SBI Card Unnati
★ 2.5 / 5
SBI Card does not accept online applications for Unnati. The official brochure directs applicants to their nearest State Bank of India branch. See “How to Apply” below.
At a Glance
| Joining Fee | Nil |
| Annual Fee | Nil for the first 4 years, then ₹499 + 18% GST from the 5th year |
| Best Suited For | First-time credit users who can place a ₹25,000 fixed deposit with SBI |
| Reward Type | SBI Reward Points (1 point per ₹100) plus a ₹500 annual milestone cashback |
SBI Card Unnati is a secured credit card, issued against a fixed deposit with State Bank of India rather than against a salary slip. That single fact is the whole pitch. If you have no credit history, no income proof, or a CIBIL score that keeps getting you rejected, Unnati is one of the few doors that opens on the strength of your own deposit. What it gives you in return is thin: 1 Reward Point per ₹100 spent, a ₹500 cashback if you spend ₹50,000 in a year, and a fuel surcharge waiver. There is no lounge access, no welcome gift, and no insurance. Treat it as a credit-building tool with a four-year free window, not as a rewards card.
Rewards & Benefits
Reward rate & earn structure
You earn 1 Reward Point for every ₹100 spent on eligible transactions, on both domestic and international spends. There is no accelerated category. Groceries, online shopping, travel and utilities all earn the same flat rate.
The exclusion list is long, and it matters more on a card this basic than the earn rate does. No points are given on:
| Excluded category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Fuel | All petrol pump spends (MCC 5172, 5541, 5542, 5983) |
| Rent payments | MCC 6513, discontinued from 1 April 2024 |
| Government payments | MCC 9399 and 9311, discontinued from 1 June 2024 |
| Cash withdrawals | Cash advances earn nothing |
| Balance Transfer, Encash, Flexipay | No points on any of these |
Rent payments carry a separate ₹199 processing fee per transaction, so paying rent on this card costs you money and earns you nothing.
Redemption options & point value
Reward Points can be redeemed for gifts and vouchers in SBI Card’s Shop & Smile catalogue, or as a statement credit against your outstanding balance.
The number that matters: 2,000 Reward Points convert to a ₹500 statement credit, which puts one point at ₹0.25. Combined with the 1-point-per-₹100 earn rate, your base return works out to 0.25% of spend.
Two conditions cut into that further:
- Minimum 2,000 points are needed before you can redeem anything. At 1 point per ₹100, that means spending ₹2,00,000 before your first redemption is even possible.
- A redemption fee of ₹99 + 18% GST (₹116.82 total) applies to statement credits, physical products and physically delivered vouchers.
So the realistic first redemption looks like this: spend ₹2,00,000, earn 2,000 points, redeem for ₹500, pay ₹116.82, and keep ₹383.18. That is an effective return of roughly 0.19%. Points also expire 24 months after they are earned, so slow spenders can lose them before ever reaching the 2,000-point floor.
Welcome benefit
None. SBI Card Unnati has no joining gift, no welcome voucher and no bonus points on first spend. Since there is also no joining fee, nothing is lost, but do not expect the ₹500 Amazon voucher that entry-level cards like SimplyCLICK use to offset their fee.
Milestone benefits
This is the one genuinely useful benefit on the card. Spend ₹50,000 or more in a card year and you get ₹500 cashback. No category restrictions, no separate registration.
That works out to a flat 1% back on the first ₹50,000, which is far better than the 0.25% base reward rate. Unlike points, the cashback needs no 2,000-point threshold and carries no ₹99 redemption fee. If you use this card at all, spending ₹50,000 across the year should be the target.
At exactly ₹50,000 of eligible annual spend, your total return is ₹500 cashback plus 500 Reward Points (worth ₹125 before redemption costs), so ₹625, or about 1.25%. Push spends much beyond ₹50,000 and the average rate falls back towards 0.25%, because the cashback does not repeat.
Dining benefits
None. There are no complimentary dining discounts or restaurant programmes attached to Unnati. You can still use SBI Card’s rotating merchant offers, but those are open to all SBI cardholders and are not a card benefit.
Travel benefits
None. No air miles, no hotel tie-ups, no travel vouchers, no travel insurance.
Airport lounge access (domestic / international)
Zero complimentary lounge visits, domestic or international. Unnati is not part of any lounge programme. If you use a Priority Pass or similar international programme separately, SBI Card charges up to USD 27 per visit plus taxes.
