The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers more ways to earn cash back and a higher welcome bonus than the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Let's take a closer look at how these cards compare on annual, welcome offers, APR, and rewards.
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Capital One Quicksilver annual fee
Both the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) rank high among no fee credit cards. Though neither card charges an annual fee, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card has a slight edge in that it also doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee. Meanwhile, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® charges a fee of 3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars on purchases made abroad.
Winner: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Capital One Quicksilver welcome offer
As a welcome offer, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers something unique. Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases.
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees), for its part, offers a smaller welcome bonus of $200 Cash Back, but it's low-hanging fruit. To earn $200, new cardholders must spend $500 within the card's first 3 months. It's not as lucrative as what's offered on the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, but its spending requirement is also 40 times lower.
Winner: Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Capital One Quicksilver intro APR
Both cards come with long 0% intro APR periods of 15 months for balance transfers and new purchases. Likewise, both cards also come with an introductory balance transfer fee of 3%. In this regard, however, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) is slightly more favorable: 3% for the first 15 months; 4% at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time. Whereas the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a 3% balance transfer fee for 60 days then becomes 5% after.
For both cards, the APR will revert to the regular purchase and transfer rate after the intro period ends. For the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card that means a 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) APR, and for the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, a 20.49% - 29.24% Variable APR.
Winner: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Capital One Quicksilver rewards
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns 5% back on travel booked through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% back on drugstores and dining (including takeout and eligible food delivery), and 1.5% everywhere else.
It also comes with three months of complimentary DashPass (must activate by Dec. 31, 2024), three months of complimentary Instacart+ (must enroll by July 31, 2024), and 5% cash back on Lyft rides through March 31, 2025. That's a lot of perks for a no fee credit card.
For its part, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card earns an unlimited 1.5% back on all purchases and 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply, see rates and fees).
Winner: Chase Freedom Unlimited®