SIDE A
A
Capital One · Visa
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
VS.
×
SIDE B
B
American Express · American Express
American Express Gold Card
FILING
Head-to-Head · Plastic Quarterly
The Capital One Savor and Amex Gold both target customers who spend heavily on dining and entertainment, but they serve different financial profiles. The Savor charges $95 annually with a $300 signup bonus, while the Gold costs $250 but offers $120 in dining credits plus $120 in Uber benefits—effectively reducing the net fee to just $10. The Gold's 4x points on restaurants comes with no spending caps, whereas Savor's category bonuses are capped by the card's restrictions. The Gold requires higher spending to justify its premium positioning, while the Savor appeals to casual spenders and those without elite travel needs. Your choice depends on whether you regularly dine out, use Uber frequently, and value travel point transfers.
THE VERDICT
Our ruling.
“The Amex Gold wins for most serious dining enthusiasts and frequent travelers. Its uncapped 4x points on restaurants worldwide, combined with $240 in annual credits that offset most of the fee, makes it superior for anyone spending $2,000+ annually on dining. Choose the Savor only if you spend less than $1,500 yearly on dining and entertainment combined, or if you cannot access Amex's network.”
CHOOSE A
Side A is for you if…
- 01You spend under $1,500 annually on dining and entertainment—the $95 fee makes more sense than Amex's $250
- 02You want cash back instead of points and value simplicity over optimization
- 03You have a credit score just above 700 and prioritize approval odds over premium benefits
- 04You use Capital One Travel frequently and want the 8% cash back advantage
CHOOSE B
Side B is for you if…
- 01You spend $200+ monthly on restaurants—the uncapped 4x points and $120 dining credit deliver superior value
- 02You use Uber regularly; the $120 Uber Cash effectively cuts your annual fee to $130
- 03You travel internationally or transfer points to airlines and hotels for premium redemptions
- 04You value the prestige factor and want access to Amex's 20+ airline and hotel partners
THE LEDGER
Side by side.
- ISSUER
- Capital One
- American Express
- NETWORK
- Visa
- American Express
- ANNUAL FEE
- $95
- $250
- APR RANGE
- 19.24% – 29.24%
- 0% – 0%
- INTRO APR (PURCHASES)
- None
- None
- INTRO APR (BALANCE TRANSFERS)
- None
- None
- REWARDS TYPE
- cashback
- points
- REWARDS RATE
- 1% cash back on all purchases
- 1x points on all purchases
- SIGN-UP BONUS
- $300 bonus
- 60,000 points
- BONUS VALUE
- $300
- $1,200
- MIN. CREDIT SCORE
- 700+
- 700+
- FOREIGN TRANSACTION FEE
- None
- None
A HIGHLIGHTS
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- —4% cash back on dining and entertainment
- —8% back through Capital One Travel
- —Complimentary Uber One membership
- —No foreign transaction fees
- —Mastercard World Elite benefits
B HIGHLIGHTS
American Express Gold Card
- —$120 dining credit ($10/month at select restaurants)
- —$120 Uber Cash ($10/month plus $20 in December)
- —4x at restaurants worldwide with no cap
- —Transfer to 20+ airline and hotel partners
- —No foreign transaction fees
QUESTIONS · ANSWERS
Frequently filed.
If you spend $400+ monthly on dining ($4,800 yearly), the Gold's 4x points (worth roughly $480-600 in travel value depending on redemption) easily exceed its $250 fee, especially when combined with the $120 dining credit. For Savor's $95 fee, you'd need about $1,600 in annual dining to match Gold's returns through cash back, assuming 4% rewards.