This Article was fact checked and last updated for accuracy on July 17, 2025 by Mani Karthik
Back in 2018, barely a year after moving back to India, I was still figuring out the whole credit card ecosystem.
My wife was constantly ordering stuff online. Amazon. Myntra. BookMyShow.
“We need a card that gives us something back for all this shopping,” she said.
That’s when I discovered the SBI SimplyClick.
At ₹499 annual fee, it seemed too good to be true.
Turns out, it wasn’t. 💳
My SimplyClick Discovery Story 📖
The Rookie Mistake Period
Moving back from the US in 2017 meant starting fresh with Indian credit cards.
I had this fancy Chase Sapphire Reserve back in Seattle. Great card. Useless in India.
My first Indian card was HDFC Regalia. Decent rewards. But nothing specific for online shopping.
Then my neighbor aunty mentioned SBI SimplyClick.
“Beta, I get vouchers for all my online shopping. Very good card.”
I thought she was talking about some senior citizen scheme.
The Application Surprise
Applied online. Got approved in 3 days.
Credit limit: ₹1 lakh (those were modest days).
First purchase: ₹500 Amazon voucher using the welcome benefit.
Essentially got the card for free in year one.
That’s when I realized this wasn’t just an entry level card.
It was a smart entry level card.
SBI SimplyClick At A Glance ⚡
The Online Shopping Specialist
SBI SimplyClick Card offers accelerated 10x rewards on popular everyday brands—BookMyShow, Apollo24X7, Dominos, IGP, Myntra, Yatra, Netmeds, and Cleartrip, with 5x rewards on all other online spends.
The Reality Check
Annual fee of ₹499 gets you an Amazon gift card worth ₹500, plus annual fee reversal if you spend ₹1,00,000 in a year.
First year is essentially free. Second year onwards, spend ₹8,334 monthly and fees are waived.
That’s very doable for most families.
The Competition Face Off 🥊
| Feature | SBI SimplyClick | HDFC MoneyBack+ | YES Bank PaisaSave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | ₹499 | ₹500 | ₹499 |
| Welcome Benefit | ₹500 Amazon voucher | ₹500 cashback | ₹500 voucher |
| Online Rewards | 10X/5X points | 2X points | 3% cashback |
| Partner Brands | 8 specific brands | All online | All online |
| Offline Rewards | 1 point per ₹100 | 1 point per ₹100 | 1% cashback |
| Fee Waiver | ₹1L spend | ₹1L spend | ₹1L spend |
| Fuel Surcharge | 1% waiver | 1% waiver | 1% waiver |
| Redemption | Vouchers only | Multiple options | Cash/vouchers |
| Point Value | ₹0.25 per point | ₹0.25 per point | Direct cashback |
My Take: SimplyClick wins if you shop at partner brands. PaisaSave wins for flexibility.
The Reward Structure Deep Dive 💰
The 10X Partners List
10X Reward Points on Partner Brands: Apollo 24×7, BookMyShow, Cleartrip, Dominos, IGP, Myntra, Netmeds, and Yatra.
My Family’s Annual Usage Pattern
| Partner | Annual Spend | Points Earned | Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myntra | ₹25,000 | 2,500 | ₹625 |
| BookMyShow | ₹12,000 | 1,200 | ₹300 |
| Dominos | ₹8,000 | 800 | ₹200 |
| Cleartrip | ₹15,000 | 1,500 | ₹375 |
| Other online | ₹40,000 | 2,000 | ₹500 |
| Total | ₹1,00,000 | 8,000 | ₹2,000 |
The Math Reality
Annual fee: ₹499 Points value: ₹2,000 Milestone vouchers: ₹2,000 Net benefit: ₹3,501
That’s 3.5% effective return on ₹1 lakh spend.
The Milestone Benefits Strategy 🎯
The Travel Voucher Bonuses
Cardholders can earn savings via Cleartrip e-vouchers worth Rs. 2,000 each on reaching annual spending milestones of Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 2 lakh, respectively.
My Milestone Achievement Plan
Year 1: ₹1 lakh spend = ₹2,000 Cleartrip voucher Year 2: ₹2 lakh spend = ₹4,000 total vouchers
The Family Vacation Strategy
We use these vouchers for our annual Kerala trip.
