Capital One Quicksilver Student vs Hilton Honors
Side-by-side comparison
| Capital One Quicksilver Student | Hilton Honors | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $50 cash bonus | |
| Dining | 1.5x | 5x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 5x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 5x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 3x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 3x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $437 | $1,062 |
| Points type | Pools with Capital One → transferable | Locked to Hilton Honors |
| Network | Visa | Amex |
*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 Student earns about $437 a year in rewards and the Hilton Honors about $1,062, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Capital One Quicksilver Student has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Hilton Honors has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Hilton Honors delivers more total value, about $625 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 Hilton Honors stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Capital One Quicksilver Student if you will use travel transfers, the Hilton Honors if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Hilton Honors currently has the larger welcome offer (a limited-time offer above its usual amount, so treat it as a one-time boost). A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Capital One Quicksilver Student if your spending leans toward travel. Pick the Hilton Honors if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas.