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When it comes to rewards credit cards, sorting through the hundreds of options can be overwhelming. And if you’re new to credit cards, the idea of juggling multiple cards or monitoring ever-changing spending categories can be downright stressful.
That’s why the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is such a smart choice. You can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase — easy! In this Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards review, learn how this card works and what benefits you’ll receive as a cardholder.
Unlimited Cash Back
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Current Offer
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
Benefits
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% (variable) APR; 3% fee on balances transferred within the first 15 months
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
Drawbacks
- Limited bonus categories
- 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; 19.24%-29.24% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months
- Who should get the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card?
- Card basics
- Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards benefits and perks
- Drawbacks to the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards
- Earning and redeeming cash back with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card
- Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards FAQs
- Other cards to consider
Who should get the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card?
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is perfect for those with a good to excellent credit score who want just one basic credit card to use for all of their purchases. Offering 1.5% cash back on every purchase, this card makes it easy to earn money on your routine expenses. You can redeem your cash back for statement credits or even as a check.
However, if you spend a lot of money in certain categories — such as at gas stations or restaurants — you may be able to earn a higher rate of return by using a different credit card with more cashback rewards in those areas.
Card basics
| Card type | Cash back |
| Credit card issuer | Capital One |
| Credit card network | Mastercard |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Early spend bonus | Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening |
| Reward rate | 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply) |
| Recommended credit score | Excellent, Good |
| Intro APR | 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, then 19.24% - 29.24% (variable) APR 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.24% - 29.24% (variable) APR; 3% fee on balances transferred within the first 15 months |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards benefits and perks
- Easily attainable early spend bonus: New cardholders can get a one-time cash bonus — earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. Use your card just for essentials at the gas station or grocery stores, and you can easily meet the spending requirement.
- Introductory APR period: With this card, you get 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (then 19.24% - 29.24% (variable) APR), as well as 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 19.24% - 29.24% (variable) APR). A 3% fee on balances transferred within the first 15 months does apply.
- Simple reward structure: Forget worrying about rotating spending categories. With the Quicksilver card, you’ll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. Plus, your rewards remain active for the life of the account; they don't expire unless you close your card.
- No foreign transaction fees: The Quicksilver Cash Rewards card doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee, so it’s a great card to take with you when you travel outside the United States.
- Additional option to earn on travel bookings: Earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
- Capital One Entertainment: As a Capital One cardmember, you’ll get access to premier culinary events, concerts, music festivals, and sporting events. You have the option to use your rewards, your card, or a combination of the two to book tickets through Capital One Entertainment.
- Extended warranty protection 1 : Cardholders get extended warranty protection when they use their card to purchase eligible items.
- Trip insurance: Even though it's a cashback rewards card, it offers some valuable travel protections, including car rental insurance.
- Roadside assistance: The Quicksilver Cash Rewards card also comes with a roadside assistance benefit, offering peace of mind if you ever find yourself stranded with a flat tire or a dead battery.
- Travel assistance: If someone steals your card or you lose it during your travels, you can get an emergency replacement card and a cash advance.
- CreditWise access: This credit card offers access to CreditWise, which cardmembers can use to get a free credit score access and receive alerts about changes to their Experian or Transunion credit reports.
- Concierge service: Capital One offers round-the-clock concierge service to cardmembers. Whether you need to book travel or buy event tickets, this service has got you covered.
Drawbacks to the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card
- Not as many travel-related card benefits: While this card offers straightforward cashback rewards, it offers limited perks for travel when compared with a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. The Venture Rewards offers 2 complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges, as well as up to a $100 credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® application fee.
Learn more in our Capital One Venture Card review or check out our comparison of the Capital One Venture vs. Quicksilver to see which better fits your needs.
Earning and redeeming cash back with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card
Potential earnings in years one and two
Here's a look at how your cash back can add up with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card.
Remember, this is an estimation. The actual amount of cash back you earn will be determined by how much you spend.
Year one earnings: $703
Year two earnings: $503
These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending and the early spend bonus.
Best ways to earn
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a simple rewards card. There’s no need to juggle cards to earn rewards or track bonus categories; you can earn a solid rate of return by using the Quicksilver card for every purchase. With the Quicksilver Cash Rewards card, you’ll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases. There’s no cap on how much you can earn, and your cashback rewards never expire as long as your account remains open.
Because you earn the same cashback rate on every purchase, it’s a good idea to use this card for your routine expenses, such as your utility bills or subscriptions. That way, you can score rewards for your everyday spending.
And don't forget about earning rewards on certain travel purchases. You'll earn 5% on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
If you spend frequently on dining and entertainment, you may want to consider the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card. By comparing the Capital One Savor vs. Quicksilver cards side-by-side, you can see which better fits your spending habits. You can also find more details in our Capital One Savor Cash Rewards review.
Maximizing your redemptions
You can redeem your cashback rewards for statement credits, or you can opt to receive a check. You can also use it to earn gift cards or to pay for orders on Amazon.
Capital One also allows you to set up an automatic redemption preference if you wish. You can have your cash back automatically redeemed during certain times of the year or when your account hits a set threshold, such as $50.
If you're looking for a card with more flexible or lucrative redemptions, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is an excellent alternative. You would be able to redeem your rewards for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program and maximize your point values using the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.
By comparing directly the redemption options of the Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Capital One Quicksilver cards, you can determine which gives you a greater return for your spending habits. You can also get in-depth details in our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards FAQs
What credit score do I need for a Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card?
To qualify for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card, your credit score will likely need to be in the good-to-excellent range. A good FICO credit score is typically in the 670-739 range.
Numerical credit scores are provided as guidelines only and are not a guarantee of approval.
What is the highest credit limit for Capital One Quicksilver?
Capital One has no published maximum credit limits for any of its credit cards. However, you can request a credit line increase if you need a higher credit limit. Capital One uses certain criteria to determine your eligibility for a credit line increase:
- Your payments are on time
- You make large payments to pay down your balance
- You know which factors affect your credit score
When you make a credit line increase request to Capital One, you will need to provide:
- Total annual income
- Employment status
- Monthly mortgage or rent payment numbers
Is the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card a Visa or Mastercard?
The Capital One Quicksilver card is now a Mastercard credit card. Prior to January 2020, it was part of the Visa payment network.
Do Capital One Quicksilver rewards expire?
Your Quicksilver cashback rewards never expire. However, if your account is closed for any reason, you’ll lose any rewards you’ve accumulated and not yet redeemed.
Is the Capital One Quicksilver a good card?
The Capital One Quicksilver is a decent option for anyone who is looking to earn flat-rate cash back on their everyday purchases. If you're interested in earning travel rewards or a higher earning rate in specific spending categories, another card is likely a better option for you.
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express is one such card with higher cashback rates in bonus categories such as grocery stores and streaming services. Get more information in our American Express Blue Cash Preferred review or see how the Blue Cash Preferred vs. Capital One Quicksilver cards compare to see which better fits your needs.
Other cards to consider
The bottom line is, that the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good choice for an everyday-use card. However, another card may be a better option if you tend to spend money in select categories or want a higher rate of return.
Like the Quicksilver card, the U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card doesn’t have an annual fee, and you’ll earn 5% cash back on two categories you choose (up to $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter) and on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center; 2% cash back on one everyday category, like gas stations/EV charging stations, grocery stores, or restaurants; and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Plus, you can earn a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening. If you want to take advantage of higher reward rates in rotating categories, this card may be a good option.
Find out more in our U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card review.
The Chase Freedom Flex℠ card doesn’t have an annual fee, and you’ll get 5% on Lyft rides; 5% on rotating quarterly categories (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% at restaurants (including takeout and delivery) and drugstores; and 1% on all other purchases. New members can also earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months.
The Freedom Flex is one of the best credit cards out there if you're interested in generous cashback earnings on everyday spending. It also offers the flexibility of redeeming your cash back for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.
Get more details in our Chase Freedom Flex review.
Unlimited Cash Back
Why We Like It
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
See how these cards compare:
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U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card
- Earn a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening
- No annual fee
- Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Up to 5% cash back on eligible purchases
- See rates and fees
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Chase Freedom Flex℠
- Earn $200 cash back after spending $500 on purchases in the first 3 months
- Up to 5% cash back on spending
- Perks from Lyft, HelloFresh, and more
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