Capital One SavorOne Rewards vs Citi Custom Cash Card 2023

investor.com

Written by investor.com

In head-to-head competition, which of these rewards credit cards wins out? Here’s what each has to offer and how they fare when put to the ultimate test — the cash back you’ll earn for using them.

Capital One SavorOne Rewards
Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores, plus 1% on all other purchases. Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus when you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.

Citi Custom Cash Card
Earn 5% cash back on up to $500 of spending within your biggest eligible purchase category each billing cycle and unlimited 1% cash back thereafter. Earn $200 cash back after spending $750 on purchases in the first three months. 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers.

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dining Dining
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Best for Foodies

Capital One SavorOne Rewards

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Capital One SavorOne Rewards Logo
Cash Back Per Year
$...
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Bonus
$200
Apply Now on Capital One's secure website
Best for Rewards Rotators

Citi Custom Cash Card

Read review
Citi Custom Cash Card Logo
Cash Back Per Year
$...
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Bonus
$200
Apply Now on Citi's secure website
Want to compare more cards? Use our full calculator.

Which credit card earns more cash back overall?

Based on identical spending inputs, you’ll earn $234.72 cash back per year with Capital One SavorOne Rewards and $215.52 with Citi Custom Cash Card. For context, the average annual rewards payout from the cashback credit cards in the investor.com database is $181.73.

The annual rewards payout assumes you charge $1,000 each month spread across the following spending categories: Dining ($145), Entertainment ($134), Gas ($140), Groceries ($198), Travel ($128), Pharmacy ($15), and Other ($240). The dollar amounts for each category are based on consumer spending data collected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (i.e., how much the average American spends proportionally across the major credit card rewards categories). But you can — and absolutely should! — customize the inputs based on your actual monthly spending habits, using our rewards calculator.

To ensure the most accurate results possible, the rewards calculations for Capital One SavorOne Rewards and Citi Custom Cash Card incorporate bonus rewards rates, spending caps, default rewards rates and annual fees, where applicable.

Is the Capital One SavorOne Rewards good?

The SavorOne Rewards card will palatable to foodies (restaurantgoers and home chefs) who want to avoid a card with an annual fee. But if you're willing to pony up $95 a year for Capital One's other Savor Card, you can earn 4% cashback on dining, entertainment and streaming services instead of the 3% this card pays.

thumb_up Likes

  • 3% unlimited cashback on food- and entertainment-related spending
  • 5% unlimited cashback on hotels/rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • Easy-to-earn $200 signup bonus
  • 15-months of 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers
  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fees

thumb_down Dislikes

  • 1% default rate means anemic rewards for the "everything else" spending category
  • Nonsensical restrictions on 3% cashback streaming category
  • No annual fee = lower rewards rate than Savor card


Category Default Rate Bonus Rate Bonus Spend Cap Bonus Spend Period (Months)
Gas 1.00% - - -
Travel 1.00% - - -
Dining 3.00% - - -
Entertainment 3.00% - - -
Pharmacy 1.00% - - -
Groceries 3.00% - - -
Other Purchases 1.00% - - -

Is the Citi Custom Cash Card good?

A card that rewards spending category fluidity with 5% cashback on autopilot? 🖐 Shame about that $500 spending cap on the bonus rate, though.

thumb_up Likes

  • 5% cash back on your biggest monthly spending category
  • $200 sign-up bonus
  • Hassle-free rewards
  • No annual fee
  • 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months

thumb_down Dislikes

  • $500 monthly spending limit on 5% cash back
  • Measly 1% cash back on everything else
  • 3% foreign transaction fee
  • 5% balance transfer fee


Category Default Rate Bonus Rate Bonus Spend Cap Bonus Spend Period (Months)
Gas 1.00% - - -
Travel 1.00% - - -
Dining 1.00% - - -
Entertainment 1.00% - - -
Pharmacy 1.00% - - -
Groceries 1.00% 5.00% $500 1
Other Purchases 1.00% - - -

sports_kabaddi Credit card cage match

Compare all the credit cards in our database head to head to see which offers the most bang for your buck.