₹2,000 covers domestic flight tickets for one person. ₹4,000 covers hotel stays for 2 nights.
Essentially, our credit card funds part of our family vacation.
The Welcome Benefit Reality Check 🎁
The Amazon Voucher Magic
Get Amazon.in gift card worth Rs.500 on payment of Annual Fee of Rs. 499 plus taxes.
You literally get more value than the fee in welcome benefits.
My First Year Experience
Annual fee paid: ₹499 Taxes (GST): ₹90 Total cost: ₹589
Amazon voucher received: ₹500 Effective first year cost: ₹89
That’s like getting a premium card for the price of a coffee.
The Partner Brands Deep Dive 🏬
Why These Partners Matter
The 8 partner brands cover most online shopping categories:
✅ Fashion: Myntra
✅ Entertainment: BookMyShow
✅ Travel: Cleartrip, Yatra
✅ Food: Dominos
✅ Healthcare: Apollo 24×7, Netmeds
✅ Gifts: IGP
My Family’s Usage Distribution
- Wife: Myntra (fashion), Apollo 24×7 (medicines)
- Me: BookMyShow (movies), Cleartrip (travel)
- Kids: Dominos (weekend treats), IGP (birthday gifts)
The partner selection actually covers our lifestyle pretty well.
The Redemption Reality 📱
The Limited Options Challenge
Redemption is limited to Cleartrip and Yatra e-gift vouchers, with no statement credit or cashback options available.
This is the card’s biggest limitation.
My Redemption Strategy
Since I can only redeem for travel vouchers, I time my redemptions with family trips.
Redeemed 10,000 points for ₹2,500 Cleartrip voucher. Used it for our Goa trip in December.
Works well if you travel. Limiting if you don’t.
The Fee Waiver Mathematics 📊
The ₹1 Lakh Spend Formula
Annual fee will be reversed from the second year onwards if you spend ₹1,00,000 in a year.
Monthly spend required: ₹8,334
My Family’s Monthly Breakdown
| Category | Amount | Card Used |
|---|---|---|
| Myntra shopping | ₹2,500 | SimplyClick |
| Food delivery | ₹2,000 | SimplyClick |
| Movie tickets | ₹1,000 | SimplyClick |
| Travel bookings | ₹1,500 | SimplyClick |
| Other online | ₹1,334 | SimplyClick |
| Total | ₹8,334 | Fee waived |
We hit this target by month 10 usually.
The Fuel Surcharge Benefit ⛽
The 1% Waiver Details
1% fuel surcharge waiver for each transaction between Rs 500 & Rs 3000, with maximum waiver of Rs 100 per month.
My Monthly Fuel Savings
Average fuel expense: ₹2,500 Surcharge waiver: ₹25 Annual savings: ₹300
Not life changing. But covers a pizza dinner every year.
The Entry Level Positioning 🎯
Who This Card Is Really For
The SBI SimplyClick is designed for people who:
✅ Shop online frequently
✅ Want simple rewards without complexity
✅ Are new to credit cards
✅ Don’t want high annual fees
✅ Use the 8 partner brands regularly
My Recommendation Profile
Perfect for:
- College students
- Young professionals
- First time card users
- Online shopping enthusiasts
Not ideal for:
- Travel enthusiasts (limited lounge access)
- Offline spenders (poor rewards)
- People wanting flexible redemption
The Recent Changes Impact 📉
The Swiggy Devaluation
Starting 1 April 2025, reward points for online spending at Swiggy will be reduced from 10X to 5X.
This hurt our family’s food delivery rewards.
My Swiggy Impact Analysis
Monthly Swiggy spend: ₹3,000 Old rewards: 300 points (₹75 value) New rewards: 150 points (₹37.50 value) Monthly loss: ₹37.50 Annual loss: ₹450
Still manageable. But shows the devaluation trend.
The International Usage Reality 🌍
The 3.5% Forex Markup
This card charges standard foreign currency markup.
My US Trip Experience (2023)
Total foreign spend: $800 (₹65,000) Forex markup: ₹2,275 (3.5%) Rewards earned: 650 points (₹162.50) Net cost: ₹2,112.50
Better to use other cards for international spending.
