Best Capital One credit cards for August 2022

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Capital One offers an impressive lineup of credit cards for a variety of financial needs, including cash back, travel, business and credit-building. If you do most of your banking online, then you’ll enjoy the digital account management that Capital One credit cards offer. Here’s a look at the best cards available from our credit card partner Capital One.

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BEST FOR CUSTOMIZABLE REWARDS

U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card

Reward rate
5

5% cash back on your first $2,000 in eligible net purchases each quarter on the combined two categories you choose.

3

5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center.

-1

1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

1

1% cash back on all other eligible purchases.

Intro offer

$200 bonus

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

16.74% - 26.74% (Variable)

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

The U.S. Bank Cash+® Visa Signature® Card is packed full of bonus rewards categories. It will take more than a little effort to track them all, but people who don’t mind strategizing to earn high rewards for all their purchases will enjoy having this card in their collection.
Pros
  • Multiple rotating and fixed bonus categories, which can make it easier to earn rewards quickly
  • The $200 sign-up bonus (after spending $1,000 within the first 120 days of account opening) increases the card’s first-year value
Cons
  • The $2,000 combined spending cap each quarter for your chosen 5% categories limits your ability to rake in rewards
  • Having to track and enroll in rotating categories can be a hassle for some
  • New! $200 bonus after spending $1,000 in eligible purchases within the first 120 days of account opening.
  • 5% cash back on your first $2,000 in combined eligible purchases each quarter on two categories you choose
  • 5% cash back on prepaid air, hotel and car reservations booked directly in the Rewards Travel Center
  • 2% cash back on one everyday category, like Gas Stations/EV Charging Stations, Grocery Stores or Restaurants
  • 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases
  • 0% Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles. After that, a variable APR currently 16.74% – 26.74%
  • No Annual Fee
  • Pay over time by splitting eligible purchases of $100+ into equal monthly payments with U.S. Bank ExtendPay™ Plan.
  • Terms and conditions apply.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Purchase intro APR
0% Intro APR on purchases for the first 15 billing cycles.

Balance transfer intro APR
0% Intro APR on balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles.

BEST FOR PERSONAL LOAN ALTERNATIVE

Upgrade Cash Rewards Elite Visa®

Reward rate
2.2

Earn 2.2% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment

Intro offer

$200

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

8.99% - 29.99% (Variable)

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

If you value having an incentive for making your credit card payments, you will find a lot to love with this card option. You’ll earn a competitive rate of 2.2 percent cash back on your purchases each time you make a payment. The card is also fairly affordable, skipping the annual fee, foreign transaction fees and many other common maintenance fees.
Pros
  • You won’t need to use your reward earnings to offset any maintenance fees.
  • You’ll earn a bonus after you open a Rewards Checking account and make three purchases with the card in your first 60 days.
Cons
  • The high end APR range is well above average. That could prove costly if you don’t have the credit needed to qualify for the lower range and you end up carrying a balance.
  • You won’t get a break on interest if you carry a balance since there are no intro APR offers on purchases or balance transfers.
  • $200 bonus on your Upgrade Card after opening a Rewards Checking account and making 3 debit card transactions within 60 days.*
  • New Feature: Pay your balance in full early each month and avoid interest with EarlyPay.
  • Earn 2.2% unlimited cash back on card purchases every time you make a payment
  • See if you qualify in seconds with no impact to your credit score
  • No Fees – $0 annual fees, $0 activation fees, $0 maintenance fees
  • Combine the flexibility of a card with the low cost and predictability of a loan
  • Access to a virtual card, so you can start earning while you wait for your card to arrive in the mail.
  • Contactless payments with Apple Pay® and Google Pay™
  • Mobile app to access your account anytime, anywhere
  • Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud liability
  • *To qualify for the $200 welcome bonus, you must open and fund a new Upgrade Rewards Checking Account and make 3 debit card transactions within 60 days of your Upgrade Card account opening. The bonus credit will be posted to your Upgrade Card as a rewards credit within 1-2 billing periods following the third debit transaction on your Rewards Checking account. Your Upgrade Card must be in good standing to receive the bonus.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Purchase intro APR
N/A

Balance transfer intro APR
N/A

BEST FOR GROCERIES

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

Reward rate
6

6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).