Select Credit Cards

×
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAlliant Cashback Visa Signature Credit Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxAmerican Express Cash Magnet
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxApple Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBank of America Customized Cash Rewards
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards (Gold Tier)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards (Platinum Honors Tier)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBank of America Unlimited Cash Rewards (Platinum Tier)
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBlue Cash Everyday from American Express
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBlue Cash Preferred Card from American Express
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxBMO Harris Bank Cash Back Mastercard
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital One Quicksilver Rewards
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital One Quicksilver Rewards for Good Credit
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital One QuicksilverOne
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital One Savor Rewards
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCapital One SavorOne Rewards
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxChase Freedom Flex
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxChase Freedom Unlimited
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCiti Custom Cash Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCiti Double Cash Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCostco Anywhere Visa Card by Citi
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCredit One Bank American Express Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCredit One Platinum Rewards Visa
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCredit One Platinum Rewards Visa with No Annual Fee
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxCredit One Platinum X5 Visa
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxDiscover it Cash Back
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxDiscover it Chrome
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPayPal Cashback Mastercard
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPenFed Power Cash Rewards
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPetal 2 Visa Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxPNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSallie Mae Accelerate
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSallie Mae Evolve Credit Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxSoFi Credit Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTD Cash Credit Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxTruist Enjoy Cash Credit Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxU.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxUpgrade Cash Rewards
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxUpgrade Triple Cash Rewards
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxUSAA Cashback Rewards Plus American Express Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxUSAA Preferred Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxVenmo Credit Card
  • check_box_outline_blankcheck_boxWells Fargo Active Cash Card

Compare

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Methodology

The results of the investor.com Credit Card Rewards Calculator are based on the monthly spending amounts you enter and the annual dollar value of the rewards each credit card program pays per $1 spent. Credit card companies often express this payout amount as a percentage (e.g., 1.5% of every dollar spent) or on a points basis (e.g. ,1.5 points for every dollar spent). We converted all of them to a dollar amount (“Cash Back Per Year”) to make comparing offers easier.

To calculate the amount of cash back you could earn per year, we factored in:

  • Spend category inputs: The default dollar values for each “Spend Category” in the Best Cashback Credit Cards tool — gas, groceries, travel, restaurant, entertainment, pharmacy, other — are based on average American spending data from the Consumer Expenditure Surveys from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. We also include additional spend categories (such as streaming services, online shopping, utilities, transit, Amazon and more) to help you see which rewards cards are most closely aligned with your actual spending patterns. We encourage you to customize the monthly spend inputs for the most accurate results.
  • Tiered rewards rates: If a rewards credit card pays higher cashback rates on certain spending categories (also called “Bonus Rewards”), that difference is reflected in the total “Cash Back Per Year” tally.
  • Rewards spending caps: Some cards impose category- or time-based limits (monthly, quarterly, annually) that affect the amount of rewards you can earn. For example, a card may pay 3% cash back on groceries on up to $1,000 of spending each quarter, then revert to the base/default rewards rate until the following quarter. We accounted for bonus spending caps and timeframe in the calculations.
  • Default rewards rates: Purchases that exceed a spending cap are usually subject to a lower default rewards rate (e.g., 1% or 1.5%). We mathed that out too.
  • Annual fees: If a rewards card charges an annual fee, we deducted that amount from the “Cash Back Per Year” total to provide a true accounting of a card’s annual rewards payout.

What’s not included in the “Cash Back Per Year” total is the cash value of any sign-up/introductory bonus. We highlight any Welcome Bonus separately. While sign-up bonuses can be the most lucrative part of getting a new cashback rewards credit card, not everyone will want or be able to do what it takes to earn the extra cash. (It usually requires spending a certain amount in a specified time period after the card is activated.)

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