The Customer Service Experience 📞
My Support Interactions
Had to call twice in 5 years:
- Points not credited: Resolved in 2 days
- Card replacement: New card in 5 days
SBI Card’s customer service is decent for basic issues.
The Family Impact Analysis 👨👩👧👦
Wife’s Perspective
She loves the simplicity.
“Just use it for online shopping and get points.”
No categories to remember. No rotating offers.
Kids’ Learning Experience
Used this as their first credit card education.
“See, we get points for responsible spending.”
Good starter card for teaching financial responsibility.
The Limitations Deep Dive ⚠️
What This Card Doesn’t Offer
❌ Airport lounge access (none)
❌ Travel insurance (none)
❌ Concierge services (none)
❌ International acceptance (poor rewards)
❌ Offline rewards (minimal)
❌ Flexible redemption (travel vouchers only)
My Workaround Strategy
I use SimplyClick for online shopping. Other cards for travel, dining, and premium benefits.
It’s a specialized tool, not a comprehensive solution.
The Application Process Tips 💡
Eligibility Requirements
Being one of the most basic cards from SBI Card, the minimum income requirement is also on the lower side.
My Application Experience (2018)
- Monthly income: ₹1.5L (HappyFox days)
- Existing cards: HDFC Regalia
- Applied online: Approved in 3 days
- Documents: Salary slips, bank statements
Very smooth process for an entry level card.
The Alternative Cards Comparison 🔄
If You Want More Flexibility
| Alternative | Why Consider | Annual Fee |
|---|---|---|
| SBI Cashback | 5% online cashback | ₹999 |
| HDFC MoneyBack+ | Multiple redemption options | ₹500 |
| YES PaisaSave | 3% direct cashback | ₹499 |
My Recommendation Logic
- SBI SimplyClick: If you use partner brands
- SBI Cashback: If you want flat 5% online
- YES PaisaSave: If you want maximum flexibility
The Future Outlook 📈
What’s Likely to Happen
SBI will keep adjusting partner brands and reward rates.
Expect more devaluations as the card becomes popular.
My Prediction Timeline
- 2025: More partners removed from 10X list
- 2026: Overall reward rate reduction
- 2027: Possible fee increase
Get it now if you’re interested.
The Verdict: Should You Get This Card? 🏆
My Bottom Line After 6 Years
This card served our family well during the initial India years.
Simple. Predictable. Decent rewards.
Perfect for online shopping beginners.
The Current Recommendation
✅ Get it if you:
- Shop at partner brands regularly
- Want simple rewards without complexity
- Are new to credit cards
- Don’t mind limited redemption options
❌ Skip it if you:
- Want travel benefits
- Need flexible redemption
- Shop mostly offline
- Already have better cards
My Rating: 7/10
Good starter card. Not a lifestyle changer.
The NRI Returnee Perspective 🏠
Why This Card Worked for Us
Moving back to India meant learning new shopping patterns.
Online shopping was our comfort zone.
SimplyClick rewarded our natural behavior.
The Cultural Adjustment
In the US, we used credit cards for everything.
In India, we had to learn which cards work where.
SimplyClick simplified our online shopping decisions.
Final Thoughts: The Reality Check 💭
Look, I’ll be honest.
SimplyClick isn’t the sexiest card in my wallet.
No lounge access. No travel insurance. No fancy perks.
But it does one thing well: rewards online shopping.
For a family transitioning to India, that was exactly what we needed.
My 2025 Status
I still use it for partner brand shopping.
But I’ve added other cards for different categories.
It’s a good foundation card. Not a complete solution.
The Bottom Line
If you’re starting your credit card journey in India, SimplyClick is a safe first step.
Just don’t expect it to be your only card forever.
Want More Credit Card Insights? 📬
I’ll keep reviewing Indian credit cards from an NRI returnee perspective.
Because building a credit portfolio in India shouldn’t be this confusing.
Coming Next:
- SBI Cashback (the 5% online king)
- HDFC MoneyBack+ (the versatile option)
- YES Bank PaisaSave (the flexible choice)
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