The Savor One card is a flat-rate cash back card with no annual fee, designed for people who spend on dining and entertainment

The Capital One Savor One card gives you 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, streaming services, and transit, and 1% on everything else. There is no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and no minimum spending to earn rewards. You earn cash back on every purchase from the moment you open the account.

This card works best if you spend regularly at restaurants, bars, movie theaters, concert venues, or on subscriptions. The 3% category is broad enough that most people will hit it several times a month. The 1% on other purchases means you are not penalized for groceries or gas — you just earn less than you would in bonus categories.

The card does not offer a sign-up bonus, which is the main trade-off for having no annual fee. You build rewards slowly over time rather than getting a lump sum upfront.

Key Takeaways

  • You earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, streaming, and transit, and 1% on all other purchases with no annual fee.
  • The card has no foreign transaction fees, so you can use it abroad without extra charges on the purchase itself.
  • There is no sign-up bonus, so your rewards come entirely from ongoing spending rather than a one-time offer.
  • Cash back is deposited as a statement credit or can be redeemed for a check, with no minimum redemption amount.
  • You need a credit score in the good to excellent range (typically 670 or higher) to be considered for this card.

How the 3% and 1% cash back categories work

The 3% category covers four types of spending. Dining includes restaurants, bars, and food delivery services — anywhere you pay for a meal or drink. Entertainment covers movie theaters, concert venues, sporting events, and similar venues. Streaming includes music and video subscriptions like Netflix, Spotify, and Disney+. Transit covers taxis, rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses, and airlines.

The 1% category is everything else: groceries, gas, retail shopping, utilities, insurance, and any purchase that does not fall into the 3% categories. You still earn cash back on these purchases, but at a lower rate. This structure means you are never earning zero on a purchase, which is useful if you have multiple cards and want a straightforward default card for non-bonus categories.

Cash back is calculated on the full purchase amount, including tax. If you spend $100 at a restaurant, you earn 3% on the full $100, not just the pre-tax amount.

Annual fee, interest rates, and other costs

There is no annual fee, which means you can keep this card open indefinitely without paying to use it. This is valuable if you want a card you can use occasionally without worrying about justifying the cost.

The card charges a variable APR (annual percentage rate) on purchases and balance transfers. The exact rate depends on your credit score and credit history at the time you open the account. Capital One does not publish a range, so you will see your specific rate only after you are approved. If you carry a balance, interest accrues daily on the unpaid amount.

There is a cash advance fee of 3% of the amount withdrawn (minimum $3) if you use the card to get cash from an ATM. There is also a late payment fee if you miss a due date. Paying your full statement balance by the due date avoids both interest charges and late fees.

Rewards redemption and cash back limits

Cash back is posted to your account automatically each month as a statement credit. You can also request a check or transfer the cash back to a linked bank account. There is no minimum amount you must accumulate before redeeming — even 1 cent of cash back can be redeemed.

There is no cap on how much cash back you can earn in a year or a lifetime. If you spend $10,000 in the 3% categories, you earn $300 in cash back. If you spend $100,000, you earn $3,000. The rate stays the same regardless of your total spending.

Cash back does not expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. If you close the account, you forfeit any unredeemed cash back, so keep the card open if you plan to redeem later.

Credit score and approval requirements

Capital One typically considers applicants with a credit score of 670 or higher, though the exact threshold can vary. A higher score improves your chances of approval and may result in a lower interest rate. If your score is below 670, you may still be approved, but it is less common.

The process asks for your annual income, employment status, and housing payment. Capital One uses this information along with your credit report to decide whether to approve you and what APR to offer. You will know the decision within minutes of explore online.

If you are denied, you can ask Capital One why and wait a few months before explore again. Each process generates a hard inquiry on your credit report, which can lower your score slightly. Spacing applications several months apart reduces the impact.

How the Savor One compares to other cash back cards

The main competitor is the Citi Double Cash card, which offers 2% cash back on all purchases with no annual fee and no bonus categories. The Citi card is simpler — you earn the same rate everywhere — but the Savor One earns more if you spend heavily on dining and entertainment. If those categories make up less than half your spending, the Citi card may be better.

Cards with annual fees, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or the American Express Gold, offer higher rewards rates (3% to 4% in bonus categories) but cost $95 to $250 per year. These cards make sense if you spend enough to earn back the fee in rewards. The Savor One is better if you want rewards without paying an annual fee.

Cards with sign-up bonuses, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited, offer a lump sum of cash back (usually $200 to $500) after you spend a certain amount in the first few months. The Savor One has no sign-up bonus, so you build rewards only through ongoing spending. If you are opening a new card specifically to earn a bonus, the Savor One is not the right choice.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use this card internationally?

Yes. There are no foreign transaction fees, so you pay the same price whether you use the card in the US or abroad. The card uses Visa's exchange rate, which is typically competitive. You still earn cash back on international purchases at the same 3% or 1% rate.

What happens if I carry a balance?

Interest accrues daily on any unpaid balance at your card's APR. If you carry $1,000 at 18% APR, you owe roughly $15 in interest per month. Paying the full statement balance by the due date avoids interest entirely. If you expect to carry a balance, this card's rewards do not offset the cost of interest.

Does this card help build credit?

Yes, in the same way any credit card does. Using the card responsibly — making on-time payments and keeping your balance low — shows lenders you manage credit well. This can improve your credit score over time. Missing payments or carrying a high balance does the opposite.

Can I get a higher credit limit later?

Yes. After you have used the card responsibly for several months, you can request a credit limit increase. Capital One may also offer increases automatically. A higher limit gives you more purchasing power and can improve your credit score by lowering your credit utilization ratio.

What if I want to close the account?

You can close the account anytime by calling Capital One. Any unredeemed cash back is forfeited when you close, so redeem it first. Closing the account will not hurt your credit score directly, but it does reduce the total credit available to you, which can raise your credit utilization ratio slightly.