# PhonePe SBI Card Review: SELECT BLACK vs PURPLE

> PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK (INR 1,499) and PURPLE (INR 499) compared: reward points on PhonePe and online spends, welcome gift cards, lounges, Yatra milestones and fee reversal.
- **Published**: 2026-10-31
- **Modified**: 2026-10-31
- **Category**: credit-cards
- **URL**: https://www.tldr.money/articles/credit-cards/phonepe-sbi-card-review

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Our [credit cards guide](/credit-cards) explains how to judge any card. This review compares the two **PhonePe SBI Cards**, SELECT BLACK and PURPLE, and explains what the "up to 10% value back" claim really depends on.

**Last updated: 31 October 2026.** Educational, not advice. SBI Card defines "eligible PhonePe spends" and "eligible online spends" in the card's terms, so check them before applying.

## SELECT BLACK vs PURPLE at a glance

| Feature | PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK | PhonePe SBI Card PURPLE |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | INR 1,499 + taxes | INR 499 + taxes |
| Fee reversal | INR 3 lakh spend in the previous year | INR 1 lakh spend in the previous year |
| Welcome benefit | INR 1,500 PhonePe e-gift card | INR 500 PhonePe gift card |
| Eligible PhonePe spends | 10 points per INR 100 | 3 points per INR 100 |
| Eligible online spends | 5 points per INR 100 | 2 points per INR 100 |
| Milestone | INR 5,000 Yatra e-voucher at INR 5 lakh | INR 3,000 Yatra voucher at INR 3 lakh |
| International lounges | Priority Pass for the first two years | None |
| Domestic lounges | 4 a year (max 1 a quarter) | None |
| Fuel surcharge waiver | 1% on INR 500-INR 4,000, up to INR 250 a cycle | 1% on INR 500-INR 3,000, up to INR 100 a cycle |

## What the points are worth

SBI Card advertises "up to 10% value back as reward points on PhonePe spends" for SELECT BLACK. Ten points per INR 100 equals 10% only when each point is worth INR 1. On several other SBI cards, four points equal INR 1. At that rate SELECT BLACK pays **2.5%** on PhonePe and **1.25%** online, and PURPLE pays **0.75%** and **0.5%**. The real figure sits somewhere in that range depending on what you redeem for, so check the redemption table in the terms.

## The maths for SELECT BLACK

Say you put INR 15,000 a month of eligible PhonePe spends and INR 10,000 of online spends on the card, INR 3 lakh a year in all:

- PhonePe points: 1.8 lakh x 10/100 = 18,000
- Online points: 1.2 lakh x 5/100 = 6,000
- Total: 24,000 points, worth between **INR 6,000** (at INR 0.25) and **INR 24,000** (at INR 1)
- Fee: reversed, because you spent INR 3 lakh
- First year: also the INR 1,500 PhonePe gift card

Even at the low point value, that beats the INR 1,499 fee. PURPLE on the same spend earns 7,800 points, roughly INR 1,950 at INR 0.25.

## Who should get it

- **People who run their bills, recharges and shopping through PhonePe.** SELECT BLACK's 10 points per INR 100 is the headline.
- **Occasional flyers** who want Priority Pass without a super-premium fee.

## Who should skip it

- **People who mainly use Paytm or Google Pay.** See the [Paytm AU RuPay review](/articles/credit-cards/paytm-au-rupay-credit-card-review).
- **Anyone who can't reach INR 3 lakh a year** on SELECT BLACK; the fee then repeats every year.
- **Anyone who carries a balance.** See [the minimum-due trap](/articles/credit-cards/credit-card-fees-and-minimum-due-trap).

SBI Card is also introducing a 1% fee on large fuel and transport spends from December; see [SBI Card's 1% fee on fuel and transport](/articles/credit-cards/sbi-card-1-percent-fee-fuel-transport-december-2026).

## Sources

- SBI Card, PhonePe SBI Card SELECT BLACK: https://www.sbicard.com/en/personal/credit-cards/phonepe-sbi-card-select-black.html
- SBI Card, PhonePe SBI Card PURPLE: https://www.sbicard.com/en/personal/credit-cards/phonepe-sbi-card-purple.html
- SBI Card, BPCL SBI Card (4 reward points = INR 1): https://www.sbicard.com/en/personal/credit-cards/bpcl-sbi-card.html
- Example figures: tldr.money calculation
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