Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card VS. Discover it® Cash Back (4 Key Differences)

Writer: Linsey Knerl

Editor: Lillian Guevara-Castro

Reviewer: Ashley Fricker

Updated: September 27, 2023

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If you have taken good care of your credit, you may be in the position to choose between the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Discover it® Cash Back card. Both offer some very attractive perks, but which one is best? Since your decision may come down to picking between VISA or Discover, the following differences will be important to consider.

Let’s take a look at the two, including their issuing banks and networks, cash-back offers, cardmember benefits, and differences in their mobile app offerings.

1. Differences in the Issuing Banks & Networks

While both cards are offered to those with a very good to excellent credit history, the similarities don’t go much beyond that, starting with the issuers and networks. Capital One is a growing bank with branches across the country, and its cards are typically operated on the Visa or Mastercard credit card processing networks.

Discover, on the other hand, acts as its own issuing bank and processing network. While Discover acceptance is basically on par with Visa and Mastercard in the U.S., international acceptance is still lagging behind in some areas.

2. Differences in Cash-Back Offers

While the details of certain bonus and new-customer offers can change, both cards offer cash back for all purchases. The Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card gives 1.5% on all purchases, regardless of category.

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

CardRates Expert Rating ★★★★★ 4.9/5.0

at Capital One®'ssecure website

Our Review »

Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within 3 months from account opening
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
$0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
No rotating categories or sign-ups needed to earn cash rewards; plus, cash back won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how much you can earn
0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 18.49% - 28.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies
Top rated mobile app

Intro (Purchases) 0% for 15 months

Intro (Transfers) 0% for 15 months

Regular APR 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Annual Fee $0

Credit Needed Excellent, Good

See Rates & Fees »

The Discover it® Cash Back, on the other hand, offers bonus cash back in rotating quarterly categories. The bonus cash back is capped at a spend limit, and the category must be activated each quarter.

Discover it® Cash Back

CardRates Expert Rating ★★★★★ 4.9/5.0

at Capital One'ssecure website

Our Review »

INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Redeem cash back for any amount. No annual fee.
Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
Terms and conditions apply.

Intro (Purchases) 0% Intro APR for 15 months

Intro (Transfers) 0% Intro APR for 15 months

Regular APR 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR

Annual Fee $0

Credit Needed Excellent/Good

See Rates & Fees »

Both cards claim to give you the option to redeem your cash back rewards at any time, for any amount.

3. Differences in Standard Card Member Benefits

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card customers will receive the traditional protections that all Capital One credit cardholders currently enjoy. These include Fraud Coverage – $0 Fraud Liability for unauthorized charges, and Capital One Quicksilver cardholders can use their rewards on eligible purchases at millions of online stores when they check out with PayPal.

Discover has its own benefits, including the comprehensive FICO Score tracking and Social Security number alerts. Discover will also overnight a replacement card at no cost to you, if your card should become lost or stolen, and provides fraud liability protection on unauthorized purchases.

4. Differences in Mobile App Offerings

Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It’s free for everyone.

Discover’s own mobile app does the traditional banking tasks of seeing balances and activity, but also includes a clever “freeze” feature, which allows you to temporarily disallow new purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers in the event you lost your card or suspect fraud. App users can also view their FICO Score for free, as well as view and redeem partner offers and Cashback Bonus® rewards.

Final Thoughts

While the differences may be significant, both the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and Discover it® Cash Back card both continue to offer innovative benefits for card members. In addition to special new-member offers, such as special balance transfer rates and introductory promo perks, both the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Discover it® Cash Back would make a good addition to any credit card user’s toolkit.

Editorial Note: Our site content is not provided or commissioned by any credit card issuer(s). Opinions expressed on CardRates.com are the author's alone, not those of any credit card issuer, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by credit card issuers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information; however, all credit card offer details, including information about rewards, signup bonuses, introductory offers, and other terms and conditions, is presented without warranty. Clicking on any offer on CardRates.com will direct you to the issuer's website, where you can review the current terms and conditions of the offer.

About the Author

Linsey Knerl is a finance author and public speaker with a passion for helping everyday families earn more and live better. Her work can be seen in Investopedia, PC Mag, The Christian Science Monitor, TIME, Wise Bread, Next Avenue, MSN Money, and numerous other leading outlets. Her expertise lies in business economics, credit scores and reports, and saving and budgeting. Linsey has shared her financial knowledge with audiences at SXSW, FinCon, and the ASJA annual NYC convention.

View Linsey's Full Profile »

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