Capital One Quicksilver
Last updated: June 20, 2026. Verify current terms with Capital One before applying.
Core multipliers
- 5%Hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- 1.5%Every other purchase, every day — no categories, no caps, no enrollment required.
Card snapshot
What the card is built around
The Capital One Quicksilver is a flat-rate cash back card with no annual fee. Its core proposition is simplicity: every purchase earns 1.5% cash back with no categories to monitor, no bonus activation, and no caps. The card is not optimized for any single spending category — it is designed for people who want a single consistent rate on all purchases, or who want a catch-all companion card to use on purchases that do not qualify for a higher category rate on another card.
How the flat rate works in practice
No categories to manage
Unlike cards that require tracking rotating quarterly categories or activating bonus offers, the Quicksilver applies 1.5% automatically to every transaction. There is nothing to enroll in and no monthly or annual caps on the flat rate.
Capital One Travel portal
The 5% rate on hotels and rental cars applies only to bookings made through Capital One's travel portal. Booking the same hotel directly with the property or through a third-party OTA does not earn the elevated rate — it earns the standard 1.5% instead.
As a companion card
The Quicksilver is commonly used as a companion to cards with strong bonus categories. Spending on dining, groceries, or travel goes on the category card; everything else goes on the Quicksilver at 1.5%. Because there is no annual fee, carrying it alongside other cards adds no cost.
Redemption options
Statement credits and cash
Cash back can be redeemed as a statement credit to offset the card balance, as a check mailed to you, or applied to eligible purchases. Capital One does not impose a minimum redemption threshold on the Quicksilver.
Amazon and PayPal checkout
Capital One allows cash back to be used at checkout on Amazon.com purchases and via PayPal, providing additional flexibility for online shopping redemptions.
Cash back vs. miles
The Quicksilver earns cash back, not Capital One miles. Cash back cannot be transferred to airline or hotel partners. If your goal is award travel through Capital One's 22+ transfer partners, compare with the Venture Rewards ($95 annual fee) or Venture X ($395 annual fee).
Earn rate comparison context
Insurance and protections
The Quicksilver includes standard Mastercard benefits and Capital One-specific protections. Verify coverage limits and eligibility conditions in the official Capital One benefit guide.
What is not included
The Quicksilver does not include transferable miles, airport lounge access, trip delay or cancellation insurance, a travel credit, or bonus categories above 1.5% outside of Capital One Travel. It earns flat-rate cash back only.
Fit checklist
- You want a no-annual-fee card that earns a consistent rate on every purchase without tracking categories, rotating offers, or spending caps.
- You use other cards for bonus categories (dining, grocery, travel) and need a catch-all for miscellaneous spending at better than 1% base rate.
- You travel internationally and want a no-annual-fee card that does not charge foreign transaction fees.
- You book hotels or rental cars through Capital One Travel and want the 5% rate on those portal bookings at no annual fee cost.
- You prefer straightforward cash back over managing transferable points programs and award redemptions.