Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards vs Citi® Secured Mastercard®
Side-by-side comparison
| Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards | Citi® Secured Mastercard® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | No current offer | No current offer |
| Dining | 1.5x | 0x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 0x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 0x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 0x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 0x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 0x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $437 | $0 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Cash back only |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*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 Secured Cash Rewards | Citi® Secured Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | None | None |
| To earn it | No minimum spend | No minimum spend |
| Est. first-year value* | $437 | $0 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $437 | $0 |
The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards 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 Secured Cash Rewards | Citi® Secured Mastercard® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Cash back only | Cash back only |
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
Neither card earns transferable points, so redemptions are cash-back or fixed portal value on both, roughly a cent per point. There is no airline or hotel transfer angle to separate them.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards earns about $437 a year in rewards and the Citi® Secured Mastercard® about $0, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Citi® Secured Mastercard® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards delivers more total value, about $437 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and groceries. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use.
Pick the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas.