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Two of the more popular Capital One cards are the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, which earns travel rewards, and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, which earns cash rewards. In this Capital One Venture vs Quicksilver comparison, we can help you determine which is the better fit.
$200 Cash Bonus with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
75,000 bonus miles: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture vs Quicksilver: Travel Rewards or Cash Rewards?
This can be a tough decision at first. But this comparison can help you choose the better card for your wallet. Your decision may come down to how you prefer to redeem your credit card rewards: cash back or travel miles.
As mentioned above, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns travel rewards. The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card earns cash rewards.
Let’s look at the benefits of each as well as the annual fees, redemption options, and other factors to determine which card is better for you.
Cash Rewards
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is your best option if you want to redeem your miles for cash rewards. Your miles are worth 1 cent each when redeemed for these rewards:
- Cash statement credit
- Erase recent purchases with the Purchase Eraser tool
- Receive a mailed paper check
You can also redeem your Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card rewards for gift cards and Amazon.com purchase credit. However, each mile may only be worth up to 0.8 cents when redeemed this way. Instead, you’re better off charging the full purchase amount to your Quicksilver card and requesting a cash redemption.
Travel Rewards
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card lets you redeem the Venture miles (i.e., credit card miles) you earn for travel, cash, gift cards, and shopping rewards. Despite these many redemption options, your miles are worth the most for award travel.
Your travel reward redemption options include:
- Travel statement credits
- Book upcoming travel on the Capital One Travel portal
- Transfer Capital One miles to airline and hotel partners
Each mile is worth one cent when redeeming for travel statement credits and booking upcoming travel through Capital One.
Your miles can be worth potentially more when transferred to a travel partner, including:
- Aeroplan
- Avianca
- Flying Blue
- Emirates
- Singapore Airlines
- Wyndham Rewards
- Accor Hotels
Your miles are only worth up to 0.8 cents each for cash, gift card, and shopping credits with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Earning Rewards Miles
Do you earn more miles on purchases with the Capital One Venture vs Quicksilver cards? Both cards are flat-rate credit cards. You earn the same number of miles per $1 regardless of the purchase category.
The Capital One Venture earns 2x miles per $1 spent on all purchases.
Meanwhile, Quicksilver earns 1.5% back on all purchases.
However, if you are wanting to earn a few more miles on travel, there is good news. Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn 5x miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Additionally, Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card cardholders can 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.
So, if you spend $1,000 a month, you either get 2,000 Venture miles ($20 value) or 1,500 Quicksilver miles ($15 value). The gap widens as you spend more money.
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the better option if you want to earn the most miles on each purchase. However, you must be comfortable with redeeming your miles for travel rewards and having a $95 annual fee.
Additional Card Benefits
Both the Quicksilver and Venture Card are Visa Signature products. You will enjoy these standard Visa and Capital One-provide benefits:
- Secondary rental car insurance
- Travel accident insurance
- 24/7 concierge service (third-party service provider fees are separate)
- Paribus and Wikibuy online shopping tools
- Extended warranty on qualifying purchases
Either card lets you book dinner reservations with OpenTable. You can also book other unique travel and entertainment experiences exclusive to Capital One cardholders.
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Fee Credit
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card gives you one application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck every 4 years. This benefit saves you up to $100 each time you renew your security credentials.
If you can use this perk, the Venture Card can be the better option. Otherwise, the add-on benefits are similar.
Signup Bonus
Both cards offer a one-time signup bonus to new card members. The better bonus depends on how much you can spend in the first three months.
Capital One Quicksilver
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card earns a one-time $200 cash bonus after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. This bonus is similar to other cash-back credit cards with no annual fee.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel, with the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
Annual Fee and Foreign Transaction Fees
Whether or not you want a card with an annual fee may also influence your decision.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card annual fee is $95. There isn’t a foreign transaction fee.
To avoid the annual fee, you can get the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card. Although, with this card, you only earn 1.25 miles per $1 spent.
Compare the Capital One Venture vs VentureOne for more information.
Capital One Quicksilver
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn’t have an annual fee or foreign transaction fee.
Not having a foreign transaction fee is unique for a cash-back credit card. Most cash rewards cards without an annual fee still charge a foreign transaction fee.
Because neither card has a foreign transaction fee, you may consider bringing them along when you go abroad.
Credit Score Needed
It’s ideal to apply for either card with a personal credit score near or above 740. Although, you should still get an instant application decision with a score of at least 700.
Capital One requires “excellent credit” for either card. According to Capital One, excellent credit is:
- Never declare personal bankruptcy or default on a loan
- Not more than 60 days late on a credit card, medical bill, or loan in the last year
- Had a loan or credit card for at least three years with a credit limit above $5,000
If you don’t fit nicely into one of the above three categories, you can request credit card pre-approval first.
Who Wins Between the Capital One Venture vs Quicksilver?
When the Capital One Venture Wins
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the better option in these instances:
- Prefer travel rewards
- Want to earn at least 2 miles per $1 on purchases
- Global Entry or TSA PreCheck fee credit
- Can earn the signup bonus
- Comfortable with a $95 annual fee
When the Capital One Quicksilver Wins
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is better when:
- Prefer cash rewards
- Don’t want to pay an annual fee
- Can meet the Quicksilver signup bonus minimum spend but not the Venture Card bonus offer
- Don’t need the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee credit
Summary of the Capital One Venture vs Quicksilver
Both the Capital One Venture and Quicksilver are excellent options for a flat-rate rewards card. It’s easy to earn and redeem rewards. You only need to decide if you want cash or travel rewards to make your decision easy.
$200 Cash Bonus with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
75,000 bonus miles: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
FAQs
Is Capital One Quicksilver a good card?
Yes, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the best cashback credit cards. It earns an unlimited 1.5% back on all purchases. At a minimum, your cash rewards cards should earn at least 1% back on all purchases. The Quicksilver earns 50% more than this industry benchmark. However, earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
You also won’t pay a foreign transaction fee or a foreign transaction fee. Not having a foreign transaction fee is somewhat uncommon for a cash rewards credit card without an annual fee.
Finally, new card members can earn a one-time signup bonus of $200 after spending $500 in the first 3 months.
What credit score do I need for a Capital One Quicksilver?
You have the best approval odds with a credit score above 700 for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Capital One requires “excellent credit” to qualify for the Quicksilver. By most standards, a credit score of 740 or above classifies as excellent credit.
It’s possible to qualify for the Quicksilver with a credit score in the upper 600s. However, your application may require additional review. It can take several business days to receive an application decision if this happens.
Which is the best Capital One credit card?
The Capital One credit card portfolio is relatively large. Depending on whether you like cash or travel rewards more determines which card you should apply for first. Here are the best Capital One credit cards for each spending and reward redemption style.
- Travel rewards: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Cash rewards: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Dining rewards: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Building credit: Capital One Platinum Credit Card
For most people, the Capital One Quicksilver or Venture Card is their best option. The primary reason is that you can earn flat-rate rewards on every purchase. If you have a hard time maximizing the tiered bonus categories like dining, groceries, or gas stations, these flat-rate cards make every purchase count. Plus, your miles can be easily redeemed for statement credits.
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