Card face-off
Liv Cashback+ vs HSBC Live+: which is better in the UAE? (2026)
Liv Cashback+ and HSBC Live+ both compete for everyday UAE spend. The figures below come from each card's live reward rules at AED 9,000 a month, net of annual fees.
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card vs HSBC Live+ 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | AED 735 | AED 735 | 3.14% | AED 15,000 | Up to 4% Cashback on all spends. Reduced to 0.1% on Government and Utilities. |
 | AED 313.95 (waivable) | Free | 3.31% | AED 5,000 | 6% cashback on dining (up to AED 200). |
| Card | Annual fee | Joining fee | Foreign transaction fee | Min. salary | Why it stands out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AED 735 | AED 735 | 3.14% | AED 15,000 | Up to 4% Cashback on all spends. Reduced to 0.1% on Government and Utilities. |
| AED 313.95 (waivable) | Free | 3.31% | AED 5,000 | 6% cashback on dining (up to AED 200). |
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card
Annual feeAED 735
Joining feeAED 735
Foreign transaction fee3.14%
Min. salaryAED 15,000
HighlightUp to 4% Cashback on all spends. Reduced to 0.1% on Government and Utilities.
HSBC Live+ Credit Card
Annual feeAED 313.95 (waivable)
Joining feeFree
Foreign transaction fee3.31%
Min. salaryAED 5,000
Highlight6% cashback on dining (up to AED 200).
Which card is better for what
Six answers compare Liv Cashback+ and HSBC Live+ on general everyday spend; general everyday spend past AED 15,000 a month; groceries; dining and food delivery; spending abroad; fuel and commuting. 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 3,990 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 13,300 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: AED 735 for Liv Cashback+ and none for HSBC Live+, whose AED 314 fee its own spend waiver covers at these totals. Liv Cashback+ needs a salary of AED 15,000 a month and HSBC Live+ AED 5,000.
Best for general everyday spend: HSBC Live+
HSBC Live+ returns more across the whole profile — AED 3,978 a year against AED 2,183, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
GroceryAED 3,500
DiningAED 2,800
EntertainmentAED 1,200
Government, UtilitiesAED 1,200
Everything elseAED 4,600
TotalAED 13,300
Annual return
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 2,918
Annual fee– AED 735
Total1.37% of the profile, after everything+ AED 2,183
HSBC Live+ Credit Card2.49% of the profile, after everything+ AED 3,978
Best for general everyday spend past AED 15,000 a month: Liv Cashback+
Liv Cashback+ clears its AED 15,000 rung on this profile, and returns 3.71% of an AED 21,200 month against 1.83% of an AED 13,300 one. That puts it on AED 8,692 a year against AED 5,226 for HSBC Live+.
Modelled monthly spend
DiningAED 5,000
GroceryAED 4,500
EntertainmentAED 2,200
Government, UtilitiesAED 1,600
Everything elseAED 7,900
TotalAED 21,200
Annual return
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 9,427
Annual fee– AED 735
Total3.42% of the profile, after everything+ AED 8,692
HSBC Live+ Credit Card2.05% of the profile, after everything+ AED 5,226
Best for groceries: Liv Cashback+
On AED 6,500 a month of groceries, Liv Cashback+ earns AED 260 against AED 130. It keeps more over the year too, AED 6,527 against AED 4,698, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
GroceryAED 6,500
DiningAED 2,800
EntertainmentAED 1,200
Government, UtilitiesAED 1,200
Everything elseAED 4,600
TotalAED 16,300
Annual return
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 7,262
Annual fee– AED 735
Total3.34% of the profile, after everything+ AED 6,527
HSBC Live+ Credit Card2.4% of the profile, after everything+ AED 4,698
Best for dining and food delivery: Liv Cashback+
On AED 5,500 a month of dining and food delivery, Liv Cashback+ earns AED 220 against AED 200. It keeps more over the year too, AED 6,383 against AED 4,362, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
DiningAED 5,500
GroceryAED 3,500
EntertainmentAED 1,200
Government, UtilitiesAED 1,200
Everything elseAED 4,600
TotalAED 16,000
Annual return
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 7,118
Annual fee– AED 735
Total3.32% of the profile, after everything+ AED 6,383
HSBC Live+ Credit Card2.27% of the profile, after everything+ AED 4,362
Best for spending abroad: HSBC Live+
On AED 3,990 of foreign spend a month, HSBC Live+ charges 3.31%, which comes to AED 1,585 a year. Liv Cashback+ charges 3.14%, which comes to AED 1,503 a year. The charge is not what decides it: HSBC Live+ earns more on that spend and keeps AED 3,910 a year against AED 2,252.
