Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card Review [2023]: Simple, No-Fuss Rewards

When it comes to rewards credit cards, sorting through the hundreds of options can be overwhelming. And if you’re new to credit cards, the idea of juggling multiple cards or monitoring ever-changing spending categories can be downright stressful.

That’s why the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card(Rates and fees) is such a smart choice. You can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day — easy! In this Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards review, learn how this card works and what benefits you’ll receive as a cardholder.

Unlimited Cash Back

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.5

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

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Rates and fees

Current Offer

Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply)

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
• No annual fee
• 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, then 19.99% - 29.99% (variable) APR; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within 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)
• 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day

Drawbacks

• Limited bonus categories

Card Details

• Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
• Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
• $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
• Enjoy up to 6 months of complimentary Uber One membership statement credits through 11/14/2024
• Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
• No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
• 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months

Key takeaways

• We recommend the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card if you want a simple rewards rate and access to multiple intro APR offers.
• We don’t think the Capital One Quicksilver makes sense if you want increased earning potential on specific purchases, such as gas or groceries.

Who should get the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card?

The Capital One Quicksilver makes sense if you want a simple rewards rate to help you earn elevated cash back on all eligible purchases. The Quicksilver provides 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).

The Capital One Quicksilver doesn’t have many ways to earn bonus rewards, such as through rotating bonus categories. But not having to worry about loads of bonus categories helps keep things uncomplicated.

In addition, Quicksilver cardholders can take advantage of multiple intro APR offers to help avoid high interest rates for a certain period:

• Intro APR offer on purchases: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable))
• Intro APR offer on balance transfers: 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable)) with a balance transfer fee of 3% fee on the amounts transferred within 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)

Note that you typically need a good or excellent credit score to qualify for the Capital One Quicksilver. That means having a decent credit history length and a history that shows positive creditworthiness factors, such as making on-time payments and not carrying large balances.

Card basics

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards benefits and perks

• Easily attainable early spend bonus: New cardholders can get a one-time cash bonus — earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. Use your card just for essentials at the gas station or grocery stores, and you can easily meet the spending requirement.
  
• Introductory APR period: With this card, you get 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (then 19.99% - 29.99% (variable) APR), as well as 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 19.99% - 29.99% (variable) APR). A 3% fee on the amounts transferred within 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).
• Simple reward structure: Forget worrying about rotating spending categories. With the Quicksilver card, you’ll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. Plus, your rewards remain active for the life of the account; they don't expire unless you close your card.
• No foreign transaction fees: The Quicksilver Cash Rewards card doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee, so it’s a great card to take with you when you travel outside the United States.
• Additional option to earn on travel bookings: Earn 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
• Capital One Entertainment: As a Capital One cardmember, you’ll get access to premier culinary events, concerts, music festivals, and sporting events. You have the option to use your rewards, your card, or a combination of the two to book tickets through Capital One Entertainment.
• Extended warranty protection¹ : Cardholders get extended warranty protection when they use their card to purchase eligible items.
• Trip insurance: Even though it's a cash back rewards card, it offers some valuable travel protections, including car rental insurance.  
• Roadside assistance: The Quicksilver Cash Rewards card also comes with a roadside assistance benefit, offering peace of mind if you ever find yourself stranded with a flat tire or a dead battery.
• Travel assistance: If someone steals your card or you lose it during your travels, you can get an emergency replacement card and a cash advance. 
  
• CreditWise access: This credit card offers access to CreditWise, which cardmembers can use to get a free credit score access and receive alerts about changes to their Experian or Transunion credit reports.
  
• Concierge service: Capital One offers round-the-clock concierge service to cardmembers. Whether you need to book travel or buy event tickets, this service has got you covered.
  

Drawbacks to the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card

• Not as many travel-related card benefits: While this card offers straightforward cashback rewards, it offers limited perks for travel when compared with a card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card(Rates and fees). The Venture Rewards offers two complimentary visits per year to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges, as well as up to a $100 credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck^® application fee.

Learn more in our Capital One Venture Card review or check out our comparison of the Capital One Venture vs. Quicksilver to see which better fits your needs.

Earning and redeeming cash back with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card

Potential earnings in years one and two

Here's a look at how your cash back can add up with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card.

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual amount of cash back you earn will be determined by how much you spend.

Year one earnings: $703

Year two earnings: $503

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending and the early spend bonus.

Best ways to earn

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a simple rewards card. There’s no need to juggle cards to earn rewards or track bonus categories; you can earn a solid rate of return by using the Quicksilver card for every purchase. With the Quicksilver Cash Rewards card, you’ll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. There’s no cap on how much you can earn, and your cashback rewards never expire as long as your account remains open.

Because you earn the same cashback rate on every purchase, it’s a good idea to use this card for your routine expenses, such as your utility bills or subscriptions. That way, you can score rewards for your everyday spending. 

And don't forget about earning rewards on certain travel purchases. You'll earn 5% on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).

If you spend frequently on dining and entertainment, you may want to consider the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card. By comparing the Capital One Savor vs. Quicksilver cards side-by-side, you can see which better fits your spending habits. You can also find more details in our Capital One Savor Cash Rewards review.

Maximizing your redemptions

You can redeem your cashback rewards for statement credits, or you can opt to receive a check. You can also use it to earn gift cards or to pay for orders on Amazon. Other redemption options include credits to cover previous purchases, Capital One Travel bookings, and making eligible purchases with PayPal.

Capital One also allows you to set up an automatic redemption preference if you wish. You can have your cash back automatically redeemed during certain times of the year or when your account hits a set threshold, such as $50.

If you're looking for a card with more flexible or lucrative redemptions, the Chase Freedom Unlimited^® is an excellent alternative. You would be able to redeem your rewards for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program and maximize your point values using the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal.

By comparing directly the redemption options of the Chase Freedom Unlimited vs. Capital One Quicksilver cards, you can determine which gives you a greater return for your spending habits. You can also get in-depth details in our Chase Freedom Unlimited review.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards FAQs

Other cards to consider

The bottom line is that the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is a good choice for an everyday-use card. However, another card may be a better option if you tend to spend money in select categories or want a higher rate of return.

Like the Quicksilver card, the U.S. Bank Cash+^® Visa Signature^® Card has a $0 annual fee, and you’ll earn 5% cash back on two categories you choose (up to $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter) and on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Center; 2% cash back on one everyday category, like gas stations/EV charging stations, grocery stores, or restaurants; and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases. Plus, you can earn a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening. If you want to take advantage of higher reward rates in rotating categories, this card may be a good option. 

Find out more in our U.S. Bank Cash+ Visa Signature Card review.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ card also has a $0 annual fee, and you’ll get 5% total cash back on qualifying Lyft rides; 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories you activate (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants (including takeout and eligible delivery service); and 1% cash back on all other purchases. New members can also earn a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. 

The Freedom Flex is one of the best credit cards out there if you're interested in generous cashback earnings on everyday spending. It also offers the flexibility of redeeming your cash back for travel through the Chase Ultimate Rewards program.

Get more details in our Chase Freedom Flex review.

Unlimited Cash Back

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.5

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.5

FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.

Apply Now

Why We Like It

Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening

Rates and fees

Apply Now

See how these cards compare:

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

• Earn a $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening
• No annual fee
• Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
• Up to 5% cash back on eligible purchases

Chase Freedom Flex℠

• Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening
• Up to 5% cash back on spending
• Perks from Lyft, DoorDash, and more

Author Details

Kat Tretina Kat Tretina is a personal finance expert focusing on practical financial matters, including student loans, debt repayment, side hustles, insurance, and healthcare. Drawing from her personal experience, she aims to simplify complex financial topics and provide individuals with the information they need to make informed decisions.

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