Capital One Quicksilver Student vs U.S. Bank Cash+®
Side-by-side comparison
| Capital One Quicksilver Student | U.S. Bank Cash+® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $50 cash bonus | $250 rewards bonus |
| Dining | 1.5x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 2x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 5x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 5x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 5x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $437 | $564 |
| Points type | Pools with Capital One → transferable | Cash back only |
| Network | Visa | 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 Student earns about $437 a year in rewards and the U.S. Bank Cash+® about $564, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Capital One Quicksilver Student has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The U.S. Bank Cash+® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the U.S. Bank Cash+® delivers more total value, about $127 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on gas 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 U.S. Bank Cash+® pays plain cash back. Favor the Capital One Quicksilver Student if you will use travel transfers, the U.S. Bank Cash+® if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the U.S. Bank Cash+® 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 Student if your spending leans toward everything else. Pick the U.S. Bank Cash+® if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas.