You have to hand it to Capital One — the card issuer is consistent at keeping things simple. You won’t find a lot of bells and whistles on the issuer’s cards, but you will find simplicity in the earnings structures, solid good-value redemption options, and enough travel and shopping benefits adding value to cardmembers holding 1 or more Capital One cards.
Today we’re focusing on 2 popular Capital One cards that have similarities when it comes to earning rewards and benefits, but when we look closely and compare the cards side by side, a true winner may emerge.
Judge for yourself, and for your own personal situation, but join us as we look closer at the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card to determine which might be the better card for you.
Minimum Qualifications
Both of our featured cards recommend an excellent credit score (740 to 850). Capital One adds its own criteria to clarify that to qualify, an applicant “has never declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan, not been more than 60 days late on any credit card, loan, or medical bill, in the last year, and has had a loan or credit card for 3 years or more with a credit limit above $5,000.”
Of course, the higher your score, the more likely you will be approved, but you can also find out in advance if you have card offers available to you. Potential card offers, including Capital One card offers, can be found by using the CardMatch tool. Using the tool is simple, risk-free, and no hard inquiry is done on your credit history. Enter some basic information and any offers waiting for you will be revealed.
Capital One also has its own version of the prequalification tool, but it does require you to submit more information than the CardMatch tool.
You’ll also want to know where your credit stands currently by obtaining a recent copy of your credit report and checking it for accuracy.
The Value of a Welcome Bonus
Capital One miles can be transferred to EVA Air to purchase EVA Air business class. Image Credit: EVA AirWelcome bonuses provide an immediate opportunity to jump-start your earnings when you’re first approved for your new card. While the amount of the welcome bonus can vary, depending on the current card offer, you’ll be required to hit a minimum spending level within a specified period after card approval to qualify and receive the bonus.
Always check for the current offering before applying for any card and keep track of the date you were approved to be sure to complete the required spending before the deadline.
A 50,000-mile welcome bonus is generally worth $500. You may be able to leverage your miles, however, by transferring these rewards to travel partners for greater potential value. We’ll talk about this option shortly.
Bottom Line: Welcome bonuses can provide a jump-start to your earnings. Each Capital One mile is generally worth 1 cent each, but you may be able to realize greater value, depending on your redemption choice, versus the fixed value of cash-back.
Earning Rewards
With either of our featured cards, you’ll find a simple earning structure that ensures you’ll be earning rewards on every purchase you make. What this means to you is that you won’t have to keep track of any specific bonus category earnings, just use your card for every purchase, every day, and earn rewards.
| Card | Annual Fee | Earnings |
| CapOne Venture card | $95 | 2 miles per dollar spent on all purchases |
| Quicksilver card | $0 | 1.5% cash-back on every purchase |
The CapOne Venture card earns a higher level of rewards than the Quicksilver card, but it also charges an annual fee. If you’re spending $20,000 each year, you would earn $400 worth of miles (at 1 cent each in value) on the CapOne Venture card or $300 in cash-back on the Quicksilver card. Taking into consideration the annual fee, you would be approximately $5 ahead on the CapOne Venture card after spending that amount.
You may, however, be able to redeem CapOne Venture card miles for greater value than 1 cent each, making it the better card for travel redemptions.
Bottom Line: The CapOne Venture card has a higher earning level of 2 miles per dollar spent but has an annual fee. You would need to spend $20,000 to come out ahead over the Quicksilver card that has no annual fee. However, the CapOne Venture card comes with a much higher welcome bonus, making it the better choice from an initial earnings perspective if you can meet the initial spending requirements to earn this bonus. Miles earned on the CapOne Venture card could also potentially be redeemed for greater value when transferred to travel partners.
Redeeming Rewards
Transfer Capital One miles to Aeromexico to book Delta One Suites. Image Credit: DeltaEach of our featured cards offers different redemption options. Here are the choices you’ll have for redeeming your Capital One miles earned on the CapOne Venture card and cash-back earned on the Quicksilver card:
CapOne Venture Card
Redeem for Travel
- Transfer Miles to Travel Partners — Transferring Capital One miles to airline or hotel partners offers the best opportunity for greater value. After transferring the miles, you can redeem the airline frequent flyer miles or hotel points for flights and free hotel nights. For more information on receiving the best value with transfer partners, our informative article has some creative ideas.
- Purchase Travel With Capital One Travel — Use your miles at the value of 1 cent each to redeem for travel purchases via Capital One Travel.
Redeem for Shopping or Statement Credits
Redeem Capital One miles for gift cards, shop at Amazon, or redeem your rewards via PayPal. You may also use your miles for a statement credit for any purchase (not recommended). Values vary and can be less than 1 cent per mile.
Quicksilver Card
Cash-back is the most liquid form of rewards and is easy to redeem. You’ll receive the best value for your rewards when you request a check or a statement credit. However, you can also use your rewards (values vary) to shop at Amazon, redeem via PayPal, or purchase gift cards.
Bottom Line: The best potential value for your miles may be to transfer to travel partners and purchase airline award tickets or free hotel nights, though you can also redeem your miles for 1 cent each as a statement credit with Capital One Travel. While not the best value, miles can also be redeemed for gift cards and shopping. The Quicksilver card earns cash-back rewards that can be redeemed easily and for the best value in the form of a check or a statement credit.
Travel Benefits and Protections
Since travel benefits and protections are included at no extra charge, any value you receive is a plus. Here are some of the modest travel benefits and protections you can expect on the CapOne Venture card and the Quicksilver card.
- Car Rental Insurance — Pay for the entire rental with your card, decline the rental agency’s collision damage waiver coverage, and receive secondary car rental coverage within your country of residence. If you do not have auto insurance or if it does not cover you outside of your country of residence, coverage can be primary. Additional terms and conditions apply.
