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HSBC Live+ vs IDFC FIRST WOW!

Side-by-side comparison of the HSBC India Live+ and the IDFC FIRST Bank WOW!. Verify fees, lounge access, forex markup, and base rewards before you apply.

Live+
WOW!

The short answer

Pick Live+ for rewards.

Pick WOW! for spending abroad.

WOW! costs ₹999 less a year.

Head-to-head

  • Annual fee Annual fee outcome: tie.
    Live+ ₹999 Waivable at ₹2,00,000 spend
    WOW! ₹0
    ₹999/yr apart · waiver gates differ
  • Forex markup Forex markup outcome: WOW! wins.
    Live+ 1.99%
    WOW! 0%
    WOW! saves ~₹1,990 per ₹1L abroad
  • Domestic lounge Domestic lounge outcome: insufficient data to compare.
    Live+ 2/year
    WOW! No complimentary lounge access
  • Rewards Rewards outcome: Live+ wins.
    Live+ ~1.5%
    WOW! ~0.5%
    conservative base value

Reward earning explained

Live+

1.5% on domestic spend · 10% on eligible dining, food delivery, grocery, and utilities

Strong data
WOW!

2 pts / ₹100 on domestic spend

Strong data

Example usage at this monthly spend

At ₹50k/month spend:

  • HSBC Live+: ~₹750/month at base rate
  • IDFC FIRST WOW!: ~₹250/month at base rate

Illustrative only, using current base rates before caps.

All fields

Field Live+ HSBC India WOW! IDFC FIRST Bank
Lounge Access
Domestic lounge visits
2/year vs No complimentary lounge access
2/year No complimentary lounge access
International lounge visits
1 per year vs 4 per year
1 per year 4 per year
Forex / International Use
Forex markup
1.99% vs 0%
1.99% 0%
Fees
Recurring annual fee
₹999 vs ₹0
₹999 ₹0
Annual-fee waiver
Only available for HSBC Live+
₹2,00,000 Not specified
Monthly interest rate
Only available for HSBC Live+
3.75% / month Not specified
Rewards
Base earn
Some reward lanes are unsupported — base rate only for comparison.
1.5% on domestic spend vs 2 pts / ₹100 on domestic spend
1.5% on domestic spend 2 pts / ₹100 on domestic spend
Conservative base value
~1.5% vs ~0.5%
~1.5% ~0.5%
Earn ceiling
₹1,200 per month — shared across Dining, Food delivery, Grocery, Shopping & Utilities vs Not stated
₹1,200 per month — shared across Dining, Food delivery, Grocery, Shopping & Utilities Not stated
Point value (headline channel)
Issuer headline redemption rate — see each card page for the full channel grid.
Only available for IDFC FIRST WOW!
Not specified ₹0.25
Point validity
Only available for IDFC FIRST WOW!
Not specified 2 years

Notes

  • Card benefits change frequently. Always verify current terms on the issuer's official website or app before applying.