Prime Visa vs Capital One Quicksilver Student
Side-by-side comparison
| Prime Visa | Capital One Quicksilver Student | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $200 Amazon Gift Card upon approval | $50 cash bonus |
| Dining | 2x | 1.5x |
| Groceries | 5x | 1.5x |
| Gas | 2x | 1.5x |
| Travel | 1x | 1.5x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1.5x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1.5x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $590 | $437 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Pools with Capital One → transferable |
| Network | Visa | Visa |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Prime Visa earns about $590 a year in rewards and the Capital One Quicksilver Student about $437, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Prime Visa has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Capital One Quicksilver Student has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Prime Visa delivers more total value, about $228 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and dining. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Capital One Quicksilver Student earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Prime Visa pays plain cash back. Favor the Capital One Quicksilver Student if you will use travel transfers, the Prime Visa if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Prime Visa currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Prime Visa if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas. Pick the Capital One Quicksilver Student if your spending leans toward travel, streaming, everything else.