Capital One Credit Cards – Which Is Right for You?
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The catchphrase “What’s in your wallet?” may be stuck in your head if you’ve seen too many of Capital One’s credit card commercials or received its credit card offers in the mail. The question is legitimate if you don’t think you’re getting enough from your credit cards and want to check the many features Capital One cards offer.
Here are some of the best Capital One credit cards that may make opening your wallet a lot more rewarding.
Jump To
Overview of the best Capital One credit cards
Card name | Best for |
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | Cash back for fair credit |
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards for Good Credit | Cash back for good credit |
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | Dining and entertainment |
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit | Cash back on dining and entertainment |
Capital One VentureOne Rewards for Good Credit | Good credit |
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | Best travel |
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | Travel for excellent credit |
Capital One Platinum Credit Card | Fair credit |
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One | Students |
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card | Rebuilding credit |
Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit | Business owners with fair credit |
Capital One Spark Cash Plus | Business owners with excellent credit |
Capital One Spark Miles for Business | Business travel |
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
Capital One cash-back credit cards
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Card Name
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
APR
29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Average, Fair, Limited
Annual Fee
$39
Special Offer
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back
Special Offer Terms
on every purchase, every day
Rewards Rate
1.5 % Cash Back on every purchase, every day. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
Terms
Why We Like It
- Earn unlimited cash back on every purchase.
- No rotating categories or limits to how much you can earn.
- Cash back doesn't expire.
- You can be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months.
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
Card Name
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card
APR
29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Limited, Bad
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
No annual or hidden fees,
Special Offer Terms
and you can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. See if you're approved in seconds.
Rewards Rate
1.5 % Cash Back on every purchase, every day. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
Terms
Why We Like It
- No annual or hidden fees.
- Earn unlimited cash back every day.
- You can automatically be considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months with no additional deposit needed.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards for Good Credit
Card Name
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards for Good Credit
APR
29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back
Special Offer Terms
on every purchase, every day
Rewards Rate
1.5 % Cash Back on every purchase, every day. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
Terms
Why We Like It
- No annual fees and no foreign transaction fees.
- Up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership.
- No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards.
- No expiration or limits on cash back.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Card Name
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
APR
19.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
$200 Cash Back
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Rewards Rate
3 % Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®). 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). 8 % Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. 1 % Cash Back on all other purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- No rotating categories or sign-ups are needed to earn cash rewards.
- No annual fees or foreign transaction fees.
Capital One dining and entertainment credit cards
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit
Card Name
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit
APR
29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn unlimited 3% cash back
Special Offer Terms
on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), plus 1% on all other purchases
Rewards Rate
3 % Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®). 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). 8 % Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. 1 % Cash Back on all other purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- No need to adjust spending to rotating categories as rewards are on all spending
- No expiration or limits on cash back
- No annual fee
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Card Name
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
APR
19.99% - 29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
$200 Cash Back
Special Offer Terms
after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Rewards Rate
3 % Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®). 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). 8 % Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. 1 % Cash Back on all other purchases.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- No rotating categories or sign-ups are needed to earn cash rewards.
- No annual fees or foreign transaction fees.
Capital One credit cards for building credit
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
Card Name
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
APR
29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Average, Fair, Limited
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
No annual or hidden fees.
Special Offer Terms
See if you're approved in seconds
Rewards Rate
N/A
Terms
Why We Like It
- No annual or hidden fees.
- You are automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months.
- You can monitor your credit score for free with CreditWise from Capital One.
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
Card Name
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
APR
29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Limited, Bad
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
No annual or hidden fees.
Special Offer Terms
See if you're approved in seconds.
Rewards Rate
N/A
Terms
Why We Like It
- No annual or hidden fees.
- You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit by making on-time payments.
- Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months with no additional deposit needed.
- Monitor your credit score for free with CreditWise from Capital One.
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
Card Name
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One
APR
29.99%
Recommended Credit Score
Average, Fair, Limited
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
Earn 1% cash back on all your purchases.
