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Compare Capital One credit cards
Choose from over a dozen cards across multiple categories.
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Capital One has a robust collection of credit cards to suit the needs of anyone from students to business owners. Compare the suite, find out how to apply and learn about typical card features.
What's in this guide?
Best of Capital One credit cards
Capital One offers over a dozen cards, including cashback, travel, secured and student products. Here are the top cards you can choose from.
Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
- Get this card if: You travel frequently.
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.You’ll also find a no-annual-fee option — the Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card. It’s a good card, but it’s slightly outclassed by competitors like the Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card.
- Annual fee: Waived for the first year.
Enjoy a $0 annual fee for the first year. After that, you’ll pay a $95 annual fee to own the card. - Signup bonus: 50,000 bonus miles.
You’ll earn 50,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. These miles are worth $500 toward travel. - Rewards: Flat rewards on every purchase.
Earn 2x miles on all purchases. - More miles when you book eligible stays through Hotels.com.
Earn 10x miles when you pay for an eligible hotel stay at Hotels.com with your Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card card. - No foreign transaction fees.
Pay no transaction fees when you use your card abroad or at a foreign website.
Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Get this card if: You want cash back.
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.
If you’re a foodie, look into the Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card, which offers excellent cash back on dining.
If you’re a foodie, look into the Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card, which offers excellent cash back on dining.
- Annual fee: None.
- Signup bonus: $150 cash bonus.
To earn it, spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months after opening your account. - Rewards: Flat cash back on every purchase.
Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases. - Intro APR: 0% on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months after account opening.
After that, your purchase and balance transfer APR will be 15.49%, 21.49% or 25.49% variable. - No foreign transaction fees.
Pay no transaction fees when you use your card abroad or at a foreign website.
Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One®
- Get this card if: You’re a student.
If you’re a student, it’s hard to go wrong with the Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One®. You’ll pay no annual fee, and you’ll earn cash back on all purchases. When you pay your card bill on time, you’ll earn cash back on the rewards you earned for that billing period.Student cards aren’t known for their high credit limits, but luckily Capital One may raise your limit if you meet certain requirements. It’s a nice bonus that rewards responsible card use.
- Annual fee: None.
- Rewards: Flat cash back on every purchase.
Earn 1% cash back on all purchases. When you pay your card bill on time, you’ll earn an extra 0.25% on the cash back you’ve earned during that billing cycle. - 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. - No foreign transaction fees.
Pay 0% transaction fees when you use your card abroad or at a foreign website. This makes the Journey® Student Rewards from Capital One® a great choice if you’re studying abroad or taking a foreign trip.
Capital One® Secured Mastercard®
- Get this card if: You’re new to or building credit
The Capital One® Secured Mastercard® 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. Additionally, if you make enough qualifying monthly payments, Capital One will raise your credit limit. These two benefits create a top-tier secured product.
- Annual fee: None.
- Security deposit: $49, $99 or $200 based on your creditworthiness.
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. - No foreign transaction fees.
You won’t pay any transaction fees when you use your card abroad or at a foreign website.
Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business or Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business (tie)
If you’re a business owner with excellent credit, Capital One has great options for you. For cash back, look into the Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business. For travel rewards, try the Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business. Both are impressive cards that offer strong flat rewards.
If you don’t want to pay an annual fee, you’re in luck: The Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business and Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business offer solid rewards without the yearly cost.
Both of these cards also offer price protection – a rare perk on cards nowadays.
How we selected our best cards
We analyzed Capital One’s entire collection of credit cards, adding to our “best of” list the products with standout features for major categories. We considered factors such as annual fee, signup bonus, rewards and intro APR.
Our pick for a Capital One credit card
Compare Capital One credit cards
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Full list of Capital One credit cards
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- Capital One® Platinum Credit Card
- Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One® QuicksilverOne® Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One® Savor® Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One® SavorOne℠ Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One® Secured Mastercard®
- Capital One® Spark® Cash for Business
- Capital One® Spark® Cash Select for Business
- Capital One® Spark® Classic for Business
- Capital One® Spark® Miles for Business
- Capital One® Spark® Miles Select for Business
- Capital One® Venture® Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One® VentureOne® Rewards Credit Card
Compare Capital One credit cards by card type
How to apply for a Capital One card
Visit the Capital One website and click Apply Now on the credit card page. Before you apply, check that you meet the eligibility requirements and have the required information on hand.
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
To complete the application, you’ll need to provide information that includes:
- 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.
How to prequalify for a Capital One card
Capital One rewards program
Capital One rewards cards offer cash back or miles.
If you earn cash back, you can redeem it for rewards that include:
- Statement credit.
- Cash rewards in the form of a check.
- Gift cards.
If you earn miles, you can redeem them for rewards that include:
- Statement credit for travel purchases.
- Cash rewards in the form of a check.
- Account credit.
- Gift cards.
How can you redeem rewards?
To redeem rewards, log in to your credit card account on the Capital One website. Then navigate to the Redeem Rewards page.
How much are rewards worth?
Capital One miles are worth 1 cent apiece, which is standard across the industry.
Typical features and benefits of a Capital One card
- No annual fee or first-year fee waived. Capital One’s cards are split between no-annual-fee products and cards that have a $95 annual fee that’s waived for the first year.
- Rewards. Choose between cards that offer either cash back or miles. The only exception is the secured card, which doesn’t offer any rewards.
- No foreign transaction fees. 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.
- Signup bonus. Capital One signup bonuses generally have relatively low spending requirements.
- Wide range of ongoing variable APRs. Before applying for a Capital One card, look closely at its purchase and balance transfer APRs. Interest rates vary widely between this provider’s products.
- Excellent credit required for some cards. Many providers accept cardholders with good credit. For several of its cards, Capital One recommends applying with excellent credit.
- Mobile app. You can download the bank’s mobile app to monitor your account, make payments and more.
Combining 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. This feature has been discontinued, though Capital One claims this is only temporary, so keep an eye out the potential return of this feature.
How does Capital One keep my credit card information secure?
Capital One encrypts your data with 128-bit Secure Socket Layer (SSL), which hides your information from unauthorized third parties. When you’re on the Capital One website, you’ll see a lock symbol next to your browser’s address bar. This indicates you have a secure connection with the provider’s website.
If you like viewing your credit card account on your mobile phone, you can use Capital One’s mobile app. Use it to pay your bills, monitor your account activity, redeem rewards, or send money to friends and family.
Capital One will send you email or text alerts if it detects unusual transactions. And through the Capital One Wallet app, you can opt to receive real-time notifications when your card is used.
Bottom line
Capital One has an impressive stable of cards, including annual-fee and no-annual-fee options. Whether you’re looking to rebuild your credit, earn flat cash back or rack up travel rewards, it likely has a card to fit your unique situation.
If you’re not sure whether a Capital One product is right for you, check out other credit card providers to compare more options.
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