Advertiser Disclosure

Many of the credit card offers that appear on this site are from credit card companies from which we receive financial compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). However, the credit card information that we publish has been written and evaluated by experts who know these products inside out. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers that are on the market. See our advertising policy here where we list advertisers that we work with, and how we make money. You can also review our credit card rating methodology.

Capital One Platinum Card vs. QuicksilverOne Card [Detailed Comparison]

Christine Krzyszton's image
Christine Krzyszton
Christine Krzyszton's image

Christine Krzyszton

Senior Finance Contributor

306 Published Articles

Countries Visited: 98U.S. States Visited: 45

Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, deta...
Edited by: Nick Ellis
Nick Ellis's image

Nick Ellis

Editor & Content Contributor

145 Published Articles 722 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 35U.S. States Visited: 25

Nick’s passion for points began as a hobby and became a career. He worked for over 5 years at The Points Guy and has contributed to Business Insider and CNN. He has 14 credit cards and continues to le...
& Juan Ruiz
Juan Ruiz's image

Juan Ruiz

Compliance Editor & Content Contributor

77 Published Articles 640 Edited Articles

Countries Visited: 40U.S. States Visited: 27

Juan has been involved in credit cards, loyalty, travel, and personal finance for more than 10 years. He has worked for several outlets including The Points Guy and Forbes and was previously Editor-in...

We may be compensated when you click on product links, such as credit cards, from one or more of our advertising partners. Terms apply to the offers below. See our Advertising Policy for more about our partners, how we make money, and our rating methodology. Opinions and recommendations are ours alone.

Upgraded Points: Expertise You Can Trust

Our seasoned and experienced team brings years of expertise in the credit card and travel sectors. Committed to integrity, we offer data-driven guides to help you find the card(s) that best fit your requirements. See details on our intensive editorial policies and card rating methodologies.

  • Content by Leading Industry Experts
  • Routine Updates and Fact-Checks
  • First-Hand Credit Card Experience
  • Shared Across 200+ Top Outlets
  • Methodical “U.P. Rating” System
  • 1020+ Expert Credit Card Guides

We spend a lot of time here at Upgraded Points discussing rewards-earning card topics such as how to earn lots of rewards and how to get the best value for those rewards.

But, we do realize that not everyone is in a situation where they can jump on the rewards-earning bandwagon just yet.

Today we’re going to get back to basics and discuss a pair of cards that are more appropriate for the beginning stages of the journey to securing a rewards-earning credit card.

If you have a limited credit history or less-than-perfect credit, you may find value in learning about the Capital One Platinum Credit Card and the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card.

Let’s look at how these cards function and if either might be a consideration for your situation.

Capital One Platinum Card vs. QuicksilverOne Card — Overview

Before we dive deeper into each of our featured cards, let’s look at a high-level overview of the major features of the Capital One Platinum card and the QuicksilverOne card:

SCROLL FOR MORE
BenefitCapital One Platinum cardCapital One QuicksilverOne card
Welcome BonusNo welcome offer is available.[up cc_id=2102 name="capone-quicksilverone-cash-offer+"]
Earning PotentialNone1.5% cash-back on all purchases
Redemption OptionsNone
  • Statement credits
  • Gift cards
  • Online shopping
Travel Benefits and ProtectionsNoneNone
Shopping Benefits and Protections
  • Identity theft resolution services
  • Zero liability fraud coverage
  • Identity theft resolution services
  • Zero liability fraud coverage
Annual Fees and Authorized Users

Earning Rewards

Capital One Platinum Credit CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Platinum card is great for those looking to build up their credit score and credit history, without paying a deposit or annual fee.

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

The Capital One Platinum card is great for those looking to build up their credit score and credit history, without paying a deposit or annual fee.
None
$0
30.74% (Variable)
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Fair to Good (580-739)

If you’re ready to get serious about building or rebuilding your credit, you’ll want a credit card for which approval is probable, one that has a simple structure and is easy to manage, and ideally, has some benefits you can use. This is where the Capital One Platinum Credit Card really shines.

