Capital One’s Platinum vs. Quicksilver: Quicksilver Clearly Wins — If You Qualify - NerdWallet (2024)

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A head-to-head battle between the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Platinum Credit Card really isn’t a fair fight. The Quicksilver has rewards, a sign-up bonus and an intro annual percentage rate (APR) period on purchases and balance transfers, all for a $0 annual fee. The Platinum doesn’t have any of those perks.

Of course, the Quicksilver’s rich benefits come at a price: your credit score. Only consumers with good to excellent credit, meaning a credit score of 690 or higher, can qualify for the Quicksilver. The Platinum has a lower barrier to entry, requiring only average credit.

Here’s how to decide between these two Capital One cards.

» MORE: Best Capital One credit cards

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Credit score requirement: According to Capital One, you'll need excellent credit to qualify for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Typically, excellent credit means a credit score of at least 720. However, note that applicants with less-than-excellent credit may be approved for a different version of this card — one that earns the same ongoing rewards, but doesn't offer the upfront incentives of a sign-up bonus or intro APR period.

Capital One Platinum Credit Card

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

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NerdWallet rating

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Annual fee

$0.

$0.

Sign-up bonus

None.

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

Rewards

None.

  • Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases.

  • Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.

APR

The ongoing APR is 29.99% Variable APR.

0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies.

Why the Quicksilver is better for most people

Simple rewards

Earning rewards with the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is as straightforward as it gets. Cardholders earn an unlimited 1.5% back on all purchases and an elevated 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through the Capital One Travel portal.

Rewards don't expire, and there is no minimum redemption amount.

Redemption options include cash back, statement credit and gift cards. Rewards may also be used to pay for purchases through PayPal and Amazon.

The Capital One Platinum Credit Card doesn’t earn any rewards.

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Through Nov. 14, 2024, Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card cardholders get up to six months of Uber One membership statement credits.

Sign-up bonus

New Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card holders will want to cash in on the card’s sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening. The Quicksilver’s bonus is equal to those offered by other highly rated cash-back cards, but the spend threshold to receive it is substantially lower than some other cards’. Many people will have no trouble spending the required $500 within three months to get the bonus.

Typical of cards for people with fair credit, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card doesn’t have a sign-up bonus.

» MORE: Best credit card bonuses

Intro APR and balance transfer period

Unlike the Capital One Platinum Credit Card, the Quicksilver boasts an intro APR period for new cardholders: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 19.99% - 29.99% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies. Paired with the card’s sign-up bonus and rewards, the intro APR period makes the Quicksilver an excellent card for those who need to finance large purchases.

Say your AC unit needs to be replaced at a cost of $5,000. By paying for the installation with your new Quicksilver card, you’ll immediately cash in on the sign-up bonus — and earn an additional $75 in rewards. Plus, for the next year or so, you won’t have to worry about paying interest on that sizable balance thanks to the card’s intro APR period.

Balance transfers to the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card are subject to the same APR grace period as new purchases, but you will have to pay a balance transfer fee. Capital One allows cardholders to move balances from other credit cards, personal loans, student loans and auto loans.

» LEARN: What is a balance transfer? Should I do one?

Who might prefer the Platinum

Where accessibility is concerned, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card beats the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Those who have fair or average credit cannot qualify for the Quicksilver, which requires at least good credit. For that consumer cohort, the Platinum wins over the Quicksilver by default.

Truthfully, though, the Capital One Platinum Credit Card may not even be the best card for people with fair credit. Consider the Upgrade Cash Rewards Visa®, which has the same $0 annual fee as the Platinum, but it earns 1.5% back on all purchases — the same rate as the Quicksilver's.

» MORE: Best cards for fair or average credit

Which card should you get?

The Capital One Platinum Credit Card offers little that the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn’t. If your credit is good, you can get the Quicksilver and enjoy all of its benefits that are lacking in the Platinum.

What can you do if you want the Quicksilver, but your credit score only qualifies you for the Platinum? Get the Platinum first, and use it to build your credit. After all, that’s exactly what the Platinum is designed to do. Here are nine tips to build your score by as much as 100 points.

Once your credit score is high enough, go after the Quicksilver in one of two ways:

  • Call Capital One and ask for an upgrade to the Quicksilver. However, note that upgrading doesn’t allow you to cash in on a card’s sign-up bonus or get a higher credit limit.

  • Submit an application for the Quicksilver. The downside of going this route is that applying for a credit card triggers a hard pull on your credit report, which could lower your credit score, albeit temporarily.

» NEXT: 4 easy steps for picking the best card for you

Capital One’s Platinum vs. Quicksilver: Quicksilver Clearly Wins — If You Qualify - NerdWallet (2024)

FAQs

Capital One’s Platinum vs. Quicksilver: Quicksilver Clearly Wins — If You Qualify - NerdWallet? ›

If you qualify for the Quicksilver card, there's no question you should choose it over the Capital One Platinum card. While neither card has an annual fee or foreign transaction fees, the Quicksilver offers 1.5% cash back on all purchases, a 15-month intro period with 0% APR and lower interest rates after that.

