We recommend the Capital One Platinum Credit Card and Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card as some of the easiest Capital One cards to get approved for.
But there are better options available if you have a good credit score. That includes more rewarding cards like the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card and Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card.
No matter which card you choose to apply for, remember that Capital One takes into account a variety of factors beyond your credit score to determine your creditworthiness. Therefore, approval is not guaranteed by your credit score alone.
Let’s explore the easiest credit cards to get approved for from Capital One so you can choose the right option for you.
Key takeaways
- Many Capital One credit cards require at least good credit to qualify, but the Capital One Platinum and Capital One QuicksilverOne have more lenient credit requirements.
- The Capital One Platinum has a $0 annual fee and typically only requires fair credit for approval. But it offers few benefits and doesn’t earn rewards.
- The Capital One QuicksilverOne has a $39 annual fee, typically only requires fair credit for approval, and provides unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase; plus 5% unlimited cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
5 Capital One credit cards to start with
- Capital One Platinum Credit Card
- Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Keep in mind
These Capital One credit cards have varying recommended credit for applicants, so they may not all be as equally easy to qualify for. Make sure to review the recommended credit for each card before you apply.Compare the Capital One credit cards you can start with
Credit card | Main benefits | Recommended credit | Annual fee |
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
|
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Fair | $0 |
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
|
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Fair | $39 |
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
|
|
Excellent, Good | $0 |
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
|
|
Excellent, Good | $0 |
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
|
|
Excellent, Good | $95 |
Capital One Platinum Credit Card
- $0 annual fee
- More lenient credit requirements compared to other Capital One products
- No foreign transaction fees
- No intro APR offers
- No rewards program
The Capital One Platinum makes sense if you want a card that could help you improve your credit score.
Why we like Capital One Platinum
It has a $0 annual fee and doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees on applicable purchases abroad.
You typically don’t need a good credit score to qualify, which is helpful if you’re in the process of building credit or rebuilding credit. However, keep in mind that Capital One, like many credit card issuers, considers more factors than your credit score when determining your creditworthiness.
Capital One offers the CreditWise tool to help monitor credit. It’s free and doesn’t hurt credit scores.
What we don’t like about Capital One Platinum
The Capital One Platinum doesn’t have many benefits; for example, they offer no intro APR offers. You also can’t earn rewards on eligible purchases or through a welcome offer.
Learn more in our Capital One Platinum Credit Card review.
Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
- Less strict credit requirements than other Capital One cards
- Simple rewards rate
- No foreign transaction fees
- $39 annual fee
- No intro APR offers
The Capital One QuicksilverOne makes it easy to earn rewards and build your credit history.
Why we like Capital One QuicksilverOne
You typically only need a fair credit score to qualify for the QuicksilverOne. It also has no foreign transaction fees and you can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase; plus 5% unlimited cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
With barely any spending categories to worry about, the QuicksilverOne earning rate simplifies how you can earn rewards.
What we don’t like about Capital One QuicksilverOne
QuicksilverOne cardholders have to pay a $39 annual fee. There also aren’t any intro APR offers to take advantage of.
Learn more in our Capital One QuicksilverOne review.
Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
- $0 annual fee
- Elevated cashback rewards
- Intro APR offers on purchases and balance transfers
- No foreign transaction fees
- Few travel benefits
- Higher credit requirements than other Capital One products
The Capital One Savor is an excellent card for earning cash back in popular spending categories.
Why we like Capital One Savor
It has a $0 annual fee and provides terrific earning potential with its welcome offer and rewards rate.
- Welcome offer: Earn a limited-time $250 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
- Rewards rate: Earn 3% cash back at grocery stores (excluding superstores like Walmart® and Target®), on dining, entertainment and popular streaming services; 5% back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply); 8% cash back on Capital One Entertainment purchases; and 1% cash back on all other purchases.
The Savor also doesn’t charge foreign transaction fees and provides these intro APR offers:
- Intro APR on purchases: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)).
- Intro APR on balance transfers: 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)); Balance transfer fee applies.
What we don’t like about Capital One Savor
You typically need a good or excellent credit score to qualify. And, despite not charging foreign transaction fees, the Capital One Savor doesn’t have much else in the way of travel benefits.
Learn more in our Capital One Savor review.
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
- $0 annual fee
- Simple rewards rate
- Intro APR offers on purchases and balance transfers
- Higher credit requirements than other Capital One products
The Capital One Quicksilver makes sense if you want a simple cash back card with multiple intro APR offers.
Why we like Capital One Quicksilver
It has a $0 annual fee, a generous welcome offer, and a simple rewards rate.
- Welcome offer: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
- Rewards rate: Earn 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day; and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel (terms apply).
On top of that, you don’t have to pay foreign transaction fees, and new cardmembers can take advantage of two intro APR offers:
- Intro APR on purchases: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)).
- Intro APR on balance transfers: 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 19.74% - 29.74% (Variable)); Balance transfer fee applies.
What we don’t like about Capital One Quicksilver
You typically need a good or excellent credit score to qualify for the Capital One Quicksilver. That could put this out of reach for you if you have a fair or bad credit score.
Learn more in our Capital One Quicksilver review.
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
- Simple travel rewards rate
- Up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Mile transfers to travel partners
- No foreign transaction fees
- $95 annual fee
- Higher credit requirements than other Capital One cards
- No intro APR offers
The Capital One Venture Rewards makes sense if you want to earn travel rewards and take advantage of multiple travel benefits.
