Both cards earn extra rewards on food purchases, yet beyond that, they're very different credit cards. With that in mind, let's compare these cards on fees, welcome offers, intro APR, and rewards and see which emerges victorious.
Amex Gold Card vs. Capital One Savor annual fee
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has a $95 annual fee (see rates and fees).
The American Express® Gold Card has a much higher annual fee -- $250. While the card offers numerous perks and rewards that can offset the fee, paying $250 upfront cost might be more than you're willing to dish out. Plus, if you're unfamiliar with Amex Membership Rewards® points, it might be hard to calculate upfront how much you need to spend to make this card worth it.
Winner: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Amex Gold Card vs. Capital One Savor welcome offer
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has a $300 welcome offer after you spend $3,000 on purchases within your account's first 3 months.
The American Express® Gold Card, however, can give you twice the value from its welcome offer on twice the spending requirement. New cardholders can earn 60,000 Membership Rewards® Points Membership Rewards® Points after they spend $6,000 on eligible purchases within the card's first 6 months (terms apply). Although the value of your Amex points depends on how you redeem them, you could get $600 of value if you redeem them for airfare through the American Express Travel portal.
Winner: American Express® Gold Card
Amex Gold Card vs. Capital One Savor intro APR
Neither credit card has an introductory 0% APR period, so the card's regular APR will apply to unpaid balances. Check out our best 0% APR credit cards for those that don't charge interest for a bonus period.
Winner: Tied.
Amex Gold Card vs. Capital One Savor rewards
The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card earns an unlimited 4% back on dining, entertainment, and select streaming services, plus 3% back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target). The card also earns 10% back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases and will reimburse your Uber One membership fees through Nov. 14, 2024.
The American Express® Gold Card earns 4X points per $1 at restaurants, 4X points per $1 at U.S. supermarkets (up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year), 3X points for $1 on airfare booked through the American Express Travel portal, and 1X point per $1 on other purchases (Terms apply). If you can get a 1:1 valuation for your points, you can earn just as much as the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card for dining, plus a little extra on groceries.
Oh, but there's more. American Express also adds the following to your American Express® Gold Card:
- $120 annual dining credits for select participating restaurants and food delivery services, like Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations.
- $120 in annual Uber Cash. When you add your The American Express® Gold Card to your Uber account, you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month.
- $100 hotel credit. Cardholders earn this credit when they book properties in The Hotel Collection with American Express Travel for stays of at least two nights. The credit can be applied to onsite experiences, like spas and restaurants.
- Terms apply; activation may be required
These rewards could make the American Express® Gold Card more useful for your food and travel budget. However, because they have limitations, they won't benefit everyone. It's tempting to garland the American Express® Gold Card for this category, if only because it earns slightly more for grocery purchases, but since it really depends on how you want to earn rewards, we'll draw a tie between the two.
Winner: Tied.