It’s a tough choice between the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card*. Both have no annual fee and offer strong rewards in different categories, so choosing the best card will ultimately depend on your spending habits.
Food-lovers who spend a lot on dining, groceries or entertainment will likely find the SavorOne’s rewards structure more lucrative, while those who mostly spend in other categories might do better with the Active Cash’s straightforward 2% cash rewards on purchases.
However, the SavorOne will likely be the one to choose due to its elevated rewards in a popular spending category, an easier-to-obtain welcome bonus and no foreign transaction fees.
That said, the Active Cash is a great choice if you already have a rewards credit card that has similar rewards categories as the SavorOne. Consider adding both a flat-rate cash-back card and a rewards card with tiered categories to your wallet for maximum cash-back potential.
Comparing rewards programs
Winner: SavorOne
Both cards offer competitive rewards without an annual fee, but they work differently.
The Active Cash is a flat-rate rewards card, which means it earns rewards no matter where you’re shopping. The SavorOne earns greater rewards in specific categories -- mostly centered around dining and entertainment -- and a lower rewards rate for other purchases. Take a look at each card’s rewards structure:
Wells Fargo Active Cash Card:
- Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
Capital One SavorOne:
- Earn 10% cash back on Uber & Uber Eats purchases (through 11/14/2024)
- 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®)
- 1% on all other purchases
What’s unique about the SavorOne is that it doesn’t have any spending caps like its top competitors do -- such as the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express or Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card -- so you don’t have to worry about tracking your spending before your rewards fall to a lower rate. Neither does the Active Cash, but that’s standard among flat-rate cards.
The SavorOne earns higher rewards than the Active Cash on Uber, Uber Eats, dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery store purchases. However, the Active Cash will earn more rewards for purchases not classified in those categories.
Which card will earn more depends entirely on your spending habits. Someone who spends $700 a month in the SavorOne’s 3% rewards categories and $300 a month on other 1% rewards purchases will earn $24 in rewards with the SavorOne compared to $20 for making the same purchases with the Active Cash. But someone who spends only $300 a month in the SavorOne’s elevated 3% rewards categories and $700 on other 1% purchases will earn only $16.
While the Active Cash is more flexible, the SavorOne will be more rewarding if you spend a lot on dining, entertainment and groceries. If you don’t already have a card with the same rewards structure as the SavorOne or Active Cash, consider getting both cards and use each where it earns the most -- the SavorOne on food and entertainment and the Active Cash on other purchases.
The reward redemption options also differ between the two cards. The Active Cash can redeem rewards as:
- Statement credits
- Qualifying Wells Fargo bank account deposit
- Gift cards
- Travel through the Wells Fargo Rewards portal
- Select merchandise
You can redeem your points from the SavorOne for:
- Cash deposits
- Statement credits
- Gift cards
- Shop with Points at Amazon.com or Paypal
- Travel through Capital One’s travel portal
If you have one of Capital One’s travel credit cards, like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card*, you can also transfer your miles to Capital One’s transfer partners for potentially greater value.
Welcome bonus
Winner: SavorOne
Take a look at each card’s welcome bonus:
- Active Cash: Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first three months
- SavorOne: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening
The SavorOne provides the same bonus as the Active Cash but for half the spending. That’s one of the better welcome bonuses on the market as it has a high return on your spending.
Just be sure you can reach it without spending on things you normally wouldn’t have. Luckily, the SavorOne’s highest rewards categories are focused around food and entertainment, two categories that most people regularly spend in.
Introductory APR offer
Winner: Tie
Both cards provide the same introductory APR offer:
- Active Cash: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening (then 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% variable) for both purchases and qualifying balance transfers
- SavorOne: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (then 19.74% to 29.74% variable)
Both credit cards offer the same length of time to pay down your balance with no interest. However, they charge different fees for balance transfers.
