Best Capital One Credit Cards of May 2021

With the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card*, you’ll earn two miles per dollar on every purchase. You can earn 100,000 bonus miles once you spend $20,000 on purchases within the first twelve months from account opening, or earn 50,000 miles if you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months. The card has a $95 annual fee.

In addition to its standard rewards, the Venture card offers a fee credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck, travel insurance and assistance services, access to Capital One Experiences, and no foreign transaction fees. There’s no blackout dates, expirations (for the life of the account), or limits as to how you can use your miles.

The Venture card earns a flat 2 miles per dollar on every purchase you make. That means the things you spend on everyday, like groceries, online shopping, and even bill payments, all contribute to savings on your next trip. Capital One miles are also a flexible rewards currency, so you can redeem them in multiple ways, but you’ll get the best value for your miles when you use them to book travel directly. 

When you’re ready to book your next trip, you’ll have access to Capital One’s Purchase Eraser, one of our favorite perks of the Venture card. With this tool, you can redeem miles for statement credits toward any eligible travel purchases made in the past 90 days. You can also transfer miles to one of Capital One’s 10+ travel partners. 

And even while people aren’t traveling as much these days, the Venture card still offers some short-term value. Through April 2021, you can redeem your miles with select restaurants or delivery services, for streaming services, or wireless phone services through the Cover Your Purchases program. 

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card* is a good option for straightforward cash back on every purchase. You’ll earn a flat 1.5% cash back on every swipe, for no annual fee, plus an introductory bonus of $200 when you spend $500 in the first three months from account opening. 

There’s also an introductory 0% APR on new purchases for the first 15 months your account is open, with a variable 15.49%, 21.49%, or 25.49% APR after that. 

The Capital One Quicksilver is an uncomplicated cash back card perfect for everyday purchases. It’s not the highest-value flat cash back credit card available, but 1.5% back on everything you buy is still a solid rate. 

In addition to cash back, you’ll get Capital One perks like 24-hour travel assistance, travel accident insurance when you use your card to purchase fare, access to Capital One Experiences, and complimentary concierge service. You can redeem your cash back for any amount at any time for a check, statement credit, gift cards, with PayPal, or for Amazon.com purchases.

If you have less-than-stellar credit, the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card* is a good alternative; you can build your credit while earning that 1.5% cash back rate, but you’ll also take on QuicksilverOne’s $39 annual fee. 

The Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Card* is a great option for your nights on the town, ordering in, and even purchases you make on the road. You’ll get 4% cash back on dining and entertainment, 2% cash back at grocery stores, and 1% cash back on all other purchases.

You can earn a $300 welcome bonus if you spend $3,000 in purchases in the first three months from account opening. Through January 2022, you’ll also earn 8% cash back on any purchases for future events you make with VividSeats. The card has a $95 annual fee and you can redeem your cash back for any amount at any time.

If you eat out a lot or frequently spend on entertainment, then this card can offer some serious savings. Capital One’s “dining” category is broad: it includes everything from fine dining to fast food and even bars. The Savor card also well-suited for travelers, as many of the qualifying “entertainment” categories — including concert and theater tickets, aquariums and zoos, amusement parks, and more — can help you save on activities and tourist attractions while traveling (plus, the card has no foreign transaction fees). 

The no annual fee Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card* is another great option; it earns a reduced 3% back on dining and entertainment and offers a smaller intro bonus. But if dining and entertainment make up the largest portion of your monthly budget, the boosted rewards may outweigh the extra $95 annual cost. Use your past spending history to help determine which makes most sense for you.

The Capital One Journey Student Rewards* credit card is a good starter card for students who want to earn some cash back while building credit. You’ll get an initial 1% cash back on every purchase, but there’s an added incentive to pay your bill on time. Each billing cycle you pay by the due date, you’ll earn an extra .25% cash back for a total 1.25% rewards rate. 

You can also earn up to $60 in credits ($5 per month for 12 months) toward eligible streaming subscriptions when you pay on time. There’s no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and a variable 26.99% APR. 

This card is Capital One’s only student card option, but it’s a valuable tool for students looking to begin building credit. Capital One offers tools like alerts, autopay, and CreditWise credit monitoring to assist your credit journey. Plus, the opportunity to earn 1.25% cash back on every purchase isn’t bad for a starter credit card.

Business owners can earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase with the Spark Cash*, plus a $500 cash bonus after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening. The annual fee is waived for the first year, and $95 after that. 

You’ll also get a few added perks like free employee cards, fraud coverage alerts, year end summaries and purchase records for accounting, and the ability to spend above your limit when you need. 

Capital One offers a few different business credit card options, including the Capital One Spark Miles for Business* card comparable to the Venture personal card. But we like the Spark Cash card for its straightforward, flexible rewards that can help any business owner or sole proprietor save money. 

Flat 2% cash back on every purchase means that you can earn rewards on client lunches, office supplies, business travel, or any other costs your business incurs. Plus, rewards don’t expire as long as your account is open, and you can redeem for any amount in the form of a check or statement credit. 

With the Capital One Walmart Rewards Mastercard*, you’ll get 5% cash back at Walmart.com (including pickup and delivery); 2% cash back at Walmart stores, restaurants, and travel; and 1% back on all other purchases. There’s no annual fee. 

The card’s introductory offer will boost your in-store earning to 5% cash back in Walmart stores for the first 12 months — if you use Walmart Pay (the retailer’s mobile payment system).

If you don’t meet approval requirements for this card when you apply, you’ll automatically be considered for the Walmart Rewards Card, a closed-loop retail card with similar rewards that you can only use at Walmart or Walmart.com.

Frequent Walmart shoppers can gain a lot of value from this card, especially considering it charges no annual fee. Just remember that outside of the introductory offer, you’ll get the highest cash back percentage for Walmart orders online, not in stores. If you do most of your grocery shopping at Walmart, this can be a great alternative to rewards cards with traditional grocery or supermarket categories, since superstores (including Walmart) are generally excluded.

You can redeem your cash back in a few different ways: for statement credits or checks, to cover purchases during checkout at Walmart.com, for gift cards at Walmart and other retailers, and for travel purchases.