Which is better, the Capital One Venure card or the Capital One Savor card?

The better card for you will depend on your spending mix. If you spend a lot on dining, entertainment, streaming services, and at grocery stores, the Capital One Savor card could offer higher earnings. You’ll want to do the math to be sure. If your greatest spending is in other categories and you want a good-value redemption option for travel, the Capital One Venture card would be the better choice. Regardless of which card you select, you’ll have worldwide acceptance with Visa and Mastercard networks.

Is the Capital One Venture card a Mastercard or Visa?

The Capital One Venture card is a World Elite Mastercard and therefore comes with several World Elite Mastercard benefits such as MasterRental insurance, hotel benefits, and more.

Which is better, cash-back or Capital One miles?

The better rewards structure for you will depend on your redemption preferences. Cash-back rewards are simple to redeem and it is possible to receive 1 cent in value for 1 cent in rewards earned. Some redemption options for your cash-back may yield less than 1 cent in value. Capital One miles may have greater potential value when transferred to frequent flyer programs and used to purchase award ticket flights. There are several travel redemption options for your miles that yield 1 cent per mile or greater. If you travel, you may want to earn and redeem miles. If you rarely travel, you may prefer cash-back.

Can I redeem Capital One miles for flights?

Capital One miles are not frequent flyer miles and cannot be redeemed directly with an airline for flights. Capital One miles are more like flexible points that can be transferred to airline and hotel partner loyalty programs and then redeemed for award flights or hotel nights. You also have the option to purchase travel using your Capital One miles via Capital One Travel.

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Capital One Venture Card vs. Capital One Savor Card [Detailed Comparison]

Updated: October 22, 2024, 2:15pm CDT

Edited by:

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Overview
Welcome Bonus Offer Comparison
Earning Rewards
Redemption Options
Travel Benefits and Protections
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Minimum Qualification Requirements
Alternative Cards To Consider
Final Thoughts

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

First-time credit card applicants may be drawn to Capital One due to the company’s wide variety of cards. The card issuer is known to offer a card option for every consumer, regardless of their credit situation.

For our comparison today, we’ve selected 2 of the most popular Capital One cards. These cards are designed for consumers with good to excellent credit who want to earn rewards on every purchase.

However, earning on every purchase may be where the similarity ends when comparing the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit CardInformation collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.. Each of our featured cards has its unique earning and redemption structure. The better card may depend on your spending mix and redemption priorities.

Join us as we dig deeper into the attributes of these 2 Capital One cards and compare how the cards earn rewards, your options at redemption time, and the benefits you can expect to receive on each card.

Overview

Before we dive into the details of our 2 featured cards, we’ll compare them side-by-side to help you sort out the best features and benefits of both cards.

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	Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card	Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Welcome Bonus	Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel	For a limited time, earn a $250 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months.
Earning Rewards	5x miles on rental cars and hotels booked through Capital One Travel 2x miles on all other purchases	8% cash-back on Capital One Entertainment 5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel 3% cash-back on dining, entertainment, select streaming services, and grocery stores 1% cash-back on all other purchases
Top Redemption Options	Transfer miles to airline and hotel partner programs to purchase award flights, free hotel nights Purchase travel via Capital One with miles worth 1 cent each	Redeem rewards for a check or statement credit
Top Travel Benefits and Protections	MasterRental insurance Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement of up to $120 No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)	MasterRental insurance No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
Top Shopping Benefits and Protections	Purchase assurance Extended warranty Capital One Offers	Extended warranty 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; after that, a 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR applies. BT fees apply (rates & fees)
Annual Fee	$95 (rates & fees)	$0 (rates & fees)

Welcome Bonus Offer Comparison

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Learn More(at Capital One's secure site)

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Get 2x miles plus some of the most flexible redemptions offered by a travel credit card!

Welcome OfferEnjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel.
75,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,350

Annual Fee

$95

APR

19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent Credit (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is one of the most popular rewards cards on the market. It’s perfect for anyone in search of a great welcome offer, high rewards rates, and flexible redemption options.

Frequent travelers with excellent credit may benefit from this credit card that offers a lot of bells and whistles. And it offers easy-to-understand rewards earning and redemption.

Pros & Cons

Pros

5x miles per $1 on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
Up to a $120 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit

Cons

$95 annual fee (rates & fees)
Limited elite benefits

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel
Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options
Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^®
Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.99% - 29.74% (Variable)
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

LIMITED-TIME OFFER

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating

The Capital One Savor card is a great no-annual fee card for those who regularly spend on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target).

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

Welcome OfferFor a limited time, earn a $250 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
$250

Annual Fee

APR

19.74% - 29.74% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Capital One Savor card is a phenomenal option when it comes to no-annual-fee cash-back credit cards. With popular bonus categories like dining, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), entertainment, and popular streaming services, and the ability to earn 3% cash-back on these purchases, it is easy to see why those who use the card can earn some serious cash-back throughout the year.

The card also allows you to take your rewards and experiences even further by offering access to Capital One Travel, Capital One Dining, and Capital One Entertainment.

Pros & Cons

Pros

8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
3% cash-back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target)

Cons

Rewards are purely cash-back, so there is no option for miles transfers to transfer partners for redemptions

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

For a limited time, earn a $250 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart^® and Target^®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, plus 1% on all other purchases
Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
No foreign transaction fee
No annual fee

Financial Snapshot

APR: 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Immediately after approval for the Capital One Venture card or the Capital One Savor card, you’ll have a unique opportunity to earn an initial welcome bonus offer worth hundreds of dollars.

The Capital One Venture card’s generous welcome bonus offer is available after completing the minimum spending requirements within the specified period after card approval. We value Capital One miles around 1.8 cents each, but at redemption time, they could be worth more if you utilize the option to transfer miles to travel partners. We’ll elaborate on this option shortly.

The Capital One Savor card also includes a welcome offer of additional cash-back after completing the minimum spending requirements within the specified period after card approval.

Welcome offers do change, so be sure to confirm the current offer before applying. We’ve provided card snapshots above that include the current offers for each of our featured cards.

Bottom Line: If you can complete the minimum spending requirement in the specified period after card approval, the Capital One Venture card offers a superior welcome bonus offer over the Capital One Savor card.

Earning Rewards

Uber Eats food at Minute Maid Park — With the right card, every purchase you make can earn rewards. Image Credit: Jessica Merritt

Every purchase you make with either of our featured cards will earn rewards. Let’s look at how the cards differ in the number of rewards you’ll earn on each purchase:

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Capital One Venture Card	Capital One Savor Card
5x miles on rental cars and hotels booked through Capital One Travel 2x miles on every purchase	8% cash-back on Capital One Entertainment 5% cash-back on Capital One Travel 3% cash-back on dining, entertainment, select streaming services, and grocery stores 1% cash-back on all other purchases

At first glance, it looks as if you’ll earn well with the Capital One Savor card if you spend a lot on dining, entertainment, streaming services, and grocery stores.

Let’s look closer at a spending example. If you spent $20,000 yearly in 3% cash-back categories on the Capital One Savor card, you would earn $600 in cash-back. For $20,000 in purchases in 2x categories on the Capital One Venture card, you would earn 40,000 Capital One miles worth $720.

The better card for your situation will depend on how much of your spending is on bonus or nonbonus categories. The Capital One Venture card will be the better earning card if you spend heavily on tuition, home repairs, medical bills, or other nonbonus categories.

Bottom Line: Your spending mix and preference for travel rewards or cash-back will determine which card matches your situation. The Capital One Venture card may be the better earning card if you spend a lot in the nonbonus categories.

Redemption Options

Mont St. Michel France — Rewards earned on either card can be redeemed for travel. Image Credit: Christine Krzyszton

At redemption time, you’ll want to select an option that delivers the best value and matches your preferences. Here are the choices for redeeming rewards earned on our featured cards, in order of the best potential value:

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Capital One Venture Card

Capital One Savor Card

Transfer miles to airline or hotel loyalty programs to purchase award flight tickets or hotel stays
Redeem for travel via Capital One Travel for 1 cent per mile in value
Shop at Amazon, redeem via PayPal, purchase gift cards, or request a statement credit (may result in less than 1 cent per point)

Redeem cash-back for a check or statement credit
Use cash-back for shopping at Amazon, redeem via PayPal, or purchase gift cards (may result in less value than a check or statement credit)
Transfer cash-back to miles-earning Capital One cards to then transfer to airline/hotel partners

If you want to redeem your rewards for travel, the Capital One Venture card has the edge. You can redeem Capital One miles for 1 cent each via Capital One Travel. For greater potential value, you can transfer Capital One miles to travel partners.

The Capital One Savor card does not offer access to transfer partners. You can transfer cash-back earned on the card to a miles-earning Capital One card, including the Capital One Venture card, and then transfer to airline and hotel partners.

