SCB Ultimate vs Axis Ace

[sd.ac]

I realize this is a comparison between an entry level card and a premium card but I am confused

I recently got the SCB Ultimate card. So far, I have used the Axis Ace for utilities at 5% and at 2% for offline spends. I do not want two paid Visa cards. If I were to give-up the Axis Ace card, what would be a good approach to paying electricity and utility bills using the SCB Ultimate card?

Amazon pay does not allow loads with a credit card (anymore). I could buy APay gift vouchers from Amazon using the Ultimate card for 3.3% returns, load APay and then pay my bills. Any suggestions to do this with better returns?

Thank you

 

[Slayer]

I realize this is a comparison between an entry level card and a premium card but I am confused

I recently got the SCB Ultimate card. So far, I have used the Axis Ace for utilities at 5% and at 2% for offline spends. I do not want two paid Visa cards. If I were to give-up the Axis Ace card, what would be a good approach to paying electricity and utility bills using the SCB Ultimate card?

Amazon pay does not allow loads with a credit card (anymore). I could buy APay gift vouchers from Amazon using the Ultimate card for 3.3% returns, load APay and then pay my bills. Any suggestions to do this with better returns?

Thank you

You do not need to buy a gift voucher to pay your bill using cc in Amazon Pay
SC Ultimate will give 3.33% in this method
Personall, shifting utility bill payments to SC Ultimate is a bad move
Due to redemption options in sc portal
Also i think SC Ultimate is not that great (it's decent but not over the top)
A few people like @bhavyegoel also agree
I think SC Ultimate mostly suits business related spends like mass insurance payment, rent and etc.

 

[sd.ac]

Axis Ace works only on Android GPay - I am a little tired of using my wife's phone for this purpose. I realized after your post that a direct utility payment will still return 3.3% so there's no need to go through Amazon - Thanks.

 

[Gautham]

I realize this is a comparison between an entry level card and a premium card but I am confused

I recently got the SCB Ultimate card. So far, I have used the Axis Ace for utilities at 5% and at 2% for offline spends. I do not want two paid Visa cards. If I were to give-up the Axis Ace card, what would be a good approach to paying electricity and utility bills using the SCB Ultimate card?

Amazon pay does not allow loads with a credit card (anymore). I could buy APay gift vouchers from Amazon using the Ultimate card for 3.3% returns, load APay and then pay my bills. Any suggestions to do this with better returns?

Thank you

Keep both. U never know when devaluation gonna hit. Plus Ultimate is too good for wallet loads and rent payments.

 

[sd.ac]

Keep both. U never know when devaluation gonna hit. Plus Ultimate is too good for wallet loads and rent payments.

Which wallet would you recommend?
I was under the impression that wallets charge somewhere close to 2.5% for loads which essentially nullifies returns on the Ultimate card? Thank you

 

[Gautham]

Which wallet would you recommend?
I was under the impression that wallets charge somewhere close to 2.5% for loads which essentially nullifies returns on the Ultimate card? Thank you

Monthly 4000 free load in Paytm with cc. Plus Paytm always have some wallet load offers time to time with CC. I have added close to 70k in Paytm by this way in the last 3 months.

 

[Altamash06]

I realize this is a comparison between an entry level card and a premium card but I am confused

I recently got the SCB Ultimate card. So far, I have used the Axis Ace for utilities at 5% and at 2% for offline spends. I do not want two paid Visa cards. If I were to give-up the Axis Ace card, what would be a good approach to paying electricity and utility bills using the SCB Ultimate card?

Amazon pay does not allow loads with a credit card (anymore). I could buy APay gift vouchers from Amazon using the Ultimate card for 3.3% returns, load APay and then pay my bills. Any suggestions to do this with better returns?

Thank you

you are damn lucky do not surrender ultimate card it is hot cake right now.