Which one is better, Capital One Platinum or Capital One Quicksilver? ›

THE WINNER. Capital One Quicksilver is better than Capital One Platinum because it offers attractive rewards and a 0% introductory APR. Capital One Platinum doesn't offer low introductory rates or any kind of rewards – just the ability to build credit without paying an annual fee.

Is it hard to get approved for Capital One Quicksilver? ›

You'll need good-to-excellent credit (a score of at least 690 on the FICO scale) to qualify for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Generally, cards that require higher credit scores tend to come with better features than those that require scores on the lower end of the scale.

What is the hardest Capital One card to get? ›

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

A rating of 5 is the best a card can receive. Why it's one of the hardest credit cards to get: The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card is hard to get because it requires excellent credit for approval and charges an annual fee of $395. You get a lot in return, though.

What credit score do you need for Capital One QuicksilverOne? ›

The credit score you need for the Capital One QuicksilverOne card is 640 or higher. The Capital One QuicksilverOne is also available to people with limited credit, so you may be able to get approved even if you have less than 3 years of credit history.

What is the highest credit limit on a Capital One Quicksilver card? ›

Carmen Peters, Member. The Capital One Quicksilver credit limit depends on your income, creditworthiness and payment history, which are evaluated once you apply for the card. According to anecdotal reports, the card's credit limit can be as low as $750 and as high as $10,000.

What's the best Capital One credit card to get? ›

Best Capital One credit cards
  • Best Capital One card for bad credit: Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card.
  • Best no-annual-fee Capital One card: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card.
  • Best luxury Capital One card: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card.

What's the easiest Capital One card to get approved for? ›

Capital One credit cards for fair credit include QuicksilverOne, Quicksilver Secured, and the Platinum Mastercard. Your credit score is only one of the many factors that determine your credit approval odds. The best way to know if you'll qualify is to get pre-approved. It's quick, easy and won't hurt your score.

How much income do I need for Capital One Quicksilver? ›

Your monthly income needs to be at least $425 more than your monthly rent or mortgage payment to get the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards for Good Credit card, according to Capital One. The higher your income is above the minimum, the more likely you are to be approved.

What is the easiest credit card to get? ›

Here's a Summary of the Easiest Credit Cards To Get
  • Rates & Fees. ...
  • Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Secured Credit Card *
  • Navy FCU nRewards® Secured Credit Card *
  • Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card *
  • Credit One Bank® Platinum Visa® for Rebuilding Credit *
  • Rates & Fees. ...
  • Rates & Fees.
May 28, 2024

What is the most elite credit card? ›

Most Prestigious Credit Cards in 2024
  • Centurion® Card from American Express: Most Prestigious Overall.
  • The Platinum Card® from American Express: Airport Lounge Access.
  • Chase Sapphire Reserve®: Visa Infinite Concierge.
  • Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card (see Rates & Fees): Generous Rewards.

What is better, savor one or quicksilver? ›

Is the Capital One SavorOne better than Quicksilver? Overall, these cards are a close match. However, SavorOne offers slightly better cash-back rewards. Because the higher rewards are earned, in part, on groceries and dining, the SavorOne is likely to generate more rewards for almost anyone than the Quicksilver card.

What is the single biggest credit card trap for most people? ›

The minimum payment mindset

Here's how most people get trapped in credit card debt: You use your card for a purchase you can't afford or want to defer payment, and then you make only the minimum payment that month.

Which is better, Quicksilver or Quicksilver One? ›

Bottom Line. If you have excellent credit, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is the clear winner here. It's the same as the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card but with no annual fee (rates & fees), a welcome bonus and better benefits.

Is Capital One Quicksilver hard to get approved for? ›

Capital One states that you'll need excellent credit to qualify for the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card that offers the welcome bonus. That said, qualifying for a Quicksilver Rewards For Good Credit is possible, but you won't earn a welcome bonus or an intro APR.

Can I upgrade my Capital One Platinum to Quicksilver? ›

Call Capital One and ask for an upgrade to the Quicksilver. However, note that upgrading doesn't allow you to cash in on a card's sign-up bonus or get a higher credit limit. Submit an application for the Quicksilver.

Is Capital One Quicksilver worth getting? ›

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is worth getting if you want flat-rate cash back with no annual fee, or if you want an intro APR offer for purchases and balance transfers; 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) after that; balance transfer fee applies.

Is Capital One Platinum hard to get? ›

The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is available to applicants with fair credit or better, although eligibility isn't decided by credit scores alone. Your income, debts and other factors are also considered. Fair credit, also called "average" credit, is generally defined as a FICO credit score of 630 to 689.

What credit score do you need for Capital One Platinum? ›

The credit score that you need for the Capital One Platinum Credit Card is at least 640, which is usually considered fair credit. The Capital One Platinum Credit Card is also available to people with limited credit history, which means you may be able to get approved even without a credit score.

What is the benefit of Capital One Platinum? ›

The Capital One Platinum Mastercard in a nutshell

The card comes with a $0 annual fee. View important rates and disclosures. Plus, it doesn't require a security deposit. And cardholders are automatically considered for a credit limit increase in as little as six months.

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