3 pts / ₹100
Limited data Pairwise comparison
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AU Zenith+ vs ICICI Sapphiro Mastercard
Side-by-side comparison of the AU Small Finance Bank Zenith+ and the ICICI Bank Sapphiro Mastercard. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.
The short answer
Pick Zenith+ for spending abroad.
Pick Sapphiro Mastercard for a lower fee.
Sapphiro Mastercard costs ₹1,499 less a year.
Head-to-head
- Annual fee Annual fee outcome: Sapphiro Mastercard wins. Sapphiro Mastercard saves ₹1,499/yrZenith+ ₹4,999 Waivable at ₹8,00,000 spendSapphiro Mastercard ₹3,500 Waivable at ₹6,00,000 spend
- Forex markup Forex markup outcome: Zenith+ wins. Zenith+ saves ~₹2,510 per ₹1L abroadZenith+ 0.99%Sapphiro Mastercard 3.5%
- Domestic lounge Domestic lounge outcome: tie. Zenith+ 8/year (2 per quarter)Sapphiro Mastercard 8/year (2 per quarter) Conditional · Domestic: 2/quarter · requires ₹75,000 spend in the previous calendar quarter (unlocks the following quarter)
- Rewards Rewards outcome: insufficient data to compare. conservative base valueZenith+ Not safely INR-comparableSapphiro Mastercard ~0.5%
Reward earning explained
2 pts / ₹100 · Up to 4 pts / ₹100 on international spend
Strong dataExample usage at this monthly spend
At ₹50k/month spend:
- Sapphiro: ~₹250/month at base rate
- AU Zenith+: Base earn not clearly specified
Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.
All fields
| Field | Zenith+ AU Small Finance Bank | Sapphiro Mastercard ICICI Bank |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge Access | ||
| Domestic lounge visits spend-gated on some cards — see caveats | 8/year (2 per quarter) | 8/year (2 per quarter) |
| Railway lounge visits Only available for AU Zenith+ | 8 railway lounge visits per year (max 2/quarter) | Not specified |
| International lounge visits 2 per quarter vs 2 per year | 2 per quarter | 2 per year |
| Forex / International Use | ||
| Forex markup Source agreement differs — verify both. 0.99% vs 3.5% | 0.99% | 3.5% |
| Fees | ||
| Recurring annual fee ₹4,999 vs ₹3,500 | ₹4,999 | ₹3,500 |
| Annual-fee waiver ₹8,00,000 vs ₹6,00,000 | ₹8,00,000 | ₹6,00,000 |
| Interest-free period Up to 50 days vs Up to 48 days | Up to 50 days | Up to 48 days |
| Monthly interest rate 1.99% / month vs 3.75% / month | 1.99% / month | 3.75% / month |
| Late-payment charge Only available for Sapphiro | Not specified | ₹100–₹1,300 depending on outstanding balance |
| Fuel benefit Surcharge waiver available · ₹400–₹5,000 transactions · ₹1,000/month waiver cap vs 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions · Fuel rewards excluded | Surcharge waiver available · ₹400–₹5,000 transactions · ₹1,000/month waiver cap | 1% surcharge waiver · up to ₹4,000 transactions · Fuel rewards excluded |
| Rewards | ||
| Points per ₹100 3 pts / ₹100 vs 2 pts / ₹100 | 3 pts / ₹100 | 2 pts / ₹100 |
| Conservative base value Not safely INR-comparable vs ~0.5% | Not safely INR-comparable | ~0.5% |
| Earn ceiling Not stated vs Eligible spend capped at ₹80,000 per statement cycle | Not stated | Eligible spend capped at ₹80,000 per statement cycle |
| Point value (headline channel) Issuer headline redemption rate — see each card page for the full channel grid. Only available for Sapphiro | Not specified | ₹0.25 |
| Point validity Only available for Sapphiro | Not specified | 3 years |
| Insurance — Air accident cover Only available for Sapphiro | Not specified | ₹3 crore · Requires at least one card use during the preceding 60 days |
| Insurance — Lost card liability cover Only available for Sapphiro | Not specified | ₹50,000 |
| Insurance — Underwriter Only available for Sapphiro | Not specified | Insured by ICICI Lombard General Insurance Company Limited |
Notes
- ICICI Sapphiro Credit Card: Condition: ₹75,000 spend in the previous calendar quarter (unlocks the following quarter)
- Card benefits change frequently. Always verify current terms on the issuer's official website or app before applying.
AU Small Finance Bank Zenith+
Verify with issuer , opens external siteICICI Bank Sapphiro Mastercard
Verify with issuer , opens external site