Freedom Unlimited Card vs. Quicksilver Card [Detailed Comparison]

There can be a meaningful debate as to which types of credit card rewards are better — cash-back, points, or miles. And, while each has its own pros and downsides, some consumers simply prefer cash-back.

There’s a lot to be said about keeping things simple and not having to navigate complicated earnings or redemption options. However, it’s also important to find the right card match for your personal spending mix, redemption priorities, and benefit preferences.

This brings us to today’s card comparison. We’re going to take a look at 2 popular cards that are excellent options for everyday use and make it easy to redeem the rewards you’ve earned. You’ll even find a few additional useful benefits that add value to the cards.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited^® and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card are similar in many ways, yet each offers a unique edge that may tip the scale toward the card that is best for you.

Join us as we look closer at these 2 potential cash-back card options to find the 1 that will fit comfortably in your wallet.

The Value of a Welcome Bonus

Once you’re approved for a credit card that offers a welcome bonus, you’ll normally have a window of opportunity to meet minimum spending requirements and earn that initial bonus. Both the Freedom Unlimited card and the Quicksilver card offer a welcome bonus in the form of additional cash-back.

Always check for the most current bonus before you apply for any card. Here are the most current welcome bonuses available for our 2 featured cards:

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

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.

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

Learn More(at Chase's secure site)

Chase Freedom Unlimited^®

This all-purpose cash-back card offers great bonus categories, including bonus points for every purchase you make!

Welcome Offer

Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.

Up to $300 cash back

Annual Fee

$0

APR

0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.

Credit Recommended

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.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

The Chase Freedom Unlimited^® is easily one of the best cash-back credit cards on the market. There aren’t many no-annual-fee credit cards that offer multiple great bonus categories like 5% back on travel purchased through Chase, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% back on all other purchases.

When paired with other Chase cards in the Ultimate Rewards family, you can transfer that cash back into points if you wish – making it one of the most lucrative cards in your wallet.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• 5% back on travel purchased through Chase Travel
• 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases
• 1.5% back on all other purchases
• No annual fee
• Earn big on travel purchased through Chase Travel
• Everyday bonus on dining and drugstores
• Straightforward cash-back on all other purchases
• Ability to pool points

Cons

• 3% foreign transaction fee

Card Highlights

• INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited^® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• Member FDIC

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Cash Back Credit Cards
• Credit Cards
• No Annual Fee Cards

Rewards Center

Chase Ultimate Rewards

More Reads

• Benefits of the Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Chase Freedom Unlimited Requirements and Credit Score
• Car Rental Benefits of the Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Chase Freedom Flex
• Chase Freedom Unlimited vs Sapphire Preferred
• Amex Blue Cash Everyday vs Chase Freedom Unlimited
• Best 0% Interest Credit Cards
• Best Everyday Credit Cards
• Best Credit Cards for Bills and Utilities
• Best Instant Use Credit Cards

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Quicksilver 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.

A flexible, no-frills card that earns 1.5% cash-back on all purchases. Redeem rewards for any amount anytime you choose with no annual fee.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

A flexible, no-frills card that earns 1.5% cash-back on all purchases. Redeem rewards for any amount anytime you choose with no annual fee.

Welcome Offer

One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.

$200

Annual Fee

$0

APR

19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months

Credit Recommended

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.

Good to Excellent (670-850)

Why We Like This Card

Low maintenance, that’s your motto. When it comes to your credit cards, you don’t have the time or inclination to figure out which spending categories earn you the most cash-back.

A card that earns 1.5% cash-back for everything is more your speed.

That’s why you should consider the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. You’ll never waste your time with changing categories, and there’s no limit to the cash-back you can earn.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Unlimited 1.5% cash-back on all purchases
• No annual fee (rates & fees)
• Up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
• No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
• Extended warranty coverage

Cons

• Doesn’t offer bonus categories for those looking to maximize certain purchases

Card Highlights

• Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• 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
• No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
• 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Financial Snapshot

• APR: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable),0% intro on purchases for 15 months
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Cash Back Credit Cards
• No Annual Fee Cards

Rewards Center

This card’s rewards will accrue on the card and be available under capitalone.com.

More Reads

• Benefits of the Capital One Quicksilver Card
• Best Credit Cards With Low Interest Rates
• 10 Best Ways To Earn Lots of Capital One Cash-back Rewards

Bottom Line: Both the Freedom Unlimited card and Quicksilver card offer the opportunity to earn additional cash-back as a welcome bonus. 

