Apollo SBI Card SELECT Review
★ 3.5 / 5
At a Glance
| Joining Fee | ₹1,499 + GST (₹1,769 all-in) |
| Annual Fee | ₹1,499 + GST, reversed on annual spends of ₹3 lakh |
| Best Suited For | Households with regular medicine, diagnostics and doctor bills at Apollo |
| Reward Type | Reward Points redeemable only as Apollo Health Credits, at 1 point to ₹1 |
Launched in February 2025, the Apollo SBI Card SELECT is a health-spend card rather than a general rewards card, and it is unusually easy to value because SBI publishes the exchange rate: 1 Reward Point equals 1 Apollo Health Credit equals ₹1. At 10 points per ₹100 at Apollo 24|7 and Apollo Pharmacy, that is a straight 10% back on medicine bills, with the renewal fee reversible at ₹3 lakh of annual spending. The catch is the closed loop. Every point you earn, on any category, can only be spent back at Apollo.
Rewards & Benefits
Reward rate and earn structure
| Spend category | Earn rate | Monthly cap |
|---|---|---|
| Apollo 24|7 app and Apollo Pharmacy stores | 10 Reward Points per ₹100 (10% back) | 5,000 points per statement cycle |
| Dining, movies and entertainment, travel | 2 Reward Points per ₹100 (2% back) | 5,000 points per statement cycle |
| All other retail spends | 1 Reward Point per ₹200 (0.5% back) | None published |
| Fuel, rent, government, wallet loads, gaming, EMI | Nil | Not applicable |
The two 5,000-point caps apply separately, so the maximum accelerated haul is 10,000 points, worth ₹10,000, in a single statement cycle. Hitting the Apollo cap takes ₹50,000 of pharmacy spending in one cycle, which very few households will reach, and past a cap that category drops to the base 1 point per ₹200. The accelerated categories are narrower than their labels suggest, since they run on merchant codes: dining covers 5812 and 5814, movies and entertainment 7832 and 7922, and travel 4511, 3020, 7011, 4112 and 4722.
One trap is worth knowing before you switch payment habits. If you pay at Apollo 24|7 or Apollo Pharmacy through UPI on the RuPay variant, the rate collapses from 10 points per ₹100 to 1 point per ₹200. The 10% rate needs a card transaction, not a UPI scan. Points are also rounded down in whole blocks: base points in full multiples of ₹200 and accelerated points in full multiples of ₹100.
Redemption and point value
This is the clearest part of the card. 1 Reward Point equals 1 Apollo Health Credit equals ₹1, redeemed through the SBI Card mobile app or website, by the primary cardholder only. There is no conversion ratio to decode and no devaluation risk hidden in a rewards catalogue.
The price of that clarity is a closed loop. Health Credits cannot be taken as cash or statement credit, and cannot be set against charges on the card. If your family does not spend at Apollo regularly, the points are worth nothing to you. Unredeemed points expire 24 months after they are earned, and if you close the card voluntarily you have 30 days to use whatever is left.
Break-even is a small number. Since a point is worth ₹1, you need 1,769 points a year to cover the all-in fee. At 10 points per ₹100 that is ₹17,690 of Apollo spending across the whole year, roughly ₹1,500 a month, before the welcome voucher is even counted. Add the ₹1,500 voucher in year one and the card pays for itself almost on arrival.
Welcome, health and milestone benefits
On payment of the joining fee you get an Apollo 24|7 e-gift voucher worth ₹1,500 and complimentary in-built Apollo Circle benefits, which SBI describes as taking total value back on medicine purchases at Apollo 24|7 and Apollo Pharmacy to up to 25%. A one-year complimentary FITPASS PRO membership follows the joining fee plus a retail transaction.
| Trigger | Benefit |
|---|---|
| ₹50,000 within 90 days of joining | Complimentary comprehensive health check-up package |
| ₹50,000 within 90 days of each card anniversary | The same health check-up package, every year |
| ₹3 lakh annual spends | Renewal fee of ₹1,499 reversed |
| ₹6 lakh annual spends | Noise smartwatch worth ₹7,999 |
The annual health check-up is the quietly valuable one, because it repeats every year and its ₹50,000 trigger is low. Note the timing: the 90-day window runs from your card anniversary, not the calendar year, so a slow quarter straight after your anniversary is what costs you the benefit.
