Monthly spending. We rank on rewards minus the full annual fee, so statement credits and perks are listed separately and never counted for you.
Choosing between the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card ($95/yr) and the Sam's Club Mastercard® (no annual fee) comes down to where you spend most. Both cards can deliver real value. Let’s break it down, then run your numbers to find the winner.
2x miles on every purchase, 5x on hotels and rentals through Capital One Travel. Earns a solid 2.0% on everything else.
Perfect if: You're comfortable booking through the issuer's own site for the best rate.
Apply NowStrongest in gas at 5% (up to $6,000/yr). 5% on gas and EV charging (first $6,000/yr), 3% on dining and takeout, 1% elsewhere. Warehouse purchases earn 1% unless you hold a Plus membership.
Perfect if: You want solid rewards without paying an annual fee.
Apply Now| Feature | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Sam's Club Mastercard |
|---|---|---|
| Annual Fee | $95 | $0 |
| Sign-Up Bonus | 75,000 miles after $4,000 spend in 3 months | $30 after $30 spend in 1 months |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
| Base Reward Rate | 2.0% | 1.0% |
| Dining Rewards | 2% | 3% |
| Gas Rewards | 2% | 5% (up to $6,000/yr) |
| Rates with conditions not counted in the rows above |
5% through Capital One Travel Earns 5% only on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, Capital One's own booking site. Travel booked anywhere else earns the flat 2%. |
3% at Sam's Club with Plus Earns 3% on Sam's Club purchases only with a Plus membership, which costs more than the base Club tier. Club members earn 1% there, and groceries bought anywhere else earn 1%. |
| Key Benefits | 2x miles on every purchase, 5x on hotels and rentals through Capital One Travel. | 5% on gas and EV charging (first $6,000/yr), 3% on dining and takeout, 1% elsewhere. Warehouse purchases earn 1% unless you hold a Plus membership. |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card pulls ahead for travel, groceries spending.
Sam's Club Mastercard wins on dining, gas.
The $95/year fee difference means Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card needs to earn about that much more in rewards to justify its cost.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card carries $170/year in credits (mostly tied to specific merchants or bookings). Those only count if you’d actually use them. Worth checking against your own habits before treating them as a discount on the fee.
Not sure which fits your life? Enter your spending below and we’ll do the math. The calculator ranks purely on rewards minus the full annual fee, so credits and perks are yours to judge.