 

[Vishnu]

I know that the forum raves about SC Ultimate. However, if you ask me, ultimately (no pun intended) the card makes you spend more as there is no way to redeem it as statement credit utilising the 3.3 percent reward rate. Eventually you would spend more to reach the target benefits and again spend additional amount even while using the vouchers you get through redemption portal if the item you are aiming for is costlier than the voucher with you. I feel it promotes unnecessary purchases. I am well aware that there is another side to this arguement, few people may actually be able to plan their spends while utilising the card's full benefit.
Still I'd always prefer a direct statement credit kind of reward like that of axis ace or sbi cashback. I feel the reward rate these cards mention is the absolute true rate as you are getting an equal money's worth. A humble suggestion from my end to have great financial discipline is to spend based on your need and not based on the offer or coupon available.

 

[Vishnu]

Also i agree with the suggestions by the members, if you have bulk high value purchases, SC Ultimate makes sense and also devaluation is a real thing, recently BOB devalued highly for even its premium cards. As credit card penetration improves devaluation will continue, because once you are hooked into the world and easeness of Credit cards there is no going back. So if you feel that you are able to justify the annual fees of both the cards, then definitely keep them both.

 

[Gautham]

I know that the forum raves about SC Ultimate. However, if you ask me, ultimately (no pun intended) the card makes you spend more as there is no way to redeem it as statement credit utilising the 3.3 percent reward rate. Eventually you would spend more to reach the target benefits and again spend additional amount even while using the vouchers you get through redemption portal if the item you are aiming for is costlier than the voucher with you. I feel it promotes unnecessary purchases. I am well aware that there is an other side to the arguement, few people may actually be able to plan their spends while utilising the card's full benefit.
Still I'd always prefer a direct statement credit kind of reward like that of axis ace or sbi cashback. I feel the reward rate these cards mention is the absolute true rate as you are getting an equal money's worth. A humble suggestion from my end to have great financial discipline is to spend based on your need and not based on the offer or coupon available.

This is applicable to any card that doesn't give direct cashback including Infinia or magnus. Ultimate is a fantastic card. I would take a croma or any gold store voucher of 3.3% than 2% direct cb credit any day.

 

[Vishnu]

This is applicable to any card that doesn't give direct cashback including Infinia or magnus. Ultimate is a fantastic card. I would take a croma or any gold store voucher of 3.3% than 2% direct cb credit any day.

I agree with you on that, but those are super premium credit cards which offers extra advantage to someone who spends a lot or rather to put it in another way for someone with an upper middle class or more income. What I mean to convey is that for an average earning person which I feel the majority of the working population in India are with their spending, it would be difficult for them to even justify the annual fee.

Also i think majority of people who go for it and those who are eligible for it wouldnt be taking the card thinking to maximise the benefit by utilising the reward rate. I am not saying that is not a deciding factor to opt for the card, but for them it might be a higher limit, single card for all purpose, having unlimited lounge access etc. Its like one card does it all and reducing the complexity of having multiple Credit cards. Only the enthusiast crowd would go explore smartbuy and other multiple platforms before making a purchase, other people wouldnt bother much.

 

[Gautham]

I agree with you on that, but those are super premium credit cards which offers extra advantage to someone who spends a lot or rather to put it in another way for someone with an upper middle class or more income. What I mean to convey is that for an average earning person which I feel the majority of the working population in India are with their spending, it would be difficult for them to even justify the annual fee.

SC Ultimate fee is just 900 (gst part - few getting reward points for that gst part too) effectively and eligibility is 24LPA. Magnus (16 LPA) is easier to get than Ultimate.

 

[Vishnu]

SC Ultimate fee is just 900 (gst part - few getting reward points for that gst part too) effectively and eligibility is 24LPA. Magnus (16 LPA) is easier to get than Ultimate.

Yes, but arent you spending more to reap the benefits, that is the only thing and do you think that additional spending is always out of necessity? If you feel it is out of necessity and need more than to get the maximum benefit out of the card, then I dont have anything to add. I was just trying to bring out a different perspective, thats all.
The dilemma that I am trying to bring out is that, should you take a card that suits your EXISTING spending habit and select a card that maximises benefit on such spending that you anyways have to incur, or choose a card because it has higher reward points, facilities or whatever and then try to justify or maximise the benefit of the card by spending more aggressively than what you would do in a normal case.

