The Quicksilver card is a solid flat-rate cash back card if you value simplicity, minimal fees and low-maintenance rewards. If you want an easy-to-attain sign-up bonus or an intro APR to reduce debt or finance new purchases, consider the benefits this card provides.
Welcome offer: Generous, easy-to-earn bonus
The Capital One Quicksilver’s welcome offer is not only on par with the bonus value you’ll find on several other cash back cards, but it’s also one of the easiest welcome offers to earn. A $500 spending requirement within a three-month window is one of the lowest you’ll find on a no-annual-fee rewards card. While you can find welcome offers valued at more than $200, these offers often require higher spending to obtain or are present on cards with an annual fee. (See Rates & Fees)
Fees: Light on extra charges
The Quicksilver card doesn’t charge an annual fee, making it a solid option if you prefer simplicity and would rather not focus on offsetting card costs via rewards and perks.
The card also doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees, making it a useful travel companion abroad. Many no-annual-fee rewards cards charge at least 3 percent in fees for every international purchase. (See Rates & Fees)
Intro APR: Solid offer on both purchases and balance transfers
Along with a generous welcome bonus, the Quicksilver offers a competitive introductory APR for new purchases and balance transfers comparable to the intro offers on the best intro APR cards.
An intro APR period of 15 months is considered average for a no-annual-fee rewards card, but some competitors only offer an intro APR for either new purchases or balance transfers — not both. The Citi Double Cash® Card, for example, only offers an intro APR on balance transfers, not on new purchases.
Although the Quicksilver card’s intro APR period is shorter than the intro APR periods offered by dedicated balance transfer cards, the Quicksilver only charges a 3 percent balance transfer fee (for balances transferred during the first 15 months). Many of the best balance transfer cards charge a 5 percent balance transfer fee, which could end up costing you more than you’d save with a few extra months of 0 percent APR (See Rates & Fees).
Redemption: Ultra-simple rewards program
The Quicksilver is one of the most straightforward types of rewards cards available.
You’ll earn cash back at the same flat rate on all purchases, and you can redeem rewards as a check, a statement credit or to cover recent transactions. You can also use cash back for gift cards and online purchases at Amazon.com and PayPal. And if you have a Capital One travel card like the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, you can convert your miles into points at a 1:1 ratio and redeem for travel bookings.
Your Quicksilver rewards also have a consistent value of 1 cent each. Several competing rewards cards earn points that carry a different value depending on how you redeem them. For example, many cards offer a lower redemption value when you opt for gift cards or merchandise. With the Quicksilver, you won’t have to worry about accidentally losing reward value. You also won’t need to track your rewards balance because you can set up automatic cash back redemptions at the same time each year or at a specific cash value.