Lounge access and other privileges
| Benefit | Detail |
|---|---|
| Domestic lounge access | 4 complimentary visits a year, maximum 1 per quarter, with no spend condition |
| Priority Pass | Complimentary membership worth $99 for 2 years, with no complimentary visits |
| Priority Pass visit charge | $27 plus taxes per visit, in India and abroad, billed 30 to 60 days later |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% on transactions of ₹500 to ₹4,000, capped at ₹100 per statement cycle |
| Add-on cards | Free, for spouse, parents, siblings and children above 18 |
| Network | RuPay or Mastercard, over 29 million outlets worldwide |
The four domestic visits carry no quarterly spending condition, which is more generous than several cards at this fee. The Priority Pass is close to decorative: SBI states plainly that there are no complimentary visits, so every entry costs $27 plus taxes.
Fees & Charges
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | ₹1,499 + GST (₹1,769 all-in) |
| Renewal fee, per annum | ₹1,499 + GST, reversed on annual spends of ₹3 lakh or more |
| Fee reversal timing | Within 30 days of the annual fee being charged |
| Add-on card fee | Nil |
| Foreign currency markup | 3.5% |
| Dynamic currency conversion | 3.5% on transactions of ₹1,000 and above |
| Finance charges | Up to 3.75% per month, 45% per annum |
| Cash advance fee | 2.5% of the amount or ₹500, whichever is higher |
| Late payment charge | Nil up to ₹100 outstanding, then ₹100, ₹500, ₹750, ₹950, ₹1,100, rising to ₹1,300 above ₹50,000 |
| Overlimit fee | 2.5% of the overlimit amount or ₹600, whichever is higher |
| Payment dishonour fee | 2% of the payment amount, minimum ₹500 |
| Rent payment processing fee | ₹199 per transaction |
| Utility payment fee | 1% if utility spends cross ₹50,000 in a billing cycle |
| Wallet load fee | 1% on every wallet load above ₹1,000 |
| Education payment fee | 1% through third-party apps, nil when paid directly to the institution |
| Card replacement fee | ₹100 to ₹250 |
How to actually hit the waiver. The ₹3 lakh is measured as net retail spends, meaning retail spending minus reversals, over the 365 days before the annual fee is billed, with the reversal landing within 30 days of the fee posting. That is ₹25,000 a month, and cash advances, balance transfers and fees do not count towards it. Most holders are better off treating the fee as payable and letting the ₹1 per point rewards cover it, which takes only ₹17,690 of Apollo spending.
The charge that catches people out. Fuel earns nothing here and the surcharge waiver is capped at just ₹100 a statement cycle, half of what SBI’s travel cards allow. Rent at ₹199 a transaction, utilities at 1% above ₹50,000 and wallet loads at 1% above ₹1,000 are all charged and all excluded from rewards, so pushing them through this card to reach the ₹3 lakh waiver costs more than the waiver is worth.
Eligibility & Documents Required
SBI Card publishes no fixed minimum income for this card. Its own product record places it in the ₹50,000 to ₹99,000 monthly income band, which puts it within reach of most salaried applicants. It is available on both RuPay and Mastercard, and the RuPay variant can be linked to UPI.