Special Offer Terms
Pay on time to boost your cash back to a total of 1.25% for that month
Rewards Rate
1% Cash Back on all purchases. 0.25% Cash Back bonus on the cash back you earn each month you pay on time. 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
Why We Like It
- No annual fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
- No hidden fees.
Capital One small business credit cards
Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit
Card Name
Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit
APR
18.49% - 24.49%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent
Annual Fee
$0
Special Offer
$750 Cash Back
Special Offer Terms
once you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Rewards Rate
1.5 % Cash Back on every purchase. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase with no limits or category restrictions.
- No annual fee.
- Unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Rewards won't expire for the life of the account and you can redeem your cash-back rewards for any amount.
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Card Name
Capital One Spark Cash Plus
APR
N/A
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent
Annual Fee
$150
Special Offer
$2,000 Cash Back
Special Offer Terms
once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months. Earn an additional $2,000 cash bonus for every $500K spent during the first year
Rewards Rate
2 % Cash Back on every purchase. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Terms
Why We Like It
- No APR because your balance is due in full every month
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Card Name
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
APR
26.24%
Recommended Credit Score
Excellent, Good
Annual Fee
$0 intro for first year; $95 after that
Special Offer
Earn a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles - equal to $500 in travel
Special Offer Terms
once you spend $4,500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Rewards Rate
Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account. 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere. Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
Terms
Why We Like It
- Generous bonus offer.
- More than 15 travel loyalty programs where miles can be transferred.
- Instant redemption on miles instantly for any travel-related purchases.
- One statement credit for either TSA PreCheck® or $100 Global Entry application fee.
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
Summary of the best Capital One credit cards
Card | Annual fee | Reward rate | Credit level | APR |
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | $39 | 1.5 % Cash Back on every purchase, every day. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). | Fair | 29.99% |
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card | $39 | 1.5 % Cash Back on every purchase, every day. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). | Excellent | 29.99% |
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card | $0 | 3 % Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®). 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). 8 % Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. 1 % Cash Back on all other purchases. | Good | 19.99% - 29.99% |
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit | $0 | 3 % Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®). 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). 8 % Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. 1 % Cash Back on all other purchases. | Excellent | 29.99% |
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards for Good Credit | $0 | 3 % Cash Back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®). 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). 8 % Cash Back on Capital One Entertainment purchases. 1 % Cash Back on all other purchases. | Excellent | 29.99% |
Capital One VentureOne Rewards for Good Credit | $0 | 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. | Good | 29.99% |
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card | $395 | 2 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 10 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 5 Miles per dollar on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. | Excellent | 19.99% - 29.99% |
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card | $0 | 1.25 Miles per dollar on every purchase, every day. 5 Miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. | Excellent | 19.99% - 29.99% |
Capital One Platinum Credit Card | $0 | N/A | Fair | 29.99% |
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One | $0 | 1% Cash Back on all purchases. 0.25% Cash Back bonus on the cash back you earn each month you pay on time. 5% Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). | Fair | 29.99% |
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card | $0 | N/A | Rebuilding | 29.99% |
Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit | $0 | 1.5 % Cash Back on every purchase. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. | Fair | 18.49% - 24.49% |
Capital One Spark Cash Plus | $150 | 2 % Cash Back on every purchase. 5 % Cash Back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. | Excellent | N/A |
Capital One Spark Miles for Business | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that | Earn unlimited 2X miles per dollar on every purchase, everywhere, no limits or category restrictions, and miles won't expire for the life of the account. 2 Miles per $1 on every purchase, everywhere. Unlimited 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. | Excellent | 26.24% |
FAQs
How does Capital One define credit levels?
FICO Scores, which range from 300 to 850, are typically used by lenders in deciding what credit cards borrowers qualify for. A score of 670 or above is typically considered good, while 800 or above is excellent.
Another credit score provider, VantageScore, has the same score ranges, but the numbers are lower in each category. Capital One explains this more on its website.
It also offers some guidelines to help applicants decide which cards they may qualify for. Meeting the criteria can still lead to being declined because credit history and other factors are considered.
Here are the four ways Capital One describes the types of credit scores needed for its credit cards:
Excellent credit
- Never declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan.
