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The Quicksilver Card offers an easy-to-understand rewards structure and no annual fee. The Capital One Quicksilver is perfect for those who want reliable, consistent rewards and little hassle when it comes to redeeming the rewards they receive. Take a look as we review the card's benefits to help you decide if it's right for you.
- One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
- 5% cash back on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
Page Contents
Capital One Quicksilver Pros
- Simple redemption of cash back rewards.
- If you also have a card that earns Capital One miles, you can convert cash back earned on the Quicksilver credit card to miles (and transfer to airline and hotel partners).
- $0 annual fee.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Capital One Quicksilver Cons
- Limited opportunity for bonus spending categories.
- Other flat-rate, no-annual-fee cards offer more than 1.5% cash back.
- Capital One may pull from all three credit bureaus when you apply.
Capital One Quicksilver Welcome Offer
The Capital One Quicksilver is currently offering a new applicant bonus of $200 after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
You are effectively getting 40% back on purchases with this welcome offer. While $200 is modest (compared to other Capital One cards), it's a pretty solid offer for a cash-back rewards card with no annual fee and an affordable minimum spending requirement.
The card also features an introductory APR offer on both purchases and balance transfers:
- 0% intro on purchases for 15 months
- 0% intro on balance transfers for 15 months
After the introductory period, there is a 19.24% - 29.24% APR Variable. Note: Balance transfer fee applies.
Related: Best 0% APR Balance Transfer Credit Cards
Capital One Quicksilver Benefits
No annual fee
One of the best features of the Quicksilver card is that it charges no annual fee. This makes it a very attractive option for those looking for an everyday credit card that doesn't charge you for the privilege of having it.
No foreign transaction fees
One standout feature of all Capital One credit cards is that there are no foreign transaction fees. It's rare among the major credit card issuers to offer no foreign transaction fees on a card with no annual fee. If you frequently travel internationally or make purchases in foreign currency, having a card that doesn't tack on an extra fee for your purchases can help you save a lot of money.
Build credit
The Capital One Quicksilver is a great card for building credit while still earning cash back.
You can receive an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. This might not seem like much, but you can accumulate a tidy sum of cashback by using your card for everyday purchases (and paying off the balance each month) — all while building your credit score through responsible use.
Related: A Beginner's Guide to Building Healthy Credit
Capital One Quicksilver Earning Rates
Capital One Quicksilver cardholders will earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. There is no limit to the rewards that you can receive, and your points never expire. Simple!
You will also earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. For rental cars booked through the Capital One portal, you can add your loyalty program number to earn points and and credit toward rental car elite status.
However, the same is not true for hotel bookings. Hotel reservations made through portals typically do not earn credit toward hotel elite status or hotel loyalty program points. This only matters if you have — or are looking to earn — status with programs like Hyatt, Hilton, Marriott, or IHG. However, this shouldn't be an issue if you're booking a small boutique hotel that doesn't participate in a loyalty program.
Redeeming Rewards With the Capital One Quicksilver
Redeem for cash
The rewards you earn from using the Capital One Quicksilver can be redeemed for cash back at any time. Whether you are saving to redeem your cash back for a big purchase or just want to cash in your rewards each month for a statement credit (or get a check in the mail), you have plenty of flexibility. You also have the option to apply your cash back toward a recent purchase.
Convert cash back to miles
Another option you may have is the ability to convert cash back to miles (and then transfer those miles to airline and hotel partners). However, in order to do so, you need a miles-earning Capital One card — such as the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card or Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.
If you have a qualifying card, converting your cash back to miles is a great way to get increased value from your rewards. This is largely because Capital One has some excellent transfer partners.
Use rewards on gift cards or online purchases
You can redeem cash back for gift cards directly through your Capital One online account or for online purchases. Redemption rates vary, so check to ensure you're getting a good redemption rate before using your rewards this way.
You can redeem your rewards when you check out with PayPal at millions of online stores or use your rewards to pay for your Amazon.com purchases. For PayPal, simply link your card to your PayPal wallet. At checkout, you'll see any available rewards for use. For Amazon, you'll need to link your card in “Shop with Points” at Amazon.com. For both options, you can choose to use your rewards to cover all or a portion of your charge.
Application Restrictions
You can hold a maximum of two personal Capital One cards at any one time. Additionally, the Capital One Quicksilver application states that you won't be eligible for this offer if you have received a new cardmember bonus for this product in the past 48 months.
Moreover, you won't be approved for more than one Capital One card within six months. The terms also state that you're ineligible for the welcome bonus if you've applied for two or more Capital One credit cards in the past 30 days.
Capital One frequently pulls credit reports from all three credit bureaus, which means you will get a hard inquiry added to your credit report from each bureau. The issuer also is stringent when it comes to recent inquiries on your credit report. While there's no defined policy (like Chase's 5/24 rule), some people with stellar credit scores have been denied for a Capital One card because of their number of new accounts.
Related: Understanding Rewards Credit Card Application Rules and Restrictions
Cards That Compete With the Capital One Quicksilver
Want to make a more informed opinion before you apply? Here are some cards that compete with the Capital One Quicksilver:
- If you'd like to earn more rewards per dollar and some travel perks, the Capital One Venture offers 2X Capital One miles for every purchase. Plus hotels, vacation rentals, and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal earn 5x miles per dollar spent. This card does have a $95 annual fee, but it offers a statement credit toward the TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application fee and complimentary Hertz Five Star status. Check out our review of the Capital One Venture for more information.
- If you want a higher cash-back rate still with no annual fee, the Citi Double Cash® Card earns 2% back on every purchase with unlimited 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay your bill. The cash back is earned as ThankYou® Points, which can either be cashed out at 1 cent per point or redeemed with travel partners for potentially increased value. Our full review of the Citi Double Cash has more details.
- If you don't mind keeping up with rotating bonus categories, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a solid choice, as it offers 5% back on up to $1,500 of spending each quarter in rotating categories. Travel purchases through the Chase Travel portal earn 5% back, dining and drugstore purchases earn a flat 3% back, and all other purchases earn 1%. The cash back earned through the Freedom Flex can be combined with points from other Chase Ultimate Rewards cards, allowing you to transfer the rewards to airline and hotel partners if you have an eligible card. For more details, check out our review of the Freedom Flex.
- 5X miles per dollar on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- 2X miles per dollar on all other purchases
- Earn 2% cash back on every purchase—1% when you buy and 1% when you pay. Plus, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/25. Citi cash rewards now also convert to ThankYou points at 1:1 ($10 = 100 ThankYou points).
- Earn 5% on up to $1,500 on combined purchases in bonus categories each quarter you activate
- Earn 5% on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards
- Earn 3% on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services
- Earn 3% on drugstore purchases
- Earn 1% on all other purchases
Related: Best Rewards Credit Card Offers This Month
Bottom Line
The Capital One Quicksilver is a solid option in Capital One's lineup of beginner credit cards. You earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, pay no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and get cash back or a statement credit any time you want to redeem your rewards.
This card is wonderful for helping to establish or build credit, and the simplicity of redeeming rewards makes it great for anyone who doesn’t want to go through complicated redemption processes and portals to get great deals.
You can get better rewards and travel perks with a travel-focused card like the Capital One Venture, but the Capital One Quicksilver is perfect for those who are just getting started on their rewards journey or want cash back to complement their earning strategy.
- One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
- No foreign transaction fees
- $0 annual fee
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)
- 5% cash back on purchases through Capital One Entertainment (through 12/31/2025)
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
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