Best Capital One Credit Cards of 2023

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Capital One issues many of the best credit cards on the market right now, from options that can help you build your credit to a premium card that earns valuable travel rewards. The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is especially popular thanks to its robust marketing budget and television commercials, but it's not necessarily the right Capital One card for you. The best option is the one that fits your spending style and your goals.

Capital One is also a good pick if you plan to travel overseas because none of its cards charge foreign transaction fees. This can save you anywhere from 3% to 5% on your purchases abroad compared to using cards from other banks that tack on fees for international purchases.

Here are the best Capital One credit cards of 2023.

We're focused here on the rewards and perks that come with each card. These cards won't be worth it if you're paying interest or late fees. When using a credit card, it's important to pay your balance in full each month, make payments on time, and only spend what you can afford to pay.

Compare the Best Capital One Credit Cards

Best Capital One Credit Cards of 2023

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card: Best intro bonus and upscale travel perks
• Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card: Best for travel rewards
• Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for flat-rate cash back
• Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card† : Best for dining and entertainment
• Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for dining and entertainment with no annual fee
• Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best for earning cash back while building credit
• Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card: Best for building credit with a lower security deposit
• Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best student card with flat-rate cash back
• Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card: Best student card for dining and entertainment
• Capital One Spark Cash Plus† : Best business card for cash back
• Capital One Spark Miles for Business† : Best business card for travel

Methodology: How We Chose the Best Capital One Credit Cards

We looked at all of the Capital One credit cards currently available to new applicants and considered several factors:

• Ease of use — Does the card have a rewards program (cash back or miles) and if so, is it easy to navigate?
• Earning potential — Are there bonus categories or strong flat-rate earning with the card, and are they appealing to a broad range of customers?
• Annual fee — Many Capital One credit cards have no annual fee, but for those that do charge one, are there additional perks or features that make it worth it?
• Cards for various types of consumers — We picked cards that appeal to different types of consumers, including travel aficionados, foodies, students, folks building credit, and small-business owners.

Here's Insider's guide to how we rate and review credit cards. 

Capital One Credit Card Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Best Intro Bonus and Upscale Travel Perks

Capital One Venture X

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card has been making waves since its launch. Along with a massive welcome bonus which is worth $1,275 in travel, the card comes packed with upscale benefits that can more than offset the $395 annual fee.

Capital One's first premium card has an annual fee lower than similar cards and a range of valuable travel perks. It's become a real competitor to cards like the Chase Sapphire Reserve® and The Platinum Card® from American Express.

Cardholders receive up to $300 per year in statement credits toward travel booked through the Capital One Travel Portal, Priority Pass, Plaza Premium, and Capital One airport lounge access (even for authorized users), a 10,000-mile bonus on each account anniversary (worth $100 in travel), and Visa Infinite travel and purchase benefits.

As with other cards that earn Capital One miles, you can transfer rewards to over a dozen airline and hotel partners to book award travel. In addition, Capital One has its own luxury hotel booking program, the Capital One Premier Collection, for Venture X cardholders. It offers perks like room upgrades and on-property credits at hundreds of hotels and resorts around the world. 

Read our Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card review to learn more.

Best for Travel Rewards

Capital One Venture Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card earns rewards you can redeem for any type of travel at a rate of 1 cent per mile. You can also transfer miles to Capital One's airline and hotel partners, including Accor, Air Canada Aeroplan, Emirates, British Airways, Virgin Red, and Wyndham. 

The transfer ratio for most partners is now 1:1, except for EVA Infinity MileageLands (2:1.5 ratio) and Accor Live Limitless (2:1 ratio).

Capital One miles are one of many credit card transferable points currencies — along with Amex Membership Rewards, Chase Ultimate Rewards®, and Citi ThankYou Rewards. Insider values Capital One miles as worth, 1.7 cents apiece, on average.

As a cardholder, you'll also receive no foreign transaction fees and a credit toward the Global Entry or TSA PreCheck membership fee. If you travel frequently, be sure to read our comparison of the Capital One Venture and Venture X — the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card could actually be a better fit despite its higher annual fee.

Read our Capital One Venture Card review for more info.

Best for Flat-rate Cash Back

Capital One Quicksilver

The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card is for you if you want to earn cash back without paying an annual fee.  Its welcome bonus is also relatively generous and easy to earn.

On the redemption side of the equation, you can redeem your rewards for cash back at any time and in any amount. You can also cash in your points for gift cards. The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card also comes with a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months) (then a 19.99% - 29.99% Variable APR). 

Read our Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards credit card review to learn more.

Best for Dining and Entertainment 

Capital One Savor Rewards

The Capital One Savor card is an enticing option thanks to its initial bonus and ongoing rewards, and that's especially true if you spend a lot on dining, entertainment, and streaming each year. Even if you just spend a lot at the grocery store, earning 3% back is excellent as well (except at superstores like Walmart and Target).