Freedom Unlimited Card vs. the Quicksilver Card — Summary

Before we look at the specific details of the Freedom Unlimited card and the Quicksilver card, let’s glance at a high-level overview of how the cards compare.

Here are the key benefits of our featured cards.

Earning Potential

The Freedom Unlimited card and Quicksilver card have similar earning structures that offer a flat rate 1.5% cash-back on every purchase you make. However, there are bonus earning categories on each card that offer additional cash-back opportunities.

Here’s how the cards break down when we look at earning potential:

The Freedom Unlimited card offers 5% cash-back on travel via Chase Travel versus the Quicksilver card that limits 5% cash-back earnings for hotel and rental car purchases via Capital One Travel. The Freedom Unlimited card also has 3 additional bonus earning categories — Lyft, dining, and drugstores.

Bottom Line: While cash-back earnings rates are similar for both the Freedom Unlimited card and the Quicksilver card, if you spend a lot on travel, dining, at drugstores, and on Lyft rides, you could fare better and earn more cash-back with the Freedom Unlimited card. 

Redemption Options

Redemption options for the Freedom Unlimited card and Quicksilver card are many, which is a plus for cards with no annual fees. And, while the most convenient option might be to take the cash-back directly at redemption time, there may be better choices available with either card.

Here are the redemption options for the rewards earned on each of our featured cards:

The Freedom Unlimited card first earns rewards as points that can then be redeemed for cash-back. The card also allows you to transfer these points to premium Chase cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card and the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®. Your points will then be worth 25% more and 50% more, respectively, when redeemed for travel via the Chase Travel portal. Additionally, points can be transferred to hotel and airline partners to use for free hotel nights or award flights resulting in potentially even greater value.

While the Quicksilver card does allow you to transfer cash-back to a miles-earning card such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, you will still only be able to redeem miles for 1 cent each via Capital One Travel. You will, however, gain the option of then transferring miles to Capital One hotel and airline partners and potentially receive greater value there.

Hot Tip: One lesser-known option for the Quicksilver card is the ability to transfer rewards to Capital One Venture cards to take advantage of hotel and airline transfer partners.

Travel Benefits and Protections

The Freedom Unlimited card and Quicksilver card (when issued as a World Elite Mastercard) each offer a nice collection of travel benefits and protections. Here’s what you can expect to find on both of our featured cards.

• Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver — Reserve and pay for your rental car with your card, decline the rental agency’s CDW/LDW coverage, and receive secondary car rental insurance. Secondary coverage means that you must first file a claim with any other applicable insurance first before card coverage kicks in.
• Trip Cancellation/Trip Interruption Insurance — For the Freedom Unlimited card coverage, you could receive up to $1,500 per person, $6,000 per trip, for prepaid expenses if your trip has to be canceled or is interrupted for covered reasons. The Quicksilver card offers coverage of up to $1,500 per trip.
• Roadside Dispatch — For 1 flat fee, receive roadside services such as tire changing, emergency fuel, limited towing, standard winching, jump start services, and lock-out services. Services received above those which are provided with the card will be billed to your associated card.
• Travel and Emergency Assistance Services — When traveling away from home you’ll have a direct line 24/7 to medical referrals, translation services, legal assistance referrals, emergency transportation help, and more. Cardholders are responsible for the cost of actual services received.

Quicksilver Card

Capital One cards, in general, do not have foreign transaction fees, and as a World Elite Mastercard, the Quicksilver card will have additional travel benefits and protections.

• No Foreign Transaction Fees — Your Quicksilver card travels well internationally as the card does not charge foreign transaction fees on your purchases (rates & fees).
• Baggage Insurance — If your baggage is delayed more than 4 hours, you could receive up to $100 per day for 3 days for necessary incidentals. If your checked or carry-on baggage is lost or damaged, you could receive up to $1,500 per incident for up to 2 claims each 12-month period.
• Travel Accident Insurance — Receive up to $1,000,000 for covered loss of life or severe injury, as described in the Guide to Benefits, during covered trips paid for entirely with the card.

Bottom Line: Both the Freedom Unlimited card and Quicksilver card offer travel benefits and protections that can save you money and provide assistance should something go wrong during your journey. The Quicksilver card has the additional benefits of no foreign transaction fees, baggage insurance, and travel accident insurance (rates & fees). 

Shopping Benefits and Protections

We don’t often think of shopping benefits and protections when selecting a rewards-earning credit card. However, you’ll find money-saving benefits and protection for eligible items purchased with your card on both the Freedom Unlimited card and Quicksilver card.

