Capital One Quicksilver card review: Straightforward cash-back rewards and a sign-up bonus that's easy to earn

Review: Is the Capital One Quicksilver the best cash-back credit card for you?

There are four main types of cash-back credit cards, and the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card falls into the flat-rate rewards category. This means it earns the same amount of cash back — in this case, 1.5% — no matter what you buy. It also means it's one of the easiest cards to use, because you don't have to worry about keeping track of bonus earning categories.

The Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card has a substantial welcome offer for new cardholders: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. That's a decent deal for a card with no annual fee, and one of the many reasons the card is so popular. You'll also get a handful of travel and shopping benefits, including no foreign transaction fees on international purchases.

Read more: The best cash-back credit cards of 2021

That said, there are other no-annual-fee cash-back cards that offer a similar intro bonus and potentially greater rewards on everyday spending, if you're willing to keep track of bonus categories. For example, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Chase Freedom Flex℠ earn up to 5% back in certain categories, so depending on your spending habits, one of these cards could be a better fit for you.

And if you're looking for a no-annual-fee card that has a higher rate of return on all purchases, the Citi® Double Cash Card is hard to beat. You'll effectively earn 2% back (1% when you buy, and 1% when you pay) on all purchases with no limit to what you can earn — but keep in mind, this card doesn't currently offer a welcome bonus.

Comparison: Capital One Quicksilver vs other Capital One cards

Capital One Quicksilver card vs other cash-back cards

How to use rewards from the Capital One Quicksilver card

You can redeem your rewards from the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card for a check in the mail or a statement credit. It's also possible to redeem rewards for gift cards, and your rewards will never expire as long as your account is open.

Read more: The best Capital One credit cards of 2021

Unlike some other cash-back credit cards, there's no minimum redemption amount with the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card. You can also set up automatic redemptions, either at a set time each calendar year or when your rewards reach a certain threshold ($25, $50, $100, $200, $500, or $1,500).

Benefits and features

As a no-annual-fee card, the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn't come with a ton of benefits, but there are a handful that could save you money if you make use of them.

Introductory 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months

One of the biggest benefits of the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card is the introductory 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months (after that, there's a 15.49% - 25.49% variable APR).

Read more: The best low-interest and 0% APR credit cards of 2021

This makes it easy to pay off big purchases over time without incurring huge interest charges. Just be sure you have the means to pay off your balance before the introductory APR period expires.

Extended warranty

When you use yourCapital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card to pay for eligible items that come with a manufacturer's warranty, Capital One will provide extended warranty protection at no charge.

Travel accident insurance

When you use your Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card to purchase the fare for your trip, you'll be eligible for automatic travel accident insurance for covered losses.

Read more: The best credit cards with travel insurance

24-hour travel assistance service

If you're traveling and your card is lost or stolen, you can get an emergency replacement, as well as a cash advance, to help you on your way. 

Concierge service

Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card cardholders can access a concierge service 24 hours a day to help with things like dining reservations, event tickets, and travel bookings. The concierge service itself is free, but any third-party costs are your responsibility.

Event access

The Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card gets you access to VIP experiences like curated dinners and chef collaborations, discounts, and on-site perks at sports and concert events. To take advantage of this benefit, you'll need to use your card to purchase your tickets. 

Read more: Your credit card number could get you presale ticket access to concerts, sports games, and more — here's how

Account and security alerts

Cardholders receive alerts via text, email, or phone call if Capital One detects suspicious transactions or unexpected charges on the card, and can help you quickly unauthorized card use.

$0 fraud liability 

If your card is lost or stolen, you won't be held responsible for unauthorized charges made to your account.  

Virtual card numbers

If you want to pay for purchases online without revealing your actual card number, you can generate a virtual card number for more security. 

Card lock

Cardholders can easily and instantly lock their account if their card is lost, stolen, or temporarily misplaced to prevent unauthorized charges.

Credit report alerts

You can receive alerts when information on your Experian or TransUnion credit report changes, like new account inquiries, credit score updates, or address changes.

Read more: Identity theft is a major problem, but these 5 credit card protection programs can help keep you safe

Alternatives to the Capital One Quicksilver card 

If you're on the fence about the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card and considering other options, you should see how several different cash-back credit cards stack up in terms of benefits and rewards. 

Read more: Citi Double Cash card review

For example, the Citi® Double Cash Card offers 2% cash back on all purchases (1% when you buy, and 1% when you pay). However, there's no initial sign-up bonus, so it will take longer to rack up meaningful rewards. That said, if you want to consolidate high-interest debt, the Citi® Double Cash Card has a great 0% intro APR on balance transfers for the first 18 months (then a 13.99% - 23.99% (Variable)APR) that could save you a ton on interest charges.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited®, on the other hand, offers a welcome bonus of $200 after spending $500 in the first three months from account opening. In addition, new cardholders can earn 5% cash back (5x points) at grocery stores (excluding Target and Walmart) on up to $12,000 in spending during the first year of account opening (then 1x).

It earns 5% cash back on travel purchases made through the Chase Ultimate Rewards travel portal, 3% back on drugstores and dining, and 1.5% back on everything else with no cap. If you spend a lot on the bonus categories, you'll likely do better with the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, and it also comes with an introductory 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months (then a 14.99%–23.74% variable APR).

Read more: Chase Freedom Unlimited card review

It pays to compare cash-back credit cards and their rewards programs to find the right one for you. You may find you really do want to earn a flat rate of rewards, but it's also possible you'd like a card that offers even more in bonus categories. 

Fees and costs

The Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card has no annual fee and doesn't add foreign transaction fees, so it's a good pick to use for travel abroad.

Read more: The best credit cards with no foreign transaction fees

As with most cards, there are fees for late payments, balance transfers, and cash advances. 

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