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 years and above |
| Nationality | Indian resident |
| Income | No fixed minimum published; positioned for the ₹50,000 to ₹99,000 monthly band |
| Credit score | No published minimum; a clean repayment record improves your odds |
Documents: PAN, identity proof such as Aadhaar or passport, address proof, and income proof in the form of salary slips, Form 16, or audited returns if you are self-employed. Approval is at SBI Card’s discretion.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| 10% back at Apollo 24|7 and Apollo Pharmacy, up to 5,000 points a cycle | Points redeem only as Apollo Health Credits, never cash or statement credit |
| Point value published and fixed at ₹1, so no devaluation guesswork | Base rate of 1 point per ₹200 is weak outside the accelerated categories |
| ₹1,500 Apollo voucher plus FITPASS PRO membership on joining | UPI payments at Apollo drop the rate to 1 point per ₹200 |
| Health check-up package every year on ₹50,000 in 90 days | ₹3 lakh waiver needs ₹25,000 a month of eligible retail spending |
| Fee fully reversed at ₹3 lakh, and covered by ₹17,690 of Apollo spends anyway | Priority Pass carries no free visits, at $27 plus taxes each |
| 4 domestic lounge visits with no spend condition | Fuel surcharge waiver capped at only ₹100 a cycle |
Apollo SBI Card SELECT vs Competitors
| Apollo SBI Card SELECT | Apollo SBI Card | Tata Neu Infinity SBI | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | ₹1,499 + GST | ₹499 + GST | ₹1,499 + GST |
| Fee waiver | ₹3 lakh annual spends | ₹1 lakh annual spends | ₹3 lakh annual spends |
| Headline rate | 10 points per ₹100 at Apollo | Not published on this card | Not published on this card |
| Point value | ₹1, fixed and published | Not published on this card | Not published on this card |
| Redemption | Apollo Health Credits only | Apollo ecosystem | Tata Neu ecosystem |
| Domestic lounge | 4 visits, 1 per quarter | Not published on this card | Not published on this card |
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 3.5% | 1.99% |
The comparison that matters is not with other health cards, of which India has very few, but with the older Apollo SBI Card at ₹499 and a ₹1 lakh waiver. The SELECT costs three times as much and earns its keep only if your Apollo spending clears ₹17,690 a year and you value the annual health check-up. If your spending is spread across an ecosystem rather than concentrated in pharmacy bills, Tata Neu Infinity costs the same ₹1,499 and carries a far lower 1.99% forex markup.
How to Apply
- Apply online at sbicard.com, where this card is available for direct application.
- Or call the SBI Card helpline on 1860 180 1290, 1860 500 1290, or 39 02 02 02 with your city STD code prefixed.
- Or use SBI Card’s ILA chatbot, or visit your nearest State Bank of India branch.
- Choose your network at application, RuPay if you want UPI linking, Mastercard if you do not.
- Keep your PAN, identity proof, address proof and income proof ready, and complete video KYC.
Once the card arrives, pay the joining fee to release the ₹1,500 Apollo voucher, make one retail transaction to activate the FITPASS PRO membership, and diarise the ₹50,000 in 90 days that unlocks the health check-up.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Apollo SBI Card SELECT annual fee waived? Yes, on net retail spends of ₹3 lakh or more in the 365 days before the annual fee is billed. The reversal is credited within 30 days of the fee being charged.
What is one Apollo SBI Card SELECT Reward Point worth? Exactly ₹1. One Reward Point equals one Apollo Health Credit equals ₹1, redeemable through the SBI Card app or website, but only for spending at Apollo.
Is there a cap on the 10% rewards? Yes, 5,000 Reward Points per statement cycle on Apollo spends, which is ₹50,000 of pharmacy spending. A separate 5,000-point cap applies to dining, movies and travel. Past a cap, that category earns 1 point per ₹200.
How many lounge visits does the card give? Four complimentary domestic visits a year, capped at one per quarter, with no spending condition. The two-year Priority Pass membership includes no free visits, so each costs $27 plus taxes.
Do I earn 10% if I pay at Apollo using UPI? No. UPI payments at Apollo 24|7 and Apollo Pharmacy earn only 1 Reward Point per ₹200. Pay with the card itself to get the 10 points per ₹100.
What is the minimum salary for the Apollo SBI Card SELECT? SBI Card publishes no fixed income requirement. Its own product data places the card in the ₹50,000 to ₹99,000 monthly income band. You need to be an Indian resident aged 18 or above with income proof.
Bottom Line
The Apollo SBI Card SELECT is one of the few Indian credit cards whose value you can calculate exactly, because SBI fixes a point at ₹1. A household spending about ₹1,500 a month at Apollo 24|7 or Apollo Pharmacy covers the ₹1,769 fee on rewards alone, and the ₹1,500 welcome voucher, the FITPASS PRO membership and an annual health check-up on ₹50,000 of spending all sit on top of that. For families managing an ongoing prescription, an elderly parent’s diagnostics or regular consultations, this is a genuinely strong card at a modest fee.
Skip this card if Apollo is not where your family already gets its medicines and tests, because every point you earn on dining, travel or anything else is trapped in the same closed loop and buys nothing outside Apollo. Skip it if your Apollo payments run through UPI, which pays a twentieth of the headline rate, and skip it if you want a general-purpose rewards card, where a base rate of 1 point per ₹200 is simply poor. Light users of the Apollo ecosystem should look at the older ₹499 Apollo SBI Card instead.
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