Here are some of the key benefits you’ll find on both cards:

Purchase Protection/Purchase Assurance — Purchase an eligible item with your Freedom Unlimited card and receive coverage for damage or theft for up to 120 days from the date of purchase, up to $500 per claim, $50,000 per account. The Quicksilver card has coverage for up to 90 days from the date of purchase for up to $500 per loss and $25,000 per cardholder per 12-month period.

Extended Warranty — For eligible purchases made with the Freedom Unlimited card that have manufacturer’s warranties of 3 years or less, the warranty will be extended by 1 additional year. Coverage limits are $10,000 per claim, $50,000 per account. For purchases made with the Quicksilver card, items that have manufacturer’s warranties of 2 years or less will have the warranty doubled, up to 2 additional years, and up to $10,000 per item.

Here are the additional shopping benefits and protections you’ll find on each specific card:

Freedom Unlimited Card

• Chase Offers — Log in to your online card account and review the available offers. Add the offers to your card, make the required purchase, and receive a statement credit for the associated offer amount.
• Shop through Chase — Earn more rewards and enjoy unique savings by logging into your online Ultimate Rewards account and select Earn Bonus Points at the top of the page.
• Complimentary 3-month DoorDash DashPass — The DashPass gives you free delivery on qualifying orders and normally costs $9.99 per month. After your complimentary 3-month subscription expires, you can choose to continue for an additional 9 months at 50% off. You must activate the offer by December 31, 2024.
• Instacart Benefits — Cardholders are eligible for a free 3-month Instacart+ membership plus a $10 quarterly credit. Activate by July 31, 2024.

Quicksilver Card

• Capital One Offers — Log in to your online card account to review available offers.
• Mastercard Digital Merchant Offers — Enjoy perks such as ShopRunner for free 2-day shipping and retailer discounts, a 3-month DoorDash DashPass, discounts on Lyft rides, Fandango, Priceless Golf, and more.
• Price Protection — It’s rare to find price protection coverage on a credit card anymore. However, the Quicksilver card includes a benefit of up to $250 if an eligible item you purchase with your card drops in price within the first 120 days after the purchase date. Terms and conditions apply.

Bottom Line: Both the Freedom Unlimited card and Quicksilver card come with shopping benefits and protections that can save you money, help you earn more rewards, and provide protection should something go wrong with eligible items purchased with your card. One key feature of the Quicksilver card is the additional price protection coverage. 

Additional Benefits

Introductory 0% APR Period for Balance Transfers

Both the Freedom Unlimited card and Quicksilver card include an introductory 0% APR period on balance transfers made during the 15 months after card approval (rates & fees). If you have high credit card balances, you may be able to save money on interest charges by transferring your existing balance to either card.

Note that there are fees associated with transferring balances. The Quicksilver card charges 3% of the amount of the transfer made within the 15-month period. The Freedom Unlimited card charges $5 or 3% of the amount of the transfer, whichever is greater, for transfers made within the first 60 days. Transfers made beyond the 60 days to the Freedom Unlimited card, incur a fee of 5% of the transfer amount.

Annual Fees and Authorized Users

Neither the Freedom Unlimited card nor the Quicksilver card charges an annual fee. There is also no additional fee for adding authorized users to either card (rates & fees).

Hot Tip: Capital One allows you to find out if you are targeted for any credit card offers without impacting your credit score. Along with other card issuers, Capital One lists available card offers specifically for you via the CardMatch tool or you can use Capital One’s proprietary preapproved card offers.

Final Thoughts

If you travel internationally and do not have a travel rewards card, the Quicksilver card may be the better card for you as it does not charge foreign transaction fees (rates & fees). Outside of this situation, however, the Freedom Unlimited card is a better card overall.

The Freedom Unlimited card has the additional bonus-earning categories of dining, drugstores, and Lyft, so you’ll earn more rewards if you spend in those categories. You’ll also earn 5% cash-back on travel purchased via the Chase travel portal versus just hotels and rental cars via Capital One Travel with the Quicksilver card.

Additionally, you can receive up to 50% more value for points earned on the Freedom Unlimited card when transferring to Chase premium Ultimate Rewards-earning cards such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred card and Chase Sapphire Reserve card. These premium cards also offer the additional benefit of allowing transfers to airline and hotel partners for even greater potential value.

Prior to applying for any credit card, you’ll want to be aware of Chase’s unwritten 5/24 rule that can affect your ability to be approved for Chase cards in the future.

Finally, please note that the list of benefits we’ve provided is not all-encompassing and we’ve also abbreviated any associated descriptions. You’ll want to review each card’s Guide to Benefits for complete information.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa^® or Mastercard^® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.