Pros

  • No annual fee
  • Free credit monitoring

Cons

  • Does not earn rewards
  • The high APR can be costly if you carry a balance
  • No annual or hidden fees. See if you're approved in seconds
  • Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
  • Help build your credit through responsible use of a card like this
  • Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
  • Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
  • Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with online banking from your desktop or smartphone, with Capital One's mobile app
  • Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set
  • Pay by check, online or at a local branch, all with no fee - and pick the monthly due date that works best for you

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 30.74% (Variable)
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit CardTerms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

U.P. Rating
The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Unlimited 1.5% cash-back on all purchases while you work your way up to a higher credit line. Redeem rewards for any amount at any time.

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Unlimited 1.5% cash-back on all purchases while you work your way up to a higher credit line. Redeem rewards for any amount at any time.
None
$39
30.74% (Variable)
Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.
Fair to Good (580-739)

If you’re looking to build your credit, and earn cash-back rewards while doing so, then the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card is a fantastic option. You can increase your credit line just paying your bill on time every month and you’ll earn an unlimited 1.5% cash-back on all of your purchases.

Pros

  • 1.5% cash-back on all purchases
  • Automatic credit line review after 6 months of on time payments
  • Unlimited access to your credit score via CreditWise
  • No foreign transaction fees

Cons

  • $39 annual fee
  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
  • No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account. It's that simple
  • Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months
  • Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
  • Help strengthen your credit for the future with responsible card use
  • Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
  • Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
  • Check out quickly and securely with a contactless card, without touching a terminal or handing your card to a cashier. Just hover your card over a contactless reader, wait for the confirmation, and you're all set

Financial Snapshot

  • APR: 30.74% (Variable)
  • Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

The Capital One Platinum card is primarily designed for building credit and therefore does not earn rewards. However, it also does not charge an annual fee (rates & fees).

The QuicksilverOne card charges an annual fee of $39 annual fee but every purchase earns 1.5% cash-back (rates & fees).

If you would spend more than $2,600 per year, or approximately $217 per month, on the Capital One QuicksilverOne card, the earnings would offset the cost of the annual fee. If not, the Capital One Platinum card may be a better choice.

Bottom Line: Both of our featured cards are primarily designed to build credit. If you plan to spend more than $2,600 per year, the QuicksilverOne card could be the better card as it earns 1.5% cash-back on every purchase, offsetting the annual fee. If you plan to spend less, the Capital One Platinum card may be the better choice with no annual fee. However, the card does not earn rewards. 

Redemption Options

There are no associated redemption options with the Capital One Platinum card as the card does not earn rewards.

The QuicksilverOne card earns cash-back that can be redeemed in increments of $25 for cash, statement credits, gift cards, or shopping at specific online retailers.

Security and Account Management Features

If you select one of our featured cards to help build or rebuild your credit, know that you have access to several complimentary Capital One tools to help you manage your account, monitor transactions, and assist you in the event your account would become compromised.

  • Identity Theft Resolution Services — Help is available 24/7 to assist you in filling out paperwork, contacting the appropriate financial institutions, and resolving the issues associated with identity theft. An entire resolution kit is provided at no cost to you.
  • Fraud Coverage — Enjoy the peace of mind that 0% liability on unauthorized charges
    brings if your card is lost, stolen, or compromised.

This is not an exhaustive list of every benefit or protection available on our featured cards. Be sure to review all benefits and protections plus pricing, fees, and other pertinent card information prior to applying for either card as these offerings can change.

Bottom Line: Both of our featured cards come with a modest list of travel and shopping benefits and protections, plus security and account management features that make the cards more than just basic credit-building cards. 

Minimum Qualification Requirements

To qualify for either the Capital One Platinum card or the QuicksilverOne card, Capital One states that you will need at least fair, or better, credit. The Capital One Platinum card is stated as requiring a fair credit score while the QuicksilverOne card requires a fair-to-average credit score.

Fair credit is described by Capital One as “having defaulted on a loan in the past 5 years or having a limited credit history of less than 3 years.” Credit score creator FICO states that a fair score is a credit score that falls between 580 and 669. If you are at the low end, try for the Capital One Platinum card, and if at the high end, you may be approved for the QuicksilverOne card.

Before you apply for either card, you can find out if you have any card offers available to you with a risk-free tool. Using the CardMatch tool to find out if you have card offers already waiting for you does not involve a credit application or any hard inquiry on your credit report.

Entering and submitting minimal information will immediately tell you if you have offers available. Capital One also has an inquiry tool for card offers.

To learn more about how prequalified offers work, you’ll want to review the information in our article on the topic.