Bottom Line:

With the Capital One Venture card, transferring miles to airline frequent flyer programs can deliver the best value at redemption time. The Capital One Savor card cash-back has a fixed face value at redemption time.

Travel Benefits and Protections

Tides Inn Driveway by Front — Travel protections and benefits can even provide value on a road trip. Image Credit: James Larounis

Both of our featured cards come with useful travel benefits and protections. Coverages will vary depending on whether your card is a Mastercard or Visa. Fortunately, you can expect worldwide acceptance with either card.

Here is an overview of the travel benefits and protections you can expect with both cards:

MasterRental Insurance— Secondary coverage is provided within the country of residence. Outside the country of residence, coverage is primary. Terms and limits apply.
No Foreign Transaction Fees — Use your Capital One Venture card (rates & fees) or Capital One Savor card (rates & fees) during your travels as there are no foreign transaction fees.
Travel Assistance Services — Available 24/7 to help connect you with local emergency and assistance resources when you’re away from home.

Capital One Venture Card

Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Fee Reimbursement — When you pay your renewal or application fee with your card, you can receive up to $120 as a statement credit every 4 years.
Lifestyle Collection Hotel Benefit — Receive a $50 experience credit and premium benefits when you book a hotel or vacation rental via the Lifestyle Collection.

This is just an overview of key travel benefits and protections, not an all-inclusive list. The actual benefit and protection descriptions, limits, terms, and conditions will be spelled out in each card’s Guide to Benefits.

Shopping Benefits and Protections

Shopping benefits and protections can save you money or provide coverage should you experience a covered loss to an eligible item purchased with your card. Here are some useful benefits and protections you can expect on our featured cards.

Extended Warranty — For eligible items with manufacturer’s warranties of 5 years or less, the warranty will be extended for 1 additional year. Items with warranties of less than a year will be doubled. Coverage limits are up to $10,000 per purchase and $50,000 per card.
Capital One Offers — Log in to your online card account and click through Capital One Offers to earn additional rewards on purchases at select retailers.

Capital One Venture Card

Purchase Assurance — Eligible purchases made with your card may be replaced, repaired, or reimbursed if a covered loss occurs within the first 90 days of purchase.

Capital One Savor Card

Introductory 0% APR — Repay large or multiple purchases over time with a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; after that, a 19.74% - 29.74% variable APR applies. BT fees apply (rates & fees).

Minimum Qualification Requirements

An excellent credit score (generally 740 to 850) is recommended to qualify for either of our featured cards. Capital One defines excellent as “have never declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan, not been more than 60 days late on any credit card, loan, or medical bill in the last year, and have had a loan or credit card for 3 years or more with a credit limit above $5,000.”

Fortunately, you can find out in advance if you may be targeted for a Capital One credit card offer by utilizing the CardMatch tool. This risk-free tool is easy to use, requires minimal information, and there’s no hard inquiry done on your credit report. You’ll know immediately if you have card offers available to you.

Capital One also offers a risk-free inquiry tool, but more information is required when using the tool.

These prequalification tools do not guarantee your approval for a card but give you an idea of which cards you are more likely to be approved for.

Before applying for any card, obtain a free copy of your credit report to learn where you stand and to check it for any potential errors.

You may also find value in reviewing this article on the prequalification process and how to find card offers.

Bottom Line: Capital One recommends you have excellent credit to qualify for the Capital One Venture card or Capital One Savor card. Utilize the CardMatch tool or Capital One prequalification tool to see if you have card offers available. Make sure to review your credit report for accuracy.

Alternative Cards To Consider

You’ll generally need excellent credit to qualify for either of our featured cards. With excellent credit, you’ll have several choices of rewards-earning cards.

While either of our featured cards may be a good choice for your situation, here are 2 additional recommended rewards cards, for comparison. Both require excellent credit.

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

U.P. Rating

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card

A fantastic travel card with a great welcome offer, good benefits, and perks for a moderate annual fee.

Welcome OfferEarn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
60,000 bonus points

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,200

Annual Fee

$95

APR

20.99% - 27.99% Variable

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® card is one of the best travel rewards cards on the market. Its bonus categories include travel, dining, online grocery purchases, and streaming services, which gives you the opportunity to earn lots of bonus points on these purchases.

Additionally, it offers flexible point redemption options, no foreign transaction fees, and excellent travel insurance coverage including primary car rental insurance. With benefits like these, it’s easy to see why this card is an excellent choice for any traveler.

