Capital One credit cards: Which one is best?

The best Capital One credit cards

The best Capital One credit cards are those that offer the biggest rewards or most travel perks for your specific financial and travel needs. Finder’s credit card experts reviewed all Capital One cards and compared them against one another based on several factors, including the value they offer versus their annual fee, breadth of reward categories, travel perks and APRs.

We’ve ranked the best Capital One credit cards based on our comparisons to help you make the right choice for your financial needs. Our trustworthy, unbiased evaluations are solely meant to help you choose the best credit card for your financial needs. Despite some small card changes at the tail end of 2020, our best Capital One picks remain unchanged in 2021.

Best for students
Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Credit recommended (580-739)Apply nowon Capital One Bank®'s secure site

580
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to1.5%
Cash back

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The new Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card completely usurps the old Capital One Journey by offering a flat 1.5% back on all purchases right off the bat, no muss, no fuss. The card also comes with a few perks you don't typically find on a student card, such as concierge service, extended warranties and purchase protection.

• No annual fee. You won't need to pay an annual fee to use this card.
• Cash back. Earn an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
• Open to fair credit. Despite being superior to the old Journey card, the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards still only requires a fair credit score.

• No signup bonus. You won't earn any bonus when you sign up.
• No intro APR period. There's no 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	26.99% variable
Balance transfer APR	26.99% variable
Welcome offer	N/A
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	1.5% cashback on all purchases

Best for everyday student purchases
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Credit recommended (580-739)Apply nowon Capital One Bank®'s secure site

580
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

Up to8%
Cash back

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

Capital One's other new student card is essentially the standard SavorOne but designed for students. It offers 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, select streaming services and grocery stores (excluding superstores), which is terrific value for a student card. Like the Quicksilver Student card, the SavorOne also comes with excellent perks such as concierge service, extended warranties and purchase protection.

• No annual fee. You won't need to pay an annual fee to use this card.
• Cash back. Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, select streaming services and eligible grocery stores and 1% back on everything else.
• Open to fair credit. You can qualify for this student card with just fair credit.

• No signup bonus. You won't earn any bonus when you sign up.
• No intro APR period. There's no 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	26.99% variable
Balance transfer APR	26.99% variable
Welcome offer	N/A
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	3% cashback on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and eligible grocery stores, 8% on tickets at Vivid Seats through January 2023 and 1% on all other purchases

Best cashback card for fair credit
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

Finder Rating: 4.3 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (580-669)Apply nowon Capital One Bank®'s secure site

580
Min. credit score

$39
Annual fee

1.5%
Cash back

n/a
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

If your credit score doesn't allow you to get the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, you can opt-in for its sibling card the QuicksilverOne® from Capital One®. You will earn the same cashback rate on all purchases, but you'll also pay an annual fee with this card.

• Cash back. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
• Access to higher credit limits. Make your payments on time for five consecutive months and Capital One may consider increasing your credit limit.
• No foreign transaction fees. Use this card freely abroad and you won't pay any foreign transaction fees.

• Annual fee. You'll pay a $39 annual fee for this card.
• No signup bonus. You don't get to earn a bonus when you signup for this card.

Annual Fee	$39
Purchase APR	26.99% variable
Balance transfer APR	26.99% variable
Welcome offer	N/A
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	1.5% cash back on all purchases

Best no annual fee card for fair credit
Capital One Platinum Credit Card

Finder Rating: 4.5 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (580-739)Apply nowon Capital One Bank®'s secure site

580
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

26.99% variable
Purchase APR

n/a
Min. deposit

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a credit card as straightforward as they come: it offers no rewards, no signup bonus, and carries an above average variable APR. With that said, the card is just one of two personal cards that only require a fair credit score. What's more, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card doesn't charge an annual fee, unlike the QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards, which charges $39 annually. This makes it a more forgiving card if you need to build your credit.

• No annual fee. You won't pay an annual fee to use this card.
• No security deposit. The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is a credit-building card, but you won't need to pony up for a security deposit like you would with a secured card.
• Chance at a higher credit line. Capital One may increase your credit limit after 6 months of responsible card use.

• High APR. This card carries a higher than average APR of 26.99% variable. This makes the card a poor choice for carrying a balance.
• No rewards. You won't earn any rewards on your purchases with this card.