1

6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.

3

3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations

0

3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations

1

1% Cash Back on other purchases

Intro offer

$350

Annual fee

$95

Regular APR

16.24%-26.24% Variable

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

With generous rewards rates in family-friendly categories including purchases at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations, on-the-go families will have a hard time finding a more rewarding credit card.
Pros
  • The base reward program is uber-lucrative, making this card a good choice for people looking for long-term value.
  • You don’t have to keep track of rotating spending categories or enrollment deadlines.
Cons
  • There is no intro APR offer on balance transfers.
  • You won’t earn the extra rewards for grocery shopping at major superstores and wholesale clubs, as those don’t count as U.S. supermarkets.
  • Earn a $350 statement credit after you spend $3,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 6 months.
  • Buy Now, Pay Later: Enjoy $0 intro plan fees when you use Plan It® to split up large purchases into monthly installments. Pay $0 plan fees on plans created during the first 12 months after account opening. Plans created after that will have a fixed monthly plan fee up to 1.33% of each purchase amount moved into a plan based on the plan duration, the APR that would otherwise apply to the purchase, and other factors.
  • Low intro APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 16.24% to 26.24%.
  • 6% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%).
  • 6% Cash Back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions.
  • 3% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (including taxis/rideshare, parking, tolls, trains, buses and more).
  • 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
  • Cash Back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit.
  • $95 Annual Fee.
  • Terms Apply.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Purchase intro APR
0% on purchases for 12 months

Balance transfer intro APR
N/A

BEST FOR ROTATING CASH BACK CATEGORIES

Discover it® Cash Back

Reward rate
5

Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.

1

Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.

Intro offer

Cashback Match™

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

13.49% - 24.49% Variable

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

The Discover it Cash Back is a popular choice for cash back rewards because of the rotating bonus categories. It’s an exciting way to earn cash back quarter by quarter and all year-round without committing to a set rewards category.
Pros
  • Discover will match the cash back you earn at the end of the first year.
  • There are a few cash back redemption options, including credit to your account and donations.
Cons
  • You must enroll to take advantage of the bonus categories each quarter.
  • There is a spending limit on your highest cash back category each quarter ($1,500 in combined purchases per quarter).
  • Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
  • New! Discover helps remove your personal information from select people-search websites. Activate by mobile app for free.
  • Every $1 you earn in cash back is $1 you can redeem.
  • New Intro APR: Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 13.49% to 24.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • No annual fee.

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Purchase intro APR
0% for 15 months

Balance transfer intro APR
0% for 15 months

BEST FOR UP TO 2% CASH BACK

Citi® Double Cash Card

Reward rate
2

Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.

Intro offer

$200 Cash Back

Annual fee

$0

Regular APR

16.24% - 26.24% (Variable)

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 - 850)

If you make your payments on time each month, it’ll be tough to find a better cash back card than the Citi Double Cash Card. With healthy financial habits, this card effectively becomes a 2 percent flat-rate cash back card (1 percent when you make purchases and another 1 percent when you pay your bill), a rare find in the cash back market.
Pros
  • You can convert your cash back earnings to Citi ThankYou points when paired with a card like the Citi Premier® Card, which can be redeemed for travel, gift cards and more.
  • There are no spending category restrictions or rotating categories
Cons
  • Your rewards can expire with this card if you don’t use it for a year.
  • The sign-up bonus spending requirement is higher than you’ll find on many no-annual-fee cash back cards.
  • Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
  • For a limited time, earn $200 cash back after spending $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening.
  • Balance Transfer Only Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 16.24% – 26.24%, based on your creditworthiness.
  • Balance Transfers do not earn cash back. Intro APR does not apply to purchases.
  • If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
  • There is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% of each transfer (minimum $5) completed within the first 4 months of account opening. After that, your fee will be 5% of each transfer (minimum $5).

