Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card review: A passable flat-rate cash back card
For no annual fee, you get what you expect: a mid-level cash back card.
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Snapshot
3.8
Bottom line
This card earns unlimited flat-rate rewards and comes with a generous intro APR, making it a decent starter option. But its rewards rate pales in comparison to the rate you’ll find on the best flat-rate cash back cards.
Intro offer
$200
Rewards rate
1.5% - 5%
Annual fee
$0
Regular APR
19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)
Bankrate Score
Rewards value
APR
Rewards flexibility
Features
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Capital One Quicksilver Card overview
The Capital One Quicksilver card is a staple among flat-rate rewards cards. It earns cash back on all purchases, features a generous intro APR offer and charges no annual or foreign transaction fees, making it a decent option for any budget. This Capital One credit card can be an especially good fit if you want a card that can supplement an existing rewards card or if you don’t spend heavily in typical credit card bonus categories (See Rates & Fees).
That said, a flat 1.5 percent rewards rate falls short of the rate you can find on some of the best flat-rate rewards cards, which offer 2 percent back on all purchases. Unless you plan to combine rewards with other Capital One cards, the Quicksilver may not offer the best value.
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Rewards
- 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 1.5 percent cash back on every purchase, every day
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis -
Welcome offer
- Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within three months from account opening
Expert Appraisal: Exceptional
See our expert analysis -
0% APR offer
- 0 percent intro APR on purchases for the first 15 months
- 0 percent intro APR on balance transfers for the first 15 months
- 19.99 percent to 29.99 percent variable ongoing APR
- (See Rates & Fees)
Expert Appraisal: Good
See our expert analysis -
Rates and fees
- Annual fee: None
- Balance transfer fee: 3 percent for the first 15 months; 4 percent at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time
- Cash advance fee: 5 percent of the amount of the cash advance, but not less than $5
- Late payment fee: Up to $40
- Foreign transaction fee: None
- (See Rates & Fees)
Expert Appraisal: Typical
See our expert analysis -
Other cardholder perks
- Master RoadAssist® Service*
- Complimentary Concierge Services
Expert Appraisal: Typical
Capital One Quicksilver Card pros and cons
Pros
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The card's low cost makes it accessible for any budget.
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It has a fairly long introductory APR offer on purchases and balance transfers.
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You can access reliable travel and shopping protections through Mastercard.
Cons
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The 1.5 percent cash back is lower than other flat-rate cards.
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There are cards with no or lower balance transfer fees.
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The card offers very few perks beyond basic issuer benefits.
Why you might want the Capital One Quicksilver card
The Quicksilver card is a solid flat-rate cash back card if you value simplicity, minimal fees and low-maintenance rewards. If you want an easy-to-attain sign-up bonus or an intro APR to reduce card debt or finance new purchases, you might consider this card.
Welcome offer: Generous, easy-to-earn bonus
The Capital One Quicksilver’s welcome offer is not only on par with the bonus value you’ll find on several other cash back cards, but it’s also one of the easiest welcome offers to earn. A $500 spending requirement within a three-month window is one of the lowest you’ll find on a no-annual-fee rewards card. Split evenly, that's' only $167 per month.
While you can find welcome offers valued at more than $200, these offers often require higher spending to obtain or are featured on cards with an annual fee (See Rates & Fees). This welcome offer keeps things simple, which can be appealing to those looking for a streamlined credit card.
Fees: Light on extra charges
The Quicksilver card doesn’t charge an annual fee, making it a solid option if you prefer not to focus on offsetting card costs via rewards and perks.
The card also doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, making it a useful travel companion abroad. Many no-annual-fee rewards cards charge at least 3 percent in fees for every international purchase (See Rates & Fees). It can also supplement rewards cards that have spending caps, making sure you can earn rewards no matter where or how much you spend.
Intro APR: Solid offer on both purchases and balance transfers
Along with a generous welcome bonus, the Quicksilver offers a competitive introductory APR for new purchases and balance transfers comparable to the intro offers on the best intro APR cards.
An intro APR period of 15 months is considered average for a no-annual-fee rewards card, but some competitors only offer an intro APR for either new purchases or balance transfers — not both.
Although the Quicksilver card’s intro APR period is shorter than the intro APR periods offered by dedicated balance transfer cards, the Quicksilver charges a balance transfer fee of 3 percent for the first 15 months; 4 percent at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time. Many of the best balance transfer cards charge a 5 percent balance transfer fee, which could end up costing you more than you’d save with the few extra months offered (See Rates & Fees).
Redemption: Ultra-simple rewards program
The Quicksilver is one of the most straightforward types of rewards cards available. You’ll earn cash back at the same flat rate on all purchases, and you can redeem rewards as a check, a statement credit or to cover recent transactions. You can also use cash back for gift cards and online purchases at Amazon.com and PayPal. And if you have a Capital One travel card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you can convert your miles into points at a 1:1 ratio and redeem for travel bookings.
Your Quicksilver rewards also have a consistent value of 1 cent each, a great advantage considering several competing rewards cards earn points that carry a different value depending on how you redeem them. For example, many cards offer a lower redemption value when you opt for gift cards or merchandise.
With the Quicksilver, you won’t have to worry about accidentally losing rewards value. You also won’t need to track your rewards balance because you can set up automatic cash back redemptions at the same time each year or at a specific cash value.
Why you might want a different cash back card
The Quicksilver card may be a solid choice if you want a simple, no-annual-fee rewards card or have recently earned a good credit score. However, it doesn’t offer the best flat cash back rate available at this credit level and lacks a lot of perks that would add to the card's value (See Rates & Fees).
