Capital One Savor vs Wells Fargo Autograph℠
Side-by-side comparison
| Capital One Savor | Wells Fargo Autograph℠ | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 20,000 bonus points ($200 value) | |
| Dining | 3x | 3x |
| Groceries | 3x | 1x |
| Gas | 1x | 3x |
| Travel | 1x | 3x |
| Streaming | 3x | 3x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $484 | $457 |
| Points type | Pools with Capital One → transferable | Transfers to airlines & hotels |
| Network | Mastercard | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Capital One Savor | Wells Fargo Autograph℠ |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $250 cash bonus | 20,000 bonus points ($200 value) |
| To earn it | $500 in 3 months | $1,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $734 | $657 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $484 | $457 |
The Capital One Savor wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Capital One Savor | Wells Fargo Autograph℠ |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable (paired with a premium card) | Transferable to airline & hotel partners |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
Transfer partners and point value
The Capital One Savor earns Capital One miles, which transfers to Air Canada, Avianca LifeMiles, Turkish, British Airways, and Emirates. The Wells Fargo Autograph℠ earns Wells Fargo Rewards, reaching Air France-KLM, Avianca, British Airways Avios, and Choice. Most transfers are 1:1 on both, so the partners themselves, not the ratios, are what separate them.
The standout difference is the crown-jewel partner: for the Capital One Savor it is Turkish and Avianca for cheap Star Alliance premium cabins; for the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ it is the Avios and Flying Blue families for flexible short-haul and promo awards. Pick the program whose best partners match the trips you would actually book.
Both are free 3x cards, so it’s about which categories match your spending, and whether you want cash or transferable points.
The Savor covers a going-out-and-eating-in lifestyle, dining, entertainment, streaming, and importantly groceries. The Autograph skips groceries but adds travel, gas, transit, and phone, and its points can transfer to airlines. Different category maps, different reward currencies.
Pros and cons
- 3% on dining, entertainment, streaming, AND groceries
- No annual fee, and a small welcome bonus
- Pools into transferable Capital One miles with a Venture
- Strong for grocery and entertainment spenders
- No bonus on travel, gas, or transit
- 1x on general spend
- Cash unless paired with a Venture
- 3x on dining, travel, gas, transit, streaming, and phone plans
- Points transfer to airlines like Air France-KLM and Avianca
- No annual fee
- Cell-phone protection when you pay your phone bill with it
- No grocery bonus, where the Savor earns 3%
- Wells Fargo’s transfer program is newer
- 1x on general spend
- Points cash-value alone unless you transfer
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Groceries | Savor | 3% vs the Autograph’s 1x. |
| Travel, gas & transit | Autograph | 3x vs the Savor’s 1x. |
| Entertainment | Savor | 3% vs the Autograph’s 1x. |
| Reward type | Split | Cash for the Savor; transferable points for the Autograph. |
| Phone protection | Autograph | Cell-phone protection the Savor lacks. |
| Annual fee | Tie | Both $0. |
The verdict
If your spending centers on groceries and entertainment, the Savor is the better fit, its 3% covers the supermarket and the streaming-and-fun budget the Autograph ignores, and it’s dead simple as cash. For a home-and-hangout lifestyle, it earns more where you actually spend.
If you spend more on travel, gas, transit, and dining out, the Autograph wins, its 3x reaches a broader travel-and-commuting set, its points transfer to airlines for potential value above a cent, and it includes cell-phone protection. Neither has a fee, so the honest answer is to match the card to your categories, or hold both, using the Autograph for travel, gas, and transit and the Savor for groceries and entertainment. Both are among the best free 3x cards available.