Pros & Cons

Pros

5x points on all travel booked via the Chase Travel portal
5x points on select Peloton purchases over $150 (through March 31, 2025)
5x points on Lyft purchases (through March 31, 2025)

Cons

$95 annual fee
No elite benefits like airport lounge access or hotel elite status

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.
Enjoy beneﬁts such as 5x on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3x on dining, select streaming services and online groceries, 2x on all other travel purchases, 1x on all other purchases, $50 Annual Chase Travel Hotel Credit, plus more.
Get 25% more value when you redeem for airfare, hotels, car rentals and cruises through Chase Travel℠. For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel.
Count on Trip Cancellation/Interruption Insurance, Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver, Lost Luggage Insurance and more.
Get complimentary access to DashPass which unlocks $0 delivery fees and lower service fees for a minimum of one year when you activate by December 31, 2027.
Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

APR: 20.99% - 27.99% Variable
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

We like that the Chase Sapphire Preferred card has a generous welcome bonus offer and earns flexible Ultimate Rewards points. Additionally, when you redeem points for travel via the Chase Travel portal, your points will be worth 25% more. You can also transfer points to Chase airline and hotel transfer partners for even greater potential value.

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card is one of the best cards for travel benefits, including primary car rental insurance, trip cancellation and interruption, luggage insurance, and more. Read more about the associated travel insurance benefits of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card.

American Express^® Gold Card

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

American Express^® Gold Card

U.P. Rating

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Learn More(at Amex's secure site)

Apply With Confidence

Know if you're approved with no credit score impact

If you're approved and accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.

American Express^® Gold Card

This is the best card for food lovers who dine out at restaurants (worldwide), order take-out and want big rewards at U.S. supermarkets!

Welcome OfferEarn 60,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
60,000 points 

UP's Bonus Valuation*:
$1,200

Annual Fee

$325

APR

See Pay Over Time APR

Credit Recommended

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The American Express^® Gold Card is a game-changer.

With this card, you can earn 4x Membership Rewards points at restaurants, up to $50,000 per calendar year, and you’ll also earn 4x Membership Rewards points at U.S. supermarkets on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x.

There isn’t another card on the market that offers a 1-2 punch like this. Of course, there are several other benefits of the Gold Card as well, including extra monthly dining rewards and more.

Pros & Cons

Pros

4x points per dollar at restaurants worldwide, up to $50,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
4x points per dollar at U.S. supermarkets, up to $25,000 per calendar year; then 1x thereafter
3x points per dollar on flights purchased directly from airlines or at AmexTravel.com

Cons

$325 annual fee (rates and fees)
No lounge access

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

Earn 60,000 Membership Rewards^® points after you spend $6,000 on eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 4X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
Earn 3X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 2X Membership Rewards^® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
Earn 1X Membership Rewards^® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
$120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and each month automatically get $10 in Uber Cash for Uber Eats orders or Uber rides in the U.S., totaling up to $120 per year. Effective 11/8/2024, an Amex Card must be selected as the payment method for your Uber or Uber Eats transaction to redeem the Amex Uber Cash benefit.
$84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations.
$100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
$120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express^® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. Eligible charges vary by property.
No Foreign Transaction Fees.
Annual Fee is $325.
Apply with confidence. Know if you're approved for a Card with no impact to your credit score. If you're approved and you choose to accept this Card, your credit score may be impacted.
Terms Apply.

Financial Snapshot

APR: See Pay Over Time APR
Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

American Express Membership Rewards

If your spending centers more around everyday purchases such as those made at U.S. supermarkets or restaurants (plus takeout and delivery in the U.S.), you’ll find rewards will add up quickly with the Amex Gold card.

This dual-purpose card is also great for earning Membership Rewards points on travel purchases. Membership Rewards points can be redeemed for travel or transferred to Amex airline or hotel partners for the possibility of greater value.

Hot Tip: Learn more about these 2 popular cards in our detailed comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and the Amex Gold card.

Final Thoughts

If you travel and prefer a card that earns rewards you can redeem for travel purchases, the Capital One Venture card is the better choice of our 2 featured cards.

The Capital One Savor card is an excellent everyday spending card that earns cash-back quickly. You may fare better with this card if you spend heavily on everyday categories such as dining out, groceries, entertainment, and streaming services. You’ll want to do math using your estimated spending mix.

The better card for you will depend on your spending categories, redemption preferences, and which benefits you can utilize.

If you own a business, regardless of size, you may also want to explore some of the best business cards Capital One has to offer.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be 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 regarding the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

For rates and fees of the American Express^® Gold Card, click here.