All information about the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Clark Howard Inc.
Are you one of the millions of Americans who has cut the cord and become a full-time media streamer in 2023?
You may be able to add to your savings by using a credit card to pay for your streaming services. Some cards have special rewards bonuses for select streaming services that could save you as much as 6% each month.
Team Clark has researched the rewards credit card market to find the best programs for streaming customers.
Can You Earn Rewards on Streaming Service Purchases With Your Credit Card?
“Streaming rewards credit cards” aren’t necessarily a thing like travel rewards cards or cash back cards, but you can earn bonus rewards for streaming purchases with select cards.
And these benefits usually apply to both video and audio streaming services. So you could also earn enhanced rewards points for purchases on services such as YouTube TV or Spotify.
Best Credit Cards for Streaming Subscription Rewards
| OUR TOP CHOICE | RUNNER UP | HONORABLE MENTION |
|---|---|---|
 |  |  |
| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card | Prime Visa |
| 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions; terms apply. | Up to 5% back on streaming | Up to 5% back on streaming |
card_name
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Annual Fee:
$0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. (See Rates & Fees)
Rewards Program Details:
6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%). 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions. 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations. 3% Cash Back on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more). 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
Bonus Offer:
Earn a $250 statement credit
Bonus Offer Disclaimer:
after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
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Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. Terms apply. |
Streaming Rewards Opportunity: American Express offers 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions with this card. That’s the highest percentage of cash back offered as a permanent reward in this category from any credit card on the market. You’ll be subject to an annual fee, but you’ll also get the 6% back on an additional category of spending: U.S. supermarket purchases. Terms apply.
Why We Like It: The cash back at U.S. supermarkets and on U.S. streaming subscriptions is the best in the market. 3% cash back on U.S. gas stations is competitive as well. If you view the welcome bonus as a way to cover your annual fee for the first few years of card membership, you could see some really good returns with this card as your primary grocery shopping rewards card.
U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
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Annual Fee:
$0.00
Rewards Program Details:
You earn 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose. You earn 2% cash back on your choice of one everyday category, and 1% cash back on all other eligible net purchases.
Bonus Offer:
5% cash back plus a $200 bonus
Bonus Offer Disclaimer:
After you apply online and spend $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
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Streaming Rewards Opportunity: You can earn 5% back in two spending categories of your choice with this card. One of the available categories is streaming services. So you could use this card as a 5% back card for all of your streaming services for as long as you’re willing to make this type of spending one of your bonus categories.
Why We Like It: You get access to two 5% cash back categories each quarter and one 2% everyday cash back category. The 5% categories rotate, but you get the option to choose from retail categories such as department stores, clothing stores, electronics stores and sporting goods stores.
Prime Visa
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Annual Fee:
$0.00
Rewards Program Details:
Bonus Offer:
Get a $100 Amazon Gift Card (or more) instantly upon approval exclusively for Prime members
Bonus Offer Disclaimer:
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Streaming Rewards Opportunity: You can earn 5% back on your Amazon Prime annual fee (Prime membership is required with this card), which includes access to the Prime Video streaming service. You also can get 5% back on streaming products purchased through Amazon.com.
Why We Like It: If you need to buy something online, there’s a good chance that Amazon has it and will deliver it to your front door tomorrow-ish. So if you had to pick just one card for your online shopping, getting 5% off everything you buy from Amazon and Whole Foods seems like a sound strategy. This card is also on our list of the best credit cards with no annual fee.
Other Credit Cards That Offer Bonus Streaming Rewards
While we strongly suggest you check out the three detailed above, it’s worth noting that they’re not your only options for getting rewards for streaming purchases.
During my research for this article, I uncovered several other choices that could suit your needs:
- Rotation 5% Cash Back Cards: Both the Discover it® Cash Back card and the Chase Freedom Flex® include streaming purchases in their rotating 5% bonus spending categories. These cards give 5% cash back on select categories for a three-month period and then move to another spending category the next quarter. Neither of these cards will give you year-round streaming perks, but if you have both cards, you can probably cover six months of the year.
- Both Capital One Savor Cards: The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers 4% back on streaming purchases, but it carries a $95 annual fee. The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn’t have an annual fee, but you get only 3% back on popular streaming services (among other things).
- The Apple Card: You can earn 3% back on purchases made through Apple with your Apple Card. This would apply to Apple TV+, but it also could apply to any streaming services you buy through Apple TV rather than directly through the service.
- Any of the 2% Cash Back Cards: If none of the above is a good fit, you could always use a 2% cash back card to ensure that you’re getting something for your streaming purchases. A steady 2% back on all your spending (streaming and beyond) is an attractive option for people who carry only a couple of credit cards in their wallets.
3 Things To Consider About Paying for Streaming Services With a Credit Card
Before you sign up for a credit card to earn rewards on your streaming spending, there are a few things you should consider.
Know Your Personal Spending Habits Before You Apply
Getting up to 6% back on your streaming spending sounds great, but you may want to weigh the opportunity cost of signing up for a card that offers this when it comes to maximizing rewards opportunities.
The best way to make an informed decision on which type of credit card rewards are best for you is to map out your spending patterns. That will help you identify the purchases you make that may have the most value to you in terms of credit card rewards.
For example, if you spend $1,500 per month on travel expenses for work and only $100 per month on streaming, it wouldn’t make sense to obsess over rewards you’d earn for streaming purchases.
Instead, you’d want to make sure that you have a good travel rewards card to take advantage of your much larger spending on hotels and airfare.
If you’re a beginner with credit card rewards, Team Clark recommends that you first add a 2% cash back card to your wallet so that you can ensure $2 back in your wallet for every $100 that you spend, regardless of category.
Automatic Renewals
Signing up for streaming services with a credit card leaves you exposed to automatic subscription renewals on a monthly or annual basis.
Team Clark recommends that you “take inventory” of your streaming service charges every couple of months to ensure that you’re not paying for services that you no longer want or need.
Not All Streaming Services Are Covered by Every Card
Finally, check the fine print on the credit cards you’re considering getting for streaming rewards before signing up.
Most card issuers are good about specifying which streaming services qualify for rewards and which do not. While most of the popular services are going to qualify with most credit cards, you should know that there are some exceptions.
Team Clark recommends making a quick list of all of your desired subscriptions and matching them up with the credit card issuer’s list .to ensure you’re going to get full credit for your spending.
Final Thoughts
If you are a beginner in the credit card rewards space, focusing on cards that reward spending on streaming subscriptions may not be the best place to start.
Even if you spend aggressively in this category ($200 per month) and earn the top rewards on the market (6% back), you’re earning only $12 per month in cash back rewards. When you compare that to earning 2% back on every dollar you spend or earning bonus rewards in categories with heavier spending, you may find that you’re leaving rewards on the table.
However, it’s worth noting that the cards I highlighted as the best options for this spending category offer some bonus rewards in more than just streaming spending.
The Blue Cash Preferred from American Express gives 6% back on U.S. Supermarket purchases, the U.S. Bank Cash+ card lets you pick a second 5% category and the Amazon Prime Rewards Visa gives 5% on all Amazon purchases.
Do you have a credit card that you like to use for streaming subscriptions? Tell us about it in the Clark.com community!
To see the rates and fees for the American Express cards featured, please visit the following links: Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express: See Rates and Fees
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