credit card advice
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Credit One vs. Capital One — what are the differences between these two credit card issuers? Although they sound alike, make no mistake that Capital One and Credit One offer very dissimilar credit cards. Capital One is a dominant issuer and suits folks with excellent, good, or average credit. Credit One is a smaller financial institution geared toward consumers with bad or no credit. To quickly navigate to what you’re interested in most, use the links below.
Capital One for Excellent Credit | Capital One for Fair/Average Credit | Credit One for Poor Credit
Capital One® — Best for Average/Good/Excellent Credit
Capital One is a Fortune 500 diversified bank with a broad offering of financial services and products to consumers and businesses. It is among the top 10 largest banks in the U.S. with respect to deposits. The bank branches are primarily located in the District of Columbia, Louisiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, and Virginia.
Capital One offers credit cards with many benefits:
- Online Banking Access: Allows you to easily and quickly manage your account whenever.
- Capital One Wallet App: Provides instant purchase notifications, receipt capture, digitized gift cards, and purchase details.
- 24/7 Customer Service: Available from real human beings.
- Automatic Account Alerts: Alerts via email or text keep you up to date on your account, as well as 24/7 monitoring and security alerts to inform you whenever unusual activity is detected.
- Fraud Coverage: Interactive alerts in real time via email, text, or phone whenever fraudulent use of your card is attempted, with 100 percent coverage against fraud liability.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees: Never any on international purchases.
- Travel & Auto Rental Insurance: For peace of mind when you’re away from home.
- Free Capital One Credit Tracker: Provides your credit score, a what-if simulator, and more.
- Second Look Program: Recognizes and informs you of unusual or duplicate charges.
- Digitally Enhanced Transaction Details: Allows you to keep track of all your activity.
- Extended Warranty: Additional coverage on items purchased with a Capital One Card.
3 Capital One® Credit Cards for Excellent Credit
If you have excellent credit, you might select among these three Capital One cards:
- Enjoy a one-time bonus of 50,000 miles once you spend $3,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $500 in travel
- Earn 2X miles on every purchase, every day.
- Receive up to $100 application fee credit for Global Entry or TSA Pre✔®
- Fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime; no blackout dates. Plus transfer your miles to over 12 leading travel loyalty programs
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Named ‘The Best Travel Card' by CNBC, 2018
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 17.24% - 24.49% (Variable) | $0 intro for first year; $95 after that | Excellent, Good |
- $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Earn a bonus of 20,000 miles once you spend $1,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening, equal to $200 in travel
- Earn 1.25X miles on every purchase, every day
- Travel when you want with no blackout dates and fly any airline, stay at any hotel, anytime
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Transfer your miles to over 12 leading travel loyalty programs
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 12 months | N/A | 13.49% - 23.49% (Variable) | $0 | Excellent, Good |
- One-time $150 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
- 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 for 15 months; 15.49%-25.49% variable APR after that
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months; 15.49%-25.49% variable APR after that; 3% fee on the amounts transferred within the first 15 months
- Pay no annual fee or foreign transaction fees
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
0% for 15 months | 0% for 15 months | 15.49% - 25.49% (Variable) | $0 | Excellent, Good |
+ See more credit cards for excellent credit
3 Capital One® Credit Cards for Average/Fair Credit
In addition, Capital One offers similar cards for consumers with good to average credit ratings with somewhat higher interest rates.
- Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day
- Earn cash rewards without signing up for rotating categories
- Get access to a higher credit line after making your first 5 monthly payments on time
- Monitor your credit profile with the CreditWise® app, free for everyone
- $0 fraud liability if your card is ever lost or stolen
- No limit to how much cash back you can earn, and cash back doesn't expire for the life of the account
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 26.74% (Variable) | $39 | Average, Fair, Limited |
- Pay no annual fee
- Get access to a higher credit line after making your first 5 monthly payments on time
- Fraud coverage if your card is lost or stolen
- Use online banking to access your account, even from your smartphone, with our mobile app
- Pay by check, online or at a local branch, all with no fee - and pick the monthly due date that works best for you
- Get access to your account 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 26.74% (Variable) | $0 | Average, Fair, Limited |
- Earn 1% cash back on all your purchases. Pay on time to boost your cash back to a total of 1.25% for that month
- Enjoy no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- Get a head start and build your credit with responsible use
- Get Eno®, your Capital One® assistant, to manage your account via text, receive alerts, and shop safer online
- Pick the monthly due date that works best for you
- Get access to a higher credit line after making your first 5 monthly payments on time
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 26.74% (Variable) | $0 | Average, Fair, Limited |
+ See more credit cards for average/fair credit
Credit One Bank® — Best for Poor/Limited Credit
As mentioned, Credit One cards are for consumers with poor credit. Their cards offer various features, such as zero fraud liability, automatic alerts, automatic reviews for more credit, and free credit tracking, but have low credit limits ($300 to $500).
- See if you Pre-Qualify without harming your credit score
- Track your progress with free online access to your Experian credit score, terms apply
- Looking to rebuild credit? We report to the major credit bureaus monthly
- Accounts are automatically reviewed for credit line increase opportunities
- Make paying your bill easier with the ability to choose your payment due date, terms apply
- Stay in-the-know with customizable account alerts via email and text
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 19.49% to 25.49% Variable | $0 - $99 | Bad Credit |
- Find out if you Pre-Qualify without harming your credit score
- Eligible purchases earn 1% cash back rewards automatically, terms apply
- Get a credit line between $300 and $3,000 based on your credit history
- Accounts are automatically reviewed for credit line increase opportunities
- Choose your monthly payment due date for added convenience, terms apply
- With $0 Fraud Liability, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 19.49% to 25.49% Variable | $0 - $99 | Bad Credit |
- Seeing if you Pre-Qualify is fast, easy, and secure
- Get 1% cash back rewards on eligible purchase, terms apply
- Rewards post automatically to your account each month
- Automatic reviews for credit line increase opportunities
- With $0 Fraud Liability, you won’t be responsible for unauthorized charges
- Pick a card that fits your style. Multiple card designs are available, a fee may apply
Intro (Purchases) | Intro (Transfers) | Regular APR | Annual Fee | Credit Needed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
N/A | N/A | 19.49% to 25.49% Variable | $0 - $99 | Poor |
+ See more credit cards for poor/limited credit
Credit One reports monthly to all three major credit bureaus, which is important for rebuilding your credit. Unfortunately, Credit One does not specify the individual terms for each credit card until you apply, so we’ll give a general summary:
- Purchases – 19.49% to 25.49% Variable, based on your creditworthiness when you open your account. This APR will vary with the market based on the Prime Rate.
- Transfers – Same as purchases.
- Annual Fees – $0 - $99. $19 for adding an authorized user.
Note: Beware that some Credit One cards won’t have a grace period and will charge interest starting on the posting date, not the monthly payment date.
In Conclusion
These cards serve two different populations. If you have an average or higher credit rating, Capital One offers great benefits, reasonable rates, and quick payments. If you are a sub-prime borrower, the Credit One cards are a perfectly legitimate way to get back into the game. They have higher fees and tend to nickel and dime you, but they do report your activity to the credit bureaus, so over time you can raise your credit score and apply for better cards. Before you apply, be sure you know which issuer you are filling out an application for and that your credit history aligns with the card’s requirements.
Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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