Annual fee	$0
Minimum deposit required	N/A
Purchase APR	26.99% variable
Balance transfer APR	26.99% variable
Recommended minimum credit score	580

Best for rebuilding credit
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

Finder Rating: 4.4 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (300-579)Apply nowon Capital One Bank®'s secure site

300
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

26.99% variable
Purchase APR

From $49
Min. deposit

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card doesn't offer rewards, but it is a great Capital One card for building credit. You may get a $200 credit line without having to put down a security deposit of the same amount.

• No annual fee. This is one of the rare secured cards that has no annual fee.
• Low security deposit. Deposit either $49, $99 or $200 based on your creditworthiness and you may receive a $200 credit line without having to put down a security deposit of the same amount.
• Chance at a higher credit line. When you make your first five monthly payments on time, Capital One will give you a higher credit line.

• Secured deposit required. You must make a secured deposit to use the card.
• No rewards. You won't earn any rewards on your purchases with this card.

Annual fee	$0
Minimum deposit required	$49, $99 or $200
Purchase APR	26.99% variable
Balance transfer APR	26.99% variable
Recommended minimum credit score	300

Best for travel
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

Finder Rating: 4.4 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (670-850)Read review

670
Min. credit score

$95
Annual fee

60,000
Miles welcome offer

2x
Miles

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great travel card. You’ll earn a strong 2x miles on every purchase, which means you won’t have to fuss with tiered rewards.

• Reward miles. Earn unlimited 2x miles on all purchases.
• Signup bonus. Earn 60,000 bonus miles after you spend $3,000 in your first 3 months of account opening, or still earn miles after you spend in your first . This is up to a $1,400 value if you earn the full bonus.
• TSA PreCheck and Global Entry fee credit. Get up to $100 statement credit once every four years when you use your card to pay for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.

• Annual fee. Enjoy a $95 annual fee for the first year. But you'll pay a $95 annual fee for the second year onward.
• No intro APR period. You don't get a 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases with this card.

Annual fee	$95
Purchase APR	15.99% to 23.99% variable
Foreign transaction fee	None
Welcome offer	Enjoy a one-time bonus of 60,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $600 in travel
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	Earn unlimited 2x miles on every purchase, every day

Best for cash back
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

Finder Rating: 4.2 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (670-850)Read review

670
Min. credit score

$0
Annual fee

1.5%
Cash back

$200
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

Capital One offers a great cashback card with Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. You’ll earn a simple 1.5% cash back on all purchases. You’ll also get a strong intro APR and a shot at a healthy signup bonus.

• Signup bonus. Earn $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 within the first 3 months after opening your account.
• Cash back. Earn flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
• Intro APR period on purchases. Get 0% on purchases for 15 months after account opening. After that, your purchase APR will be variable.

• No intro APR on balance transfers. Without a 0% intro APR period, this card may not be a good choice for balance transfers.

Annual Fee	$0
Purchase APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 24.99% variable)
Balance transfer APR	0% intro for the first 15 months (then 14.99% to 24.99% variable)
Welcome offer	One-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day

Best for dining and entertainment
Savor Rewards from Capital One

Finder Rating: 4.4 / 5

★★★★★

Credit recommended (670-850)Read review

670
Min. credit score

$95 ongoing
Annual fee

Up to8%
Cash back

$300
Welcome offer

• Info
• Pros & cons
• Details

If you mostly spend on dining and entertainment and you're looking to get the highest signup bonus, Savor Rewards from Capital One could be a solid choice.

• Signup bonus. Earn $300 cash bonus after you spend $3,000 during your first 3 months of card membership.
• Cash back. Earn 4% cash back on dining and entertainment purchases, 2% at grocery stores, 8% back on Vivid Seats until January 31, 2023, and 1% back on all other purchases.
• No foreign transaction fees. Use this card freely abroad and you won't pay any foreign transaction fees.

• Annual fee. Enjoy a $0 annual fee for the first year, but a $95 a year after that.
• No intro APR period. You get cool perks with this card, but you don't get a 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases.

Annual Fee	$0 intro annual fee for the first year ($95 thereafter)
Purchase APR	15.99%, 20.99% or 23.99% variable
Balance transfer APR	15.99% or 24.99% variable
Welcome offer	$300 after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months
Estimated welcome offer value
Rewards	8% cash back on Vivid Seats until 1/31/2023 5% on Uber Eats, 4% on dining and entertainment, 2% at grocery stores and 1% on all other purchases

Capital One credit card application instructions

1. Visit the Capital One website.
2. Navigate to the credit cards section and pick the card you want.
3. Click Apply now.
4. Complete the application with details such as your full name, contact information, employment status and total annual income.
5. Review your information and submit your application.

