Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card vs. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card [2024]: Which Cash Back Card Wins?

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card have no annual fees, equal intro APRs, and comparable sign-up bonuses and perks. The main difference between these two is how you earn cashback rewards.

Capital One Savor Cash Rewards vs. Quicksilver Cash Rewards card details

When you compare these credit cards, you can see that both offer valuable earning potential. But the Savor Cash Rewards card earns up to 8% on select categories and 1% on everything else, while the Quicksilver Cash Rewards card earns 1.5% cash back on everything.

	Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card 4.5 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Annual fee	$0	$0
Early spend bonus	Earn a limited-time $250 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening	Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Earning rate	3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services; 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply); 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; and 1% cash back on all other purchases	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)
FinanceBuzz value calculation1	Year one: $1,155 Year two: $905	Year one: $763 Year two: $563
Intro APR	0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)); Balance transfer fee applies 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)	0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable); Balance transfer fee applies 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)
Annual credits	None	None
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Learn more	Learn more

When to go with the Capital One Savor card

• If you regularly dine out, attend concerts, pay for many streaming platforms, or enjoy other ticketed events.
• If you spend a lot at grocery stores (excluding superstores such as Walmart and Target).
• If you don’t want to keep track of rewards category caps found with similar cards.
• If you already have a flat-rate rewards card for purchases not under bonus categories.

High-value rewards

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card offers the most earning potential on food-related spending and Capital One-specific travel and entertainment purchases, with the potential for a much higher annual payout than the Quicksilver. I like to think of this card as my “treat yourself” card for when I don’t want to bother to cook and/or want to do something fun, like go to the movies or a zoo. It also doubles as my regular grocery card, so I like it more than some of my other rewards cards with bonus categories that change or don’t fit into my everyday spending (like the Chase Freedom Flex^®).

The card's low base rewards rate of 1% cash back on all other purchases is arguably its worst feature. But it doesn’t claim to be an all-purpose card, and the bonus categories will likely be easier to hit without trying than with a rotating category card — everyone eats.

Easy spend bonus

This card has a generous early spend bonus, helping cardholders earn a limited-time $250 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. This is one of the highest payout-to-spending ratios I’ve ever seen, and it should be easily doable for most households, even sticking strictly to the bonus categories.

According to our Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which we use to estimate the potential rewards earnings for cards based on average household spending across common categories, a typical household spends around $3,500 on dining out and $14,000 on groceries each year (for comparison, “everyday spending” is the second-highest category at $9,000).

Entertainment benefits

Like all Capital One rewards cards, the Savor provides access to exclusive experiences through Capital One Entertainment. These can generally be categorized as sports, music, and dining events, and they include things like food tastings and concerts. I just checked out events near me, and I could get tickets to a cardholder-only iHeartRadio Jingle Ball concert in December (if it weren’t sold out, womp). Not all experiences you can book through Capital One Entertainment are strictly for CapOne cardholders, but you’ll also earn an elevated rate on other entertainment. The Quicksilver also includes access to Capital One exclusive events, but with a lower rate.

For homebodies like me, streaming also counts. The list includes the big ones: Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+. The rewards on these won’t make you rich, but you can soften the blow of some of your recurring bills (or pay to remove ads?).

Learn more in our Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

When to go with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card

• If you prefer a straightforward cashback structure with a flat rewards rate.
• If you want to maximize cashback rewards while paying a $0 annual fee.
• If you don't want to keep track of bonus categories.
• If you already have a credit card with high earning rates in your top spending categories.

Flat rewards

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card offers benefits that cater to a wide range of cardholders. It helps you earn 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). This flat-rate rewards structure can be easier to manage than a card with bonus categories to keep track of.

If reading the Savor categories made you feel overwhelmed, or you just didn’t feel like they fit with your lifestyle, this might be the better card for you. It isn’t the heaviest of hitters for all spending, but it could be the card you reach for when making a purchase that doesn’t fit into a high-earning category for any of your other rewards cards, if you have them. You’ll enjoy a simple cashback structure without the need to track spending categories.

Easy early spend bonus

I’m including this as a Quicksilver benefit even though I already used it for Savor because a good bonus is a good bonus. This card helps you earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. Make no mistake: This is great, even though it isn’t quite as good as Savor’s.

Learn more in our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card review.

Should you have both cards?

If you look at the differences between the Capital One Savor and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards cards, you’ll notice they’re pretty much neck-and-neck until you get to the rewards. And when you look at the cashback categories, it’s easy to see how the best card depends on the situation.

The Capital One Savor has a higher overall earning rate than Capital One Quicksilver, but the latter’s simple rewards structure may be more appealing to some. The Capital One Savor earns 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services, which will likely be its main draw for many people. The Capital One Quicksilver 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).

Because neither card charges an annual fee, I’d make a case for having both — you could use the Savor for everything that would earn an elevated rate and the Quicksilver for everything else for a combined value higher than one or the other.

Shared features

On both cards, you can take advantage of travel assistance services if your card is lost or stolen while traveling. For other travel assistance, use the free concierge services to get personalized help with anything you need, including dining reservations, concert tickets, or travel suggestions.² Lastly, neither card has foreign transaction fees, so feel free to use your card while traveling abroad without having to worry about additional fees.

When it comes to purchase protection, Capital One Quicksilver benefits are nearly identical to Capital One Savor benefits. The extended warranty protection can help protect eligible purchases by extending their manufacturer’s warranties.

FAQs

Other cards to consider

If you are open to applying for a card with a different issuer, you have several great options for cashback cards besides the Capital One Savor and Quicksilver, including:

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®: This card offers a generous welcome offer. You can earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). And while it's marketed as a cash back card, you actually earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points when you spend. Those points can be redeemed for cash, gift cards, travel, and more. Unlike the Capital One cards, this Chase card is a Visa..

Learn more in our Chase Freedom Unlimited^® review. 

Citi Double Cash^® Card: If you don't want the hassle of tracking spending categories and just want simple, flat-rate cash back, this card is worth considering. Cardmembers can earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. The Citi Double Cash is a Mastercard.

Learn more in our Citi Double Cash^® Card review. 

Bottom line

Both the Capital One Savor and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card have strengths and weaknesses, and I’d truly recommend considering both. But if you want to choose, the Capital One Savor is ideal for earning the highest rates possible on a few common spending categories, while the Capital One Quicksilver is a flat-rate card for low-maintenance spending.

You don’t have to sweat an annual fee (and making the worth paying for) with either, but there’s a good chance you can earn more each year with the Savor — as long as you use it at the right place and time.

Unlimited Cash Back

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

4.7

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

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Current Offer

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and 3% cash back on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or $20,000 spent, earn 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• High base rewards rate of 1.5%
• $0 annual fee
• Valuable welcome bonus for new cardholders
• Intro APR offers for purchases and balance transfers

Drawbacks

• Has a foreign transaction fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars
• No bonus categories for gas or groceries

Card Details

• INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 19.99% - 28.74%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• Member FDIC