Bottom Line: You will need fair-to-average credit to qualify for either the Capital One Platinum card or the QuicksilverOne card. If you are closer to the low end of the range, apply for the Capital One Platinum card. If you are at the high end, you may qualify for the QuicksilverOne card, depending on your credit history. You can find out if you have prequalified card offers available to you by using a risk-free tool such as the CardMatch tool

Everything Else You Need To Know

Once you’ve managed your card well, you could be eligible to upgrade your card or receive an increased credit limit. We’ll talk about next-step Capital One cards shortly, but know that starting a relationship with Capital One and establishing a good credit track record will help you secure better cards with higher credit limits and greater benefits.

Both cards may be issued with minimum credit limits as low as $300. However, after 6 months of positive history, Capital One may grant you a higher limit.

Neither of our featured cards offers an introductory 0% interest credit card or balance transfers.

If you have poor credit and want to know which credit cards you might qualify for, check out our article on the best credit cards for bad credit and also our recommendations for the best secured cards.

Next-step Cards From Capital One

Capital One does a nice job of providing an expansive variety of cards that offer a solution to fit every consumer.

To illustrate, here is a sampling of Capital One cards that do not charge an annual fee.

Capital One Cards for Bad Credit or No Credit

Capital One Cards for Average Credit

  • Capital One Spark Classic for Business

Capital One Cards for Excellent Credit

To learn more about the extensive lineup of rewards-earning cards offered by Capital One, you’ll want to review our list of some of the best cards.

Bottom Line: While our featured cards are designed primarily to build or rebuild credit, building a positive history with Capital One can allow you to upgrade to rewards-earning cards with higher earnings, greater benefits, and lower interest rates. 

Final Thoughts

If you need to build your credit and don’t want to pay an annual fee, the Capital One Platinum card may be better for you. If you want to improve your credit history and plan to spend more than $2,600 each year, enough to offset the annual fee on the QuicksilverOne card, that card may be the better choice.

Regardless of which card you select, if you plan to carry a balance between statement periods, you’ll be hit with interest charges that can be quite high. Neither card works well for carrying a balance.

If you have good-to-excellent credit, our featured cards are not for you. Explore some of the best rewards-earning credit cards.

The information regarding the Capital One Spark Classic for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

The information regarding the Capital One Platinum Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 
The information regarding the Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
The information regarding the Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

Information regarding the Capital One Spark Miles for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the Capital One Platinum card and the Capital One QuicksilverOne card?

The basic difference between the Capital One Platinum card and the QuicksilverOne card is that the no-annual-fee Capital One Platinum card does not earn rewards while the QuicksilverOne card earns 1.5% cash-back on every purchase (rates & fees). The QuicksilverOne card, however, charges an annual fee of $39 annual fee (rates & fees).

The other difference is that you are more likely to be approved for the QuicksilverOne card with a slightly higher credit score. You can find out in advance if you have preselected card offers waiting for you by using the CardMatch tool.

What is the credit limit on the Capital One Platinum card?

The initial credit limit is stated to be $300. After 6 months of positive history, Capital One will review your account and could give you access to a higher limit.

You can also call and request a higher credit limit after months of positive history.

Which is better, the Capital One Platinum card or the QuicksilverOne card?

If you want to build your credit but don’t want to pay an annual fee, the Capital One Platinum card could work for you (rates & fees). If you prefer a card that earns rewards, the QuicksilverOne card could be a better choice with its 1.5% cash-back earnings on every purchase.

The QuicksilverOne card does charge an annual fee of $39 annual fee, so you would need to spend approximately $2,600 per year to offset the annual fee (rates & fees).

Can I upgrade from the Capital One Platinum card to the QuicksilverOne card?

After establishing a positive history with Captial One, you may receive an offer to upgrade your Capital One Platinum card. You can also call Capital One and request an upgrade.

Christine Krzyszton's image

About Christine Krzyszton

Christine ran her own business developing and managing insurance and financial services. This stoked a passion for points and miles and she now has over 2 dozen credit cards and creates in-depth, detailed content for UP.

INSIDERS ONLY: UP PULSE

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse

Get the latest travel tips, crucial news, flight & hotel deal alerts...

Plus — expert strategies to maximize your points & miles by joining our (free) newsletter.

We respect your privacy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA. Google's privacy policy and terms of service apply.

Deluxe Travel Provided by UP Pulse
DMCA.com Protection Status