You can redeem your rewards for cash back in any amount, and this card doesn't charge foreign transaction fees on purchases made outside the US.

Read our Capital One Savor Card review for more details.

Best for Dining and Entertainment With No Annual Fee 

Capital One SavorOne Rewards

The Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card lets you rack up exceptional rewards on dining, entertainment, streaming, and grocery purchases. This card also comes without an annual fee, which is a net positive if you want to keep your costs down.

If you have a large purchase you want to pay off over time, you'll be happy to know this card extends a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months (3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months), followed by a 19.99% - 29.99% Variable. This card also comes with no foreign transaction fees.

Read our Capital One SavorOne card review to learn more.

Best for Earning Cash Back While Building Credit 

Capital One Quicksilver Secured

The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is ideal if you're working on building your credit but still want to earn rewards. Although there's no welcome offer, cardholders earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases, with no bonus categories to keep track of.

Because it's a secured credit card, you'll have to put down a security deposit equal to the initial credit line you'll be given. You can get started with a deposit as low as $200, and with responsible use over time, you could have the opportunity to upgrade to an unsecured Quicksilver card and get your deposit back.

Read our Capital One Quicksilver Secured card review for more info. 

Best for Building Credit With a Lower Security Deposit 

Capital One Platinum Secured

If you're trying to improve your credit score after some financial mishaps, the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card is an ideal option — it's relatively easy to get approved for since you put down a security deposit when you open your card.

As a new cardholder, you'll put down a security deposit ($49, $99, or $200), which is refundable and determines your initial credit line. After you make payments on time for six months, you can get access to a higher credit line.

Here's our Capital One Platinum Secured credit card review with all the details.

Best Student Card With Flat-rate Cash Back 

Capital One Quicksilver Student Card

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is geared to students with little to no credit history who want to earn rewards while they build up their credit over time. This card gives you a flat 1.5% back on all purchases with no limits, which isn't the best cash-back rate on a no-annual-fee card. But since this is one of the best credit cards for students with no credit, it's available to a broader selection of consumers who need help getting started.

The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card doesn't charge an annual fee, and there are no foreign transaction fees, either. It also offers solid benefits for a no-annual-fee student credit card, including price protection***, extended warranty***, car rental coverage***, roadside dispatch***, and complimentary concierge services.

Read our Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards credit card review

Best Student Card for Dining and Entertainment

Capital One SavorOne Student Card

If you're in college and spend a lot on dining out, groceries, entertainment, and streaming, the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the most rewarding card options out there. Along with a welcome bonus offer of $50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within 3 months of account opening, the card offers 3% cash back in student-friendly categories, with no limits to what you can earn.

Dining and groceries (excluding superstores like Walmart and Target) are straightforward categories, and Capital One has a broad definition of entertainment — including movies, professional sporting events, amusement parks, record stores, and bowling alleys. Eligible streaming services include popular platforms like Netflix, Hulu, and Disney+.

Like the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card comes with surprisingly good perks for a student credit card, such as car rental coverage***, roadside dispatch***, price protection***, extended warranty***, and access to a concierge service. 

Read our Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Student credit card review to learn more.

Best Business Card for Cash Back 

Capital One Spark Cash Plus

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus† is a straightforward card that earns 2% cash back on all your business spending.

Because it's a charge card, there's no preset spending limit, and you'll need to pay your balance off in full each month. Big spenders also get a boost: Every year you spend $150,000 or more on your card, you'll receive a $150 bonus.

Read our Capital One Spark Plus card review for more details.

Best Business Card for Travel 

Capital One Spark Miles for Business

The Capital One Spark Miles for Business has a reasonable annual fee, and it makes it easy to earn miles on every purchase without having to keep track of bonus spending categories.

You have lots of options when it comes time to redeem your miles, and the card comes with an application fee credit of up to $100 for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck.

Read our Capital One Spark Miles for Business card review to learn more.

Holly Johnson

Freelance Writer

Holly Johnson is a credit card expert, award-winning writer, and mother of two who is obsessed with frugality, budgeting, and travel. In addition to serving as contributing editor for The Simple Dollar and writing for publications such as Bankrate, U.S. News and World Report Travel, and Travel Pulse, Johnson owns Club Thrifty and is the co-author of "Zero Down Your Debt: Reclaim Your Income and Build a Life You’ll Love."

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Angela Fung

Marketing Compliance Manager

Angela Fung is the marketing compliance manager at Personal Finance Insider, overseeing a team that ensures content accuracy and editorial independence so readers are always getting up-to-date and objective financial advice. She is the primary contact for credit cards compliance and has experience managing content and partnerships for the banking, loans, and investment verticals as well.  The compliance team's mission is to provide readers with stories that are fact-checked and current, so they can make informed financial decisions. The team also works to minimize risk for partners by making sure language is clear, precise, and fully compliant with regulatory and partner marketing guidelines that align with the editorial team.

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