Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card vs. Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: How are They Different?

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is a decent option for a travel credit card with a $0 annual fee. But the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a higher rewards rate and also has a $0 annual fee.

Exploring the similarities and differences between Capital One VentureOne vs. Quicksilver can help you decide which credit card is better for you.

Capital One VentureOne vs. Quicksilver

The Capital One VentureOne focuses on earning and redeeming travel rewards, whereas the Capital One Quicksilver focuses on earning and redeeming cash back.

Both credit cards have similar card benefits and perks. However, there are a few noticeable differences between their earning rates and redemption options.

	Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card	Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Annual fee	$0	$0
Early spend bonus	Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $500 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
Earning rate	1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel	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	Statement credits Cover recent travel purchases Mailed checks Gift cards Capital One Travel purchases Amazon.com purchases PayPal purchases Transfers to travel partners	Statement credits Cover recent purchases Mailed checks Gift cards Capital One Travel purchases Amazon.com purchases PayPal purchases
Intro APR	0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable); Balance transfer fee applies	0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable); Balance transfer fee applies
Other benefits	Capital One Travel Capital One Entertainment Capital One Dining World Elite Mastercard	Capital One Travel Capital One Entertainment Capital One Dining World Elite Mastercard
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Credit needed	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Learn more	Learn more

What both cards excel at

The Capital One VentureOne and Quicksilver share several benefits, including:

• Early spend bonus: The Capital One VentureOne and Quicksilver offer one-time early spend bonuses. These bonuses offer a quick way to earn loads of rewards within a few months of account opening.
• Annual fee: The Capital One VentureOne has a $0 annual fee. The Capital One Quicksilver also has a $0 annual fee.
• No foreign transaction fees: The Capital One VentureOne and Quicksilver make it easy to avoid foreign transaction fees when you travel abroad.
• Introductory APR offers on purchases: The Capital One VentureOne offers 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) APR. The Capital One Quicksilver has 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases, then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) APR.
• Introductory APR offers on balance transfers: The Capital One VentureOne offers 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) APR. Balance transfer fee applies. The Capital One Quicksilver offers 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) APR. Balance transfer fee applies.
• World Elite Mastercard benefits: Certain Capital One credit cards qualify for different types of Visa or Mastercard benefits, depending on your creditworthiness and other factors. If you qualify for a World Elite Mastercard, you get benefits such as purchase protection, price protection, and extended warranty coverage. You also receive travel benefits such as concierge services, car rental insurance, travel accident insurance, and trip cancellation and interruption insurance.

3 important differences between Capital One VentureOne vs. Quicksilver

There are three ways that the Capital One VentureOne and Quicksilver essentially differ. Understanding these three differences can help you decide the better card for you.

1. Reward type

The Capital One VentureOne offers enables you to earn Capital One miles, whereas the Capital One Quicksilver can give you cash back.

One reward type isn’t necessarily better than the other. It simply depends on your preferences. If you prefer using your rewards for travel, the VentureOne is the better option. But if you prefer earning cash back on purchases, the Quicksilver makes more sense.

Winner: Tie. It depends on the type of rewards you want to earn.

2. Earning rates

The Capital One VentureOne offers 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day and 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

The Capital One Quicksilver 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).

Let’s put aside the fact that these cards earn different types of rewards and focus solely on their earning potential. This is what you may earn when you spend $10,000 on purchases in a year.

• Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card: $10,000 x 1.25 miles = 12,500 miles, valued at $125 toward travel.
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: $10,000 x $0.015 = $150 worth of cash back.

Check out our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards review for more information.

Winner: Capital One Quicksilver because it has a higher rewards rate and comes out on top in a simple earning comparison.

3. Redemption options

The redemption options between the Capital One VentureOne and Quicksilver are nearly identical. They include:

• Statement credits
• Mailed checks
• Gift cards
• Capital One Travel purchases
• Amazon.com purchases

But one redemption option you’ll find on the VentureOne that’s not available on the Quicksilver is the opportunity to transfer rewards to more than a dozen travel partners. Capital One transfer partners include loyalty programs from major airlines and hotels such as British Airways Executive Club, Virgin Red, and Wyndham Rewards.

Transfer partners can be useful if you have specific redemptions in mind with an airline or hotel.

For example, you may find a great deal on a flight with Singapore Airlines that you can’t find on the Capital One Travel portal. Or you may have elite status with a hotel loyalty program, and you know third-party bookings don’t typically honor it.

A quick transfer of rewards from your Capital One VentureOne account to an applicable loyalty program account can help solve these and other issues.

Check out our Capital One VentureOne review for more details.

Winner: Capital One VentureOne because it offers access to transfer partners.

Which card should you choose?

You should choose the Capital One VentureOne if you prefer a travel rewards card rather than a cashback credit card. It has lower earning potential versus the Quicksilver, but it can be more convenient to earn miles over cash back if you’re a frequent or occasional traveler. And you can transfer your miles to several travel partners.

You should choose the Capital One Quicksilver if you want to increase your earning potential. The Quicksilver offers a higher rewards rate compared with the Capital One VentureOne, and you can use cashback rewards for just about anything, including travel.

Both cards have general earning rates for most spending categories. You can use them on various purchases and still expect to earn the same rewards rate. This can help when you don’t want to carry a different card for every bonus category or if you frequently shift between different types of expenses.

FAQs

Bottom line

The Capital One Quicksilver is the better credit card when you want to earn the most rewards possible. It has a higher rewards rate compared with the Capital One VentureOne, though you’d be earning cash back rather than miles.

You may prefer the Capital One VentureOne if you want access to transfer partners. The Quicksilver has access to travel redemptions, but you can’t transfer your rewards to travel partners such as Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club, or Emirates Skywards.

If these cards don’t make sense for you, check out our list of card offers to compare credit cards.

Extra Long Intro APR on Purchases & Qualifying Balance Transfers

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Rates and fees

Current Offer

Benefit from a long introductory APR period on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Annual Fee

$0

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• 0% intro APR on qualifying balance transfers and purchases for 21 months from account opening, then 18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% Variable APR
• Cell phone protection
• $0 annual fee

Drawbacks

• No rewards for spending

Card Details

• Select “Apply Now” to take advantage of this specific offer and learn more about product features, terms and conditions.
• 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers. 18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% variable APR thereafter; balance transfers made within 120 days qualify for the intro rate, BT fee of 5%, min $5.
• $0 Annual Fee.
• Up to $600 of cell phone protection against damage or theft. Subject to a $25 deductible.
• Through My Wells Fargo Deals, you can get access to personalized deals from a variety of merchants. It's an easy way to earn cash back as an account credit when you shop, dine, or enjoy an experience simply by using an eligible Wells Fargo credit card.