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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
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Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Quicksilver: Do you want miles or cash back?
Credit card writer Danyal Ahmed is an avid traveler, averaging about 100,000 aeronautical miles per year. He regularly applies that knowledge and his expertise in credit cards to his role as a credit card writer at TPG.
When Ryan worked as a TPG credit cards writer, he oversaw refreshes of card reviews and card offer stories. He enjoyed racking up cash back and helping readers maximize their points and miles for their next big trip.
also contributed to this story
December 16, 2024 • 8 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
The article compares two popular rewards cards: one focused on flexible travel miles, the other on straightforward cash-back.
The travel-focused card offers broader redemption options, including transfers to over 15 airline and hotel loyalty programs, while the cash-back card provides a simple fixed-rate return.
Travel benefits such as airport security fee credits and elite rental car status are exclusive to the travel card, whereas both cards offer protections and no foreign transaction fees.
The travel card edges out in overall value for those seeking flexibility and travel perks, while the cash-back card suits those preferring simplicity and easy redemption.
What to consider
The travel card requires a higher minimum spend to unlock its introductory bonus compared to the cash-back card.
Redemption value for travel miles is maximized when transferring to partner programs, with TPG valuing these miles at 1.85 cents each as of December 2024.
Cash-back rewards are best redeemed as statement credits or gift cards, while travel miles lose value if redeemed for non-travel purchases.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed side-by-side breakdown of benefits, earning rates and redemption strategies to help you decide which rewards card aligns best with your spending and travel habits.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Over the past few years, Capital One has raised its rewards game by expanding and improving its slate of credit cards. These include easy-to-use cash-back cards whose points can be redeemed at a fixed value toward travel purchases and other statement credits. These cards give cardholders a reliable rate of return on their everyday spending.
The issuer has also expanded its Capital One miles program so that certain cardholders can transfer miles to 15-plus airline and hotel partners, including Air Canada Aeroplan, British Airways Executive Club and ALL Accor Live Limitless.
Depending on where you spend the most money and how you want to redeem your rewards, deciding which Capital One credit card to apply for can be difficult. Among the products you might be deciding between are the popular Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Let's take a closer look to see which may be a better fit.
Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Quicksilver comparison
Card
Capital One Venture Rewards
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards
Annual fee
$95
$0
Welcome bonus
Earn 75,000 bonus miles when you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.
Earn a one-time $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
Earning
5 miles per dollar spent on hotel, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2 miles per dollar spent on everything else
5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
1.5% cash back on everything else
Other benefits
Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit
No foreign transaction fees
Travel accident insurance
Purchase protection
Extended warranty
No foreign transaction fees
Travel accident insurance
Extended warranty
Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Quicksilver welcome offer
The Capital One Venture Rewards currently offers new cardholders the chance to earn 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. These miles are worth 1 cent apiece when redeemed at a fixed rate for travel purchases or new bookings via Capital One Travel and for gift cards.
JULIA AMARAL/GETTY IMAGES
However, the miles you earn with the Capital One Venture Rewards are transferable to 15-plus airline and hotel partner loyalty programs. Given that extra flexibility, as of December 2024, TPG values these miles at 1.85 cents apiece, meaning this welcome bonus is worth $1,388.
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards' welcome bonus is considerably more modest — only $200 cash back. But you only have to spend $500 in the first three months of opening an account to qualify.
Winner: Venture Rewards. The Venture Rewards' welcome bonus is worth significantly more than the Quicksilver's.
Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Quicksilver benefits
The Venture Rewards is categorized as a travel card; therefore, the benefits are tailored toward travel. Benefits include Hertz Five Star status* and a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck fee credit (up to $120).
The Venture Rewards carries a $95 annual fee, while the Quicksilver Cash Rewards doesn't have an annual fee.
*Upon enrollment, accessible through the Capital One website or mobile app, eligible cardholders will remain at that status level through the duration of the offer. Please note, enrolling through the normal Hertz Gold Plus Rewards enrollment process (e.g. at Hertz.com) will not automatically detect a cardholder as being eligible for the program and cardholders will not be automatically upgraded to the applicable status tier. Additional terms apply
Winner: Venture Rewards. The Venture Rewards comes out slightly ahead here, with a couple of extra benefits like Hertz Five Star status and a Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit.
Earning rewards with the Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Quicksilver
The Quicksilver Cash Rewards earns 5% back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and a flat 1.5% back on all other purchases. That makes your return on spending easy to calculate and count on. It's also on par with competing cash-back cards from other issuers.
THOMAS BARWICK/GETTY IMAGES
The Venture Rewards earns 2 miles per dollar on purchases, with an elevated 5 miles per dollar spent on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal.
Winner: Venture Rewards. The Venture Rewards earns slightly more on non-bonus spending than the Quicksilver, meaning it barely edges out the competition here.
Redeeming rewards with the Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One Quicksilver
Here's where the two cards diverge most dramatically.
The Quicksilver Cash Rewards is a cash-back card, plain and simple. With a 1.5% rate of return on every dollar you spend, you can redeem your cash back in a few different ways. Among them are statement credits, gift cards, purchases with PayPal, Amazon.com purchases or a check.
ZACH HONIG/THE POINTS GUY
On the other hand, the Venture Rewards earns miles that can be redeemed either for cash back or transferred to Capital One's travel partners. Regarding cash back, you can redeem your miles at a rate of 1 cent apiece for travel purchases and gift cards. If you opt for statement credits on other types of purchases or a check, you only get a rate of 0.5 cents per mile, essentially cutting your value in half, so you'll want to avoid this option.
Should I get the Capital One Venture Rewards or the Capital One Quicksilver?
If you prefer to earn cash-back at a fixed rate of 1.5% across all purchases and to use the rewards to help offset your credit card bill or to purchase gift cards, then the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is for you. On the other hand, if you want a wider range of flexibility in redeeming your rewards, then the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card makes better sense. The Venture Rewards does offer more benefits and stronger earning categories, so if you don't have a preference between cash back and miles, the Venture Rewards makes the most sense.
Bottom line
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card and the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card are great rewards card options. The Quicksilver is useful for folks who want a simple cash-back formula for earning and redeeming without much effort.
However, if you want miles specifically for travel purchases and can maximize Capital One's travel transfer partners and benefits, such as the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit, the Venture Rewards is a much better choice.
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.
Comments
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
