Capital One Savor Card review 2024: Big rewards on fun and food
“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
“Verified by an expert” means that this article has been thoroughly reviewed and evaluated for accuracy.
BLUEPRINT
Updated 7:11 a.m. UTC Nov. 14, 2023
Editorial Note: Blueprint may earn a commission from affiliate partner links featured here on our site. This commission does not influence our editors' opinions or evaluations. Please view our full advertiser disclosure policy.
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. serves fans of food and fun heaping cash-back rewards for spending at restaurants, grocery stores and on entertainment. Our Capital One Savor card review will explain more.
Capital One Savor Card basics
- Annual fee: $95.
- Welcome bonus: $300 cash bonus after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
- Rewards: 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 4% cash back on all dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 1% on all other purchases.
- APR: 21.24%, 26.24% or 29.24% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers.
- Other benefits and perks¹: Travel accident insurance, complimentary concierge service, 24-hour travel assistance services, extended warranty protection, virtual card numbers, card lock and credit monitoring via CreditWise.
- Foreign transaction fees: None.
- Recommended credit score: Good to excellent.
- Does the issuer offer a preapproval tool? Yes.
Capital One Savor card review
Anyone who likes to eat can appreciate the earnings on the Capital One Savor Card. It earns a tailor-made for foodies 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 4% cash back on all dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 1% on all other purchases. This means you’ll earn cash back whether you’re at a sit-down restaurant, running through the drive-thru for a quick bite, ordering delivery or whipping up your own culinary creations.
This card is also a tantalizing option for entertainment spending as it earns cash back on select streaming services and qualified entertainment purchases. There’s a smorgasbord of entertainment options that qualify, including movie and concert tickets, zoos and aquariums, amusement parks and other tourist and entertainment attractions. All other spending on the card earns the base cash back rate.
One potential sour spot is the card’s $95 annual fee. If you can’t stomach the idea of shelling out for a card, consider other food-focused credit cards like the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. which earns 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 1% on all other purchases.
Pros
- Competitive cash-back rates: The Savor Card earns high rates in popular categories like dining, at grocery stores, entertainment and select streaming services.
- Uber perks: The card comes with uber-high rewards on Uber rides and Uber Eats plus a monthly statement credit covering the cost of an UberOne membership through Nov. 14, 2024.
- No foreign transaction fees: You won’t pay extra charges when using your card outside of the U.S., making it a great option for international travelers.
Cons
- A $95 annual fee: You need to earn enough back in rewards to at least break even with the annual fee for the card to be worth the price.
- No intro APR offer: The card doesn’t offer an introductory 0% APR offer on purchases or balance transfers.
- Best for foodies: If dining out and going out aren’t a big part of your lifestyle, another card would be a better fit.
Capital One Savor Card rewards
The Capital One Savor Card earns an unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 4% cash back on all dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 1% on all other purchases. The Capital One Savor also offers a welcome bonus of a $300 cash bonus after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.
You can redeem cash-back rewards earned with the Savor Card in a few ways:
- A statement credit or a check.
- Credits for previous purchases.
- Gift cards.
- Checking out with PayPal.
- Amazon.com purchases.
Just be aware that using your rewards with PayPal or Amazon will be a lower-value redemption of around 0.7 to 0.8 cents per point, There are no minimum redemption limits when redeeming cash-back rewards. Cardholders can set up automatic redemption preferences, such as a specific time annually or when they meet a specific threshold. Cash back rewards earned with the Savor never expire as long as your account stays open.
Capital One Savor Card rewards potential
Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate that a household in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has $25,087 in expenses they are likely to be able to charge to a credit card.
| SPENDING CATEGORY | SPENDING AMOUNT | POINTS PER DOLLAR (OR CASH-BACK RATE) | POINTS (OR CASH-BACK) EARNED |
|---|---|---|---|
Dining, entertainment and streaming services
| $5,477
| 4%
| $219.08
|
Groceries
| $4,942
| 3%
| $148.26
|
Other
| $14,668
| 1%
| $146.68
|
TOTAL
| $25,087
| 8%
| $514.02
|
In the example above, our sample cardholder earns $514.02. After considering the annual fee of $95, that would mean net earnings of $419.02 in cash-back rewards.
How the Capital One Savor card stacks up to other rewards credit cards
Capital One Savor Card vs. Chase Freedom Unlimited®
The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on eligible dining and drugstore purchases and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases, making it an appealing no-annual-fee option for those who dine out frequently. It also earns at a higher base rate than the Capital One Savor, making it a more rewarding card in those areas of spending that don’t fit into one of the bonus categories offered by the Savor. However, the Freedom Unlimited doesn’t earn high rewards on entertainment, so the best pick between the two will come down to your lifestyle and spending habits.
Frequent travelers may find that the Chase Freedom Unlimited has the edge as the rewards on this card can be pooled with select Ultimate Rewards®-earning cards and redeemed for even greater value.
Capital One Savor Card vs. Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
If you tend to spend in the categories offering elevated rewards on the Savor card but can’t swallow the idea of an annual fee, look to the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card * The information for the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. . For no annual fee, the SavorOne earns an unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 1% on all other purchases. The SavorOne Card comes with the same travel perks and other card benefits as the Savor Card and a $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Ultimately, you’d have to spend more than $9,500 a year to come out ahead with the Savor card over the SavorOne.
Capital One Savor Card vs. Citi Premier® Card * The information for the Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Cash-back cards may not always offer as many redemption options as cards that earn flexible rewards. If you’re seeking redemption options beyond cash back, consider a card like the Citi Premier Card. With this card you’ll earn 3 ThankYou® points per $1 at restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel and hotels and 1 point per $1 on all other purchases. Plus, through June 30, 2024, earn 10 ThankYou points per $1 spent on hotels, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel portal. The card features a generous welcome bonus offer and an assortment of redemption options, including travel, at the same $95 annual fee as the Savor Card.
Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
Should you get the Capital One Savor card?
If your monthly budget includes significant spending on food and entertainment, the Capital One Savor Card might be just the ticket for earning cash back. The Capital One Savor Card is a solid choice for international travelers too, charging no foreign transaction fees.
Remember that paying an annual fee can reduce the card’s value. Unless you spend enough in bonus categories to earn cash back beyond the $95 fee each year, it may not be worth it to get. Other credit cards reward dining and entertainment purchases that don’t charge an annual fee.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
The Capital One Savor Card requires good to excellent credit to qualify for approval. Capital One lets consumers pre-qualify through a soft credit inquiry. Pre-qualification doesn’t guarantee approval, but it gives you an idea of where you stand with the card issuer.
The Capital One Savor Card requires excellent credit to qualify for approval. Many lenders will classify a “good” FICO Score of at least 670 or higher. Just be aware that there is no specific credit score that will guarantee you’ll be approved for a particular card.
The Capital One Savor Card is a Mastercard. As a Mastercard, the Capital One Savor Card is accepted by merchants almost everywhere worldwide.
Primary cardholders can add authorized users to their Capital One Savor Card accounts. There is no cost to add an authorized user to your account.
The Capital One Savor Card’s credit limit will vary by cardholder. Capital One assigns credit limits based on your creditworthiness if approved for a card.
¹For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.
*The information for the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card and Citi Premier® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.