Insurance & protection covers
No complimentary insurance. Unnati carries no air accident cover, no lost-card liability cover and no purchase protection. SBI Card does allow you to buy health, personal accident, motor and travel insurance through your card account, but that is a paid product, not a card benefit.
What you do get is standard security infrastructure: EMV chip, contactless payments (no PIN needed up to ₹5,000 per transaction), and the ability to block the card instantly via the SBI Card app, website, or by SMS.
Fees & Charges
Joining & annual fee, and how to get it waived
| Fee | Amount |
|---|---|
| Joining fee | Nil |
| Annual fee, years 1 to 4 | Nil |
| Renewal fee, year 5 onwards | ₹499 + 18% GST (₹588.82) |
| Add-on card fee | Nil |
There is no spend-based waiver for the year-5 fee. Unlike SimplySAVE or SimplyCLICK, where ₹1,00,000 of annual spend reverses the ₹499, Unnati’s fee simply becomes payable in the fifth year regardless of how much you spend. All fees stated here are exclusive of GST; 18% applies on top.
The four free years are the real value here. Used only to build a credit history, the card costs you nothing but the opportunity cost of a locked ₹25,000 deposit, and that deposit keeps earning FD interest in your name.
Forex markup
3.5% of the transaction amount on all foreign currency spends, plus 18% GST on the markup. A ₹10,000 international purchase costs you ₹350 in markup and ₹63 in GST, so ₹413 in total. The same 3.5% dynamic currency conversion fee applies to rupee transactions done abroad or at India-based merchants registered overseas, above ₹1,000.
At 3.5%, this is a poor card for any international spending. A zero-forex secured alternative exists, and it is covered in the comparison below.
Interest rate & finance charges
SBI Card’s MITC lists 2.75% per month (33% per annum) for secured cards, against 3.75% per month (45% per annum) for unsecured cards. As an FD-backed card, Unnati should fall in the secured bracket, but SBI Card’s MITC does not name Unnati explicitly in that line, so [VERIFY] the applicable rate against your own welcome kit or statement before you carry a balance.
Other interest-related terms:
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Interest-free credit period | 20 to 50 days, on retail purchases only, and only if the previous month’s balance was paid in full |
| Minimum finance charge | ₹25 per transaction |
| Grace period | 3 days beyond the payment due date, if no previous dues are overdue |
| Minimum Amount Due (MAD) | 100% of GST + 100% of EMI + 100% of fees + 100% of finance charges + overlimit amount + 2% of the remaining balance, or ₹200, whichever is higher |
SBI Card’s own MITC gives a blunt illustration: on a ₹10,000 balance, paying only the Minimum Amount Due every month takes up to 52 months to clear. On a credit-building card, revolving a balance defeats the entire purpose.
Fuel surcharge waiver
1% fuel surcharge waiver, capped at ₹100 per month, on fuel transactions between ₹500 and ₹3,000 (waiver calculated excluding GST). That is a maximum of ₹1,200 saved across a year, and only if you spend around ₹10,000 on fuel every single month within that transaction band.
Remember that fuel spends earn no Reward Points, so the surcharge waiver is the only fuel benefit on this card.
Cash advance & other charges
| Charge | Amount |
|---|---|
| Cash advance fee (domestic and international ATM) | 2.5% of the amount, minimum ₹500 |
| Maximum ATM withdrawal | ₹15,000 per day, subject to your cash limit |
| Late payment charges | ₹100 to ₹1,300, based on the outstanding amount |
| Additional late payment charge | ₹100, if MAD is missed for two consecutive cycles |
| Over-limit fee | 2.5% of the over-limit amount, minimum ₹600 |
| Payment dishonour fee | 2% of the payment amount, minimum ₹500 |
| Cash payment fee (at SBI branch counter) | ₹250 |
| Cheque payment fee | Nil for SBI Card Unnati (₹200 on most other SBI cards) |
| Card replacement | ₹100 to ₹250 |
| Rewards redemption fee | ₹99 |
| Rent payment processing fee | ₹199 per transaction |
| Utility payments fee | 1% of the total, if utility spends cross ₹50,000 in a billing cycle |
| Education payment fee | 1%, on payments made via third-party apps (CRED, Cheq, MobiKwik and similar); nil if paid directly to the institution |
| Wallet load fee | 1%, on every wallet load above ₹1,000 |
Cash advances carry finance charges from the day of withdrawal with no interest-free period, on top of the 2.5% fee. On a ₹5,000 withdrawal, the minimum ₹500 fee alone is 10% of the amount.
The one small win: Unnati is one of only three SBI cards exempt from the ₹200 cheque payment fee.
