Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Gold Card or Capital One Savor?

The American Express Gold Card has the bigger bonus, 100,000 points, worth roughly $2,000, versus $250 cash back (~$250) on the Capital One Savor.

Is the American Express Gold Card's $325 annual fee worth it compared to the Capital One Savor?

At $325/yr, the American Express Gold Card is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Capital One Savor's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.

Can I have both the American Express Gold Card and Capital One Savor?

Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Capital One) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.

Should I get the American Express Gold Card or the Capital One Savor first?

Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Gold Card: $8,000 spend in 6 months. Capital One Savor: $500 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

All credit cards

Side-by-side

American Express Gold Card vs Capital One Savor

Both are well-respected travel cards. The American Express Gold Card comes from American Express at $325/yr; the Capital One Savor from Capital One at $0/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the American Express Gold Card is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,750 more in estimated value) than the Capital One Savor's. Get the American Express Gold Card first; revisit the Capital One Savor after you've earned that bonus.

Feature	American Express Gold Card	Capital One Savor
Annual fee	$325	$0
Sign-up bonus	100,000 points	$250 cash back
Bonus value (est.)	$2,000	$250
Min spend to unlock bonus	$8,000 in 6 mo	$500 in 3 mo
Issuer	American Express	Capital One
Card category	travel	cashback
Best earning category (Prepaid_hotels_amex)	5x	1x
Transfer partners	amex-mr	None
Headline benefits	4x on restaurants worldwide 4x on U.S. supermarkets $120 dining credit $120 Uber Cash	3% dining + entertainment 3% grocery + streaming No annual fee No foreign tx fees

Read the full review

American Express Gold Card

$325/yr · 100,000 points

Read the full review

Capital One Savor

$0/yr · $250 cash back

Editorial take: American Express Gold Card

The ultimate foodie card, earning bonus points at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. Plus over $400 in easy-to-use statement credits make the annual fee a no-brainer.

Editorial take: Capital One Savor

If you care about dining and groceries, this is one of the best no-fee cards available. 3% on four of your biggest categories with zero annual cost is hard to beat.

The real-world take

TL;DR. Two strong dining and grocery cards at very different fees. Amex Gold ($325) earns 4x on dining and 4x on U.S. supermarkets (transferable points). Capital One Savor ($0) earns 3x on dining, entertainment, streaming, and groceries (cash back). Gold wins on raw earn rate and transferability. Savor wins on fee and simplicity for casual spenders.

The three dimensions that actually decide it. First, fee. $325 difference. Savor is free. Second, earn rate. Gold's 4x beats Savor's 3x on shared categories. Third, redemption flexibility. Gold's MR points transfer to airlines and hotels (high-leverage). Savor's cash back is cash. At a 2 cpp transfer redemption, Gold's 4x is effectively 8% return; Savor's 3x is 3% cash.

Real customer scenario for each. If you spend $800 a month on dining and groceries combined and travel internationally, Gold's 4x in transferable currency earns roughly 38,400 MR a year, worth $768 at 2 cpp redemption, net of fee around $443 in value. If instead you spend $400 a month on dining-and-groceries and want cash, Savor at $0 fee returns roughly $144 a year in cash, lower absolute value but zero downside.

The trap to avoid. Choosing Savor "to save the fee" without checking your total category spend. If you would clear $200 a month on dining and groceries combined, Gold's 4x in transferable currency at 2 cpp easily clears its fee. Do the math on your actual spend before defaulting to free.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Gold Card or Capital One Savor?: The American Express Gold Card has the bigger bonus, 100,000 points, worth roughly $2,000, versus $250 cash back (~$250) on the Capital One Savor.
Is the American Express Gold Card's $325 annual fee worth it compared to the Capital One Savor?: At $325/yr, the American Express Gold Card is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Capital One Savor's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
Can I have both the American Express Gold Card and Capital One Savor?: Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Capital One) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
Should I get the American Express Gold Card or the Capital One Savor first?: Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Gold Card: $8,000 spend in 6 months. Capital One Savor: $500 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.