Capital One Quicksilver vs Rakuten American Express® Card
Side-by-side comparison
| Capital One Quicksilver | Rakuten American Express® Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $200 cash bonus | $100 Cash Back |
| Dining | 1.5x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 2x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 1x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $437 | $382 |
| Points type | Pools with Capital One → transferable | Transfers via Amex MR |
| Network | Mastercard | Amex |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified August 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Capital One Quicksilver | Rakuten American Express® Card |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $200 cash bonus | $100 Cash Back |
| To earn it | $500 in 3 months | $1,000 in 3 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $637 | $482 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $437 | $382 |
The Capital One Quicksilver wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Capital One Quicksilver | Rakuten American Express® Card |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable (paired with a premium card) | Transferable to airline & hotel partners |
The two are closely matched on perks and redemptions, so the welcome offer and everyday earning above are what should decide it.
Transfer partners and point value
Only the Capital One Quicksilver earns transferable points. Its Capital One miles move to Air Canada, Avianca LifeMiles, Turkish, British Airways, and Emirates, where a point can be worth several cents on a premium-cabin redemption, far above its cash value. The Rakuten American Express® Card pays flat cash back, worth about a cent, so its ceiling is nearer a penny per point no matter how you redeem.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Capital One Quicksilver earns about $437 a year in rewards and the Rakuten American Express® Card about $382, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Capital One Quicksilver has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Rakuten American Express® Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Capital One Quicksilver delivers more total value, about $56 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and gas. Both earn transferable points rather than flat cash, so the deciding factor is whose transfer partners reach the airlines and hotels you would actually book. On the sign-up bonus, the Capital One Quicksilver currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Capital One Quicksilver if your spending leans toward gas, travel, streaming. Pick the Rakuten American Express® Card if your spending leans toward dining, groceries.