Yes Bank vs Bank of Baroda Credit Cards: Two ₹2,499 Lounge Cards, Different Fine Print

Yes Reserv and BOBCARD Eterna each cost ₹2,499 a year. Both list unlimited domestic lounge access. Yes Reserv adds unlimited international access, a 4% base rate and 8% on travel; Eterna has a 0.75% base, 3.75% on travel, dining and online spend (capped at ₹1,250 a month) and a lower forex markup than most BOB cards at 2%. Most of the rest of the comparison follows the same pattern, so this is a lopsided one.

The two ₹2,499 cards

The Yes Reserv is waived at ₹3,00,000 of annual spend, charges 2% forex and asks for a ₹2,00,000 monthly income. The BOBCARD Eterna is waived at ₹2,50,000 and is free in its first year, with a ₹1,00,000 income floor and the same 2% forex. Eterna asks for half the income and gives domestic lounges only. If you meet the income, Reserv is the clear winner; if you do not, Eterna is the only one of the two you can get. Yes Bank wins on card quality; BOB wins on access.

Everyday and entry cards

BOB's entry cards earn very little: Prime pays 0.4%, Vikram 0.25%, Easy and Select 0.2%, and the Easy and Classic cost ₹500 with no lounge access. The BOBCARD Cashback costs ₹499 with 5% on online shopping, capped at ₹1,500 a month. Yes Bank has more entry choices: PaisaSave pays 6% on dining and travel (capped at ₹3,000 a month), POP-CLUB gives 2% on online shopping at ₹399, and EMI gives 3% on online shopping (capped at ₹1,000 a month). Yes Bank wins.

Mid-range lounge cards

Yes ELITE+ costs ₹999 with 2 domestic visits a quarter and 3 international a year; Yes FIRST Preferred also costs ₹999 with a ₹24,000 income floor. BOB's Premier costs ₹1,000 with 1 domestic visit a quarter and a ₹60,000 income floor, and the Varunah Plus costs ₹1,499 with 3 domestic visits a quarter on ₹20,000 of quarterly spend. Yes Bank has international access at this price; BOB has more domestic visits on Varunah Plus. Slight edge to Yes Bank.

Premium and top end

The Yes Marquee costs ₹9,999 to join and ₹4,999 a year with 24 domestic visits and unlimited international visits at 1% forex. Yes Private costs ₹50,000 to join and ₹10,000 a year. BOB tops out at Eterna and Tiara, plus the Etihad Guest Premium at ₹5,000 with 12 domestic and 8 international visits and 0% forex. Yes Bank wins.

Where BOB wins

BOB's Etihad Guest card costs ₹2,500 with 8 domestic and 4 international visits and 1% forex, suited to Etihad loyalists. The HPCL Bank of Baroda ENERGIE costs ₹499 with 6.5% on fuel, capped at ₹4,000 a month. The BOBCARD Scapia has no fee and 0% forex. The ICAI, CMA and ICSI co-brands have no annual fee and offer 3 domestic visits a quarter on ₹40,000 of quarterly spend. Yes Bank's fuel benefit is the 1% surcharge waiver. In these niches, BOB wins.

Verdict by buyer

A salaried buyer earning ₹2,00,000 who flies often: Yes Reserv. A buyer on ₹1,00,000 wanting domestic lounges only: BOBCARD Eterna. An HPCL driver: the ENERGIE card. An accountant: the ICAI or CMA card. Anyone wanting a first card at a low fee with decent rewards: Yes Bank PaisaSave or EMI.

Continue with the guides

The Yes Bank credit cards guide and Bank of Baroda credit cards guide list the full lineups, and IDFC FIRST vs Bank of Baroda covers another one-sided match.