Capital One Platinum vs. Quicksilver (Credit Limit, APR, Fees)

Capital One Platinum vs. Quicksilver—which is the Capital One card for you? The choice may be simpler than you think.

Why is that?

Because it’ll mostly depend on your credit score.

This article will show you:

• How the two cards compare.
• What we like about them.
• The alternatives for both.

Read more:

Capital One Platinum Card Review

Self Visa® Credit Card Review

Upgrade Card Review 2023

Capital One Platinum vs. Quicksilver—Credit Cards Overview

Platinum and Quicksilver are two credit cards offered by Capital One, each catering to different financial needs and preferences. 

Here’s a brief comparison of their features:

	Capital One Platinum	Capital One Quicksilver
Card image
Best for	Building credit	Rewards
Required credit score	Fair/limited credit history	Good to excellent
Intro offer	N/A	$200 for spending $500 in the first three months
Intro APR	N/A	0% for the first 15 months
APR	29.99%	19.74%–29.74% variable APR after the intro period
Rewards	N/A	1.5%–5%
Annual fee	$0	$0
Further info	card_name	card_name

Who they’re for

Platinum: Great for folks with average credit who want to improve their credit score.

Quicksilver: Perfect for those with good to excellent credit who love earning cash back on their purchases.

Rewards

Platinum: No rewards here, but it’s all about building credit, right?

Quicksilver: You’ll get 1.5% cash back on every purchase daily—a pretty sweet deal.

Annual fee

Platinum: No annual fee, so you can focus on improving your credit without extra costs.

Quicksilver: Also, no annual fee means more cash back in your pocket.

Introductory offers

Platinum: None—but remember, it’s all about building your credit.

Quicksilver: You can enjoy a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months. After that, it’s a variable APR based on your creditworthiness.

Still have questions? 

Let’s take a closer look at Quicksilver and Platinum cards individually:

Capital One Platinum card overview

Category	Features	Rating
APR	29.99%	1/5
Annual fee	$0	5/5
Intro offer	$0	3/5
Rewards	0.00%	3/5
Overall credit card rating	3/5

The card_name is a great option for those with average or fair credit who want to step up their credit game without the hassle of annual fees. 

Here are its main features:

Credit-building buddy

This card is perfect for people with average credit who want to boost their credit score. Use the card responsibly and make your payments on time, and you’ll be on your way to a better credit history.

No security deposit

If you’ve ever looked for ways to build a good credit score, you already know this—secured credit cards are your go-to.

But there are unsecured credit cards that will let you boost your score without depositing money upfront—and yes, the Capital One Platinum is one of them. 

To cover all the bases here, if you prefer to make a deposit and earn rewards (as you’ll see, the Platinum card doesn’t offer them), you can choose the card_name credit card.

No annual or foreign transaction fees

You don’t have to worry about yearly fees with the Capital One Platinum card. That’s one less expense to think about.

Fraud coverage

Capital One has your back with their $0 Fraud Liability policy if your card is ever lost or stolen. You won’t be on the hook for any unauthorized charges.

CreditWise

Watch your credit progress with Capital One’s free CreditWise tool. It helps you monitor your credit score and gives you tips on how to improve it.

Account alerts and autopay

Stay on top of your finances with customizable account alerts and autopay options. You can set up reminders for due dates, payment postings, and more.

Access to a higher credit line

Capital One may reward you with a higher credit line if you make your first six monthly payments on time. That’s a nice bonus for being responsible with your card.

As Michael Diamond, Financial Literacy Expert at MDFinancial Skills, says, “Boosting your credit score might prove difficult because it seems like such an abstract goal, but a credit card that offers rewards for on-time payments will motivate you to stay on track.”

Platinum is the best Capital One credit card for building credit without a security deposit.

Capital One Platinum card—pros & cons

Pros

• Good for building credit.
• Relatively low entry barrier.
• No annual fee.
• No foreign transaction fee.
• Possible credit limit increase after six consecutive on-time payments.
• No hard inquiry when applying for the card.
• Access to CreditWise to monitor credit score and boost it.
• 24-hour travel assistance services.
• Fraud coverage and alerts.

Cons

• High interest rate.
• No cash back or rewards program.
• No intro offer.

Capital One Quicksilver card overview

Category	Features	Rating
APR	0% APR for the first 15 months, then 19.74%–29.74%	4/5
Annual fee	$0	5/5
Intro offer	$200	5/5
Rewards	1.5%–5%	5/5
Overall credit card rating	4.8/5

The Capital One Quicksilver card is a popular Capital One rewards card designed for those with good to excellent credit. 

It offers a straightforward rewards structure, making it an attractive option for those who want to earn cash back without the hassle of tracking categories or spending limits. 

Here’s a quick overview of its features:

Cash back rewards

With the Quicksilver card, you’ll earn a flat 1.5% cash back on every purchase. There are no rotating categories or spending caps to worry about, so you can enjoy hassle-free rewards. 

On top of that, you can earn 5% on hotels and rental cars booked using the Capital One Travel account.

Sign-up bonus

As a new cardholder, you can earn a one-time $200 cash bonus if you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening.

