Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card vs SBI Unnati Credit Card
Axis Bank · SBI Card — side-by-side CardCheck comparison


Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card leads overall with a CardCheck Score of 80/100 (+26 pts over SBI Unnati Credit Card).
4-Pillar Head-to-Head Breakdown
Airtel vs SBI- CardCheck Score
- 80Best
- 54
- Rating Verdict
- Excellent
- Fair
- Reward Power (35%)
- 35/35
- 20/35
- Fee Value & ROI (25%)
- 22/25
- 22/25
- Lounge & Travel (20%)
- 11/20
- 4/20
- Forex & Access (20%)
- 12/20
- 8/20
- Bank
- Axis Bank
- SBI Card
- Network
- Visa
- Visa
- Card type
- Regular
- Secured
- Best for
- Airtel subscribers — telecom, broadband & utility cashback
- Building credit — secured card against SBI fixed deposit, 1% cashback
- Joining fee
- ₹500
- FreeBest
- Annual fee
- ₹500
- ₹499Best
- Fee waiver
- ₹2,00,000
- —
- Interest-free days
- —
- 50
- APR (min)
- 52.86%
- 36%Best
- APR (max)
- 52.86%
- 42%Best
- Late payment fee
- ₹1,200Best
- ₹1,300
- Cash advance fee
- 2.5%
- 2.5%
- Reward type
- cashback
- cashback
- Min rate
- 1%
- 1%
- Max rate
- 25%Best
- 1%
- Domestic lounge / qtr
- 1Best
- 0
- Intl lounge / year
- 0
- 0
- Priority Pass
- DreamFolks
- Forex markup
- 3.5%
- 3.5%
- Fuel surcharge waiver
- Metal card
- Contactless
- UPI linked
- Min age
- 18
- 18
- Min income / month
- ₹15,000
- Free
- Min CIBIL
- 700
- 0Best
- Invite only
| Attribute ↓ | Column A ![]() | ★ Overall pick Column B ![]() |
|---|---|---|
01—CardCheck Score & Pillars Differences highlighted | ||
| CardCheck Score | 80Best | 54 |
| Rating Verdict | Excellent | Fair |
| Reward Power (35%) | 35/35 | 20/35 |
| Fee Value & ROI (25%) | 22/25 | 22/25 |
| Lounge & Travel (20%) | 11/20 | 4/20 |
| Forex & Access (20%) | 12/20 | 8/20 |
02—Basic Info Differences highlighted | ||
| Bank | Axis Bank | SBI Card |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
| Card type | Regular | Secured |
| Best for | Airtel subscribers — telecom, broadband & utility cashback | Building credit — secured card against SBI fixed deposit, 1% cashback |
03—Fees Differences highlighted | ||
| Joining fee | ₹500 | FreeBest |
| Annual fee | ₹500 | ₹499Best |
| Fee waiver | ₹2,00,000 | — |
| Interest-free days | — | 50 |
04—Interest Differences highlighted | ||
| APR (min) | 52.86% | 36%Best |
| APR (max) | 52.86% | 42%Best |
| Late payment fee | ₹1,200Best | ₹1,300 |
| Cash advance fee | 2.5% | 2.5% |
05—Rewards Differences highlighted | ||
| Reward type | cashback | cashback |
| Min rate | 1% | 1% |
| Max rate | 25%Best | 1% |
06—Travel & Lounge Differences highlighted | ||
| Domestic lounge / qtr | 1Best | 0 |
| Intl lounge / year | 0 | 0 |
| Priority Pass | ||
| DreamFolks | ||
07—Forex & Fuel Differences highlighted | ||
| Forex markup | 3.5% | 3.5% |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | ||
08—Features Differences highlighted | ||
| Metal card | ||
| Contactless | ||
| UPI linked | ||
09—Eligibility Differences highlighted | ||
| Min age | 18 | 18 |
| Min income / month | ₹15,000 | Free |
| Min CIBIL | 700 | 0Best |
| Invite only | ||
| Rows won | 04of 09 | 05of 09 |
| Key Specification | Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card | SBI Unnati Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| CardCheck Score | 80/100Excellent | 54/100Fair |
| Annual Fee | ₹500 | ₹499 |
| Fee Waiver Spend | ₹2L/yr | No waiver |
| Max Reward Potential | 25% | 1% |
| Domestic Lounge Access | 1 / quarter | None |
| International Lounge | None | None |
| Forex Markup Fee | 3.5% | 3.5% |
Choose Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card if:
Your spending centers around airtel subscribers — telecom, broadband & utility cashback and you want direct partner rewards with Axis Bank.
Choose SBI Unnati Credit Card if:
Your spending aligns with building credit — secured card against sbi fixed deposit, 1% cashback and you prioritize SBI Card's redemption benefits.
Frequently asked questions: Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card vs SBI Unnati Credit Card
- Which is better: Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card or SBI Unnati Credit Card?
- Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card holds a higher overall rating with a CardCheck Score of 80/100 (Excellent) compared to 54/100 (Fair) for SBI Unnati Credit Card (a lead of +26 points). Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card is classified in our Elite tier due to superior spend returns and comprehensive travel perks.
- How do annual fees and fee waiver spend rules compare?
- Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card charges an annual fee of ₹500 with an annual spend threshold of ₹2 Lakh for renewal fee waiver. In comparison, SBI Unnati Credit Card charges an annual fee of ₹499 with no official annual spend waiver milestone.
- How do the reward rates and cashback compare between Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card and SBI Unnati Credit Card?
- Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card offers a base reward rate of 1% and up to 25% on accelerated partner categories. Meanwhile, SBI Unnati Credit Card offers a base rate of 1% and up to 1% on eligible spends. Compare net returns against your monthly spend in our Rewards Calculator.
- Which card has better airport lounge access: Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card or SBI Unnati Credit Card?
- Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card provides 1 domestic lounge visit(s) per quarter. On the other hand, SBI Unnati Credit Card provides no complimentary domestic lounge access. Note that most issuers now require meeting minimum quarterly spend criteria (typically ₹10,000 to ₹50,000 in the preceding quarter) to unlock lounge access.
- Which card is better for international foreign currency spends?
- Airtel Axis Bank Credit Card levies a foreign currency markup fee of 3.5%, while SBI Unnati Credit Card charges 3.5%. Lower forex markup directly reduces costs when transacting overseas or on international e-commerce platforms.
- Is CardCheck's comparison data unbiased and verified against official bank MITC?
- Yes. All credit card fees, interest rates, lounge visit quotas, and reward calculations on CardCheck are 100% unsponsored and verified directly against each bank's official Most Important Terms & Conditions (MITC).