Rewards: Relatively low rate
The Quicksilver card’s flat cash back rate is lower than the flat rates issuers offer on other rewards cards — you can earn 2 percent flat rate cash rewards with the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, for example.
While a 0.5-percent higher rate may not seem like much, it can make a big difference in the long run. If you spend $15,000 on general purchases per year for three years using a card that earns a flat 2 percent cash back, you’ll earn $900 in rewards; meanwhile, the Quicksilver would only yield $675 on that spend.
You may also earn more overall if you opt for a rewards card that focuses on spending categories you often use. For example, if you spend $300 per month on groceries and $500 per month on general purchases, a card with a 3-percent grocery rewards rate and a 1-percent base rate would earn you more cash back per year than the Quicksilver would via a flat 1.5 percent rewards rate ($168 versus $144).
Perks: Only a few noteworthy benefits
This card’s only notable perk is its complimentary Uber One monthly membership statement credit (available through November 14, 2024). With this perk, Uber One offers unlimited $0 delivery fees on eligible food, groceries and more on Uber Eats, up to 10 percent off eligible UberEats orders and other Uber perks such as member pricing and top-rated drivers for up to six months.
If you frequently order food for delivery or take rideshares, this perk could help you save not only the $9.99-per-month Uber One membership cost for six months but also potentially hundreds in other delivery and service fees.
However, this perk is worthwhile only if you use Uber often. Outside of this, the Quicksilver card features minor perks you can find on other cards. Extra benefits could help make this card more competitive with other no-annual-fee cards that offer a higher flat rewards rate.
First-year card value vs. ongoing value
Since the Quicksilver offers few perks, you’ll get the most long-term value from the card’s ongoing rewards. And since there’s no annual fee, you won’t have to worry about meeting a certain threshold in rewards earnings to justify carrying the card (See Rates & Fees).
Here’s a look at the sort of value you might expect in your first year and beyond with the Quicksilver card, based on our card value rating methodology, which assumes an annual spend of $22,500:
| Benefits and costs | First-year value | Ongoing value (no welcome offers) |
|---|---|---|
| Yearly rewards | +$337.50 | +$337.50 |
| Welcome offers | +$200 (after spending $500 on purchases within the first three months) | — |
| Perks (of monetary value) | ~$60 (six months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through Nov. 14, 2024 | N/A |
| Annual fee | $0 (See Rates & Fees) | $0 |
| Total value | $597.50 | $337.50 |
We tried it: Here’s what our experts say
Bankrate credit cards editor Re’Dreyona Walker uses the Quicksilver Cash Rewards card for its flat-rate rewards and convenient virtual card numbers:
“My favorite features of this card are the flat-rate rewards on every purchase and the virtual card number, which is great for making quick and safe online purchases. I like that I don’t have to track tiered rewards like I do with my other rewards cards. The welcome bonus was also easy to earn, and the application was also short and painless.”
— Re’Dreyona Walker, Editor at Bankrate
How the Capital One Quicksilver card compares to other cash back cards
The Quicksilver is a well-rounded flat-rate credit card that has a steady long-term value. However, the card’s 1.5-percent flat cash back rate falls short of the rate you’ll find on the most competitive options. The card’s APR may also be too high if you tend to carry a balance on your card. If you want a card with lower interest, higher rewards rates or more perks, consider these alternatives:
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Rewards rate
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. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back.
Rewards rate
Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time. Plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Annual fee
Intro offer
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.
Rewards rate
Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more. 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service. 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
Recommended Credit Score
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Best cards to pair with the Capital One Quicksilver
While flat-rate cards make it easy to earn rewards on all your everyday spending, you can enjoy higher rewards rates in specific spending categories with other cards. Overall, you could get more value from a card strategy by pairing your Quicksilver card with a tiered card that aligns with your spending habits.
Who is the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card right for?
You might find the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card a solid addition to your wallet if the following sounds like you.
Bankrate’s Take — Is the Capital One Quicksilver worth it?
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a popular choice among cardholders who want a straightforward cash back card that earns rewards on all purchases. Other than the possible interest charges you’ll accrue from carrying a balance, there are no annual fee or bonus categories to worry about. Capital One can even automate the redemption process (See Rates & Fees).
But if you don’t mind tracking a bonus category or two, you can accumulate more cash back and receive specialized benefits with a stronger cash back card.
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.
How we rated this card
We rate credit cards using a proprietary card scoring system that ranks each card’s estimated average rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, welcome bonus value, APR, fees, perks and more against those of other cards in its primary category.
Each card feature is assigned a weighting based on how important it is to people looking for a card in a given category. These features are then scored based on how they rank relative to the features on other cards in the category. Based on these calculations, each card receives an overall rating of 1-5 stars (with 5 being the highest possible score and 1 being the lowest).
We analyzed over 150 of the most popular rewards and cash back cards to determine where each stacked up based on their value, cost, benefits and more. Here are some of the key factors that influenced this card’s overall score and how the score influenced our review:
Frequently asked questions
What cardholders think
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
In May 2024, Bankrate collaborated with third-party SliceMR to survey 6160 cardholders nationwide. Bankrate and Slice MR collected, averaged and presented website analytics and cardholder responses to six questions on a 5-point scale. Responses are based on individual cardholder’s product details, and therefore cannot be verified for accuracy. User ratings are unedited and have not been reviewed or approved by credit card issuers, nor do these ratings reflect Bankrate’s own reviews of these cards.
Community Reviews
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer's web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
