Capital One Quicksilver vs Citi Double Cash®
Side-by-side comparison
| Capital One Quicksilver | Citi Double Cash® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $200 cash bonus | $200 cash back |
| Dining | 1.5x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 2x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 2x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 2x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 2x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 2x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $437 | $583 |
| Points type | Pools with Capital One → transferable | Pools with Citi → transferable |
| Network | Mastercard | Mastercard |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Capital One Quicksilver | Citi Double Cash® |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $200 cash bonus | $200 cash back |
| To earn it | $500 in 3 months | $1,500 in 6 months |
| Est. first-year value* | $637 | $783 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $437 | $583 |
The Citi Double Cash® 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 | Citi Double Cash® |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable (paired with a premium card) | Transferable (paired with a premium card) |
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
The Capital One Quicksilver earns Capital One miles, which transfers to Air Canada, Avianca LifeMiles, Turkish, British Airways, and Emirates. The Citi Double Cash® earns Citi ThankYou, reaching American Airlines, Turkish, Avianca, and Air France-KLM. Most transfers are 1:1 on both, so the partners themselves, not the ratios, are what separate them.
The standout difference is the crown-jewel partner: for the Capital One Quicksilver it is Turkish and Avianca for cheap Star Alliance premium cabins; for the Citi Double Cash® it is American Airlines AAdvantage at 1:1, one of the only ways to transfer points to AA. Pick the program whose best partners match the trips you would actually book.
This is a rate comparison at heart: 2% beats 1.5% on identical, category-free spending. The counterweight is ecosystem and mechanics.
The Double Cash pays 2% as Citi ThankYou points, which can transfer to airlines with a premium Citi card. The Quicksilver pays 1.5% but pools into transferable Capital One miles with a Venture. For most people the higher rate wins; the tiebreaker is which ecosystem you’re in.
Pros and cons
- Flat 1.5% on every purchase, no categories
- 5% on hotels and cars via Capital One Travel
- Rewards pool into transferable Capital One miles with a Venture
- No annual fee
- 1.5% trails the Double Cash’s 2%
- Lower rate is hard to justify without the Capital One ecosystem
- Miles only transfer with a Venture
- Flat 2%, a half-percent more than the Quicksilver
- Points transfer to airlines with a Citi Strata Premier or Elite
- No annual fee
- A proven, simple flat-rate workhorse
- Full 2% only after you pay the bill
- No standing categories
- Citi’s transfer partners lack a Hyatt-level hotel
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Base rate | Double Cash | 2% vs the Quicksilver’s 1.5%. |
| Simplicity | Tie | Both flat, no categories. |
| Travel portal bonus | Quicksilver | 5% on Capital One Travel hotels and cars. |
| Transfer ecosystem | Split | Capital One via Venture vs Citi via Strata. |
| Annual fee | Tie | Both $0. |
The verdict
For most people, the Double Cash is the better card, because 2% simply beats 1.5% on the same category-free spending, and if you later add a premium Citi card, those ThankYou points can transfer to airlines for extra value. As a standalone flat-rate cash card, the higher rate is decisive.
The Quicksilver makes sense mainly inside a Capital One setup. If you hold a Venture or Venture X, the Quicksilver’s rewards pool into transferable miles, and its 5% on Capital One Travel hotels and cars is a nice touch. For a committed Capital One user, that fit can matter more than the half-percent. For everyone else, take the higher-earning Double Cash, or a 2% card like the Active Cash.