SBI Card give a fuel surcharge waiver? Yes 1% waiver on fuel spends at all fuel stations in India, capped at ₹100 per month. Note that fuel transactions themselves earn no reward points.
Is the Apollo SBI Card good for international spending? No. The forex markup is 3.50% plus GST, which is high. Use a lower-markup card abroad and keep this one for Apollo bills in India.
Can my family members earn points on the same card account? Yes. Add-on cards issued to family members earn into the same reward account, which is useful if elderly parents make most of the pharmacy purchases.
Bottom Line
The Apollo SBI Card is a narrow tool, and it is honest about being one. If your household has a standing monthly medicine bill a diabetic parent, a thyroid prescription, regular lab panels and you already buy from Apollo Pharmacy or Apollo 24|7, the card pays. Between the 3% earn rate and the OneApollo Gold discount layered on top, a family spending ₹5,000 a month on Apollo recovers the ₹589 all-in first-year cost within the first two months, and the ₹500 welcome points do it on day one.
Get this card if: your recurring healthcare spending sits inside the Apollo network, you want a cheap second card rather than a primary one, and you are comfortable that all your rewards return as medicine money.
Skip this card if: you shop at a local chemist or on a rival pharmacy app, you want cashback or flexible points, you need lounge access or travel benefits at this fee level, you spend abroad, or you are looking for one card to run your whole wallet. The 0.5% base rate on general spends is below what several lifetime-free cards give you, and points you cannot use are not rewards.
And if your Apollo spending is heavy over roughly ₹1.5 lakh a year do not settle for this card. The SELECT variant’s 10% earn rate makes its higher fee the cheaper choice.
Fees and features are as of 12 August 2026 and can change. Confirm the current terms on SBI Card’s website and in the Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC) before you apply.