The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is an excellent option for foodies who enjoys dining out or anyone who enjoys spending on fun purchases, like tickets to special events.
It has a $0 annual fee, making it an excellent frugal cashback choice, and offers 3% unlimited bonus cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores such as Walmart® and Target®).
Who should get the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card?
If you’re looking for a generous cashback card that rewards dining and entertainment purchases, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card is an ideal choice. Since the card also offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases for the first 15 months (then 19.74% - 29.74% (variable) APR), it’s also a good option for people who want to avoid paying interest, even without paying their balance in full.
That being said, if you spend enough on dining, entertainment, and select streaming services purchases, it could make sense to go with the 4% cashback rate from the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card. With enough spending (and earning rewards), you could help make up for its $95 annual fee. This upgraded version also comes with a bigger early spend bonus for new account holders.
Card basics
Card type | Cash Back |
Card issuer | Capital One |
Credit card network | Mastercard |
Annual fee | $0 |
Early spend bonus | Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening |
Reward rate | 3% cash back on dining and entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores; 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats (through 11/14/2024); and 1% cash back on all other purchases |
Recommended credit score | Excellent, Good |
Intro APR | 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, then 19.74% - 29.74% (variable) APR 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.74% - 29.74% (variable) APR; 3% fee on balances transferred within the first 15 months |
Foreign transaction fee | None |
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card benefits and perks
- Generous early spend bonus offer: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
- $0 annual fee: Unlike the more expensive Capital One Savor Cash Rewards card, the SavorOne Cash Rewards has no annual fee. You save $95 annually with the SavorOne Cash Rewards compared to the Savor Cash Rewards.
- Long intro APR period: This card offers a promotional 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months after account opening, then 19.74% - 29.74% (variable) APR. You also get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.74% - 29.74% (variable) APR. To make the most of this offer, you'll want to have your balance paid off before the regular APR kicks in. A 3% fee on balances transferred within the first 15 months does apply.
- Simple yet generous rewards program: Cardholders can earn 3% cash back on dining and entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores; 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats (through 11/14/2024); and 1% cash back on all other purchases. And, rewards redemption is easy — you can set up automatic redemption and choose to redeem for a statement credit, a check, or gift cards.
- Capital One Entertainment: Cardholders gain access to Capital One Entertainment, an exclusive booking portal for access to entertainment venues, including sports, music, and dining. Cardholders can use rewards, their card, or a combination of both to book tickets.
- No foreign transaction fees: If you want to travel or make purchases outside of the U.S., you won’t have to pay a foreign transaction fee for charges abroad.
Drawbacks to this card
- Mastercard network: While Mastercard is accepted all over the world, there are some merchants that do not accept it. For example, you can't use a Mastercard at Costco, but you can use a Visa. That said, if you primarily use this card to earn cash back on dining and entertainment, this likely won't be an issue.
Earning & redeeming cash back
Potential earnings in years one and two
Here's a look how your cash back can add up with the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card. To calculate these values, we used a point valuation of 1 cent.
Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.
Year one earnings: $913
Year two earnings: $713
These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model which takes a look at points earned via spending, the early spend bonus, and the annual fee.
Best ways to earn
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card makes it easy for cardholders to earn cash back because it has no rotating categories to keep track of. It does provide several bonus rewards categories as well as a base level of cash back on all other purchases.
There are no limits to the total cash back you can earn or the bonus cash back you’re eligible for — and cash back never expires as long as your account remains open. The table below shows how much cash back you can earn for different categories of spending when you charge purchases on your Card.
Category | Rewards rate |
Purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats (through 11/14/2024) | 10% |
Capital One Entertainment | 8% |
Hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel | 5% |
Dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores such as Walmart® and Target®) | 3% |
All other purchases | 1% |
Maximizing your redemptions
You can earn the maximum with the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card by shopping for purchases classified as dining or entertainment or by using it at grocery stores.
Cash back on dining can be earned at bars, restaurants, cafes, fast-food chains, bakeries, and lounges. So whether you like to dine-in or eat takeout, this card can be of benefit.
And there’s a long list of entertainment purchases you can earn cash back on, including purchases at record stores, bowling alleys, and dance halls as well as on tickets for amusement parks, live sporting events, and tourist attractions, such as zoos and aquariums. You can’t earn bonus cash back on college sports events, unless they're booked through Capital One Entertainment.
Since purchases at grocery stores also give you bonus cash back, making grocery store purchases with your card makes sense. Be aware, though, that big-box stores, such as Walmart and Target, aren’t classified as grocery store spending by most of the best credit cards for groceries. Avoid doing your grocery store shopping at those places if you want to earn the most possible rewards with your Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card.
FAQs
How do I redeem my Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards cash back?
Cash back can be redeemed by logging into your account. You can opt to get your cash back as a statement credit, can request a check, or can use cash back to purchase gift cards. You also have the option to set up automatic redemptions on a specific date or when your cash back reaches a certain dollar amount, which is advisable. You do not have to worry about redeeming by a certain time as cashback rewards don’t expire as long as your account remains open.
Is the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards or the Chase Freedom Flex℠ a better card?
Which card is better for you will depend on your personal budget and spending habits. You should pick the card that rewards you best for the spending you do or the spending you have planned.
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card earns you 3% cash back on dining and entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores; 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats (through 11/14/2024); and 1% cash back on all other purchases. It also has an early spend bonus where you can earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns you 5% on rotating quarterly categories (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% at restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and drugstores; and 1% on all other purchases. And it has a comparable welcome bonus: Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months (plus 5% cash back on up to $12,000 spent on groceries in the first year, excluding Target and Walmart purchases).
Is the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards or the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards a better card?
Both the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards and the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards cards are good credit cards — the only question is which card makes the most sense for you. The Savor Cash Rewards card comes with a $95 annual fee after the first year, but you get a better cash back rate on dining and entertainment with the Savor than you do with the SavorOne.
And if you spend at least $9,500 annually on dining and entertainment, the extra cash back you get makes up for the annual fee on the Savor Cash Rewards card, so the Savor could make more sense for you. In making your decision, it can help to compare the Capital One Savor vs. SavorOne Cash Rewards cards directly and see which better fits your spending habits.
What credit score do you need for the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards?
Credit card issuers typically run a hard inquiry to your credit report when you apply for a new card. With that in mind, you’ll likely need a good or excellent credit score to get approved for the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card.
Other cards to consider
The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card is among the best credit cards if you want a no-annual-fee card that also gets you great rewards on entertainment or dining. But if these bonus categories don't sound like the best fit for you, there are other credit card offers to consider.
If you prefer to earn flexible travel rewards, then you might check out the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. With this card, you earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards; 3X points on dining; 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points per $1 on all other eligible purchases. Plus, you get a variety of travel benefits and extended warranty protection. You can also earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 points after meeting the spending requirement of making $4,000 in new purchases in the first 3 months after account opening.
If you prefer a card with a flat-rate, unlimited rewards program, then you might like the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. This card earns 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). With this simple earning rate, it's easy to rack up cash back on all your spending. This card also has a 0% intro APR offer on purchases for 15 months, then 19.74% - 29.74% (variable) APR after that.