Modelled monthly spend
Spent abroad, in another currencyAED 3,990
Spent in the UAEAED 9,310
TotalAED 13,300
Annual return
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 2,958
Benefits usedAirport lounge × 8, Airport transfers × 1+ AED 1,532
Annual fee– AED 735
Foreign transaction fee3.14% on spend abroad– AED 1,503
Total1.41% of the profile, after everything+ AED 2,252
HSBC Live+ Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 4,023
Benefits usedAirport lounge × 8+ AED 1,472
Foreign transaction fee3.31% on spend abroad– AED 1,585
Total2.45% of the profile, after everything+ AED 3,910
Best for fuel and commuting: HSBC Live+
On AED 1,600 a month of fuel and commuting, HSBC Live+ earns AED 80 against AED 32. It keeps more over the year too, AED 4,434 against AED 2,495, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
FuelAED 1,600
GroceryAED 3,500
DiningAED 2,800
EntertainmentAED 1,200
Everything elseAED 5,500
TotalAED 14,600
Annual return
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 3,230
Annual fee– AED 735
Total1.42% of the profile, after everything+ AED 2,495
HSBC Live+ Credit Card2.53% of the profile, after everything+ AED 4,434
Which card earns more on your spend?
Adjust your monthly spending to see how cashback changes across cards.
Dining
1%
AED 0
1% · AED 0
Dining
0.5%
AED 0
0.5% · AED 0
Fuel
1%
AED 0
1% · AED 0
Fuel
0.5%
AED 0
0.5% · AED 0
Entertainment
1%
AED 0
1% · AED 0
Entertainment
0.5%
AED 0
0.5% · AED 0
Grocery
1%
AED 0
1% · AED 0
Grocery
0.5%
AED 0
0.5% · AED 0
Government, Utilities
0.1%
AED 0
0.1% · AED 0
Government, Utilities
0.5%
AED 0
0.5% · AED 0
Other Spends
1%
AED 0
1% · AED 0
Other Spends
0.5%
AED 0
0.5% · AED 0
Airport Lounge Access
AED 1,472
Airport Lounge Access
AED 2,208
VOX Cinemas BOGO
AED 528
VOX Cinemas BOGO
—
Careem Airport Transfer
AED 60
Careem Airport Transfer
—
Annual Fee
– AED 735
Annual Fee
– AED 313.95
Total
+ AED 1,325
Total
+ AED 1,894
Estimates based on your monthly spending. Actual cashback depends on merchant classification, caps, and card terms.
Compare any UAE cards
Try the full rewards calculator
Add more cards, adjust every spending category, and see exactly how much cashback and rewards each UAE credit card earns on your real monthly spend.
The verdict
On an ordinary AED 13,300 month HSBC Live+ comes out ahead by AED 1,795 a year, AED 3,978 against AED 2,183 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. HSBC Live+ answers three: general everyday spend; spending abroad; fuel and commuting. Liv Cashback+ answers three: general everyday spend past AED 15,000 a month; groceries; dining and food delivery. 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. HSBC Live+ carries none, while Liv Cashback+ has to return AED 735 a year before it breaks even, roughly AED 61 of rewards a month just to draw level. Every figure above is already net of that.
Eligibility separates them too: HSBC Live+ opens at AED 5,000 a month against AED 15,000 for Liv Cashback+. If you sit between the two thresholds the comparison is settled for you regardless of which earns more.
Ready to choose?
Apply online in minutes — no branch visit needed.
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card
Not sure which card to pick?
Try the UAE Credit Card Picker
Answer a few quick questions and we'll match the best UAE credit card to your monthly spending — personalised cashback, rewards and perks in under two minutes.
Liv Cashback+ Credit Card vs HSBC Live+ Credit Card: FAQ
Common questions about choosing between Liv Cashback+ Credit Card and HSBC Live+ Credit Card.