Card face-off
Liv Cashback vs Mashreq Cashback: which is better in the UAE? (2026)
Mashreq Bank
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
Liv Cashback and Mashreq 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 Mashreq 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. |
| Free | Free | 2.89% | AED 5,000 | Unlimited Cashback: Up to 5% on dining spends. Reduced to 0.15% on Government, Utilities, Education, Charity, Fuel, Real Estate and Telecom. |
| 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. |
| Free | Free | 2.89% | AED 5,000 | Unlimited Cashback: Up to 5% on dining spends. Reduced to 0.15% on Government, Utilities, Education, Charity, Fuel, Real Estate and Telecom. |
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.
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
Annual feeFree
Joining feeFree
Foreign transaction fee2.89%
Min. salaryAED 5,000
HighlightUnlimited Cashback: Up to 5% on dining spends. Reduced to 0.15% on Government, Utilities, Education, Charity, Fuel, Real Estate and Telecom.
Which card is better for what
Four answers compare Liv Cashback and Mashreq Cashback on general everyday spend; dining and food delivery; spending abroad; rent. 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 14,000 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.
Neither card charges an annual fee, and both need a salary of AED 5,000 a month.
Best for general everyday spend: Mashreq Cashback
Mashreq Cashback returns more across the whole profile — AED 1,527 a year against AED 1,289, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
DiningAED 1,500
Government, Utilities, TelecomAED 900
FuelAED 600
Everything elseAED 5,000
TotalAED 8,000
Annual return
Liv Cashback Credit Card1.34% of the profile, after everything+ AED 1,289
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card1.59% of the profile, after everything+ AED 1,527
Spend tier
Clearing AED 10,000 a month lifts Liv Cashback to AED 2,138 a year across this profile, instead of AED 1,289. Enough to put it ahead.
Best for dining and food delivery: Mashreq Cashback
On AED 3,000 a month of dining and food delivery, Mashreq Cashback earns AED 150 against AED 45. It keeps more over the year too, AED 2,427 against AED 1,559, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
DiningAED 3,000
Government, Utilities, TelecomAED 900
FuelAED 600
Everything elseAED 5,000
TotalAED 9,500
Annual return
Liv Cashback Credit Card1.37% of the profile, after everything+ AED 1,559
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card2.13% of the profile, after everything+ AED 2,427
Spend tier
Clearing AED 10,000 a month lifts Liv Cashback to 2% on dining and food delivery — AED 756 a year instead of AED 540.
Best for spending abroad: Liv Cashback
On AED 2,400 of foreign spend a month, Liv Cashback charges 3.14%, which comes to AED 904 a year. Mashreq Cashback charges 2.89%, which comes to AED 832 a year. The charge is not what decides it: Liv Cashback earns more on that spend and keeps AED 1,135 a year against AED 749.
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 1,303
Benefits usedAirport lounge × 4+ AED 736
Foreign transaction fee3.14% on spend abroad– AED 904
Total1.18% of the profile, after everything+ AED 1,135
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card
Rewards+ AED 1,581
Foreign transaction fee2.89% on spend abroad– AED 832
Total0.78% of the profile, after everything+ AED 749
Best for rent: Liv Cashback
On AED 6,000 a month of rent, Liv Cashback earns AED 120 against AED 9. It keeps more over the year too, AED 3,155 against AED 1,635, after each card's annual fee.
Modelled monthly spend
Real EstateAED 6,000
DiningAED 1,500
Government, Utilities, TelecomAED 900
FuelAED 600
Everything elseAED 5,000
TotalAED 14,000
Annual return
Liv Cashback Credit Card1.88% of the profile, after everything+ AED 3,155
Mashreq Cashback Credit Card0.97% of the profile, after everything+ AED 1,635
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
Charity
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Charity
0.15%
AED 0
0.15% · AED 0
Education
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Education
0.15%
AED 0
0.15% · AED 0
Fuel
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Fuel
0.15%
AED 0
0.15% · AED 0
International
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
International
1%
AED 0
1% · AED 0
Real Estate
0.75%
AED 0
0.75% · AED 0
Real Estate
0.15%
AED 0
0.15% · AED 0
Government, Utilities, Telecom
0.1%
AED 0
0.1% · AED 0
Government, Utilities, Telecom
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
—
VOX Cinemas BOGO
AED 528
VOX Cinemas BOGO
—
Annual Fee
Free
Annual Fee
Free
Total
+ AED 1,264
Total
+ AED 0
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 Mashreq Cashback comes out ahead by AED 238 a year, AED 1,527 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. Mashreq Cashback answers two: general everyday spend; dining and food delivery. Liv Cashback answers two: spending abroad and rent. Which of those months looks most like yours is what decides it, so the calculator above is worth a minute with your own figures.
Neither card charges an annual fee on these profiles, so every figure above is kept in full and there is no break-even to clear on either side.
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Liv Cashback Credit Card vs Mashreq Cashback Credit Card: FAQ
Common questions about choosing between Liv Cashback Credit Card and Mashreq Cashback Credit Card.