Unlimited Cash Back for All Purchase Categories
Credit Needed: Good/Excellent
In the competitive field of cash back credit cards, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a steadfast contender. It boasts no annual fee and has a number of pluses. The card comes with 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases. Capital One offers a one-time cash bonus of $200 once you spend $500 on purchases in the first three months of opening the card. Your rewards don’t expire, and you can redeem your cash back at any time. While it doesn’t offer all the bells and whistles of cards with rotating bonus point categories, the beauty of this card is its simplicity. You’ll always know how many points you’re earning, and you’ll never be limited by quarterly purchase limits.
The intro APR for balance transfers and purchases is 0% for 15 months and then 19.74% - 29.74% Variable based on your creditworthiness and varying with the Prime Rate.
The card has no foreign transaction fee, so you can use it for hassle-free travel. Additionally, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card comes with World Elite Mastercard benefits. Travelers will enjoy complimentary room upgrades when available, and early check-in and check-out. You can be reimbursed up to $1,500 for non-refundable travel expenses if your trip is canceled or cut short by illness or injury. And if you need help booking travel, there’s a complimentary concierge service to help with reservations 24 hours a day. Other benefits include price and extended warranty protection on eligible items.
Smart Features
No annual fee - No annual fee means you don’t have to worry about keeping this card for several years as you’re not charged to use it.
Early spend bonus - Earn a one-time cash bonus of $200 once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months.
Unlimited rewards - All purchases receive 1.5% cash back with no limit on how much you earn.
0% intro APR - The APR for purchases and balance transfers will be 0% for the first 15 months of having the card. Afterward, an APR of 19.74% - 29.74% Variable will apply based on your credit rating.
Redemption options - You can use the points you earn to pay for cash back, Amazon.com purchases and a variety of other options.
No foreign transaction fee - You won’t have to switch cards to avoid fees when you travel with the Quicksilver Rewards card.
World Elite Mastercard Benefits - This card comes with Capital One’s World Elite Mastercard Benefits which includes travel upgrades and savings, travel protection, price protection and complimentary concierge service.
Who It Benefits
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is for those who prefer simplicity and easy perks. There’s no annual fee associated with the card. And, you earn points with every purchase. There’s no strategy or opting-in to benefit from the unlimited cash back with this card. As long as you’re not seeking to get the highest amount of points possible for every purchase, this card will fit your needs. It’s ideal for those who use credit to purchase a variety of things, rather than those who travel or dine out frequently. If you’re in the latter category, you’d likely earn more points with a different card.
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card also offers decent travel benefits for the occasional traveler. With no foreign transaction fees, you can bring the card on any trip. And the extra perk of World Elite Mastercard benefits means you’ll have access to travel upgrades and savings, travel protection, price protection and complimentary concierge service.
How It Works
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a basic cash back card that offers unlimited cash back at 1.5% for all purchases. You can earn a one-time cash bonus of $200 cash if you spent $500 or more within the first three months. To redeem your rewards, you can get a statement credit or check. You also can set up automatic redemption preferences. This means you could set an annual date, or a specific amount threshold ($25, $50, $100 or $200) to reach. Your options for rewards include gift cards, previous purchases and a few other options. As long as you keep your account open, your rewards will never expire.
This card features no annual fees and no penalty APR for late payments. Your purchase and balance transfer intro APR starts at 0% for the first 15 months that your account is open. After that, the APR will be 19.74% - 29.74% Variable, based on your creditworthiness. For cash advances, the APR is 29.74% Variable and is variable based on the Prime Rate.
The cash advance fee is either $10 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater. Foreign transactions carry no fees.
There isn’t a penalty APR for late payments, but there are fees Up to $40.
The card also comes with a number of travel protections and benefits. You can be reimbursed for up to $1,500 per trip for things such as sickness or injury. If you need help booking travel or making restaurant reservations, there’s a complimentary concierge service. Benefits also include complimentary room upgrades and access to a portfolio of luxury hotels.
Capital One offers several services to keep consumer credit safe. These safety features include fraud coverage, security alerts and identity theft resolution services.
What’s the Catch
There isn’t an obvious catch to the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. It’s simple, boasts no annual fee and has an easy-to-use cash back benefit. However, if you’re looking to max out rewards, this is not the optimal card for you.
While 1.5% is a fair percentage for unlimited cash back, it’s not for all consumers. If you frequently dine out or travel, you stand to earn more cash back with other cards. Those two categories are the most common for higher cash back percentages. With the Quicksilver Cash Rewards card, you’re not rewarded for particular purchases.
Just the Math Please
Rewards
Capital One offers 1.5% cash back for its Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. You can earn an unlimited amount of cash back with this card. The percentage stays the same across all categories of purchases: 1.5%.
There’s an early spend bonus of $200 if you spend $500 on the card within the first three months.
Rates and Fees
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for Purchases
0% intro APR for the first 15 months that your account is open. After 15 months, your APR will be 19.74% - 29.74% Variable, based on your creditworthiness. The APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
APR for Balance Transfers
0% intro APR for the first 15 months that your account is open. After 15 months, your APR will be 19.74% - 29.74% Variable, based on your creditworthiness. The APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
APR for Cash Advances
29.74% Variable and will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
Penalty APR and When It Applies
N/A
How to Avoid Paying Interest on Purchases
Your due date is at least 25 days after the close of each billing cycle.
Capital One will not charge you interest on purchases if you pay your entire balance by the due date each month. You will be charged interest on balance transfers and cash advances on the transaction date.
Annual Fee
$0
Transaction Fees
Balance Transfer 3% of the amount of each transfer that posts to your account at a promotional APR that Capital One may offer you. None for balances that you transfer at the regular APR.
Cash Advance $10 or 3% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater
Foreign Purchase Transaction None
Penalty Fees
Late Payment Up to $40
Returned Payment N/A
How It Stacks Up
Although this card features plenty of consumer benefits, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card may not be the right card for everyone.
If you’re looking for a card with cash back benefits, try the Chase Freedom Unlimited card. You can earn 6.5% cash back on travel when you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and on dining including takeout and eligible delivery services, and 3% cash back on everything else (up to $20,000 spent in the first year). After your first year or after $20,000 spent, earn 5% cash back on travel when you purchase through Chase Ultimate Rewards and 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and on dining including takeout and eligible delivery services, and 1.5% cash back on everything else.
Citi Double Cash Card is another card that doesn’t have reward bonus categories. You earn 1% on all purchases and an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases. There’s no annual fee but there is a 3% foreign transaction fee. There is a penalty APR of up to 29.99% variable for late payments.
Bottom Line
The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card fits the bill if you’re in the market for an all-around decent cash back card. The 1.5% cash back rate might seem low in comparison to cards that offer 2% - 5% in rotating categories. However, you don’t have to activate categories or check which rotating categories have higher rates for the month or quarter. You also earn unlimited rewards which means you’ll never have to worry about maxing out your cash back.
Perks also include a $200 one-time cash bonus that you can earn, 0% introductory APR for 15 months and no foreign transaction fees. Overall, it’s a great package for a card with no annual fee. With that said, the card’s not for everyone. If you travel often, you may wish to take advantage of a card that maximizes travel cash back rewards. The same goes for frequent restaurant goers. You’ll likely earn more with a card that gives higher cash back percentages for dining out. As with any financial decision, be sure to consider the options and make a decision based on your situation.
Next Steps
- Finding a qualified financial advisor doesn’t have to be hard. SmartAsset’s free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors in your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If you’re ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now.
- Having a great credit card is one way to improve your financial life. Another way is to be the proud owner of a savings account with a strong interest rate.