- Roadside Dispatch — Pay 1 low price for each service call which can include towing, jump-start, emergency fuel, lockout service, and tire changing. Terms apply.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees — Both of our featured cards travel well with no foreign transaction fees charged on your purchases.
- Travel Assistance Services — Receive 24-hour assistance when you travel, including card replacement and assistance getting emergency cash.
- Travel Accident Insurance — Receive up to $1,000,000 for covered loss of life or qualifying dismemberment as listed in the cards’ Guide to Benefits.
Hot Tip: We’re just scratching the surface! Review all of the benefits of the Quicksilver card in detail and see even more benefits of the CapOne Venture card in our helpful guides.
Shopping Benefits and Protections
Here is a sampling of shopping benefits and protections you’ll find on our featured cards.
- Extended Warranty — Receive an extension of 1 to 2 years beyond the manufacturer’s warranty for eligible items purchased with your card. The length of the extension will depend on whether your card is issued as a Mastercard or Visa.
- Purchase Protection — Eligible items and purchases with your card will receive coverage for damage and theft for 120 days from the purchase date. Coverage limits include $250 per claim, up to 4 claims per 12-month period.
- Capital One Shopping Tool — Save money shopping online with coupons automatically applied to your order.
The Quicksilver card, when issued as a Mastercard, will also include price protection. Purchase an eligible item with your card and if you find the item advertised for less with 120 days from the purchase date, you could receive up to $250 per claim, for a limit of 4 claims per 12-month period.
Bottom Line: Travel and shopping benefits and protections will depend on whether your card is issued as a Mastercard or Visa. The source for the actual list of applicable benefits and protections received and the terms and conditions will be the specific card’s Guide to Benefits.
CapOne Venture Card vs. Quicksilver Card — Summary
While our featured cards are very similar, there are some earning level and benefit differences. Here’s a close-up of how the cards stack up against each other.
| Feature or Benefit | CapOne Venture Card | Quicksilver Card |
| Annual Fee | $95 | $0 |
| Unlimited Earning | 2 miles per dollar spent on every purchase | 1.5% cash-back on every purchase |
| Redemption Options | - Transfer miles to airline and hotel partners
- Redeem for a cash-back statement credit, gift cards, shopping at Amazon, or via PayPal
| Cash-back, a statement credit, shopping at Amazon or via PayPal, gift cards |
| Travel Benefits and Protections | - Car rental insurance
- Roadside dispatch
- No foreign transaction fees
- Travel assistance services
- Travel accident insurance
- Lost luggage insurance
- Up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee reimbursement
| - Car rental insurance
- Roadside dispatch
- No foreign transaction fees
- Travel assistance services
- Travel accident insurance
|
| Shopping Benefits and Protections | - Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
- Capital One Shopping tool
| - Price protection
- Purchase protection
- Extended warranty
- Capital One Shopping tool
|
Capital One has a large collection of card offerings. To review some of the best Capital One cards available, we’ve put together this overview for comparing card options.
Alternative Cards To Consider
Capital One does a fine job of offering credit card options for nearly every consumer and all levels of credit history. Depending on your objectives and spending habits, however, you may want to consider additional cards that could also be a fit for your situation.
Here are a few recommendations for alternatives to our featured cards.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
The Sapphire Preferred card is one of our favorite travel rewards cards because it earns valuable Ultimate Rewards points and comes with a long list of travel benefits. Travel benefits like primary car rental insurance, trip cancellation/interruption coverage, trip delay coverage, and baggage insurance mean you’ll travel with peace of mind.
You’ll also receive good value at redemption time where points are worth 25% more when redeemed for travel via the Chase travel portal. Or, transfer to travel partners for even greater potential value.
Chase Freedom Unlimited® Card or Chase Freedom Flex℠
If you’re looking for a no-annual-fee card that earns flexible rewards on every purchase you make, you’ll want to consider a card from Chase’s Freedom line. Either card partners well with Chase premium cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® to deliver up to 50% more in value when redeeming transferred Ultimate Rewards points for travel.
Not sure which Freedom card is best for you? No worries, as we’d done the legwork and offer our comparison of the Freedom Unlimited card and Freedom Flex card.
American Express® Gold Card
Hot Tip: Check to see if you’re eligible for a welcome bonus of up to 90,000 points with the Amex Gold card! (The current public offer is 60,000 points.)
We like the everyday earning potential of the Amex Gold card. And while the card does have a higher annual fee, U.S. supermarket purchases alone can net 100,000 Membership Rewards points each year ($25,000 in purchases with 4x earnings; 1x thereafter), which would be worth at least $1,000.
The card functions quite nicely as an everyday earning card but also offers 3x earning and flexible redemption options for travel.
Bottom Line: The CapOne Venture card and Quicksilver card offer simplified flat-rate earnings on every purchase plus several options for redeeming your rewards for travel. If you have excellent credit, however, you will have a lot of great additional choices for travel rewards cards.
Final Thoughts
While our 2 featured cards are similar, if you can accomplish the initial 1-year or 3-month minimum spending requirements, it may be worthwhile to secure the CapOne Venture card with its larger welcome bonus over the Quicksilver card.
However, on an ongoing basis, if you do not plan to spend more than $20,000 per year on the CapOne Venture card, the no-annual-fee Quicksilver card could be a better choice for you.
Either card could serve you well but if you have excellent credit, comparing travel rewards cards for the best fit makes sense.
The information regarding the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, and Capital One Quicksilver Credit Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.
For rates and fees of the American Express® Gold Card, click here.
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