 

[Gautham]

Yes, but arent you spending more to reap the benefits, that is the only thing and do you think that additional spending is always out of necessity? If you feel it is out of necessity and need more than to get the maximum benefit out of the card, then I dont have anything to add. I was just trying to bring out a different perspective, thats all.

This spending more to reap benefits is applicable to Magnus more than any other card. Definitely not for Sc ultimate. Financial discipline is needed for everyone who hold a credit card regardless of the variant and reward rate. Not for just SC Ultimate is my point.

 

[Vishnu]

This spending more to reap benefits is applicable to Magnus more than any other card. Definitely not for Sc ultimate. Financial discipline is needed for everyone who hold a credit card regardless of the variant and reward rate. Not for just SC Ultimate is my point.

I just mentioned SC Ultimate as the thread was about that and wanted to bring out my perspective using the card mentioned in the thread. Same is the case with Magnus and other cards, no doubt in that.

 

[Wealth is my birth right!]

SC Ultimate fee is just 900 (gst part - few getting reward points for that gst part too) effectively and eligibility is 24LPA. Magnus (16 LPA) is easier to get than Ultimate.

Small correction magnus need 18l ITR correct me if I am wrong

 

[Wealth is my birth right!]

Yes, but arent you spending more to reap the benefits, that is the only thing and do you think that additional spending is always out of necessity? If you feel it is out of necessity and need more than to get the maximum benefit out of the card, then I dont have anything to add. I was just trying to bring out a different perspective, thats all.
The dilemma that I am trying to bring out is that, should you take a card that suits your EXISTING spending habit and select a card that maximises benefit on such spending that you anyways have to incur, or choose a card because it has higher reward points, facilities or whatever and then try to justify or maximise the benefit of the card by spending more aggressively than what you would do in a normal case.

If one worries about spending money and scarcity of repayment sources then credit card will be a trap for them. Cc game is like barbecue buffet pay 799 or 999 enjoy upto ur intake capabilities haha no regrets later.
Btw ultimate card is waste if one opt for the lounge facilities what i mean to say to use lounge in ultimate either domestic or international that card either main or addon should have been used for 20k bill in last month lol…for a couple to get lounge use together free under ultimate they have to manufacture a spending of 40k in each of the main and addon each 20k.
If 40k not spent in last month of lounge access then usage is changed IMO under this scenario happily couples can use nationalised bank rupay card with no if then conditions haha

 

[Vishnu]

If one worries about spending money and scarcity of repayment sources then credit card will be a trap for them. Cc game is like barbecue buffet pay 799 or 999 enjoy upto ur intake capabilities haha no regrets later.
Btw ultimate card is waste if one opt for the lounge facilities what i mean to say to use lounge in ultimate either domestic or international that card either main or addon should have been used for 20k bill in last month lol…for a couple to get lounge use together free under ultimate they have to manufacture a spending of 40k in each of the main and addon each 20k.
If 40k not spent in last month of lounge access then usage is changed IMO under this scenario happily couples can use nationalised bank rupay card with no if then conditions haha

Its not worrying about spending or having scarcity of resource for repayment. What worries me is the change of spending habit to maximise benefit of a particular credit card you took.
Bw i own 7 credit cards and also really enjoy a ₹999 barbeque buffet 😂😂

 

[Wealth is my birth right!]

LOL

Its not worrying about spending or having scarcity of resource for repayment. What worries me is the change of spending habit to maximise benefit of a particular credit card you took.
Bw i own 7 credit cards and also really enjoy a ₹999 barbeque buffet 😂😂

thats good to hear.....my wallet is with 9 cards 6 are old and 3 recent AmEx post ban....but I always make justice to the fee paid haha

 

[Vishnu]

LOL

thats good to hear.....my wallet is with 9 cards 6 are old and 3 recent AmEx post ban....but I always make justice to the fee paid haha

Good for you man.