Discover it® Student Cash Back
vs
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
Skip the marketing fluff. Below is the side-by-side breakdown of fees, yield/rewards math, fine-print restrictions, and the exact household profile each product is built for.
The #1 student credit card: 5% rotating quarterly cash back and Cashback Match™ in year one.
- Cashback Match effectively turns 5% into 10% in your first year
- Zero annual fee and no fee on first late payment
Unlimited 3% cash back on dining, grocery stores, entertainment, and popular streaming with a $0 annual fee and 0% foreign transaction fees.
- Uncapped 3% cash back on both dining AND grocery stores with $0 annual fee
- 0% foreign transaction fees makes it one of the best $0-fee cards for dining and groceries in Europe, Asia, or Latin America
Annual Holding Cost & Overseas Trip Impact
Always subtract the annual fee from your projected annual rewards before evaluating headline multipliers.
A 3% foreign transaction fee wipes out 3% in rewards on every international hotel, restaurant, or flight billed in foreign currency.
In-Depth Breakdown: Discover it® Student Cash Back vs Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
1. How Discover it® Student Cash Back Works
The Discover it Student Cash Back is widely recognized as the best starter credit card for college students. It requires no previous credit history, charges $0 annual fee, and provides 5% cash back on everyday purchases at places like Amazon, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Discover matches all cash back earned at the end of your first year.
2. How Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card Works
Formerly known as SavorOne, the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card is the ultimate $0-annual-fee food and entertainment card. It pays unlimited 3% cash back across four major everyday categories—dining, grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target), live entertainment (concerts, movie theaters, pro sports, theme parks), and popular streaming services—plus 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment tickets and 5% on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, all with 0% foreign transaction fees.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose Discover it® Student Cash Back or Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card?
Choose Discover it® Student Cash Back if you prioritize Cashback Match effectively turns 5% into 10% in your first year. Choose Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card if you want Uncapped 3% cash back on both dining AND grocery stores with $0 annual fee.
What is the biggest catch with Discover it® Student Cash Back vs Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card?
With Discover it® Student Cash Back, the main limitation to keep in mind is: Requires quarterly activation for 5% bonus categories. With Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, the primary trade-off is: Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs (Costco/Sam’s Club) code as discount stores/warehouse clubs and earn 1% instead of 3%.