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

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 compare the two cards, from their issuing banks and payment networks to their cash-back programs, cardmember perks, and the ways their mobile apps differ.

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. 

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

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card

4.9/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 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

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

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

Discover it® Cash Back

4.9/5.0

About this rating

Our experts rate credit card offers based on factors like rewards, APRs, signup bonuses, fees, and approval rates, with a focus on benefits that provide the best value. We also consider cardholder needs such as credit-building potential, issuer reputation, and customer service. Our ratings are unbiased, updated regularly, and not influenced by issuers.

See Our Review»

Ashley Fricker Senior Editor

Close

★★★★★ 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.
• 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 17.49% - 26.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Show MoreShow Less See application, terms and details »

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.

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.

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.

While the differences may be significant, both the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and Discover it® Cash Back card 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.