Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card vs. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Which is Better - Miles or Cash Back?

In a world filled with credit card choices from a variety of issuers such as Citi, Chase, Amex, and more, it’s not always easy to determine which one is the best fit for your wallet. With Capital One, there are two main cards vying for your selection: the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. 

Both of these credit card offers are from the same credit card issuer, earn lucrative rewards, and offer plenty of value, but which one comes out on top? Let’s look at how they stack up against each other and see which card better suits your needs.

Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Quicksilver Cash Rewards

This Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Quicksilver Cash Rewards card comparison will help you understand the fees associated with each card and what to expect when it comes to earning rewards. We’ve also highlighted their notable benefits and extensive redemption methods.

Every financial situation is different, which is why these cards have been designed to offer specific rewards and benefits that aren’t necessarily the same. As you go through the table, think about how one reward structure might fit you better than the other. Or take note of any benefits you could take advantage of.

	Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card	Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Annual fee	$95	$0
Early spend bonus	Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening	Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Rewards rate	2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25	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)
Redemption methods	Cardholders can redeem Capital One miles for: Flights, hotels, and car rentals through CapitalOne.com or Rewards Center Using the Capital One travel portal on purchases made from airlines, hotels, rail lines, car rental agencies, limousine services, bus lines, cruise lines, taxi cabs, travel agents, and timeshares A mailed check, a statement credit, or gift cards Transfers to more than 15 hotel and airline loyalty programs	Cardholders can redeem points for: A mailed check A statement credit To cover recent purchases Gift cards
Introductory APR	N/A	0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 19.74% - 29.74% (variable) APR 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 19.74% - 29.74% (variable) APR; Balance transfer fee applies
Travel perks	TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee credit: Receive up to $120 credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. Car rental insurance: Eligible car rentals paid in full with your card can be covered for collisions or theft. Travel accident insurance: Insurance for covered losses when you charge entire travel fares to your card. 24-hour travel assistance services: You can receive an emergency replacement card and a cash advance if your credit card is lost or stolen.	Travel accident insurance: Insurance for covered losses when you charge entire travel fares to your card. 24-hour travel assistance services: You can receive an emergency replacement card and a cash advance if your credit card is lost or stolen.
Other benefits	Purchase Assurance: Receive additional warranty protection on eligible items purchased with this card.	Extended warranty: Receive additional warranty protection on eligible items purchased with this card.
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Learn More	Learn More

What both cards excel at

Both of these Capital One credit cards offer excellent value with their rewards and benefits. And with their early spend bonuses, you can really jumpstart your rewards earning in the first few months of card ownership. In addition, a few of their built-in benefits have big similarities.

With each of these credit cards, redeeming your rewards for cash is possible. This helpful option can come in the form of a mailed check or a statement credit. If you’re not interested in gift cards or travel redemptions, it’s essential to have a straightforward alternative to using your rewards on.

Both cards offer four of the same benefits: travel accident insurance, 24-hour travel assistance services, no foreign transaction fees, and extended warranty coverage. The first three benefits can be useful if you’re traveling, and the extended warranty perk is great to have when you’re making purchases.

Repairing electronics and other items can be a costly ordeal, but extended warranties may help reduce or eliminate those costs. Since the coverage can extend the manufacturer’s warranty on eligible items, you can potentially save a lot of money with this benefit.

5 important differences between the Capital One Venture Rewards and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards cards

Overall, the Capital One Venture Rewards and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards are very different cards. You earn travel rewards with one and cashback rewards with the other. Both cards offer unique benefits, and one may be a better fit for you than the other.

Here are the biggest differences between the Capital One Venture vs. Quicksilver:

1. Annual fees

The Capital One Venture Rewards card has a $95 annual fee, and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card has a $0 annual fee. If you’re looking for one of the best no-annual-fee credit cards, the Capital One Quicksilver is the clear winner in this matchup. You can learn more about this card by reading our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card review.

However, most credit cards that come with an annual fee typically have increased benefits, possibly in the form of a larger early spend offer and/or more perks. To decide which credit card is better for you, factor in other characteristics as you compare cards.

2. Early spend bonuses

With the Capital One Venture Rewards, you can earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. With the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards, you can earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. 

With these welcome bonuses, regardless of whether it's a cash bonus or a miles bonus, the better deal depends on your financial situation. If you can spend $4,000 in the first 3 months, then 75,000 miles is worth much more than $200 cash back. 

You can learn more about this card by reading our Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card review.

3. Rewards earning

The Capital One Venture Rewards offers 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25. The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards offers 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).

For straight rewards value without factoring in specific bonus categories, the Capital One Venture is the better choice. For example, let’s compare a $1,000 purchase on each card. With the Capital One Venture, you would receive 2,000 miles, which is worth $20 toward travel redemptions. With the Capital One Quicksilver, you would receive $15 worth of cash back for the $1,000 purchase. 

For even more value with the Capital One Venture Rewards, you can earn 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

The Capital One Quicksilver offers a similar travel benefit with 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply). But the Venture Rewards has the overall better earning rates.