With the SavorOne, you’ll pay a 3% fee on balance transfers completed during the first 15 months (the duration of the introductory period) and no balance transfer fee for balance transfers completed after the intro APR period ends.
For the Active Cash, the intro balance transfer fee is either $5 or 3% of the balance transfer amount, whichever is greater, for the first 120 days from account opening, and up to 5% of the balance transfer amount with a $5 minimum after that. This gives the SavorOne an edge for balance transfers completed after 120 days from account opening.
While there are better balance transfer cards with longer 0% introductory APR periods, you could use either of these cards to eliminate credit credit card debt through a balance transfer in a pinch. Just be sure 15 months is enough time to pay down the transferred balance.
Additional card perks
Winner: SavorOne
Here’s how both card’s perks stack up to one another:
Card perks
| SavorOne | Active Cash |
|---|---|
| Extended warranty** on eligible items purchased with your card | Cell phone protection against damage or theft when you pay your cell phone bill with your card |
| Travel accident insurance** when you purchase the fare with your card | Luxury Hotel Collection |
| Capital One Concierge | Visa Signature Concierge |
Both cards offer good additional value through their perks, especially considering neither card features an annual fee. Which benefits are more valuable to you depends on your lifestyle and preferences. Frequent travelers may benefit from the travel accident insurance from the SavorOne -- coupled with no foreign transaction fees -- while those who are prone to breaking their phone might find more value from the Active Cash’s cell phone protection benefits.
Annual fees
Winner: Tie
Neither card charges an annual fee, which means they tie on that aspect. It also means they would work together well or with any other card you may already have.
It’s also worth noting that the SavorOne is a better option for travelers. It lacks any foreign transaction fees, earns 5% cash back for hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and provides travel accident insurance -- rare features for a card without an annual fee.
The Active Cash on the other hand does have a foreign transaction fee, making it a poor choice for people who travel internationally.
How Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card and Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card compare to other cards
- Intro Offer
-
$200 cash rewards Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $1,000 in purchases in the first 3 months
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.74%, 24.74%, or 29.74% variable APR
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
2% Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases
- Intro Offer
-
$200 Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 19.74% – 29.74% (Variable)
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 10% Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024; Earn 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get Capital One’s best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply; Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®); Earn 1% on all other purchases
- Intro Offer
-
$200 Earn a $200 statement credit after you spend $2,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
- Annual fee
- $0
- APR
- 18.74%-29.74% Variable
- Intro Purchase APR
- 0% on purchases for 15 months
- Recommended Credit A credit score is used to indicate an applicant’s credit worthiness and may provide guidance about account eligibility. It does not necessarily guarantee approval for any financial product.
- Good – Excellent
- Rewards rate
-
1% – 3% 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.; 3% Cash Back on U.S. online retail purchases, on up to $6,000 per year, then 1%.; 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations, on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%.; 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
The bottom line
Both cards offer a strong sign up bonus and great ongoing rewards, but your spending habits will determine which rewards structure -- a flat 2% cash rewards on purchases or 3% on dining and entertainment purchases and at least 1% on everything else -- nets you the most rewards. However, the SavorOne has a lower spending threshold for the bonus, fewer fees, and more useful card benefits. It’s also better suited to travelers.
But the Active Cash is still one of the best flat-rate cash-rewards cards to choose, and could even be used in conjunction with the SavorOne to maximize the return on your spending.
FAQs
A flat-rate card will earn rewards no matter what you’re spending on, while a tiered rewards card will earn greater rewards for specific purchases.
When you initiate a transaction that requires a foreign currency, some credit cards charge a foreign transaction fee -- usually 3% of the transaction.
Paying a one-time balance transfer fee will usually be less expensive than paying continuous interest charges on a credit card balance with a high APR. Balance transfer fees typically range from 3% to 5%, and depending on the size of the balance, can be worth paying to eliminate some existing credit card debt.
*All information about the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.
**Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Please refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details.
The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.
