Capital one quicksilver vs venture one card

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Capital One offers several of the best credit cards for cash and travel rewards. Two of the more popular 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 (Learn more: Cash Back Credit Cards)

75,000 bonus miles: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Capital one quicksilver vs venture one card
The exterior of the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, D.C., at dusk. Credit: Hilton

The information for the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by Johnny Jet. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

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. Do you want cash back or travel miles?

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, the redemption options, and other factors to determine which card is better for you. Note that both are some of the best Capital One credit cards available.

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.

Learn more: Cash Back Credit Cards

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
  • Purchase Eraser for recent travel purchases
  • Book upcoming travel on the Capital One Travel portal
  • Transfer Capital One miles to 15+ airline and hotel partners

Each mile is worth one cent each 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, the 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. Plus, Venture cardholders will earn 5x miles when booking through the Turo app or on Turo.com (through May 16, 2023). 

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 3 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.

Learn more: Cash Back Credit Cards

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 as some of the best credit cards for international travel.

Learn more: Cash Back Credit Cards

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 declaring personal bankruptcy or defaulting 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 3 years with a credit limit above $5,000

If you don’t fit nicely into one of the above 3 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

Learn more: Cash Back Credit Cards

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 (Learn more: Cash Back Credit Cards)

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 cash back 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.

Learn more: Cash Back Credit Cards

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.

Related Articles:

  • Can I Pay Bills With a Credit Card?
  • Capital One Platinum Credit Card Review: Best Credit Card for Average Credit?
  • Best Credit Cards for Family Travel

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Contents

  • 1 Capital One Venture vs Quicksilver: Travel Rewards or Cash Rewards?
  • 2 Earning Rewards Miles
  • 3 Additional Card Benefits
  • 4 Signup Bonus
  • 5 Annual Fee and Foreign Transaction Fees
  • 6 Credit Score Needed
  • 7 Who Wins Between the Capital One Venture vs Quicksilver?
  • 8 Summary of the Capital One Venture vs Quicksilver
  • 9 FAQs

Which card is better Capital One Venture or Capital One Quicksilver?

If you're annual fee averse, Quicksilver is a better option, as it comes with no annual fee. You won't have to pay to simply have and use the card with Quicksilver. If you want a no-annual-fee travel rewards card, you may also want to consider the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

Should I upgrade to Capital One Quicksilver or venture one?

The bottom line. If you're looking to earn miles and want more ways to redeem rewards for travel, pick the Capital One VentureOne. Meanwhile, you should pick the Capital One Quicksilver if you're after a higher rewards rate on everything you buy.

Is Capital One Quicksilver a hard card to get?

Is the Capital One Quicksilver hard to get? To qualify for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, you'll need good to excellent credit — generally defined as a score of 690 or higher. You'll also have to meet other approval criteria, such as having sufficient income.

What's the difference between the Capital One Quicksilver card and the quicksilver one card?

The Capital One Quicksilver is a solid flat cash back option, while the QuicksilverOne is a credit-building card with cash back perks.