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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 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
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.
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Pros
- Welcome offer. Earn 75,000 miles when you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months of account opening.
- Earn miles. Earn 10X miles on hotel and car rental purchases made through Capital One travel, 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One travel, and 2X miles on all other purchases. You can redeem these miles through Capital One and even transfer them to travel partners.
- Numerous credits. You'll receive up to $300 back in statement credits each year when you book through Capital One Travel and 10,000 miles each card account anniversary starting on your first anniversary. These two perks alone pay for the cost of the card.
Cons
- Not all travel partners transfer at 1:1 ratios. Most, but not all, of Capital One's travel partners allow for 1:1 transferring of your miles.
- No intro APR. You won't find an intro APR on purchases or balance transfers with this luxury card.
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| Annual fee | $395 |
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| Purchase APR | 19.99% - 29.99% variable |
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| Foreign transaction fee | None |
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| Welcome Offer | 75,000 miles after you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months of account opening |
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| Estimated welcome offer value | $750 based on Finder's valuation |
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| Rewards | Up to 10x miles |
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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.
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Pros
- No annual fee. You won't need to pay an annual fee to use this card.
- Cash back. For purchases you make through Uber and Uber Eats you'll earn 10% 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 Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card still only requires a fair credit score.
Cons
- No intro APR period. There's no 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases.
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| Annual fee | $0 |
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| Purchase APR | 19.99% to 29.99% variable |
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| Balance transfer APR | 19.99% to 29.99% variable (Fee: $0 at the Transfer APR, 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you) |
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| Welcome Offer | Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months |
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| Rewards | Up to 10% cash back |
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Best for everyday student purchases
Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card
This 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.
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Pros
- No annual fee. You won't need to pay an annual fee to use this card.
- Cash back. Purchases you make through Uber and Uber Eats will earn you 10% cash back. Earn 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, select streaming services and eligible grocery stores and 1% back on other purchases.
- Open to fair credit. You can qualify for this student card with just fair credit.
Cons
- No intro APR period. There's no 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases.
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| Annual fee | $0 |
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| Purchase APR | 19.99% - 29.99% variable |
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| Balance transfer APR | 19.99% to 29.99% variable (Fee: $0 at the Transfer APR, 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you) |
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| Welcome Offer | Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months |
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| Rewards | Up to 10% cash back |
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Best cashback card for fair credit
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
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.
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Pros
- Cash back. Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.
- Access to higher credit limits. Capital One may consider increasing your credit limit in as little as six months.
- No foreign transaction fees. Freely use this card abroad and you won't pay any foreign transaction fees.
Cons
- Annual fee. You'll pay a $39 annual fee for this card.
- No sign up bonus. You don't get to earn a bonus when you sign up for this card.
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| Annual fee | $39 |
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| Purchase APR | 30.74% variable |
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| Balance transfer APR | 30.74% variable (Fee: $0 at the Transfer APR, 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you) |
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| Welcome Offer | N/A |
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| Rewards | Up to 5% cash back |
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Best no-annual-fee card for fair credit
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
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.
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Pros
- 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.
Cons
- High APR. This card carries a higher than average purchase APR of 30.74% 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.
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| Annual fee | $0 |
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| Purchase APR | 30.74% variable |
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| Balance transfer APR | 30.74% variable (Fee: $0 at the Transfer APR, 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you) |
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| Welcome Offer | N/A |
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| Rewards | None |
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Best for rebuilding credit
Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card
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.
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Pros
- 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. You'll automatically be considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months after opening the card.
Cons
- 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.
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| Annual fee | $0 |
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| Minimum deposit required | $49, $99 or $200 |
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| Purchase APR | 30.74% variable |
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| Balance transfer APR | 30.74% variable (Fee: $0 at the Transfer APR, 3% of the amount of each transferred balance that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer to you) |
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| Minimum credit score | New to credit |
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| Minimum deposit required | $49, $99 or $200 |
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| Purchase APR | 30.74% variable |
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| Annual fee | $0 |
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| Minimum credit score | New to credit |
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Best for entry-level travel
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
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.
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Pros
- Reward miles. Earn unlimited 2x miles on all purchases. Also earn 5x miles on hotels and car rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
- Signup bonus. Earn 75,000 bonus miles after you spend $4,000 in your first 3 months of account opening, or still earn miles after you spend in your first. This is up to a $750 value if you earn the full bonus.
- TSA PreCheck or Global Entry fee credit. Get up to $100 statement credit when you use your card to pay for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee.
Cons
- Annual fee. You'll pay a $95 annual fee for this card.
- No intro APR period. You don't get a 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases with this card.
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| Annual fee | $95 |
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| Purchase APR | 19.99% - 29.99% variable |
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| Foreign transaction fee | None |
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| Welcome Offer | Enjoy a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel |
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| Estimated welcome offer value | $750 based on Finder's valuation |
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| Rewards | Up to 5x miles |
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Best for cash back
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
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.
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Pros
- 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 and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- Intro APR periods. Get 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months after account opening. After that, your APR will be 19.99% to 29.99% variable. You’ll pay a balance transfer fee of 3% on balance transfers performed in the first 15 months.
Cons
- Potentially high APR. Look out for the ongoing APR on purchases and balance transfers after the intro APR periods expire.
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| Annual fee | $0 |
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| Purchase APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.99% - 29.99% variable) |
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| Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.99% - 29.99% variable) (Fee: 3% for the first 15 months or at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time. No fee for amounts transferred at the Transfer APR) |
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| Welcome Offer | $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening |
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| Rewards | Up to 1.5% cash back |
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Best for dining and entertainment
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
If you mostly spend on dining and entertainment but still don't want to pay an annual fee, Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card could be a solid choice.
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Pros
- Annual fee. None.
- APR. 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then a normal purchase and balance transfer APR of 19.99% to 29.99% variable. You’ll pay a balance transfer fee of 3% on balance transfers performed in the first 15 months.
- 3% cash back on dining and entertainment. 3% cash back on dining and at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), 3% cash back on popular streaming services and entertainment, 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Plus 10% cash back on purchases made through Uber & Uber Eats.
- Welcome offer. $200 cash bonus after you make $500 in purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Cons
- Potentially high ongoing APR. Your APR mostly depends on your creditworthiness. Avoid paying the high interest by paying your balance when due.
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| Annual fee | $0 |
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| Purchase APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.99% to 29.99% variable) |
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| Balance transfer APR | 0% intro for the first 15 months (then 19.99% to 29.99% variable) (Fee: 3% for the first 15 months or at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you at any other time. No fee for amounts transferred at the Transfer APR) |
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| Welcome Offer | Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening |
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| Rewards | Up to 10% cash back |
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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.
- Go to the Capital One prequalification page.
- Complete the prequalification form with your name, date of birth, Social Security number and residential address, employment status and annual income.
- 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.
- Visit the Capital One website.
- Navigate to the credit cards section and pick the card you want.
- Choose Apply now.
- Complete the application with details such as your full name, contact information, employment status and total annual income.
- 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.
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.
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:
- Submit your request online
- Call the bank
- Get an automatic credit limit increase
- Apply for another 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.”
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.
- 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.
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.
Credit card ratings
★★★★★ — Excellent
★★★★★ — Good
★★★★★ — Average
★★★★★ — Subpar
★★★★★ — Poor
Our team evaluates credit cards to determine their value against similar cards on the market.
We rank card types — travel, cash back, business — on a set of factors that are most relevant to that type of card. We create these rankings to help you narrow down a credit card that best suits your spending and budget.
Learn the details of our methodology and scoring.
