Capital One VentureOne vs. Quicksilver: Quicksilver’s Cash Back is King

But in this no-annual-fee showdown, cash (back) is king.

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card earns a flat 1.5% cash back on all purchases, which can be redeemed for a statement credit against any transaction or for cash (as a check).

By comparison, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card earns 1.25 miles per $1 spent. Miles are worth 1 cent each and can be redeemed for a statement credit only against travel purchases. You can also redeem miles for cash (as a check), for travel through the Capital One Travel portal, or you can transfer them to over 15 travel loyalty programs. But if a travel card with transferable points for travel is what you’re after, there are better options.

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card exemplifies simplicity. You’ll earn a no-fuss, uncapped 1.5% cash back on all purchases without having to track bonus categories or spending limits. This is higher than the 1.25 miles per $1 you’ll earn with the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.

Both cards offer the ability to earn 5x on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. They also share a similar standard new cardholder bonus and introductory interest rate offer on purchases and balance transfers. That makes the higher rewards earnings rate on the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card the biggest differentiator.

Redeeming rewards from the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is just as easy as earning them. When you want to cash in, simply apply your cash back for a statement credit or request a check. There is no minimum redemption amount, so you can redeem any amount of cash back at any time. You can also set up an automatic redemption to use rewards each time your statement closes or your balance hits a certain threshold.

By comparison, you can redeem miles earned on the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card for cash (as a check) or for travel; either as a statement credit against travel purchases within 90 days of the purchase, by transferring them to a travel partner, or by using them to book travel on Capital One Travel. Since you can’t redeem your rewards against non-travel purchases for a statement credit and have to wait for a check in the mail, that makes the rewards more limiting for infrequent travelers.

Rideshare and food delivery users can put some money back in their pocket with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Through Nov. 14, 2024, cardholders will receive up to six months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits ($9.99 per month). This gives Uber users member pricing and priority access to top-rated drivers, and up to 10% off with no delivery fees on eligible orders through Uber Eats. Be sure to set a calendar reminder to cancel the subscription once the six-month period is up, otherwise, your membership will auto-renew each month.

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card doesn’t have this benefit, so food delivery and ridesharing will earn more rewards and cost less with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card.

If flexible travel rewards are what you’re after, you might prefer the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card. You’ll only earn 1.25 miles per $1 you spend on the card, but those miles can be transferred to over 15 partner travel programs. The ability to transfer to travel partners can add some extra value to your points. That’s because 1 cent earned in cash back is always going to be worth 1 cent, but one airline mile can be worth more than 1 cent in some circumstances.

Let’s say you’re going to fly to Paris. You can transfer miles earned from the VentureOne to Air France at a rate of 1:1. NerdWallet estimates the value of Air France Flying Blue miles at 1.4 cents each. If you spent $5,000 on the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card, you’d earn $75 cash back. If you spent $5,000 on the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, you’d earn 62,500 Capital One miles, which you could transfer into 62,500 Flying Blue miles. If you redeemed them for 1.4 cents each, those miles would be worth $87.50.

But outsized value from transfer to travel partners isn’t a guarantee. Miles have their own limitations. You’ll have to familiarize yourself with each partner loyalty program and battle with impediments like limited award availability when booking.

If you’re interested in learning the ropes of travel transfer partners, you’d be better off with this card’s big brother, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. That card earns 2 miles per $1 spent on everything and gives you access to the same transfer partners. While there is a $95 annual fee to contend with, you’ll get a bevy of additional travel perks in addition to the following massive sign-up bonus: 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.

For most people, the simplicity and higher rewards rate on the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card will come out ahead. If you’re looking for a travel card with transfer partners, there are better options than the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card.