HSBC Live+ Credit Card Review 2026: 10% Cashback on Dining and Food Delivery
By Nitish Bharadwaj · Published Jun 9, 2026 · 4 min
The HSBC Live+ Credit Card offers 10% cashback on dining, food delivery apps including Swiggy and Zomato, and online grocery platforms, with a ₹999 annual fee. Monthly cashback is capped at ₹1,000. This review calculates net annual value for food-heavy spenders, compares the 10% category rate against Axis Ace and SBI Cashback for similar spend, and identifies the income and spend profile for which Live+ delivers the highest return.
The HSBC Live+ Credit Card launched as one of the most straightforward dining and food delivery cashback cards in India. It offers up to 10% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, and restaurant transactions, with a cap of ₹1,000 per month, and 1.5% on all other eligible spends. For cardholders who spend regularly on food, the maths is simple — and often favourable.
Cashback Structure in Detail
| Category | Cashback Rate | Monthly Cap | Conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| Swiggy, Zomato, dining | 10% | ₹1,000/month | Direct app or website transactions |
| All other eligible spends | 1.5% | No cap | Excludes fuel, EMI, wallet loads |
| Fuel transactions | 0% | — | Excluded |
| Wallet loads | 0% | — | Excluded |
| Rent payments | 0% | — | Excluded from Jun 2026 |
Annual Fee and Waiver Condition
The HSBC Live+ Card carries an annual fee of ₹999 plus GST (₹1,179 total). HSBC waives the fee if you spend ₹2 lakh or more in the preceding year. Given that ₹10,000 per month on food alone earns ₹1,000 cashback — hitting the 10% cap every month — the annual cashback potential is ₹12,000 from the dining category alone, making the fee waiver achievable for regular users. The ₹2 lakh spend threshold translates to roughly ₹16,700 per month in total card spend, which is well within reach if this is your primary everyday card.
How It Compares to the Competition
For pure dining cashback, the HSBC Live+ is the most competitive card in its fee bracket in India as of mid-2026. The Axis ACE card offers a flat 2% on all spends via Google Pay but no dining accelerator. The SBI Cashback card provides 5% on all online spends but is not dining-specific. The Amex Membership Rewards cards earn Membership Rewards points on dining, but redemption requires engaging with the Amex catalogue rather than a direct cashback credit. HSBC's 10% is unmatched at this price point, with the only meaningful limitation being the ₹1,000 monthly cap.
Who Should Get This Card
- Frequent Swiggy or Zomato users spending ₹5,000–₹10,000 per month on food delivery
- Couples or flat-sharers who order food regularly — the cap is per card account, not per order
- Professionals who eat out frequently and want a simple, transparent cashback rate without complex redemptions
- Anyone looking for a solid secondary card to complement a travel or premium rewards card
Verdict
The HSBC Live+ is a well-designed, single-purpose cashback card. It does not try to be a travel card, a premium rewards card, or an entry-level card — it is built for people who eat out often and want tangible, automatic cashback without managing points. The ₹1,000 monthly cap means the maximum annual cashback from the dining category is ₹12,000, which comfortably exceeds the annual fee even without reaching the waiver threshold. If food is your largest discretionary spend category, this card earns its place in your wallet. For a broader comparison, see our best cashback credit cards guide.
More Credit Card Guides
- Is a credit card annual fee worth paying? When the fee earns back its value — and when lifetime-free wins.
- Best cashback credit cards in India 2025 Side-by-side comparison of flat-cashback vs category-cashback cards.
- Airport lounge access: which credit cards include it? Domestic and international lounge programs ranked by access rules and spend triggers.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the monthly cashback cap on the HSBC Live+ card's dining category?
The 10% cashback on Swiggy, Zomato, and dining transactions is capped at ₹1,000 per month, which requires spending ₹10,000 (or up to ₹12,000 per the card's own maximisation note) on food to fully max out. All other eligible spends earn 1.5% cashback with no cap, though fuel, EMI, wallet loads, and (from June 2026) rent payments are excluded.
Is the HSBC Live+ annual fee waivable?
Yes. The card carries a ₹999 plus GST (₹1,179 total) annual fee, which HSBC waives if you spend ₹2 lakh or more in the preceding year — roughly ₹16,700 per month in total card spend. Given that maxing the dining cashback cap alone can earn ₹12,000 a year, the fee is easily recovered even without hitting the waiver threshold.
How does HSBC Live+ compare to Axis Ace or SBI Cashback for dining spend specifically?
For pure dining cashback, HSBC Live+ is more competitive — its 10% rate on Swiggy, Zomato, and restaurants is unmatched at its price point. Axis Ace offers a flat 2% on all spends via Google Pay but has no dining accelerator, while SBI Cashback gives 5% on all online spends but isn't dining-specific.
Who is the HSBC Live+ card best suited for?
It suits frequent Swiggy or Zomato users spending ₹5,000–₹10,000 a month on food delivery, couples or flat-sharers who order food regularly (since the cap applies per card account, not per order), and professionals wanting simple, automatic cashback without managing points. It's also a good secondary card to complement a travel or premium rewards card, rather than a standalone travel or premium card itself.