Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card vs. Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: What’s the Difference?

All information about the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Clark Howard Inc.

If you are looking for a cash back credit card that rewards your dining and entertainment habits, you may have discovered the Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card. In the process, you may have also found that there is a similarly themed card called the card_name.

And though they have almost identical names, these two cash back credit cards actually have some important differences.

For starters, the Savor Rewards card carries an annual fee and pays out higher cash back rewards in a handful of spending categories, while the SavorOne has no annual fee and a generous introductory APR period for purchases and transfers.

So which one is right for your financial situation? Team Clark decided to dig a little deeper into these cash back credit cards to help you make that decision.

Table of Contents

• Quick Glance: Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card
• Quick Glance: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
• Explaining Capital One Savor Rewards Cards
• Spending Comparison
• Final Thoughts

Quick Glance: Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One Savor Rewards Credit Card is a cash back rewards card that is best suited for high-volume spenders in the dining and entertainment categories.

Some quick facts on the Savor card to keep in mind:

• Unlimited 4% Cash Back on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services
• Unlimited 3% Cash Back on grocery store purchases
• $95 annual fee that is waived for the first year of membership
• $300 Cash Back welcome bonus with $3,000 in purchases in the first three months of account opening

Team Clark recently took a deep dive into the specifics of the Savor card. You can read that review here.

Quick Glance: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

The card_name is a cash back rewards card that is geared towards dining and entertainment and carries no annual fee.

Some quick facts on the SavorOne card to keep in mind:

• Unlimited 3% Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply), 8 % Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases, plus 1% on all other purchases
• $200 Cash Back welcome offer after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening

Savor vs. SavorOne: Similarities and Differences

So you can make an educated decision about which card is right for you, let’s go through some of the key similarities and differences between them.

Differences

First and foremost, let’s understand how these cards are fundamentally different.

You have a few important questions to answer when it comes to picking between these two cards:

• Are you comfortable with an annual fee in exchange for a higher percentage cash back? The Savor card carries a $95 annual fee (first year is waived as a welcome bonus). SavorOne does not carry an annual fee, but it also does not have quite as strong a cash back plan. Math will be required to see if you spend enough to justify the annual fee. See our spending comparison for additional guidance on this.
• Do you value an introductory APR period for carrying a balance on the card? If you want or need this benefit, the SavorOne scores big points for having an introductory period on both new purchases and balance transfers.
• Are you going to be spending enough money to qualify for a welcome bonus? Both cards offer a welcome bonus after three months, but the amount you have to spend varies.

If you have some well-defined answers to those questions, you may already have a preference on one card over the other.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the key differences between the two cards for further comparison:

Card Characteristic	Savor	SavorOne
Annual Fee	$95	$0
Dining, Entertainment and Streaming Cash Back	4%	3%
Introductory 0% APR Period	None	0% on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months, then a variable APR of 19.99% - 29.99% afterwards; balance transfer fee applies
Welcome Offer	$300 one-time cash bonus after spending $3,000 on purchases within 3 months of account opening	$200 Cash Back after spending $500 on purchases within 3 months of account opening

Similarities

Both of these offerings from Capital One are among the top choices on the market for cash back rewards on dining and entertainment.

Given that, you’re going to find that favorable treatment for purchases in those categories is a theme for both cards. You’ll also find that Capital One offers some of the same perks in terms of travel and consumer protection for both cards.

Here’s a quick recap of some of the benefits that you’ll receive from Capital One whether you choose Savor or Savor One:

Savor & SavorOne Both Offer:	Chief Benefit for Cardholder:
3% Cash Back on Grocery Store Purchases	Each card features the 3% reward on purchases made at approved U.S. grocery stores (superstores and warehouse shopping clubs excluded)
1% Cash Back on Non-Dining, Entertainment or Grocery Store Purchases	Both of these cards drop to a 1% cash back outside of the highlighted categories
No Foreign Transaction Fees	Travel outside the U.S. and use the card without incurring additional fees
$0 Fraud Liability	Cardholders are not responsible for unauthorized charges that are the result of a lost or stolen card
Free Credit Monitoring	Capital One offers TransUnion and Experian credit report-monitoring through CreditWise
Travel Accident Insurance	No extra charge for automatic coverage on fares purchased with card
Wikibuy	Helps you ensure you're getting the best deal on a purchase by scanning merchants for better pricing
Paribus	Paribus is an app that automatically scans online purchases to see if you can get money back due to a post-purchase change in pricing
24-Hour Travel Assistance	Get an emergency replacement card and a cash advance if you have a card stolen or lost while traveling
Free "Concierge" Service	24/7/365 assistance with dining, entertainment and travel arrangements
Use Rewards on Amazon.com	Rather than convert your cash back rewards to statement credits, you can spend them as cash via Amazon
Access to Premium/VIP Experiences	Cardmembers get access to exclusive and sometimes discounted experiences in the culinary, sporting, and music industries

Spending Comparison: Which Card Puts the Most Money in Your Pocket?

Now that we’ve highlighted the ways you can differentiate these cards, you may be wondering which offering is right for you.

We know that the Savor card offers slightly higher cash back returns on dining and entertainment than the SavorOne (4% vs. 3%), but is it enough to offset the $95 annual fee? The answer lies in the amount of money you plan to spend on dining and entertainment each month.

Let’s look at how monthly spending on dining and entertainment returns cash back for each card:

Monthly Spend on Dining and Entertainment	Savor Cash Back	SavorOne Cash Back
$100	$4	$3
$250	$10	$7.50
$500	$20	$15
$750	$30	$22.50
$1,000	$40	$30
$1,500	$60	$45
$2,000	$80	$60

In order to cover the $95 annual fee, you’ll need to average roughly $8 per month in additional cash back for the Savor to be put more in your pocket than the SavorOne.

Putting that in terms of a monthly spend on dining and entertainment, that means you’ll need to spend at least $800 per month in those categories for the Savor’s monthly cash back return ($32) to offset the fee and match the $24 that you would’ve otherwise earned with the SavorOne.

Final Thoughts

If you’re committed to adding a card that gives you top cash back rewards on dining and entertainment, both of these Capital One offerings are strong contenders for space in your wallet.

Leaving many of the perks out of the decision, the answer to which card is best for the long term is heavily attached to $800 in monthly spending on dining and entertainment.

If you regularly spend at least that, you’ll find that you earn enough cash back with the Savor to offset the annual fee. If you routinely spend less than that, you’re likely better off using the SavorOne without an annual fee attached.

Bottom Line: If you have a historical monthly budget, take a look at how much you have been allocating to spending on dining and entertainment. If it’s above $800, I’d consider applying for the Savor card. If it’s below, I’d probably opt for the SavorOne. And if it’s nowhere close to $800, I may skip a dining and entertainment cash back card altogether.

Check our review of the top cash back credit cards to make sure you’re picking the right card for your spending habits.

Do you have experience with the Capital One Savor Rewards or Capital One SavorOne Rewards cards? Let us know how you like it in the comments below!

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