Journey Student Rewards from Capital One

vs. Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

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ByDoug Milnes, CFA
Reviewed byBrett Holzhauer
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ByDoug Milnes, CFA
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Reviewed byBrett Holzhauer
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Updated: March 19, 2024

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MoneyGeek helps you compare the difference between the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One and Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card by analyzing the associated fees, benefits, and reward programs. For example, these two cards have no annual fees or foreign transaction fees. They charge the same APR rate of 26.99%. Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card earns 3% cash back on popular spending categories, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Journey Student Rewards from Capital One, on the other hand, has a straightforward but lower cash back rate of 1%, up to 1.25% on all purchases if statements are paid on time.

Comparison Overview: Journey Student Rewards from Capital One vs. Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

  • Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
    Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
  • Has Annual Fee
  • Has Balance Transfer Offer
  • Has APR Offer
  • Cash Back Rewards
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  • Travel Rewards
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Journey Student Rewards from Capital One At a Glance

The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One card helps you establish a strong credit history especially when you’re just starting out. It provides a flat-rate reward earning opportunity of 1% on all purchases. It also encourages responsible credit card use by boosting your earning potential to 1.25% when you pay your bills on time. You don’t have to be a student to apply for this card which can be beneficial to credit card holders who can’t qualify for the card of their choice at the moment. Since it reports to all three major credit card bureaus, you can ask for a credit limit increase or apply for a better card in as soon as six months.


  • Journey Student Rewards from Capital One

    Best student credit card with up to 1.25% cash back


    • up to 1.25% Cash BackRewards Rate
    • 29.99% VariableAPR
    • $0Annual Fee
    • Limited–FairRecommended Credit

    Pros

    • Earn 1% cash back on all your purchases, with a jump to 1.25% cash back when you pay your bills on time.
    • There is no annual fee or foreign transaction fee.
    • After six months, Capital One will reexamine your credit profile to see if you are eligible for a higher credit line. This can give students more purchasing power and flexibility without opening another card.

    Cons

    • High APR on purchases
    • Lack of robust benefits
    • Cardholders receive 1% cash back on all purchases.
    • Pay your bill on time and receive a 0.25% cash back bonus on top of that.
    • $0 fraud liability policy provides peace of mind.
    • There are no foreign transaction fees, which is great for travelers.
    • You have unlimited access to CreditWise from Capital One so you can check in on your credit profile at any time.
    • There’s no cosigner required, although one may be helpful.
    • When making purchases online, you can generate virtual card numbers so that your actual card number is kept private.

    Disclaimer: We work hard to stay updated with the latest information, but card offers are always changing, and in some cases, the offer listed on our site may no longer be available.

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card At a Glance

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, a student credit card version of the SavorOne Rewards, is exclusively for college students currently enrolled or planning to enroll in a university in the next three months. Just like the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One, it offers cash back opportunities and charges no annual fee. It can earn unlimited 3% cash back rewards when you use the card on spending categories like dining, entertainment, grocery and streaming services. Outside of these categories, the cashback earning rate is 1%. Of course, you can still keep using this student credit card even after you graduate.


  • Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

    Great no-annual-fee student card with generous cash back rewards


    • 1% to 8% cash backRewards Rate
    • 19.99% to 29.99% VariableAPR
    • $0Annual Fee
    • Limited–FairRecommended Credit

    Pros

    • No annual fee
    • With welcome bonus
    • Diverse bonus categories
    • No rewards limit
    • Includes security protections

    Cons

    • Potentially high APR
    • Bonus cash back doesn’t extend to superstores

    Earn unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), with 1% on all other purchases Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months Earn 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats, plus complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024 Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges Enjoy no annual fee, foreign transaction fees, or hidden fees Lock your card in the Capital One Mobile app if it's misplaced, lost or stolen Earn up to $500 a year by referring friends and family when they're approved for a Capital One credit card Earn 8% cash back on entertainment purchases when you book through the Capital One Entertainment portal Build your credit with responsible card use Whether you're at a 4-year university, community college or other higher education institution, this card might be an option for you

Comparison Summary

To help you choose between the Capital One Journey Student card or Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, MoneyGeek breaks them down based on their current offers.

Card Detail
Comparison Summary

Travel Coverage and Purchase Protection

Both the Capital One Journey Student and Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students cards have no foreign transaction fees which can be beneficial to anyone planning to travel or study abroad. However, the SavorOne Rewards for Students card has added travel perks like travel accident insurance and complimentary concierge services, roadside dispatch and rental car coverage.

Winner: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students

Welcome Bonus

The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One offers cardmembers a welcome offer of $5 statement credits per month for the first 12 months when they use the card on select streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Prime and Hulu. The SavorOne Rewards card doesn’t have any welcome offer.

Winner: Journey Student Rewards from Capital One

Rewards

In terms of rewards, SavorOne Rewards for Students has a much better top reward earning rate of 3% than Journey Student Rewards of just 1%, especially for students who frequently spend on dining, entertainment and all other popular categories.

Winner: Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students

Which Card Should You Get?

Between the Journey Student Rewards and the SavorOne Rewards cards, you should be able to determine which kind of benefits and perks you need from a credit card. One card is not necessarily better than the other as it’s up to you to find a credit card that works best for you. And if you aren’t up-to-speed on how credit cards work, it may be best to do some research before applying.

Who Should Consider the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One?

The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is a great credit card option to consider for those who are just learning about credit cards or are working their way to qualify for a consumer credit card. It may also be great for anyone who falls in any one of these categories:

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    For people who are just learning about credit cards, the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One propels you to the right direction in terms of developing solid financial habits by incentivizing on-time payments.

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    For cardmembers who use streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime, they could benefit from the card’s welcome offer by charging on the card what they already pay for anyway.

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    For cardholders who want to monitor their credit score to eventually apply for higher credit limit or better reward credit cards, Capital One’s Creditwise can be a really useful tool.

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    ≫ More: Read Our Full Review

Who Should Consider the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card?

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a higher cash back for much more specific spending categories. However, it is only limited to students.

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    Students who frequently spend on dining, entertainment, streaming and grocery can benefit from SavorOne Rewards’ higher cash back rate.

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    Students may also find SavorOne Rewards as a more ideal card to use long term than the Journey Student, due to its high cash back rate.

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    Students who frequently attend concerts, football games, and other premium events can score an even higher cashback rate of 8% when they purchase tickets through Vivid Seats using their SavorOne credit card.

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    ≫ More: Read Our Full Review
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EXPERT OPINION

The clear winner of these two is the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card because of the 3% spending categories. However, if you find value in saving $5 per month on streaming services, the Journey Students Rewards card may be a better fit. But keep in mind this offer is only good for the first 12 months, so after that, the better card will likely be the SaverOne Rewards card.

Other Helpful Decision-Making FAQs

MoneyGeek answers the most common questions that may help you decide whether you should get Capital One’s Journey Student Rewards or SavorOne Rewards for Students.

It always depends on the cardholder’s needs and qualifications. Remember that even though SavorOne Rewards has a much higher cashback rate, it is only available to students. The Journey Student Rewards can be a great option for those getting their first credit card, those with fair credit scores or those wanting to establish their credit history.

Yes.

Neither of these cards earn points. As you earn cash back on each card, each will have their own individual cashback accounts you can redeem from.

Capital does not limit users from sticking to the same card. They even notify cardmembers if they qualify for a product change. If you want to switch, you may send a request over the phone or online. Note that requests are subject to approval.

You may be able to apply for a Capital Journey Student Rewards more easily than a Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. The former qualifies anyone with fair credit history, while the latter is only limited to students.

Neither card offers a welcome bonus. However, the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One offers a $5 monthly credit for streaming services for the first 12 months of card membership.

Still Not Sure About These Cards? Consider These Options

Looking for a different or a specific perks and benefits not in these cards? You can check out our list of the best student credit cards or best rewards credit cards. If you think the variable APR is high for a student credit card, you may want to research if you can qualify for a low-interest rate credit card.

About Doug Milnes, CFA


Doug Milnes, CFA headshot

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.


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*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
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