Capital One Quicksilver vs United℠ Explorer
Side-by-side comparison
| Capital One Quicksilver | United℠ Explorer | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $150 |
| Welcome offer | $200 cash bonus | Up to 60,000 bonus miles |
| Dining | 1.5x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 1x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 1x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $437 | $322 |
| Points type | Pools with Capital One → transferable | Locked to United MileagePlus |
| 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 Capital One Quicksilver earns about $437 a year in rewards and the United℠ Explorer about $322, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Capital One Quicksilver has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The United℠ Explorer charges $150, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Capital One Quicksilver delivers more total value, about $266 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 earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the United℠ Explorer stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Capital One Quicksilver if you will use travel transfers, the United℠ Explorer if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the United℠ Explorer 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 groceries, gas, travel. Pick the United℠ Explorer if your spending leans toward dining.