Capital One Savor vs. Citi Double Cash: Which Is Better in 2026?

Citi Double Cash® Breakdown

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The Double Cash earns 2% cash back on purchases: 1% when you buy and 1% as you pay. You need to pay at least the minimum due on time to earn cash back. It also earns 5% total on hotels, car rentals, and attractions booked through Citi Travel®.

There's no annual fee, no category enrollment, and no cap on cash back. The card has an intro APR on balance transfers, but no intro APR on purchases, and balance transfers don't earn cash back. A foreign transaction fee applies to purchases made abroad, so check Citi's pricing details for current rates.

For more detail, read our Citi Double Cash review.

Citi Double Cash® vs. Capital One Savor: Head to Head

Everyday Spending

The Double Cash earns 2% on every purchase, while the Savor earns 1% outside its bonus categories. Spending on things like utilities, insurance, and general retail earns more on the Double Cash.

Dining, Entertainment, Streaming, and Groceries

The Savor earns 3% in each of these categories, a full point more than the Double Cash. A household spending $800 a month across them would earn about $288 a year with the Savor and $192 with the Double Cash.

Calculation formulated by Kudos, based on $800 of monthly spending in Savor's 3% categories multiplied by 12 months at 3% and at 2%.

Intro APR

The Savor offers 0% intro APR for 12 months on both purchases and balance transfers. The Double Cash's intro offer applies only to balance transfers, so it helps only if you're consolidating existing debt.

Travel Abroad

The Savor charges no foreign transaction fee. The Double Cash does, which makes the Savor the better card to take on an international trip.

Redemption

Savor cash back can be redeemed for any amount. Double Cash rewards are earned as ThankYou® Points, which you can redeem for a statement credit, direct deposit, or check, or for gift cards and travel through Citi.

Compare Cards With Kudos

Kudos can help you decide with your own numbers. Free tools include Test Drive, which estimates your rewards with a card based on the spending you enter, approval odds before you apply, and Dream Wallet card recommendations.

Once you carry more than one card, the free Kudos extension recommends the card that earns the most at online checkout and can autofill it for you.

Who Should Choose the Capital One Savor?

• You dine out often and spend on concerts, movies, or sporting events
• You pay for streaming services and shop at traditional grocery stores
• You travel abroad and want to avoid foreign transaction fees
• You want a 0% intro APR on new purchases

Who Should Choose the Citi Double Cash®?

• You want the same rate on every purchase without tracking categories
• Much of your spending falls outside dining, entertainment, and groceries
• You want to transfer an existing balance at an intro rate
• You mostly spend in the U.S.

Many people carry both: the Savor for food and fun, and the Double Cash for everything else. Our guide to credit card pairing strategies explains how to split spending.

Alternatives to Consider

The Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card also earns 2% cash rewards on purchases with no annual fee, and it offers a 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, after that the variable APR will be 18.74%, 24.74%, or 28.74%. It charges a 3% foreign transaction fee.

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^{The information for the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has been collected independently by Kudos. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.}

If you'd rather earn travel rewards, the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card has a $95 annual fee and earns 5x points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠ and 3x on dining, among other bonus categories. It has no foreign transaction fees.

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Tips for Application Success

Before You Apply

• Check your credit: Capital One lists the Savor for applicants with excellent credit.
• Check eligibility first: Capital One lets you see offers in as little as 90 seconds with no credit score impact, and Citi offers a pre-qualification check.
• Plan your spending: Meet any welcome offer spending requirement with purchases you already planned to make.

Application Strategy

• Compare current offers: Issuers change welcome offers over time, so compare both cards when you're ready to apply.
• Space out applications: Each application can mean a hard inquiry, so apply for one card at a time.

Our Methodology

Kudos evaluates nearly 3,000 credit cards, far more than the roughly 150 cards many sites cover because they focus on cards tied to affiliate commissions. More than 95% of the cards in our Card Explorer don't pay us a commission.

We compare cards on rewards rates, fees, APRs, and benefits verified against issuer websites. You can also browse the full dataset yourself in the Kudos Card Explorer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card earns more on groceries?

The Savor, which earns 3% at grocery stores, excluding superstores like Walmart and Target. The Double Cash earns 2%.

How does the Citi Double Cash rewards structure work?

You earn 1% when you make a purchase and another 1% as you pay it off, as long as you pay at least the minimum due on time.

Do either of these cards have an annual fee?

No. Both the Savor and the Double Cash have no annual fee.

Which card is better for travel abroad?

The Savor, because it has no foreign transaction fee. The Double Cash charges one on purchases made outside the U.S.