Intro APR

The card offers a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months. After that, there’s a variable APR based on your creditworthiness.

No annual fee

The Quicksilver card has no annual fee, which means you can maximize your cash back earnings without worrying about offsetting costs.

Additional benefits

The card comes with a few extra perks, such as extended warranty protection, travel accident insurance, Uber One membership, and 24/7 access to Capital One’s customer service.

Foreign transaction fees

Good news for travelers—the Quicksilver card has no foreign transaction fees, making it a convenient option for international spending.

The Capital One Quicksilver card is an excellent choice for those who want a simple, no-fuss cash back rewards program with no annual fee and a few additional benefits.

Related articles: 

22 Best Cashback Credit Cards in 2023

20 Top Travel Credit Cards of 2023

Capital One Quicksilver card—pros & cons

Pros

Cons

This is one of the best Capital One credit cards for earning rewards for those with excellent credit scores, with a $0 annual fee.

Capital One Credit Cards Comparison—Platinum vs. Quicksilver

Fees & rates

Both cards have no annual fee, which is great for those who want to use the card to earn rewards without worrying about accumulating any costs. 

When it comes to APR, the Platinum card has a fixed rate of 29.99%, while the Quicksilver card offers a 0% intro APR for the first 15 months, followed by a variable APR ranging from 19.74% to 29.74% based on your creditworthiness.

The cards score pretty much the same for cash advances and the APR for cash advances.

As for balance transfers, Capital One Platinum charges a consistent 3% fee. 

The Quicksilver card charges 3% for the first 15 months during its 0% APR intro period. After that, there is no transfer fee—but you’ll be paying the standard APR on each transferred balance. So the Quicksilver card is, hands-down, a winner for balance transfers. 

Capital One rewards

The Capital One Quicksilver card is the clear winner when it comes to rewards, offering cash back on purchases and travel bookings. 

The Platinum card focuses on helping cardholders build (or rebuild) their credit without a rewards program.

Capital One Platinum vs. Quicksilver—Approval Rate

For obvious reasons, the Platinum card has bigger approval rates (it’s much easier to get). 

But there are many Capital One cards to choose from, so we’ll compare a few of the most popular ones before you apply—

Capital One Cards Comparison—Quicksilver vs. Platinum vs. QuicksilverOne vs. VentureOne Rewards vs. SavorOne

Alternatives for the Capital One Platinum Card

QuicksilverOne from Capital One

The QuicksilverOne Rewards card is a good option for those with average credit who want to earn cash back while improving their credit score, but it comes with a $39 annual fee. 

See the table below for Capital One cards comparison:

Quicksilver Secured

The card (mentioned earlier) is a secured version of the Capital One Platinum. 

It requires a refundable security deposit of $200—but ‌you earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase.

So, if you can splurge on the deposit, the secured card would make you some change. It’s good for boosting credit, too.

Alternatives for the Capital One Quicksilver Card

Chase Freedom Unlimited®

The Capital One Quicksilver Card and Chase Freedom Unlimited® are both cash back credit cards—they offer similar rewards structures but have some differences in terms of additional benefits.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards, 3% cash back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.

New cardholders can earn a $200 bonus if they spend $500 in the first three months.

It also has additional benefits—like purchase protection and extended warranty protection.

Both cards offer attractive cash back rewards, but the Chase Freedom Unlimited® has a tiered rewards structure with higher cash back rates in specific categories. 

The Capital One Quicksilver Card offers a simpler flat-rate cash back structure and has no foreign transaction fees, so it’s a better option for international spending.

VentureOne Rewards from Capital One

The Capital One Quicksilver card and the VentureOne Rewards from Capital One are both credit cards designed for those with good to excellent credit. 

But they cater to different preferences—with the Quicksilver focusing on cash back rewards and the VentureOne targeting travel rewards.

The VentureOne Rewards card offers 1.25 miles per dollar on every purchase.

New cardholders can earn a one-time bonus of 20,000 miles after spending $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening (equal to $200 in travel).

There are some additional travel benefits like travel accident insurance and 24-hour travel assistance services.

The VentureOne Rewards card has no foreign transaction fee, and it offers miles that can be redeemed for travel expenses so it’s a perfect choice for those who travel a lot.

SavorOne Rewards from Capital One

Now let’s compare the Capital One Quicksilver Card and the SavorOne Rewards.

SavorOne Rewards card seems to be a better option with its generous cash back on dining, entertainment, and groceries. (Or is it just the Joey Tribbiani in us talking?)

Both cards have no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, making them good options for traveling.

Want more? Check out the best cashback cards in 2023.

Quicksilver vs. Platinum—Which Capital One Card to Choose?

Choose the Capital One Platinum if:

• You have no more than a fair credit score.
• You want to build credit.
• You’re not yet able to get a rewards credit card.

If that’s you, you can apply here.

Choose the Capital One Quicksilver if:

• You have an excellent credit score and you want to easily get cash back for your purchases.
• You use Capital One Travel either way so you just might take advantage of the 5% cash back offer.
• You weren’t approved for rewards credit cards that are better than Quicksilver.

Ready to apply? Click here.