Quicksilver Card vs. Venture Card: Which One Is Right For You?

Little girl sitting on her father's luggage as he pulls her through the airport.

Two of the rewards cards Capital One offers are very different – the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.

The Quicksilver Card provides a straightforward cash-back option with no annual fee. The Venture Card is for frequent travelers looking for travel rewards.

But which card works best for you? Here’s a comparison between the Quicksilver Card vs. the Venture Card to help you decide. 

The Quicksilver Card is great for cardholders who prefer simplicity and no annual fee. It is best for cardholders who prefer to earn cash back without the need to only redeem points for travel. 

Welcome Bonus

The Quicksilver Card offers a modest welcome bonus, but it’s a pretty standard amount for a card that does not charge an annual fee. For a limited time, earn $300 in welcome bonuses. Enjoy a $100 credit to use towards flights, stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel during your first cardholder year. Plus, earn a $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening. You only need to spend $500 on purchases within three months of opening the account to earn this bonus making it relatively quick and easy to earn.

Simple and Valuable Rewards

If you want cash back for purchases and want to eliminate the hassle of keeping up with different reward categories the Quicksilver card can give you that. Here are the rewards: 

  • Everyday Cash Back Rewards: 1.5% cash back on all purchases. 
  • Travel Cash Reward: 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. 
  • Generous Redemption Options: Cash back can be redeemed for statement credits, checks, gift cards or used to cover recent purchases.

Introductory APR

The Quicksilver Card offers a generous intro APR on purchases and balance transfers making it a strong option if you have a large purchase in your future or are looking to transfer a balance from a high interest credit card. It offers a 0% intro on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable)

Additional Perks 

The Quicksilver Card has a considerable list of additional perks and benefits.

  • Travel Accident Insurance. With your card, covered losses will be taken care of by travel accident insurance. 
  • Extended Warranty. Capital One provides an extended warranty for eligible items that come with a manufactured warranty at no charge. 
  • No foreign transaction fee. Purchases outside of the United States are not charged an additional fee. 
  • Access to Concierge Services. Card holders can access a hotline 24 hours a day for dining reservations, event tickets and travel bookings. 
  • 24-Hour Travel Assistance. If your card is stolen while traveling, you can get an emergency replacement and a cash advance. 
  • Automatic Credit Alerts. You will be notified if one of the credit bureaus, Experian or TransUnion, receives new account inquiries or credit score updates. 
  • $0 Fraud Liability. If your card is lost or stolen, you aren’t responsible for unauthorized charges. 
  • Access to Special Cardholder Events. Capital One Quicksilver holders have access to special and unique events throughout the year. 

With an annual fee of $95, the Venture Card offers a simple reward system for those who like flexibility in points that comes at an affordable price. A balance between travel perks and rewards for daily purchases makes it a card that maximizes functionality. 

Generous Welcome Bonus

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. If you choose to transfer these miles to a Capital One Travel partner, you may receive even more value from this bonus. 

Venture Card cardholders earn unlimited:

  • 2x miles for every dollar spent on everyday purchases
  • 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel

Plus, there are several ways to redeem your rewards:

  • One-stop booking through Capital One Travel. If you book through the Capital One Travel portal you will have access to flights, hotels, and rental cars.
  • Gift cards. You can redeem your miles with a selection from 90 different brands.
  • Cash. Redeem miles via or check or statement credit. 
  • Shopping. Shop on Amazon or online via PayPal with your rewards. 
  • Buy tickets through Capital One Entertainment. Earn 5X miles for every dollar spent on purchases made through Capital One Entertainment until December 21, 2025.
  • Transfer miles. You are eligible to transfer your miles to 15 travel loyalty programs. 

Bonus Travel Perks 

The Venture Card also comes with travel perks to help you ease into vacation mode. Check out these travel perks: 

  • No foreign transaction fees. Purchases outside of the United States will not be charged a transaction fee. 
  • Global Entry or TSA Precheck® Credit. You can receive up to $120 credit for either Global Entry or TSA Precheck® when you pay with your Capital One Venture card.
  • Lifestyle Collection Eligibility. You earn a $50 credit, each time you stay in a Capital One’s Lifestyle Collection hotel or vacation rental. 
  • Travel Insurance. You are eligible for rental car collision damage waivers, travel accident insurance and travel assistance services through your Capital One Venture card. 
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
4.8
CardCritics™ Rating

CardCritics™ uses a 5-star rating system determined by our editorial team. The comparison factors include annual fees, APRs, bonus offers, ongoing rewards, accessibility, redemption options, and more. These factors are then weighted by importance to focus on key features that are most important in each specific category.

Read Full Review
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
4.7
CardCritics™ Rating

CardCritics™ uses a 5-star rating system determined by our editorial team. The comparison factors include annual fees, APRs, bonus offers, ongoing rewards, accessibility, redemption options, and more. These factors are then weighted by importance to focus on key features that are most important in each specific category.

Read Full Review

Annual Fee

$0
$95

Purchase and Balance Transfer APR

0% intro on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then 19.24% – 29.24% (Variable)
19.99% – 29.24% (Variable)

Welcome Bonus

For a limited time, earn $300 in welcome bonuses. Enjoy a $100 credit to use towards flights, stays and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel during your first cardholder year. Plus, earn a $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
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.

Ongoing Rewards

Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day

Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day.

Pros & Cons

    PROS
  • Easy to earn bonus with low spend requirement
  • No foreign transaction fee
    CONS
  • Elevated 5% cash back rate only applies to hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
  • Other flat-rate cards offer a higher cash back rate
    PROS
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • Double miles earned on every purchase
  • Travel perks like Global Entry or TSA PreCheck® Credit
    CONS
  • No introductory APR offer
  • Limited hotel transfer partners

Learn More

Choosing between the Quicksilver Card and the Venture Card means evaluating your preferences and what makes sense for your lifestyle. 

If you prefer cash back rewards, no annual fee, and an introductory APR the Quicksilver Card is ideal for you. With this card, you do not need to overthink how to earn points as the rewards structure is simple. Everyday purchases are eligible for 1.5 % cash back. 

If you love to travel and want to take advantage of perks while vacationing, the Venture Card is likely the better option for you. The card’s annual fee is low at $95, and you will earn 2x miles on everyday purchases. For travel, earn 5x miles on hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the benefits may be provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply.

Is it worth getting a Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card?

For an entry-level card with no annual fee, the Quicksilver Card makes it easy for cardholders to earn cash back on all purchases. Cashback can be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, statement credits or used to cover recent purchases.

What is the highest credit limit for the Quicksilver Card?

Capital One doesn’t have any published minimum or maximum limits listed in its terms and conditions. Credit limit is based on each individual’s payment history and credit worthiness.

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed are those of the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer.
*CardCritics™ references a FICO® 8 score, which is one of many different types of credit scores. A financial institution may use a different score when evaluating your application.