Capital One Quicksilver Student vs Ink Business Cash®

Capital One Quicksilver Student
VS
Ink Business Cash®
The short answer: The Ink Business Cash® delivers a bit more value for most spenders, but choose the Capital One Quicksilver Student if you spend more on advertising, shipping.

Side-by-side comparison

Capital One Quicksilver StudentInk Business Cash®
Annual feeNo annual feeNo annual fee
Welcome offer$50 cash bonus$750 $1,000 cash back (limited-time)
Advertising1.5%1%
Shipping1.5%1%
Office supplies1.5%5%
Phone & internet1.5%5%
Travel1.5%1%
Everything else1.5%1%
Est. yearly rewards*$675$684
Points typePools with Capital One → transferablePools with Chase → transferable
NetworkVisaVisa

*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 Ink Business Cash® about $684, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Capital One Quicksilver Student has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Ink Business Cash® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The two are close on value, but the Ink Business Cash® edges ahead by about $9 a year, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on office supplies and phone & internet. Both earn points that only unlock airline and hotel transfers once you pair them with a premium card in the same family, so it comes down to which ecosystem you are building: Capital One for the Capital One Quicksilver Student, Chase for the Ink Business Cash®. On the sign-up bonus, the Ink Business Cash® 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 advertising, shipping, travel. Pick the Ink Business Cash® if your spending leans toward office supplies, phone & internet.

Read the full reviews

Frequently asked questions

Is the Capital One Quicksilver Student or the Ink Business Cash® better?
On typical business spending, the Ink Business Cash® comes out ahead, by roughly $9 a year with every point valued at a flat 1 cent. But the Capital One Quicksilver Student can be the better fit if your spending lines up with its stronger categories. Run both through the Cardocrat calculator to see your own numbers.
Can I have both the Capital One Quicksilver Student and the Ink Business Cash®?
In most cases yes, as long as you meet each issuer's approval rules (for example Chase's 5/24 rule). Many people hold complementary cards to cover more bonus categories, then pool or redeem the rewards together where the program allows.
Which has the better welcome bonus, the Capital One Quicksilver Student or the Ink Business Cash®?
As of June 2026, the Capital One Quicksilver Student offers $50 cash bonus and the Ink Business Cash® offers $1,000 cash back. Welcome offers change often, so confirm the current offer on each card's page before applying.