- Not more than 60 days late on any credit card, medical bill, or loan in the last year.
- Have had a loan or credit card for three years or more with a credit line above $5,000.
Good credit
- Haven’t declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan in the past five years.
- Have a credit card or loan and haven’t been more than 30 days late in any payment in the last year.
Fair credit
Defaulted on a loan in the past five years.
Or:
- Have limited credit history.
- Have had own credit card or other credit for less than three years.
Rebuilding credit
Defaulted on a loan more than once.
Or:
Declined for a credit card in the last three months.
Can I earn credit card rewards if I have fair credit?
Yes, but you’ll likely pay the highest variable APR on balances, and you won’t get an intro APR of 0%.
That makes balance transfers from other credit cards so you can consolidate debt difficultly, and highlights the importance of paying off a credit card bill fully each month.
Few credit cards give reward points to cardholders with fair or worse credit. As Capital One defines it, fair credit means you’ve defaulted on a loan in the past five years or have a limited credit history with some type of credit for less than three years.
Capital One offers credit cards to people rebuilding their credit or who are new to credit and are just starting to build a credit history.
Students can use the Journey Student card to build credit without paying an annual fee. They won’t, however, earn rewards points on purchases.
Of the cards we reviewed, probably the best for people with fair credit who want to earn rewards is the QuickSilver One card.
Pros and cons
Pros
- With excellent credit, you may qualify for some of the best rewards cards around. Sign-up bonuses go as high as $500 in cash or 60,000 bonus miles after spending a certain amount of money in a few months.
- Redemption options range from free flights and hotel stays to free dining and concert tickets. Statement credits can be applied to online shopping.
- Some cards offer an intro APR of 0% for 15 months. That can be enough time to consolidate credit card debt by transferring balances from other cards to the new card, and then paying the total bill off within 15 months.
- After that, cardholders with excellent credit may get the lowest variable APRs, starting at 15.49%.
Cons
- One of the potential downsides to having a rewards credit card, or any credit card, is that it can encourage cardholders to spend more money. Having $50 in cash in your pocket seems more valuable than charging $50 on a credit card, so you may be more likely to spend more with a credit card.
- If credit card charges aren’t paid by the card’s due date each month, they can add up with high-interest charges of 15% APR or higher. If the minimum monthly payment is made, no late charges will be added, but the interest paid will still be high.
- High annual fees for credit cards are another potential downside to owning credit cards. Do the math and make sure the rewards you earn are much higher than the fee. There’s little point in having a card with an annual fee that you don’t use enough to earn rewards miles or cash back for things you wouldn’t buy anyway.
Raise Your Credit 80 points*
- 5 star service trusted by over 450,000 members
- Have processed over $11,000,000 in bill payments for members
- No deposit, no credit check, no interest
- New member promotions available
*Potential increase based on StellarFi member data. StellarFi numbers observed an average of 80 points VantageScore® 3.0 increase during a member’s lifetime. Score increase based on members with an incoming score range of 300-499 pts, who made regular on-time payments, with regular on-time payments. Results may vary.
The bottom line
Having a credit card that earns you points or miles for a free vacation somewhere down the road can be an exciting way to plan a trip. Make a few big purchases to earn a welcome bonus, and you may have enough miles for a free flight.
But don’t let the “free” rewards fool you. Hopefully, you’re buying things you’d normally buy with your new credit card and paying the bill on time and in full each month. If you’re not, subtract the interest you’re paying from the rewards. Also, subtract an annual fee for the card if you’re paying one.
Capital One and other credit card providers have plenty of rewards cards to entice consumers to apply for their credit cards. With financial discipline and spending on bonus categories at the right times, you can have a rewards card to do the hard work of paying you for spending your hard-earned money.
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Writer
Aaron Crowe is a freelance journalist who specializes in personal finance writing and editing. He has worked at newspapers, where he won a Pulitzer Prize, and has written for numerous online publications. These include AOL, US News & World Report, WiseBread, Bankrate, AARP, and many websites focusing on housing, credit and insurance. He lives in California with his wife and daughter.
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