Capital One Quicksilver Student vs Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Side-by-side comparison
| Capital One Quicksilver Student | Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $195 |
| Welcome offer | $50 cash bonus | 130,000 points |
| Advertising | 1.5% | 3% |
| Shipping | 1.5% | 5% |
| Office supplies | 1.5% | 3% |
| Phone & internet | 1.5% | 5% |
| Travel | 1.5% | 5% |
| Everything else | 1.5% | 3% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $675 | $1,638 |
| 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 business spending, the Capital One Quicksilver Student earns about $675 a year in rewards and the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card about $1,638, 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 American Express Business Card charges $195, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card delivers more total value, about $768 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and travel. 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 American Express Business Card stays locked to a single airline or hotel program. Favor the Capital One Quicksilver Student if you will use travel transfers, the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies.