BUSINESS NEWS
The best credit card to help you save
Danny Nelson
Reviewed
Published 4:10 PM EDT Sep 18, 2019
— Our editors review and recommend products to help you buy the stuff you need. If you sign up for a credit card after clicking one of our links, we may earn a small fee for referring you. However, our picks and opinions are independent from USA TODAY’s newsroom and any business incentives.
Spend a little here, earn a little everywhere—the Capital One® Quicksilver® Cash Rewards Credit Card takes the guesswork out of earning cash back. In a word: simplicity. Quicksilver shoos away those complicated pick-and-choose policies that other cash-back cards favor. That’s because the universal cash-back rate—1.5%—applies to every purchase you make.
We picked the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards as one of our top choices to save money due to this simplicity. That 1.5% is one of the better universal rates on the market, and you won’t have to fight through a mystifying web of policies to collect the points you’ve earned. Plus, there are a few solid perks, like no annual fee, a 15-month 0% introductory APR, and a $150 sign-up bonus to sweeten the deal.
Learn more about the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card
Sign-up bonus: $150 back after spending $500 in the first three months
Annual Fee: None
Introductory APR: 0% for 15 months
Regular APR: 16.24%-26.24%
Points: 1.5% on every purchase
Balance Transfer Fee: 3%
Balance Transfer APR: 16.24%-26.24%
Foreign Transaction Fees: None
Who should get the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards?
Consider applying for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards if you have good or excellent credit. Capital One doesn’t announce the minimum score its approves for this card, but a strong credit history and above-average score should make applying a breeze.
What points do you get with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards?
Who doesn’t love consistency? On that front the Quicksilver Cash Rewards card delivers in a big way. This card rewards you 1.5% cash back on all purchases, no matter what you’re buying, when or where. Every purchase, every day, delivers 1.5% back. The points you earn never expire, and you can collect an unlimited number of them.
You can get your cash-back in three different ways. First, you can redeem it as a check from Capital One or as a statement credit. Second, you can apply it to a recent purchase, like a new laptop or refrigerator. Third, you can request it in the form of a gift card. All of this can be done via your Capital One mobile app.
More: Learn more about the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards
What perks do you get with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards?
This card already lets you make money by spending money, so some extra perks come as no surprise. You’ll get a $150 bonus after spending $500 on the card—as long as you do it in your first three months, that is. Add that to your cash back mountain.
It’s also a great card for people who want basic perks on top of lots of cash back. You’ll get access Capital One’s 24/7 concierge desk while you’re traveling abroad, and you’ll never have to worry about foreign transaction fees—there aren’t any. You can purchase with confidence, too. Certain items are covered under Capital One’s extended warranty program.
How does the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards compare to other cards?
This isn’t the only Capital One-branded card for cash-back lovers. Say you want that sweet 1.5% cash-back on purchases, but don’t have the credit history or score to make it happen. If that’s the case, consider applying for the Capital One QuicksilverOne rewards card, which has a similar rewards philosophy at a $39 annual fee.
More: The best credit cards of 2019
What drawbacks does the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards have?
Other cards on the market boast higher cash back rates, sometimes at 4% or even 5%. But the fine print on those cards often limits the card’s potential, with rotating rewards calendars and quarterly cash-back limits that eat away at your ability to earn cash back. The Quicksilver Cash Rewards card’s no-nonsense approach does away with that, so you’re essentially trading higher cash-back rates for an easier process.
The Quicksilver Cash Rewards charges up to $39 for overdue payments. Don’t ever let your balance go overdue and you’ll never have to worry.
How does the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards rank in our reviews?
We’ve reviewed the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card before, highlighting it as one of the top cash-back cards to help you save money on big purchases, and as an excellent choice for sports fans, too. Head to those posts for an in-depth look at those aspects of the card.
This one’s a winner, especially against other, lesser, cash-back cards. It’s rated among our best credit cards for 2019.
Things to know about credit cards:
Long introductory period APR rates are only a short-term incentive. Potentially high APR rates snap into effect after the card’s intro period ends, which could cost you a lot in interest if you’ve left your balance unpaid. It’s really important—especially when getting a card for a big purchase—to keep an eye on your finances, and keep an eye on the calendar.
APR rates and credit limits vary based on your individual credit. Credit limits and interest rates for each card are determined based on each cardholder’s personal situation, so we did not take that information into account when evaluating these cards. Remember to pay your card off in full every month, so you will not be charged interest.
Banks have final say on who they accept for a credit card. These recommendations were put together with the assumption that applicants would have average credit or above. That being said, banks decide who they will issue credit cards to using criteria including, but not always limited to, an individual’s credit score when evaluating each applicants.
So is the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards worth it?
Ultimately, whether this card is right for you depends on your priorities as a spender and saver. Look elsewhere if you want a complex (though potentially more rewarding) system of points, shifting rewards categories, and other gambits. But if you want a consistent, no-annual fee card with a solid cash back plan and reasonable travel perks, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards is a great pick.
Learn more about the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards card
When you sign up for one of these cards, Reviewed may receive an affiliate commission from The Points Guy Affiliate Network.
Other Top Credit Card Options
The Best Credit Cards of 2019
The Best Gas Cards
The Best Hotel Credit Cards
The Best Credit Cards if You Love Traveling but Hate Flying
The Best Credit Cards for International Travel
The Best Credit Cards to Help You Save Money
The product experts at Reviewed have all your shopping needs covered. Follow Reviewed on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram for the latest, deals, product reviews, and more.
