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Capital One credit cards: Which one is best?

Compare Capital One credit cards, view the best picks, and browse a full list of card reviews.

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Kevin Joey Chen

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Compare Capital One credit cards

Use our table to sort Capital One cards by name, intro APR, annual fee and more. Check the Compare box under up to four cards you're interested in. You can also click Show filters to narrow your options and browse products that fit your credit score range and have features you need most.

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The Finder Score is a simple score out of 10. The higher a savings account's score, the better we think it is for the average customer.

We score each credit card in our database of hundreds based on a data-driven methodology with 3 main criteria: Does the card offer rewards? Does the card have an annual fee? What's the card APR%?

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Capital One offers a great variety of simple and strong card options. Notable among the collection are several great rewards cards, a few secured card picks plus to-the-point travel cards. Use this table for a quick overview of the cards available and how they stack up.

The best Capital One credit cards

The best Capital One credit cards 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 card details, including their value versus their annual fee, range 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.

Quick look at the best Capital One cards

Best for luxury travel

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

9.2 Excellent

Read review
The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is Capital One's first luxury travel card and offers all of the perks you'd expect from a card with an annual fee of $395. In fact, the perks it offers are comparable to luxury cards that cost even more than $400 and you can earn a robust 5x miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel.
Welcome Offer75,000 miles
RewardsUp to 10x miles
Annual fee$395
Minimum credit score740

Best for students

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

The 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.
Welcome Offer$50
RewardsUp to 5% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit scoreNew / limited credit

Best for everyday student purchases

Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

This student card is essentially the standard Savor 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.
Welcome Offer$50
RewardsUp to 8% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit scoreNew / limited credit

Best cashback card for fair credit

Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card

8.6 Great

Read review
If your credit score doesn't allow you to get the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, you can opt-in for its sibling card, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card. You'll earn the same cashback rate on all purchases, but you'll also pay an annual fee with this card.
Welcome Offern/a
RewardsUp to 5% cash back
Annual fee$39
Minimum credit score580

Best no-annual-fee card for fair credit

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

9 Excellent

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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. That said, the card only requires 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.
Welcome Offern/a
RewardsNone
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score580

Best for rebuilding credit

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

8.8 Great

The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card doesn't offer rewards, but it is a great Capital One card for building credit. Depending on your credit score, you may get a $200 credit line with a security deposit as low as $49.
Minimum deposit required$49, $99 or $200
Purchase APR29.74% variable
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit scoreNew / limited credit

Best for entry-level travel

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card

8.8 Great

Read review
The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a great travel card for those who like simplicity in earning and redeeming rewards. You’ll earn a strong 2x miles on every purchase, which means you won’t have to fuss with tiered rewards. The card also offers a strong signup bonus for the card's price, along with a TSA PreCheck/Global Entry statement credit every four years.
Welcome Offer75,000 miles
RewardsUp to 5x miles
Annual fee$95
Minimum credit score670
 

Best for cash back
 












 



      
                    
                   























Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card









  
  





















  
                  

      
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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 low intro rates and a shot at a healthy signup bonus.










        

        
Welcome Offer$200
RewardsUp to 1.5% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score670

        
        











    

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Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card

























  
                  

      
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If you mostly spend on dining and entertainment but still don't want to pay an annual fee, Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card could be a solid choice.










        

        
Welcome Offer$200
RewardsUp to 8% cash back
Annual fee$0
Minimum credit score670

        
        











    