Application restrictions

For applications, Capital One is more restrictive than other issuers. If you’re approved for a card —personal or business — you must wait six months before you can be approved for another. You can prequalify for a Capital One card to see the cards you’ll have the best chance of approval for.

You may also want to wait if you’ve recently applied for a card from a different provider. According to reports, Capital One has been known to deny applications if you’ve recently applied for credit.

How many Capital One cards can I have?

You can have a maximum of two personal Capital One cards. This typically doesn’t include cobranded cards, though this isn’t set in stone.

How do I choose the best Capital One credit card?

One of the first things to do when looking for a Capital One card is to evaluate your spending. This will help you find a product that offers ideal rewards.

• Do you spend a lot on dining and entertainment? If so, you’ll earn great cash back with one of the Savor cards. These products also offer solid rewards at grocery stores, but consider other grocery credit cards if this category consumes most of your spending.
• Do you spend relatively evenly across many categories? If so, you might get more out of Capital One’s flat-rate cashback cards — that is, the cards that offer the same rewards rate on every purchase. Instead of having to modify your spending to earn bonus rewards in certain categories, you can spend normally and earn solid cash back.
• Do you have fair credit? If you have fair credit, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card might be the right choice. If you’re a business owner with fair credit, consider the Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business.
• What annual fee do you want to pay? Capital One doesn’t have any premium cards that cost hundreds of dollars a year. Rather, your choice is whether you want to pay a $0 or $39 annual fee, or a $95 annual fee starting the second year. If you’ll pay an annual fee, consider whether you’ll get enough value from the card to justify the cost. For example, you might want the card for its rewards, or simply because it’s one of the few cards available to someone with your credit profile.
• Do you want a signup bonus? Capital One’s personal cards have signup bonuses of $150 to $300, while its business cards have signup bonuses of $200 to $500. Keep in mind some cards have annual fees that will eat into these rewards.

Types of Capital One cards

Capital One is best known for its dining and entertainment rewards cards, as well as its powerful travel rewards cards. In fact, you might think of Capital One as just under Chase and Amex when it comes to travel and rewards power. On top of that, it also offers good choices if your credit is less than perfect, something not offered by its two big-name competitors. Here are a few more types of cards you’ll find with this provider.

• Balance transfer cards. While Capital One traditionally offers a few balance transfer cards, there aren’t any cards with an intro offer on the market as of June 2021.
• No annual fee cards. There are a variety of no annual fee card options from Capital One, including several strong reward options like the VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.
• Business cards. Capital One’s Spark lineup focuses on rewards. In fact, even their business offering for fair credit offers 1% back on purchases.
• No foreign transaction fee cards. Surprisingly, not a single Capital One credit card charges a foreign transaction fee, so you have your pick of the lot.
• Cards with travel insurance. A great majority of Capital One cards offer some form of travel insurance, though the types of insurance are limited to auto rental collision damage and travel accident insurance.

Standout benefits of Capital One cards

• Dining and entertainment rewards. Capital One possesses one of the strongest rewards cards on the market for dining and entertainment in the Capital One Savor Cash.
• Small but mighty travel card lineup. If you like simplicity with your travel reward cards, the Venture Rewards cards are excellent choices. Their earning rates are comparable to Chase and Amex offerings without the same complexity of juggling points across cards.
• No foreign transaction fees on a majority of cards. Capital One doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, even for non-travel cards. You might be surprised to find no foreign transaction fees for certain cards. For example, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card charges no foreign transaction fees, while similar cards usually do.
• Easy to obtain signup bonus. Capital One signup bonuses generally have relatively low spending requirements for the value of the bonus.
• Combine cards. Capital One used to allow you to combine two of their cards into one account. This was helpful, as Capital One only allows you to have two credit cards maximum. As of March 2021, this feature has been discontinued, though Capital One claims this is only temporary, so keep an eye out the return of this feature.

Full list of Capital One credit card reviews

Bottom line

Capital One has an impressive stable of simple and powerful rewards cards. But if you’re looking to dive into a more complex rewards program with the potential for bigger rewards, American Express and Chase both have some great options.

If you’re not sure whether a Capital One product is right for you, check out leading credit card providers to compare more options.

Frequently asked questions

How does Capital One keep my credit card information secure?
Capital One protects your information with many of the standard card security measures, including 128-bit Secure Socket Layer and mobile or email alerts when Capital One detects unusual transactions.

Can I cancel my Capital One credit card without calling?
No. Here are the ways you can cancel your Capital One credit card.