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Purchase intro APR
N/A

Balance transfer intro APR
0% intro for 18 months on Balance Transfers

A closer look at our best Capital One credit cards

Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for dining and entertainment

  • What we love about the Capital One SavorOne: It’s rare for a no annual fee card to earn such robust rewards rates in these particular categories in dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and grocery store categories.
  • Who this card is good for: Socialites and social butterflies who will make the most out of the SavorOne’s very generous dining rewards.
  • Alternatives: The Discover it Chrome card is another card that offers competitive rewards rates on dining. It also tacks on gas rewards which is great for people who are often on the go, something that the SavorOne falls a bit short on.

Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express: Best overall cash back for families

  • What we love about the Blue Cash Preferred: The rewards categories on this card are some of the most popular spending categories for most consumers so if you play your cards right (pun intended), you’ll have a nice stack of rewards in your cash back match in your first year.
  • Who this card is good for: On-the-go people who spend a fair amount of money at gas stations and restaurants. You can earn 2 percent in those categories on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1 percent.
  • Alternatives: The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards card outpaces the Discover it Chrome by a lot if your main squeeze is getting the most out of dining rewards.

Citi Rewards+ Card: Best for rewards on small purchases

  • What we love about the Blue Cash Preferred: Thanks to the Citi Rewards+ Round Up feature, every purchase you make will be rounded up to the nearest 10 points. For example, a $4 coffee would be worth 10 points.
  • Who this card is good for: Frequent supermarket and gas station shoppers who want to earn cash back rewards easily without big spending habits.
  • Alternatives: If you want to expand beyond the Citi ThankYou® Points program, the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Card offers unlimited flat-rate rewards on all purchases, casting a wide net on your earning opportunities outside of a designated points program.

What is Capital One?

Capital One is a full-service bank that offers personal loans, checking and savings accounts, mortgages and credit cards. Established in 1994, it’s one of the relatively younger financial companies, but offers industry-leading products and credit cards.

Source: Capital One Corporate Information

Creditcard's Insight

Capital One was rated the third-best credit card issuer for customer satisfaction in the 2021 J.D. Power U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction study with a satisfaction score of 815 on a 1,000 point scale.

Pros and cons of Capital One credit cards

  • Credit card variety: Capital One has a long lineup of cards designed for a variety of spending habits.
  • Credit range: Whether you have bad credit or excellent credit, Capital One has a card designed to help you achieve your financial goals.
  • Travel benefits: No Capital One cards charge foreign transaction fees, saving you 3 percent to 5 percent per transaction.
  • Annual fees: Many Capital One cards have an annual fee, however some cards have it waived in the first year.
  • Regular APR: Many cards offered by Capital One have a relatively high regular APR, so cardholders will want to avoid carrying a large balance.
  • Competition: Capital One only offers one high-end credit card, meaning its competitors may offer more in terms of rewards and overall value.

Who should get an Capital One credit card?

Whether you’re already a world traveler or just want to earn points and miles on everyday purchases, there’s a Capital One card that will put you one step closer to your dream vacation with every eligible transaction. For example, Capital One’s VentureOne, Venture, and Venture X cards are geared specifically toward travel rewards and are among the best travel credit cards available.

Capital One offers a variety of flat-rate credit cards like the Quicksilver and QuicksilverOne to maximize your spending on everyday purchases and several that allow you to capitalize on a selection of bonus categories.

Capital One’s SavorOne credit cards for students and non-students alike provide ample opportunity to get rewarded on eligible transactions at your favorite restaurants while dining in, carrying out or even at the grocery store.

Capital One has a card for individuals in every stage of their credit journey and provides tools to put you on the right path to prove your creditworthiness and earn a higher credit limit over time. Consider the Platinum, Platinum Secured and Quicksilver Secured cards to start or repair your credit score.

You can use Capital One business credit cards to earn valuable rewards and boost your bottom line. The Spark Miles for Business and Spark Cash Plus cards offer rewards for spending that your business does every day.

Still unsure if a Capital One credit card is right for you? Check out our Credit Card Spender Type Tool where you can get personalized credit card recommendations based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.