Eligibility & Documents Required
Unnati is issued against a lien on your SBI fixed deposit, so the usual income and credit-score gates do not apply.
| Criterion | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Age | 18 years and above |
| Fixed deposit | Minimum ₹25,000 with State Bank of India |
| Maximum FD accepted | Up to ₹5,00,000 [VERIFY] |
| Income proof | Not required |
| CIBIL score | No minimum; new-to-credit applicants accepted |
| Savings account with SBI | Not mandatory, but an SBI FD is |
| Applicant type | Individuals only. HUFs, trusts, firms and minors are not eligible |
Credit limit: typically set at a percentage of your FD value rather than the full amount, commonly quoted in the range of 75% to 85%, so roughly ₹19,000 to ₹21,000 on a ₹25,000 deposit. [VERIFY] the exact percentage with your branch, as published figures vary and SBI Card does not state it in the brochure.
Documents: PAN, Aadhaar or other KYC-compliant identity and address proof, a passport-size photograph, and your SBI FD receipt or account details. No salary slips, Form 16 or ITR are needed.
Add-on cards are free and can be issued to your spouse, parents, siblings and children aged 18 or above.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| No joining fee and no annual fee for the first four years | Base return of just 0.25%, among the lowest of any active Indian card |
| Approval without income proof or a credit score, genuinely accessible to new-to-credit users | ₹99 + GST redemption fee and a 2,000-point minimum drag the real return to about 0.19% |
| ₹500 cashback on ₹50,000 annual spend is a clean 1% with no redemption fee | 3.5% forex markup makes it unsuitable for any international spending |
| Likely 2.75% p.m. secured-card interest rate rather than 3.75% [VERIFY] | No lounge access, no insurance, no welcome benefit, no dining or travel perks |
| Exempt from the ₹200 cheque payment fee | Year-5 ₹499 fee has no spend-based waiver, unlike most SBI cards |
| Free add-on cards for family members | Points excluded on fuel, rent and government payments, a large chunk of typical spending |
| Your ₹25,000 FD continues to earn interest while it backs the card | Branch-only application; several readers report branches saying the card is no longer sourced |
SBI Card Unnati vs Competitors
The relevant comparison is not against SBI’s own unsecured cards. If you qualified for those, you would not be reading this. It is against other FD-backed cards.
| SBI Card Unnati | IDFC FIRST WOW! | Kotak 811 #DreamDifferent | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Joining / annual fee | Nil for 4 years, then ₹499 | Lifetime free | Lifetime free (₹250 joining if the approved limit is below ₹18,000) [VERIFY] |
| Minimum FD | ₹25,000 with SBI | ₹20,000 with IDFC FIRST | ₹10,000 with Kotak [VERIFY] |
| Credit limit vs FD | Approx. 75% to 85% [VERIFY] | 100% of the FD | Up to 90% of the FD |
| Base reward | 1 point per ₹100 (₹0.25 a point), so 0.25% | 4X reward points on all spends, point value ₹0.25 [VERIFY earn base] | 4 points per ₹100 online, 1 point per ₹100 offline; point value ₹0.20 [VERIFY] |
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 0% | 3.5% [VERIFY] |
| Milestone benefit | ₹500 cashback on ₹50,000 annual spend | None comparable | 500 bonus points on ₹5,000 spent in 45 days [VERIFY] |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1%, max ₹100/month | 1%, max ₹200/month | 1% |
| Lounge access | None | None | None |
| Application | Branch only | Fully digital | Digital |
The honest reading: IDFC FIRST WOW! beats Unnati on almost every measurable axis, with lifetime-free pricing instead of free-for-four-years, a 100% credit limit instead of roughly 80%, zero forex instead of 3.5%, a fully digital application, and a lower minimum deposit. Kotak’s #DreamDifferent asks for the smallest deposit of the three and rewards online spending much better.
Unnati’s remaining advantages are narrower than they look: you keep your money inside State Bank of India rather than moving ₹20,000 to a private bank, and the ₹500 milestone cashback has no equivalent in the other two. For a lot of people, especially outside metros where the SBI branch is the bank they actually trust and visit, that is a real consideration and not a trivial one. It is just not a rewards argument.
How to Apply
There is no online application for SBI Card Unnati. The official SBI Card brochure instructs applicants to contact their nearest State Bank of India branch, and SBI Card customer care routes Unnati enquiries to branches as well.
- Open or identify a fixed deposit of ₹25,000 or more with State Bank of India.
- Visit the SBI branch holding that FD and ask for the Unnati credit card application form.
- Submit KYC documents, meaning PAN, Aadhaar or equivalent address proof and a photograph, along with your FD details.
- Sign the lien-marking authorisation. This is what allows SBI to recover dues from the deposit if you default.
- Once approved, the card is dispatched to your registered address; your credit limit is set as a percentage of the FD value.
One important caveat before you go. The card remains listed on sbicard.com and appears in SBI Card’s Most Important Terms and Conditions document dated 28 July 2026, so on paper it is a live product. But there is a long and consistent trail of readers on credit-card forums reporting that SBI branches and regional offices tell them Unnati is no longer being issued, with such reports going back several years. We could not find any official SBI Card notice withdrawing the product.
Our advice: call the branch before you make a trip, and do not book the ₹25,000 FD until the branch confirms in person that it can source the card. If it cannot, an FD-backed card from IDFC FIRST or Kotak can be applied for digitally without a branch visit at all.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the SBI Card Unnati annual fee waived? It is waived for the first four years. There is no joining fee and no annual fee in years 1 to 4. From the fifth year, a renewal fee of ₹499 plus 18% GST applies. Unlike most SBI cards, there is no spend threshold that reverses this fee.
What FD amount do I need for SBI Card Unnati? A minimum fixed deposit of ₹25,000 with State Bank of India. Your credit limit is then set at a percentage of that deposit, commonly reported in the 75% to 85% range, so expect roughly ₹19,000 to ₹21,000 on the minimum FD.
Is SBI Card Unnati a lifetime free credit card? No. It is free only for the first four years. SBI Card currently has no permanently lifetime-free credit card in its lineup. If lifetime-free is your requirement, IDFC FIRST WOW! and Kotak 811 #DreamDifferent are the FD-backed cards that offer it.
How many lounge visits does SBI Card Unnati give? None. Unnati offers no complimentary domestic or international airport lounge visits.
What is the minimum salary for SBI Card Unnati? There is none. Unnati is a secured card issued against your fixed deposit, so no income proof, salary slip or ITR is required. This is what makes it accessible to students, homemakers, gig workers and anyone new to credit.
Does SBI Card Unnati help build a CIBIL score? Yes. SBI Card reports your repayment record to credit bureaus on a fortnightly basis, exactly as it does for unsecured cards. Paying the full statement amount on time every month will build a positive credit history. Missing the Minimum Amount Due will damage it just as fast, and the FD backing does not protect your score.
What is the reward point value on SBI Card Unnati? One Reward Point is worth ₹0.25 when redeemed as a statement credit, so 2,000 points convert to ₹500. A minimum of 2,000 points is required for any redemption, and a ₹99 + GST redemption fee applies. Points expire 24 months after they are earned.
Can I withdraw my fixed deposit while holding the card? Not while the card is active. The FD is under lien to SBI as security. To release it, you must close the credit card and clear all outstanding dues first, after which the lien is lifted.
Can I apply for SBI Card Unnati online? No. SBI Card’s own brochure directs applicants to their nearest State Bank of India branch. There is no online application route for this card.
Bottom Line
SBI Card Unnati exists for one job: getting a credit card into the hands of someone the credit bureaus have nothing on. At that job it works. Four years without a fee, no income proof, no score requirement, and a ₹25,000 deposit that keeps earning interest in your own name. That is a low-cost way to build twelve to forty-eight months of clean repayment history and graduate to a proper card.
Get this card if you bank with SBI, have been rejected for unsecured cards, are comfortable locking ₹25,000 in an FD, and will actually spend ₹50,000 a year on it to collect the ₹500 cashback. Set an autopay for the full statement amount, use it for regular household spends, and plan to upgrade or exit before the year-5 fee lands.
Skip this card if any of the following is true. You can already qualify for an unsecured entry-level card, in which case SimplySAVE or SimplyCLICK will pay you several times more for the same spending. You spend anything abroad or on international websites, where the 3.5% markup will cost you far more than the card returns. You want a lifetime-free FD card, in which case IDFC FIRST WOW! is simply the better product and asks for a smaller deposit. Or you are hoping for lounge access, insurance or a welcome benefit, and Unnati has none of the three.
And before anything else, confirm with your branch that the card can still be issued. There is no point locking up ₹25,000 to find out at the counter that it cannot.
Fees and features listed here are as of 23 August 2026 and are sourced from SBI Card’s official Unnati brochure, the Unnati Terms and Conditions document, and SBI Card’s Most Important Terms and Conditions dated 28 July 2026. Card terms change frequently, so please confirm all figures on sbicard.com before you apply.