4. Redemption options

If you look at the redemption options on both cards, the Capital One Venture has more options than the Capital One Quicksilver. They both share cashback and statement credit options, but you can also use Venture miles for travel redemptions and transfer them to Capital One transfer partners. Travel partners include popular airlines such as Air Canada and Emirates.

One of the best redemption options on the Capital One Venture, though, is the Capital One travel portal. You can make travel purchases on your card and then use your miles to be reimbursed for those purchases within 90 days. It’s a flexible method of using your points on a wide range of travel-related purchases, including airfare, hotel stays, car rentals, and public transportation.

5. Travel perks

As a cashback credit card, the Capital One Quicksilver isn’t known for its travel perks. Still, this Mastercard comes with two helpful benefits: travel accident insurance and 24-hour travel assistance services. 

Although if you’re a frequent traveler, the Capital One Venture and its Mastercard benefits would be more beneficial. Added benefits such as credit card rental car insurance and a TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit let you save a great deal of time and money while traveling. The rental car insurance can help you avoid paying extra money each day for insurance through a car rental agency. And you can save up to $120 on TSA PreCheck or Global Entry. These programs can also get you through airport security screenings much faster, which is always a nice bonus.

Which card should you choose?

Both the Capital One Venture Rewards and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards can provide amazing value for different circumstances. 

If you like to travel, the Capital One Venture might be the better option. With this card, there’s a little more to think about. Because there’s a $95 annual fee, you have to make sure you’re getting enough value out of the card each year for it to be worth it.

Here are a few ways to calculate the card’s value and justify the annual fee:

1. Calculate value on the welcome offer. At the time of writing, with the Capital One Venture Rewards, you can earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening — that’s equal to $750 in travel. With that bonus alone, you can justify paying the annual fee for multiple years and still come out on top. And that’s without adding in the miles you earn from purchases or the value of built-in benefits.
2. Calculate your spend. To offset the $95 annual fee in purchases alone, you’d have to spend $4,750 in the year. That would net you 9,500 miles, which is equal to $95 toward travel redemptions.
3. Calculate the value of benefits. Certain benefits by themselves may easily offset the annual fee as well. Getting up to a $120 fee credit for TSA PreCheck or Global Entry negates the $95 annual fee for one year. Your card’s car rental insurance can help you avoid paying for insurance from a car rental agency, which can sometimes be hundreds of dollars.

As you can see, there are various strategies to offset the Capital One Venture’s $95 annual fee. You can even use a combination of all of these methods and still come out well on top. As long as you travel now and then, you’ll likely find enough value with this card to make it worth it. Even better, you can earn miles toward future travel on every purchase you make.

If you’re budget-conscious and want a stress-free credit card experience, consider the Capital One Quicksilver. This powerful cashback card has a $0 annual fee, and you earn the same unlimited cashback rate on every purchase you make. With no annual fee to offset, there are no hard calculations to make. As soon as you start making purchases, you’ll start to profit with the cash back you’re earning. In addition, if you're looking for an intro APR that gives you lower interest rates, this would be the card for you.

The earning on the Capital One Venture is as simple as the Capital One Quicksilver, it’s just a matter of preference when it comes to redemption options. Are you looking to travel more or get cash back on every purchase? If you can answer that question, you can see which card would be better for you.

Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Quicksilver Cash Rewards FAQs

Bottom line

You have options for the best travel credit cards, the best rewards credit cards, and the best cashback credit cards, but how do you know which one to choose? If you’re looking into Capital One credit cards, it’s important to compare the Capital One Venture vs. Quicksilver. As two of Capital One’s most popular credit card offerings, these cards have lucrative earning potential and plenty of benefits.

The right card for you from any issuer depends on your spending habits and lifestyle. If you want to earn with a travel rewards card for future vacations, the Capital One Venture is a prime candidate for you. But for straight cash back on every purchase, you can’t go wrong with the Capital One Quicksilver.

Easy-to-Earn Unlimited Rewards

Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card

Benefits

Card Details

• $0 annual fee
• Simple, flat-rate rewards
• Flexible redemption options
• Up to 75% preferred Rewards bonus potential
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• Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.
• 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases.
• Use your card to book your trip how and where you want - you're not limited to specific websites with blackout dates or restrictions.
• Redeem points for a statement credit to pay for travel or dining purchases, such as flights, hotel stays, car and vacation rentals, baggage fees, and also at restaurants including takeout.
• 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.74% - 28.74% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%.
• If you're a Bank of America Preferred Rewards® member, you can earn 25%-75% more points on every purchase. That means instead of earning an unlimited 1.5 points for every $1, you could earn 1.87-2.62 points for every $1 you spend on purchases.
• Contactless Cards - The security of a chip card, with the convenience of a tap.
• This online only offer may not be available if you leave this page or if you visit a Bank of America financial center. You can take advantage of this offer when you apply now.

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Intro Offer

Earn 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases

Annual Fee

$0

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Why we like it

• The Bank of America^® Travel Rewards credit card is great for individuals who enjoy earning rewards and traveling.

• Cardholders will enjoy the flexibility to redeem points with no blackout dates and receive a statement credit to pay for travel and dining purchases.

• Earn 1.5X points on all purchases everywhere, every time.

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