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How do I get prequalified for a Capital One credit card?
Capital One offers an online prequalification process that lets you see customized card offers within 60 seconds. This doesn’t mean you are approved for a credit card, nor that you have applied for one. It only means you have high chances of approval for select credit cards.
The process is done with a soft pull on your credit, which has no impact on your credit score. But after you apply for a card you’re prequalified for, Capital One will do a hard pull on your credit. Keep in mind, even if you prequalify for a certain card, it doesn’t guarantee approval.
  1. Go to the Capital One prequalification page.
  2. Complete the prequalification form with your name, date of birth, Social Security number and residential address, employment status and annual income.
  3. Review your application and click See if I’m preapproved.
Note: Capital One calls the process pre-approval.
What are the benefits of a Capital One prequalification?
  • Better chances of approval. You can see cards that fit your credit profile, though nothing is guaranteed.
  • You can still shop around. There’s no obligation to apply. Feel free to get prequalified with other banks.
  • Your credit score won’t be affected. Keeping your credit score intact could increase your odds when you apply for a card.
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. Choose 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.
Eligibility criteria
  • You’re at least 18 years old.
  • You have a Social Security number or tax identification number.
  • You live in the United States or a US military location.
  • Your monthly income exceeds your monthly rent or mortgage payment by at least $425.
Information you’ll need
  • Your name and residential address
  • Your Social Security number
  • Your email address, phone number and date of birth
  • Financial information like your annual income and income source
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. Apply to prequalify for a Capital One card. Then you’ll see the cards where you’ll have the best chance of getting approved.
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 may have a maximum of two personal Capital One cards. This typically doesn’t include cobranded cards, though this isn’t set in stone based on reports from some cardholders. 
How is my Capital One credit limit determined?
You’ll find that each credit card provider has its own criteria to determine the amount of credit line you will receive. This often includes:
  • Annual income.
    Get a higher credit limit with a higher annual income.
  • Employment.
    Having a steady job proves you are responsible and you have a steady income to pay off your debt.
  • Creditworthiness.
    Clean credit history and a high credit score pave the way for a higher credit line.
  • Relationship with Capital One.
    Loyal customers may get rewarded with a higher credit limit.
How often will Capital One increase your credit limit?
You can request a higher credit line once every six months.
How can I find out my Capital One credit limit?
Log in to your online Capital One credit card account and find your credit limit in your account summary. Alternatively, look for the specific amount in your credit card statement.
How do I know if I am eligible for a credit line increase?
Capital One has its own criteria to determine your eligibility, including:
  • Your credit card account must be at least three months old.
  • Your credit card must be unsecured.
  • You have not received a credit line increase or decrease in the last six months.
  • You make timely payments with all creditors.
  • You must pay more than your minimum payment each month.
Keep in mind that even if you meet these criteria, Capital One may still decline your credit limit increase request.
How to increase my Capital One credit limit
Once you are eligible for a credit limit increase, you have four options:
  1. Submit your request online
  2. Call the bank
  3. Get an automatic credit limit increase
  4. Apply for another card
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.
  • Review your types of spending. If you spend evenly across many different categories, you might get the most value out of Capital One’s flat-rate cashback cards — that is, the cards that offer the same rewards rate on every purchase. But if you spend heavily in a few categories such as dining or entertainment, a card in Capital One’s Savor suit might prove more lucrative.
  • Do you have fair credit? If you have average or limited credit history, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card might be the right choice.
  • 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.
The right Capital One card for you is the one that fits your financial needs best. For example, Logan Allec, CPA and owner at Money Done Right, tells Finder that he has one of the Spark small business credit cards.
“Because most of the expenses I have in my business don’t fall into traditional bonus categories such as travel or dining, I was looking for a card for my business that could give me 2% back on every purchase, and this card fit the bill!”
Jessica Clark, a 35-year-old mother and founder of Gluten Free Supper, tells Finder that she uses a Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. 
“I chose this card because, at the time, I did not have perfect credit and that was not a requirement. I also was enticed by the 0% initial interest rate for purchases as well as balance transfers. I initially used my Quicksilver card to transfer a balance from another credit card that carried a balance with a high interest rate. This allowed me to pay off that balance a lot quicker. Now that I no longer have any credit card debt, I use my Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card for all of my monthly expenses as well as spending and groceries.”
Types of Capital One cards
Capital One is best known for its dining and entertainment credit card offerings, as well as its powerful travel rewards cards. In fact, you might consider Capital One as slightly 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 several balance transfer cards, their APR offers tend to come and go. You’ll also encounter balance transfer fees with several of these cards.
  • 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 cash 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.
How to compare Capital One credit cards with no annual fee
Capital One offers a variety of no-annual-fee credit cards, including cashback cards, credit-building cards and a travel card. In fact, Capital One cards are cheaper on average compared to providers like Chase or Amex, with the most expensive Capital One cards topping out at around $95 annually. However, there’s still plenty of power packed into Capital One cards.
Comparing Capital One cards with no annual fee is straightforward given the range of cards available under the Capital One umbrella. Here are the main features to look at.
  • Rewards. Any opportunity to earn rewards on a purchase without paying an annual fee is pure value.
  • Intro APR. A few Capital One cards offer low intro rates on purchases and balance transfers.
  • APR. If you plan on carrying a balance, you’ll want as low an ongoing APR as possible.
Standout benefits of Capital One cards
  • Dining and entertainment rewards. Capital One possesses one of the strongest cashback rewards cards on the market for dining and entertainment in the Capital One Savor Rewards.
  • 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. And similar to these competitors, the Venture cards earn rewards on many types of travel purchases.
  • No foreign transaction fees on a majority of cards.   Capital One charges no foreign transaction fees, even for nontravel cards. You might be surprised to find no foreign transaction fees for specific 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 for this feature to return.
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.
    

      


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          Kevin Joey Chen's headshot
        

          


    

      
      
      

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        Kevin Chen is a personal finance expert and a former writer at Finder. His expertise has been featured in CNN, U.S. News and World Report, Lifehacker and CreditCards.com, among other top media. See full bio
      


          

  


  
  
                            

        

    






            
 
    
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