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Side-by-side

Capital One Savor vs Citi Custom Cash

Both are cashback travel cards. The Capital One Savor comes from Capital One at $0/yr; the Citi Custom Cash from Citi at $0/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

These cards are close on the fundamentals (similar bonus value, similar fee). The right pick depends on which category you spend the most in and which transfer partners best fit your travel goals.

FeatureCapital One SavorCiti Custom Cash
Annual fee$0$0
Sign-up bonus$250 cash back$200 cash back
Bonus value (est.)$250$200
Min spend to unlock bonus$500 in 3 mo$1,500 in 6 mo
IssuerCapital OneCiti
Card categorycashbackcashback
Best earning category (Dining)3x1x
Transfer partnersNoneciti-ty
Headline benefits
  • 3% dining + entertainment
  • 3% grocery + streaming
  • No annual fee
  • No foreign tx fees
  • 5% on top category
  • Auto-selected monthly
  • No annual fee
  • Convert to TY Points
Read the full review
Capital One Savor
$0/yr · $250 cash back
Read the full review
Citi Custom Cash
$0/yr · $200 cash back

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.

Editorial take: Citi Custom Cash

Genuinely clever. 5% on whichever category you spent most on each month, capped at $500/month. Earns $25/month = $300/year effortlessly. Pairs with Premier to convert to transferable ThankYou Points.

The real-world take

TL;DR. Both $0 cards aimed at category spenders. Custom Cash earns 5x on your top spending category each month (capped at $500/month or $25 in cash back). Savor earns 3x on dining, 3x on entertainment, 3x on streaming, and 3x on grocery (uncapped). Savor wins for predictable high spenders in those four categories. Custom Cash wins for variable spenders who want the highest rate on their dominant category.

The three dimensions that actually decide it. First, cap. Custom Cash caps at $500/month spend per category. Savor has no cap. If you spend more than $500/month on dining, Savor's 3% uncapped beats Custom Cash's 5% capped. Second, flexibility. Custom Cash auto-picks your top category each month, useful if your spending shifts. Savor is static across four categories. Third, pairing. Custom Cash + Premier converts to transferable ThankYou Points. Savor stays as cash back.

Real customer scenario for each. If you spend $400 a month on dining (within the Custom Cash cap), Custom Cash earns $20 a month at 5%; Savor earns $12 at 3%. Custom Cash wins. If instead you spend $1,000 a month on dining, Savor earns $30 uncapped while Custom Cash earns $25 capped. Savor wins.

The trap to avoid. Stacking Custom Cash without a Premier and assuming the 5% will compound on big categories. The $500/month cap is hard. If groceries is your top category at $800/month, you are leaving $300 of bonus-category spend earning only 1x.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Capital One Savor or Citi Custom Cash?
The Capital One Savor has the bigger bonus, $250 cash back, worth roughly $250, versus $200 cash back (~$200) on the Citi Custom Cash.
Is the Capital One Savor's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Citi Custom Cash?
The Capital One Savor has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Citi Custom Cash's $0 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Citi Custom Cash's benefits to clear $0 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the Capital One Savor.
Can I have both the Capital One Savor and Citi Custom Cash?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (Capital One and Citi) 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 Capital One Savor or the Citi Custom Cash first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Capital One Savor: $500 spend in 3 months. Citi Custom Cash: $1,500 in 6 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.