Capital One credit card benefits

From travel to cash back to business cards, Capital One has a variety of credit card options for various credit scores and spending habits. Here is a rundown of what else Capital One has to offer:

  • Eno® Your Intelligent Assistant from Capital One allows you to keep tabs on your account with texting, balance checking options, transaction review and bill payment.
  • You’ll have access to 24/7 customer service support.
  • Capital One offers Proactive Account Alerts via email and text to keep you updated on account happenings
  • With the Capital One Mobile App, you can view your balance and transactions, pay your bill and more.
  • CreditWise® from Capital One helps you monitor your credit for free, without hurting your score.

How to choose a Capital One credit card

Capital One has a number of credit card offerings, enough to suit the needs of almost any cardholder. When deciding on a Capital One card, consider what its primary function will serve as a financial tool and narrowing your choices will be simple. Consider the following when choosing a Capital One card:

What’s your credit score?

Capital One has options for consumers at nearly every credit level, so almost anyone can get a Capital One credit card. On the other hand, your credit score will impact the specific Capital One cards you qualify for. If you’re looking to get rewards from your credit card, consider that the most lucrative rewards cards from Capital One will be reserved for consumers with good-to-excellent credit. Take a look at Bankrate’s CardMatch™ tool to connect you with credit cards that best suit your needs.  

How will you use the card?

Where do you do the bulk of your spending? Consider the answer before deciding on a Capital One credit card. Will you be trying to earn free or discounted travel? Or are you looking to finance a significant purchase? Analyzing your answers should help you determine the perks and drawbacks of each card.

Can you stick to best practices?

While a Capital One credit card can provide a number of benefits when used strategically, it may also lead to an increase in debt, a negative impact on your credit score or growing interest charges if you’re not careful. Consider the following best practices and, if you can, stick to them when deciding on a Capital One credit card:

  • Paying your balance on time and in full each month. Paying your balances in full and on time helps you to avoid interest charges. On time payments will also be reported to the three credit bureaus, helping you to improve your credit score over time.
  • Making your payments on time every time. Again, on time payments are one of the major influences on your credit score. Late payments will negatively affect your credit score, and usually cost you a late fee as well.
  • Only charging what you can afford. Your credit utilization ratio is another one of the criteria used to determine your credit score. The lower your utilization ratio the more favorable impact it will have on your credit score. Try to keep your credit utilization ratio below 30 percent.
Creditcard's Insight

Capital One was rated the third-best credit card issuer for customer satisfaction in the 2021 J.D. Power U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction study with a satisfaction score of 815 on a 1,000 point scale.

Capital One travel rewards program overview

The Capital One travel rewards program offers a decent amount of flexibility when it comes to earning miles. Capital One offers the Venture X, Venture Rewards and VentureOne Rewards as travel card options. Seeing as they aren’t co-branded cards, or affiliated with certain hotels or airlines, you won’t be limited to one brand. Plus, you’ll earn a flat rewards rate for every purchase—no rotating bonus categories, no problem.

If you are interested in transferring your points, Capital One offers many miles transfer partners, and now most Capital One miles can be transferred to travel partners at a 1:1 ratio. Additionally, with Capital One, you can redeem rewards for travel, gift cards or as a statement credit for travel booked in the past 90 days (including Airbnb) on your Capital One card.

Let’s break down Capital One’s travel cards, the Venture and the VentureOne, using a few examples:

Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card


If you’re looking to earn travel rewards on your everyday expenses, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is a good match. You’ll earn a flat 2X miles on every purchase. This card comes with a one-time bonus of 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $750 in travel. There is a $95 annual fee.

Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card


The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is the younger sibling to the Venture card. It offers no annual fee and a lesser rewards rate of 1.25X miles per purchase.

If you’re just getting into the travel rewards game, this is a great starter card. There’s also a small bonus of 20,000 miles when you spend $500 within your first 3 months of account opening, which is worth $200 in travel.

How to get a Capital One credit card

So, you’ve decided you want a Capital One credit card. Here’s the process of applying for and getting a Capital One card:

  • Check your credit score. As with any card issuer, there are credit score requirements for each product. If you have at least a fair credit score (580 and above), there are several cards to choose from. However, having excellent credit over 800 will give you the pick of the lot.
  • Look at prequalification. Capital One has a prequalification tool that lets you see which of its cards you might best qualify for. You can also use Bankrate’s CardMatch™ to get personalized offers.
  • Fill out the application. Once you’ve chosen the best Capital One card for you, head to the issuer’s site and start the application process. You need to provide your name, date of birth, address, Social Security number, estimated income and your checking or savings account information.
  • Get your decision. You’ll know quickly whether you’ve been approved or denied for the credit card. If you’re denied, Capital One is required by law to send you a letter explaining why.

How we chose our top American Express credit cards

Creditcard’s personal finance experts have evaluated the top American Express cards according to our 5-point rating system. The list of criteria for rating credit cards includes:
Rewards

Whether the card offers cash back, travel points/miles or multi-purpose rewards for eligible purchases and the potential returns based on rewards rate (1 percent cash back per $1 spent, 1 mile per $1 spent, and so on).

Perks and benefits

Whether the card offers extras such as retail discounts, extended warranties on purchases, travel insurance and financial management tools.

Annual fee

Whether the card charges an annual fee and if so, how much the card’s overall value and benefits might offset the fee.

Introductory offers

Whether the card has a welcome offer or similar sign-up incentive and how much it adds to the card’s overall value.

Variable APR

How the card’s annual percentage rate (APR) compares with current averages as an indicator of cost and value.

Foreign transaction fee

Whether the card charges a foreign transaction fee for purchases that require a currency conversion and how the fee affects the card’s overall value.

Frequently asked questions about credit cards for excellent credit scores

Once you’ve been using your card for a little while, you may wish to increase your credit limit. Even if your monthly bills don’t come close to your credit limit, having a higher amount of credit available to you will better your credit utilization, thus raising your credit score.

In many cases, it’s as simple as asking—you can either call the customer service line or log in and fill out the request online. However, a few scenarios make accounts ineligible for a credit line increase with Capital One:

  • The account was opened within the last few months.
  • The card is a secured credit card.
  • You’ve received a credit line increase or decrease in recent months.

If none of these situations apply to you, you may be eligible for a credit line increase. A history of on-time payments and low credit utilization will work to your advantage, too.

As the only Capital One card available to those with bad credit, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card is the “easiest” option. If your credit is decent, you might qualify for the more lucrative Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card, which earns cash back and often accepts applicants with fair credit scores.

Although determining a “best” option calls for evaluating your own financial situation first, Capital One has a few leading credit cards to consider:

  • The Capital One Venture X card, best premium travel card
  • Capital One Quicksilver
  • Cash Rewards card, best cash back credit card
  • The Capital One SavorOne, best dining and grocery store credit card

Capital One offers several cards that allow balance transfers. If you’re unfamiliar, a balance transfer is a common debt-relief strategy of transferring debt from one or more credit cards to a different account. Ideally, the balance transfer card comes with an intro 0 percent APR offer, so the transferred debt can be carried at zero interest for a number of months. Learn more about doing a balance transfer with Capital One.

You can set up online payments with Capital One or use the Capital One Mobile® app to make immediate payments, schedule payments in advance, view your balance and activity, and more. To make sure your bills are regularly paid, we recommend setting up automatic payments.

If you’re looking to pay your credit card bill with a debit card, you’ll have to call the customer service department at 1(800) 227-4825.

Most of Capital One’s best credit cards require good credit, so it’s not necessarily hard to get approved for one. If your credit isn’t fair, good, very good or excellent, you might be able to get approved for a secured credit card or one of Capital One’s student credit cards.

Capital One credit cards are competitive with some of the best credit cards on the market, especially when it comes to affordable cash back and travel options. There is one area where the bank falls short—the lack of high-end credit cards. You’ll want to look elsewhere if you’re seeking luxury perks and premier rewards.

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