Why we like Capital One Venture Rewards
You don’t have to pay foreign transaction fees, and you can earn loads of valuable travel rewards with the welcome offer and earning rate.
- Welcome offer: Earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening.
- Rewards rate: Earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, every day, 5 miles per dollar on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 5 miles per dollar on Capital One Entertainment purchases through 12/31/25.
As a travel card, the Capital One Venture Rewards also provides useful travel perks and benefits:
- Application fee credit: Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®.
- Transfer partners: Transfer your miles to travel partners, including Air France KLM, Air Canada, British Airways, Choice Hotels, and Turkish Airlines.
What we don’t like about Capital One Venture Rewards
You have to pay a $95 annual fee as a cardmember. The Venture Rewards also has no intro APR offers and typically requires at least a good credit score to qualify.
Learn more in our Capital One Venture Card review.
How to choose a Capital One credit card
Consider these factors to compare Capital One credit cards to find the right card for you.
1. Credit requirements
Credit cards with excellent rewards and benefits typically require a good or excellent credit score. According to the FICO scoring model, that’s at least a 670 score.
But that doesn’t mean you’re out of luck if you have a fair or bad credit score. This is where credit cards with more forgiving requirements come into play.
For example, secured cards might only require average credit, limited credit, or no credit history at all. That’s because you typically have to put down a security deposit that acts as your credit line. Explore your options in our list of the best secured credit cards.
Note that credit scores are guidelines and do not guarantee approval. Credit card issuers assess multiple factors to determine your creditworthiness, including your total debt, credit history, and annual income.
Tip
If you want to qualify for the best credit card offers and credit limit increases, remember to make moves that reflect well with the major credit bureaus. That includes making monthly payments on or before their due dates and regularly using your credit card.2. Rewards
If you want to earn cash back with Capital One, you need a cash back credit card. But if you prefer travel rewards, a travel card is the way to go.
It’s also important to pay attention to how different cards earn rewards. For example, you might have a simple rate, like earning 2X miles on all eligible purchases. Or you might have spending categories, such as earning a 3% cashback rate back on dining and entertainment.
Depending on your spending habits, you might prefer earning one way over the other.
3. Benefits
Credit card perks and benefits vary by card and card issuer. Some cards offer introductory APR offers to help avoid high interest rates, while others provide airport lounge access or other travel benefits.
In some cases, benefits can overlap between cards. For instance, purchase protection and extended warranty protection are fairly common benefits that you can find on a variety of cards.
Read over different types of card benefits carefully to find ones that align with your preferences.
4. Redemption options
Cash back credit cards typically provide redemption options like statement credits, bank deposits, and gift cards.
Travel credit cards focus more on travel redemptions, such as using points or miles for flights, hotel stays, and car rentals. Many Capital One cards also allow you to redeem rewards to cover past travel purchases.
Certain travel cards also have access to transfer partners. For example, the Capital One Venture Rewards has access to Capital One transfer partners like British Airways and Air Canada.
5. Fees
Two types of common credit card fees you should pay attention to are annual fees and foreign transaction fees.
Annual fees are charged each year on cards that tend to have increased rewards and benefits. But a card with an annual fee might not always be the best option for you, so be sure to consider no-annual-fee cards as well.
Foreign transaction fees can be charged if you make any foreign purchases. If you like to travel abroad, it makes sense to consider cards that don’t charge foreign transaction fees.
FAQ
What is the minimum credit score for a Capital One card?
The Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card typically will accept new cardmembers with a bad or poor credit score. (That’s a 579 FICO score or less.) Keep in mind that credit scores are guidelines, as having a certain credit score doesn’t guarantee you’ll be approved. Credit card companies use multiple factors to determine your creditworthiness, including your total debt and income.
Are Capital One credit cards Visa or Mastercard?
They can be issued on the Visa or Mastercard networks, as Capital One works with both companies. Visa and Mastercard are accepted nearly everywhere credit cards are accepted. But you might find your benefits vary depending on which network is connected to your card.
Is Capital One accepted internationally?
Capital One is accepted internationally because it uses the Visa and Mastercard networks to process card payments. Visa and Mastercard are accepted in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, providing plenty of opportunities to make credit card payments with millions of merchants.
Easy Capital One credit card to get: bottom line
It’s easier to qualify for the Capital One Platinum and Capital One QuicksilverOne cards because of their less strict credit requirements.
If you are okay with a $0 annual fee, the Capital One Platinum makes more sense. But if you want to earn cash back with a low $39 annual fee, the QuicksilverOne is the better option.
If you have at least a good credit score, we recommend applying for Capital One cards with more benefits and better rewards. That includes the Capital One Savor, Quicksilver Cash Rewards, and Venture Rewards.
For more of our recommendations, compare credit cards to find the best card for you.
Methodology
To determine the easiest Capital One credit card to get, we evaluated various options based on several factors, including recommended credit and annual fees and perks such as rewards rates and welcome offers.
Then, we put together a curated list of Capital One credit cards. Keep in mind that our list is not ranked in any specific order, nor is it an exhaustive list of all available options. Rather, our recommendations are intended to serve as a starting point for people researching Capital One credit cards that align with their specific preferences and needs.