ICICI Sapphiro Credit Card vs SBI Elite Card : Which Is Better?

ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card, which is one of the most popular cards offered by the ICICI Bank, offers splendid benefits ranging from lounge access to golf courses and much more. It is for that premium segment of society who wish to enjoy luxuries. On the other hand, SBI’s Elite Credit Card is a premium card, curated for an elite segment of the society who would like to lavishly spend on shopping, travelling, etc. While the former comes with a joining fee of Rs. 6,500 per annum, the latter is placed a bit lower at a joining fee of Rs. 4,999 per annum.

As the two cards, namely ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card and SBI Elite credit card seem much relatable in terms of the benefits and rewards they offer but both of them do have some unique features in themselves that make them stand apart from each other. This article will discuss the features and benefits of both cards so that it will be effortless for you to choose according to your needs and requirements.

ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card

ICICI Bank has placed this card under its Gemstone Collection, it is one of the premium cards designed to provide the best offers on lounges, golf courses, etc. This card comes in 3 network variants – Visa, Mastercard, and American Express. As already mentioned, it is designed for the premium segment and comes with a joining fee of Rs. 6,500 + GST per annum. It suits both domestic and international travelers as it offers elite benefits to the users which include complimentary Dreamfolks Pass, Lounge Access, Golf Course privileges, and much more.

Let us discuss in detail the exclusive features that ICICI Bank Sapphiro Card carries:

It provides the welcome benefits worth Rs. 9,000+ if the joining fees are paid within the first 45 days. The segregation of the above is: –
– Croma voucher amounting to Rs. 1,000.
– Four vouchers of Rs. 1,000 each of EaseMyTrip. (Total Rs. 4,000)
– You get four Uber vouchers worth Rs. 250 each. (Total Rs. 1,000)
– Tata CliQ voucher amounting to Rs. 3,000
– The next deal is for the food junkie’s as you get a Zomato Pro Membership voucher worth Rs. 800.
With complementary Dreamfolks membership, you get to enjoy 2 international lounge visits and 2 spa sessions at selected airports in India every year.
4 complimentary access to selected airport lounges in India each quarter by spending Rs. 5,000 or more in the previous calendar quarter to enjoy this facility in the approaching calendar quarter.
Complimentary Golf Round/Lesson for every Rs. 50,000 spent on retail purchases in the previous calendar month. (Maximum 4 rounds every month)
On purchase of one ticket, get Rs. 250 off on the second ticket through BookMyShow, twice a month.
You earn 2 Reward Points upon spending Rs. 100 on domestic spends. (Except fuel)
You earn 4 Reward Points upon spending Rs. 100 on international spends.
1 Reward Point can be earned on every Rs. 100 spent on utilities and insurance categories.
A maximum of 20,000 Reward Points can be earned each year under the new Milestone Rewards Program. Upon spending Rs. 4,00,000, you get to earn 4,000 Reward Points and after that, you get 2,000 Reward Points for each Rs. 1,00,000 spent in an anniversary year.

Check here: ICICI Sapphiro Credit Card Review

SBI Elite Credit Card

SBI Elite Credit Card is a high ended card designed for the segment who love to travel often. It provides spectacular offers on travel and hotel bookings and on top of it offers you the privilege to enjoy the lowest Foreign Currency Mark-up Charge of 1.99% on international usage. This card is available in 3 network variants – Mastercard, Visa, and American Express. As already discussed, it comes with a joining fee of Rs. 4,999 + Taxes per annum. This card is suitable for those people who love to travel and want to enjoy luxurious stays.

Let’s discuss the features that SBI Elite Credit Card holds:

You receive an e-Gift voucher as a welcome gift worth Rs. 5,000. You will receive an SMS within 15 days from the annual payment to choose your e-voucher from a list of stores namely – Yatra, Hush Puppies/Bata, Pantaloons, Aditya Birla Fashion and Shoppers Stop.
You are offered the lowest Foreign Currency Mark-up Charge of 1.99% on international usage. Also, you get 2 reward points on every Rs. 100 spent on international transactions.
You get to enjoy complimentary Club Vistara Silver Membership. Also, you get to earn 9 Club Vistara Points on every Rs. 100 spent on booking Vistara flights.
You get a membership to Priority Pass Program worth $99 as a complimentary gift.
6 complementary international lounge visits in a calendar year. (Maximum 2 per quarter).
2 complimentary domestic lounge visits per quarter.
You can enjoy complimentary Trident Privilege Red Tier Membership and will also get 1,000 welcome points on registration.
You can enjoy movie tickets worth Rs. 6,000 for free each year. You get a discount of Rs. 500 each month on booking of 2 movie tickets.
You get to earn 2 reward points on every Rs. 100 spent on all spends except fuel. (Here 4 RP = Re. 1)
5X reward points are earned on dining, departmental stores and grocery spends.
You get to enjoy a fuel surcharge waiver of 1% across all petrol pumps but the maximum surcharge waiver that will be credited per month per account will be Rs. 250.
Earn up to 25,000 bonus Reward Points every year on achieving the spend milestone.
Spend based reversal of Annual Fee on spends of Rs. 10 Lakhs.

There are some other privileges that will depend on the variant of the card. Let’s now discuss them:

Mastercard

– You get 4 complimentary rounds of green fees each year. (Maximum 1 can be availed in a month)
– Along with this, you get 12 complimentary golf lessons in a year. (Limited to 1 per month.)
– Additionally, 50% off on all golf games at selected golf courses in India.

Visa

– Save on car rentals – 10% on Hertz Car and 35% on Avis Car
– Enjoy elite services at 900 luxury hotels around the world.

American Express

– You can enjoy great dining deals and up to 25% discount on dining in your city through the American Express Dining Platform.
– You can now have the access to VIP upgrades at hotels in India and around the world with the Complementary Tablet plus membership.

Check here: SBI Elite Credit Card Review

Quick Comparison

Now that we have discussed the features of both the cards individually, let us now have a quick comparison between ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card and SBI Elite Credit Card:

Basis	ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card	SBI Elite Credit Card
Reward Rate	2 RP points on every Rs. 100 spent on domestic spends. (Except fuel) 1 RP point on every Rs. 100 spent on utilities and insurance. 4 RP points for every Rs. 100 spent on international spends.	2 RP on every Rs. 100 spent on all spends. (Except fuel) 5X RP on grocery, departmental and dining spends. 2 RW on every Rs. 100 spent for international transactions.
Reward Redemption	4 RP points = Re. 1	4 RP points = Re. 1
Fuel Surcharge Waiver	1%	1% limited to Rs. 250 per month per credit account.
Welcome Benefits	Vouchers worth Rs. 9,000+ if the joining fees is paid within the first 45 days.	e-Gift voucher worth Rs. 5,000
Milestone Benefits	4,000 RP points on spending Rs. 4,00,000. After this, you get 2,000 RP for each Rs. 1,00,000 spent in an anniversary year. (A maximum of 20,000 RP points can be earned each year.)	10,000 RP and 20,000 RP on spending Rs. 3-4 Lakhs and Rs. 5-8 Lakhs respectively. Nearly 50,000 RP worth Rs. 12,500 can be earned each year.
Lounge Visits	2 international lounge visits every year. 4 complimentary access to domestic lounges in each quarter by spending Rs. 5,000 in the previous quarter.	6 complementary international lounge visits in a year limited to 2 per quarter. 2 domestic lounge visits per quarter.
Movie Benefits	Buy one ticket and get Rs. 250 off on the second ticket, through BookMyShow, twice in a month.	Get a discount of Rs. 500 each month on booking of 2 movie tickets.
Travel Benefits	2 spa sessions at selected domestic airports.	Enjoy complimentary Club Vistara Silver membership. Enjoy complimentary Trident Privilege Red Tier membership.
Membership Fee	Rs. 6,500 + GST	Rs. 4,999 + Taxes
Renewal Fees	Rs. 3,500 + GST (Can be waived off if more than Rs. 6 Lakhs are spent in the previous year.)	Rs. 4,999 + Taxes (Spend-based reversal of Annual Fee on spends of Rs. 10 Lakhs.)
Eligibility	Issued to either salaried or self-employed individual. Minimum salary Rs. 80,000 per month in the case of individuals. Minimum income Rs. 83,333 per month in the case of a self-employed individuals.	Minimum monthly income of Rs. 60,000 (salaried applicants) or Rs.60,000 per month (self-employed applicants) Age of salaried applicants must be between 18 to 65 years and the self-employed must be 21 to 60 years.

The Verdict

Having considered both the cards individually, we can say that the ICICI Bank Sapphiro credit card is best suited for domestic travelers because you get more access to domestic lounges as compared to international lounges. Adding to it, it is beneficial for the one who would love to spend on dining experiences as you get to enjoy 15% off over 2500+ restaurants all over India under the Culinary Treats Program. Also, a gadget lover would be best suited for this card as the RP earned can be redeemed against the gift of your choice.

SBI Elite Credit Card is best suited for international travelers as you enjoy Club Vistara Silver membership. Also, you get complimentary Priority Pass Membership and access to various participating international lounges. Additionally, you can enjoy Trident Privilege Red Tier membership which would help you in hotel bookings as well.

Both the cards are exclusive in their own form but one should choose according to their needs and preferences. The benefits and features of the SBI Elite Credit Card would benefit the international travelers and that of the ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card would be suitable for domestic travelers.

Also Read: SBI Card Elite Vs SBI Prime Credit Card

ICICI Bank Sapphiro Credit Card vs SBI Elite Credit Card: Which One to Pick??