Card face-off
Liv Cashback vs FAB Cashback: which is better in the UAE? (2026)
First Abu Dhabi Bank (FAB)
FAB Cashback Credit Card
Liv Cashback and FAB Cashback both compete for everyday UAE spend. The figures below come from each card's live reward rules at AED 8,000 a month, net of annual fees.
Liv Cashback Credit Card vs FAB Cashback Credit Card compared
A side-by-side snapshot of annual fees, salary requirements, and standout benefits.
| Card | Annual fee | Joining fee | Foreign transaction fee | Min. salary | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Free | Free | 3.14% | AED 5,000 | Up to 2% Cashback on all spends. Reduced to 0.1% on Government and Utilities. |
| AED 315 | Free | 2.09% | AED 5,000 | 5% cashback on fashion, dining, and groceries. Reduced to 0.15% on Government, Utilities, Education and Insurance. |
| Card | Annual fee | Joining fee | Foreign transaction fee | Min. salary | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Free | Free | 3.14% | AED 5,000 | Up to 2% Cashback on all spends. Reduced to 0.1% on Government and Utilities. |
| AED 315 | Free | 2.09% | AED 5,000 | 5% cashback on fashion, dining, and groceries. Reduced to 0.15% on Government, Utilities, Education and Insurance. |
Liv Cashback Credit Card
Annual feeFree
Joining feeFree
Foreign transaction fee3.14%
Min. salaryAED 5,000
HighlightUp to 2% Cashback on all spends. Reduced to 0.1% on Government and Utilities.
FAB Cashback Credit Card
Annual feeAED 315
Joining feeFree
Foreign transaction fee2.09%
Min. salaryAED 5,000
Highlight5% cashback on fashion, dining, and groceries. Reduced to 0.15% on Government, Utilities, Education and Insurance.
Which card is better for what
Five answers compare Liv Cashback and FAB Cashback on general everyday spend; general everyday spend past AED 10,000 a month; groceries; dining and food delivery; spending abroad. Each is priced on a month of its own, because a household that spends heavily on one thing does not spend the same total as one that does not. Within an answer both cards see the identical month.
Spending abroad prices AED 2,400 of the total as non-AED and takes each card's foreign transaction fee off the annual result. One answer prices air travel (spending abroad) and counts the airport benefits a traveller uses, each at that card's own published allowance. Every other benefit these cards carry is worth nothing to this household and counts as nothing.
Those months run from AED 8,000 to AED 21,200 a month, and every answer states the one it was priced on. They are the same curated spend profiles every comparison page uses, so the household behind an answer here is the household behind it anywhere.
Annual totals are net of each card's annual fee: none for Liv Cashback and AED 315 for FAB Cashback. Both need a salary of AED 5,000 a month.
Best for general everyday spend: FAB Cashback
FAB Cashback returns more across the whole profile — AED 2,473 a year against AED 1,289, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
GroceryAED 2,500
DiningAED 1,500
Government, UtilitiesAED 900
Everything elseAED 3,100
TotalAED 8,000
Annual return
Liv Cashback Credit Card1.34% of the profile, after everything+ AED 1,289
FAB Cashback Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 2,788
Annual fee– AED 315
Total2.58% of the profile, after everything+ AED 2,473
Best for general everyday spend past AED 10,000 a month: Liv Cashback
Liv Cashback clears its AED 10,000 rung on this profile, and returns 1.86% of an AED 21,200 month against 1.34% of an AED 8,000 one. That puts it on AED 4,723 a year against AED 4,526 for FAB Cashback.
