Apple Card vs Capital One Quicksilver Student
Side-by-side comparison
| Apple Card | Capital One Quicksilver Student | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | No current offer | $50 cash bonus |
| Dining | 2x | 1.5x |
| Groceries | 2x | 1.5x |
| Gas | 2x | 1.5x |
| Travel | 2x | 1.5x |
| Streaming | 2x | 1.5x |
| Everything else | 2x | 1.5x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $583 | $437 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Pools with Capital One → transferable |
| Network | Mastercard | 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 Apple Card earns about $583 a year in rewards and the Capital One Quicksilver Student about $437, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Apple Card 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 Apple Card delivers more total value, about $146 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and groceries. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Capital One Quicksilver Student earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Apple Card pays plain cash back. Favor the Capital One Quicksilver Student if you will use travel transfers, the Apple Card if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Capital One Quicksilver Student currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Apple Card if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas.