Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards vs. Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students

Halfpoint Images/Moment/Getty Images

The Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students* both offer solid cash back programs and no annual fee, making them good choices for college students looking for an affordable way to earn cash back on their purchases. So which card is better for you? That depends on your monthly spending habits and whether you have existing credit card debt that you need to pay off.

We’ll take a look at the similarities and differences between the Capital One Savor Student Cash card and the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students to help you determine which is the better fit for your wallet.

Main details

Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards vs. Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students

Which card earns the most?

Which of these two cards will give you the most cash back? That largely depends on what you spend your money on and how much you spend each month.

Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards vs. Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students spending example

Let’s say your monthly spending looks like this:

• Groceries: $200
• Dining: $200
• Streaming: $20
• General purchases: $150

With the Capital One Savor Student Cash, you’ll get 3 percent back on groceries, dining and streaming, plus 1 percent back on general spending. And because the 3 percent cash back is unlimited, you won’t have to worry about only earning 1 percent back once you reach a spending limit. In this example, you’ll earn $14.10 in cash back on your monthly spending, which breaks down as:

• Groceries: $6
• Dining: $6
• Streaming: $0.60
• General purchases: $1.50

With the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students, you’ll earn 3 percent cash back in the category of your choice. Let’s say you choose dining as your 3 percent category. Add on 2 percent cash back for groceries and 1 percent cash back on general purchases, and you’ll earn $11.70 on your monthly spending:

• Groceries: $4
• Dining: $6
• Streaming: $0.20
• General purchases: $1.50

In this example, the Savor Student Cash earns more. However, the card that would earn more for you comes down to your spending habits and whether you spend more in bonus categories not offered by the Savor Student Cash card — like gas, online shopping or home improvement.

Why should you get the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards?

The Capital One Savor Student Cash is one of the best student credit cards available today, largely due to its solid rewards program. The ability to earn an unlimited 3 percent cash back on a wide variety of purchases is a positive, especially with a card geared toward students who might not have the highest credit score. Plus, students can earn 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 8 percent cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases.

• Additional benefits
  

  The Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards comes with zero fraud liability, meaning that — if your card is lost or stolen — you won’t pay for unauthorized charges. It also comes with extended warranty protection on eligible items, travel accident insurance, travel assistance services and a complimentary 24/7 concierge service.

• Redemption options
  

  You can redeem cash back for checks, statement credits, gift cards or shopping at Amazon.com or via PayPal. You can also use your cash back to directly cover a recent purchase made with your card.

• Recommended credit score
  

  Capital One recommends that applicants have fair to good credit when applying for this card, which is a FICO score of 580 to 740.

Why should you get the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students?

The best reason to apply for the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students is if you spend a lot each month in one of the card’s optional 3 percent categories. If you do, you’ll have the potential to earn a lot of cash back. Additionally, if you need to make a large purchase or pay off existing debt, the card’s introductory APRs on purchases and balance transfers could make it a great fit.

• Additional benefits
  

  The Customized Cash Rewards for Students comes with zero fraud liability, overdraft protection, account alerts and free access to your FICO credit score.

• Redemption options
  

  You can redeem your cash rewards for a check, statement credits, deposits made directly to a Bank of America checking or savings account or as a credit to an eligible account with Merrill, like a 529 college savings account.

• Recommended credit score
  

  A good to excellent credit score is recommended to qualify for the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students. This means that the card is not a good choice for students with limited to no credit history.

The bottom line

Both the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards and the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students have a solid rewards program and no annual fee. To choose the right student credit card, take a look at your spending habits and which categories you spend the most in.

For example, the Savor Student Cash card might be a better fit if you spend a lot on dining, entertainment, travel and groceries. And because there’s no limit to how much you can earn, you have the potential to earn a solid amount of cash back each month.

However, if you tend to spend a lot in a category that the Savor Student Cash doesn’t offer (like gas or online shopping), the Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards for Students might generate more in cash back. It also offers a larger welcome bonus and introductory APRs on both purchases and balance transfers that you can enjoy.

The Bank of America content in this post was last updated on August 25, 2025.

*The information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.