Best Capital One Credit Cards 2024

Other Capital One cash-back credit cards:
Capital One QuicksilverOne Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards

Other Capital One business credit cards:
Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit

Who should get a Capital One credit card?

Capital One has credit cards for almost everyone. From high-end travel credit cards for the frequent traveler to secured credit cards for the person who is looking to rebuild their credit score, it’s almost guaranteed that you’ll find a Capital One card you love.

As for actual requirements to qualify for a Capital One card, there are a few. You must be at least 18 years old to become a primary Capital One cardholder, and if you’re under 21 they require either proof of independent income or a cosigner. Additionally, applicants must provide either a social security number or an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number.

How to choose a Capital One card

When you’re deciding on a new credit card, whether you’re a Capital One loyalist, this is your first time testing them out, or you’re looking to upgrade to something new, there are a few important things to consider.

1. What’s your credit score?

Depending on what your credit score is, you may have a limited selection of credit cards to choose from. Most of Capital One’s credit cards are for people with good or excellent credit, but they do offer credit cards for bad credit or fair credit. As a general rule, these are the cards you should be looking for:

• Good to excellent credit (approximately 670+ FICO score or 661+ VantageScore): With a high credit score, you can look for the top Capital One credit cards and will likely qualify for many of them. The higher your score, the better your chances of getting a premium card like the Venture X Rewards card.
• Average to fair credit (approximately 580-669 FICO or 601-660 VantageScore): You won’t qualify for many Capital One credit cards with a score in this range, but cards like the Platinum Mastercard and QuicksilverOne Rewards cards may be up your alley to help you boost your score into the next tier.
• Bad credit (below 579 FICO or 600 VantageScore): Capital One has a variety of secured credit cards designed to help people rebuild their credit. Consider looking at cards like the Capital One Platinum Secured card.
• No credit/limited credit: Students or people with a limited credit history have options with Capital One as well. Secured cards (like the Quicksilver Secured card) can help you start building your credit, and college students with no history may be eligible for cards like the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card.

Not sure what your credit score is? Check out our guide on how to check your credit score. If you know your score and are looking to increase it, see our helpful tips on how to raise your credit score fast.

2. What kind of rewards do you want?

If you have a good or excellent credit score, then congratulations! You may qualify for one of Capital One’s best rewards-earning cards. Capital One rewards cards fall into two main categories: miles-earning and cash-back cards. For the avid traveler, a miles-earning card like the Venture Rewards card can provide immense value. For the everyday spender, a cash-back card like the SavorOne Rewards card might be more of what you’re looking for.

Our favorite travel card options:
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

Our favorite cash-back card options:
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One QuicksilverOne Rewards Credit Card

3. Look at the annual fee

Some cards (especially rewards cards) charge annual fees, like the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card with its $395 annual fee. For people who can make the most of the benefits these types of cards provide, the yearly price tag may be well worth it, but for people who are semi-frequent travelers or aren’t big spenders, another option may be a better bet. Just because a card is shiny and luxe doesn’t mean it meets your personal needs or goals.

Instead, if you’re in the market for a travel credit card, for example, and don’t want to pay for the Venture X, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card has a variety of travel-related benefits for no annual fee. Similarly, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (our personal favorite Capital One travel credit card) only charges a $95 annual fee and has comparable benefits to the Venture X. Read more in our detailed comparison of the Capital One Venture vs Venture X.

When considering your next Capital One credit card, make sure to evaluate whether you’ll be able to get enough use out of it to make its annual fee worthwhile (alternatively, you can compare credit cards with no annual fee from other providers).

Types of Capital One credit cards

Capital One offers a range of credit cards for consumers with different goals, whether they want to build their credit or earn more rewards on everything they buy.

Travel cards

You can choose to redeem your miles for travel through Capital One or transfer your miles to other airline and hotel programs. Even if traveling isn’t currently in your plans, your miles won’t go to waste. Rewards can also be redeemed for non-travel-related perks like statement credits, gift cards, or merchandise. 
Editor’s pick: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (See our detailed comparison of the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Capital One Venture).

Other Capital One travel credit cards:

Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card

(See our comparison of Capital One Venture X vs Chase Sapphire Reserve)

Cash-back cards

If your interests are purely monetary, a cash back rewards card could be exactly what you need. Some cash back cards offer a flat rate back on whatever you spend, while others reward you even more when you spend in certain categories. 
Editor’s pick: Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card or Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card (See our detailed comparison of the Capital One Platinum vs. Quicksilver or Capital One SavorOne vs. Quicksilver).

Other Capital One cash back credit cards:

Capital One QuicksilverOne Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards

Student cards

The rewards that student credit cards offer are limited, but they are still worth considering. These Capital One starter credit cards are perfect for those with little to no credit history. 
Editor’s pick: Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Other Capital One student credit cards:

Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

Store cards

If you’re someone who frequently shops at a specific store, Capital One has various credit cards to reward you for your purchases. 
Editor’s pick: Capital One® Walmart Rewards® Mastercard 

Business cards

If you own or manage a business, Capital One has cards specifically for you! These cards give rewards such as cash back, travel rewards, and bonuses on business-related purchases.
Editor’s pick: Capital One Spark Cash Plus (See our detailed review of the Capital One Spark Miles for Business card).

Other Capital One business credit cards:

Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Capital One Spark Cash Select for Excellent Credit

Secured credit cards

If your credit score is less than ideal, Capital One can help you build or rebuild. These cards typically don’t have high rewards earning potential but they’re a good place to start.
Editor’s pick: Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards

Benefits of Capital One credit cards

There are several reasons to pick up a Capital One credit card over cards from other card issuers.

Some of the main benefits of choosing Capital One are highlighted below:

How to apply for a Capital One credit card

You can apply for a Capital One card online and from the comfort of your home. Once you find a card you’re interested in, click the “Learn More” button next to the card on this page, then click on the button that says “Apply Now” to begin filling out an online application!

Additionally, Capital One has a “pre-approval” questionnaire on their website which can give you an idea of the likelihood of you getting approved for a card when you apply. You can also try the CardMatch tool which can help match you with cards that you’re likely to be approved for.

How many Capital One credit cards can I have at once?

You can have several credit cards from this issuer, with no published limit, although we recommend that you stagger your applications over several months (or years) so you don’t get denied for having too much “new credit.”

We also don’t recommend opening too many credit cards if you’re likely to lose track of them and then forget to pay them off, or if you’re prone to “taking advantage” of your credit and spending more money than you have (leading to debt).

Are Capital One credit cards good?

Capital One credit cards are generally considered to be good cards. They’re a reputable credit card issuer with a variety of cards for different purposes, with cards for rebuilding credit, premium travel cards, student cards, and almost everything in between.

Many of Capital One’s cards are similar to American Express cards and Chase credit cards, with high rewards-earning potential and many options for multiple types of spenders.

How we selected our top cards

To find the best Capital One credit cards on the market today, we looked at all of the offerings from this credit card issuer. Ultimately, we selected the cards with the best high-earning potential and the most generous selection of perks.

We also selected credit cards for different credit profiles, including premium cards for frequent travelers and card options for consumers with low credit scores. We also looked for cards that offer a one-time incentive for signing up, a reasonable annual fee, travel-related perks, and rewards that are easy to manage and redeem.