Modelled monthly spend
DiningAED 5,000
GroceryAED 4,500
Government, UtilitiesAED 1,600
Everything elseAED 10,100
TotalAED 21,200
Annual return
Liv Cashback Credit Card1.86% of the profile, after everything+ AED 4,723
FAB Cashback Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 4,841
Annual fee– AED 315
Total1.78% of the profile, after everything+ AED 4,526
Best for groceries: FAB Cashback
On AED 4,500 a month of groceries, FAB Cashback earns AED 150 against AED 90. It keeps more over the year too, AED 2,773 against AED 2,195, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
GroceryAED 4,500
DiningAED 1,500
Government, UtilitiesAED 900
Everything elseAED 3,100
TotalAED 10,000
Annual return
Liv Cashback Credit Card1.83% of the profile, after everything+ AED 2,195
FAB Cashback Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 3,088
Annual fee– AED 315
Total2.31% of the profile, after everything+ AED 2,773
Best for dining and food delivery: FAB Cashback
On AED 3,000 a month of dining and food delivery, FAB Cashback earns AED 150 against AED 45. It keeps more over the year too, AED 3,373 against AED 1,559, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
DiningAED 3,000
GroceryAED 2,500
Government, UtilitiesAED 900
Everything elseAED 3,100
TotalAED 9,500
Annual return
Liv Cashback Credit Card1.37% of the profile, after everything+ AED 1,559
FAB Cashback Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 3,688
Annual fee– AED 315
Total2.96% of the profile, after everything+ AED 3,373
Best for spending abroad: FAB Cashback
On AED 2,400 of foreign spend a month, FAB Cashback charges 2.09%, which comes to AED 602 a year. Liv Cashback charges 3.14%, which comes to AED 904 a year. That leaves FAB Cashback ahead over the year, AED 3,676 against AED 1,142.
Modelled monthly spend
Spent abroad, in another currencyAED 2,400
Spent in the UAEAED 5,600
TotalAED 8,000
Annual return
Liv Cashback Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 1,310
Benefits usedAirport lounge × 4+ AED 736
Foreign transaction fee3.14% on spend abroad– AED 904
Total1.19% of the profile, after everything+ AED 1,142
FAB Cashback Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 3,121
Benefits usedAirport lounge × 8+ AED 1,472
Annual fee– AED 315
Foreign transaction fee2.09% on spend abroad– AED 602
Total3.83% of the profile, after everything+ AED 3,676
Which card earns more on your spend?
Adjust your monthly spending to see how cashback changes across cards.
Dining
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Dining
5%
AED 0
5% · AED 0
Fashion & Apparel
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Fashion & Apparel
5%
AED 0
5% · AED 0
Grocery
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Grocery
5%
AED 0
5% · AED 0
International
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
International
3%
AED 0
3% · AED 0
Education
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Education
0.15%
AED 0
0.15% · AED 0
Insurance
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Insurance
0.15%
AED 0
0.15% · AED 0
Government, Utilities
0.1%
AED 0
0.1% · AED 0
Government, Utilities
0.15%
AED 0
0.15% · AED 0
Other Spends
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Other Spends
1%
AED 0
1% · AED 0
Airport Lounge Access
AED 736
Airport Lounge Access
AED 2,760
VOX Cinemas BOGO
AED 528
VOX Cinemas BOGO
AED 480
Annual Fee
Free
Annual Fee
– AED 315
Total
+ AED 1,264
Total
+ AED 2,925
Estimates based on your monthly spending. Actual cashback depends on merchant classification, caps, and card terms.
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The verdict
On an ordinary AED 8,000 month FAB Cashback comes out ahead by AED 1,184 a year, AED 2,473 against AED 1,289 for Liv Cashback. That is after each card's annual fee and after every cap, which makes it the number to judge them on rather than either advertised rate.
Neither card answers every question. FAB Cashback answers four: general everyday spend; groceries; dining and food delivery; spending abroad. Liv Cashback answers one: general everyday spend past AED 10,000 a month. Which of those months looks most like yours is what decides it, so the calculator above is worth a minute with your own figures.
The fee asymmetry matters. Liv Cashback carries none, while FAB Cashback has to return AED 315 a year before it breaks even, roughly AED 26 of rewards a month just to draw level. Every figure above is already net of that.
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Liv Cashback Credit Card vs FAB Cashback Credit Card: FAQ
Common questions about choosing between Liv Cashback Credit Card and FAB Cashback Credit Card.