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Capital One and Citi are 2 large financial institutions in the U.S. Both offer standard banking products like checking accounts and savings accounts, as well as a variety of credit cards. Citi seems to be shrinking in the world of credit cards compared to its heyday, while Capital One continues to be growing more every year. Still, both credit issuers offer compelling credit card products worthy of consideration. But choosing the right card for your situation can seem overwhelming, especially if you’re considering not 1, but 2 credit card issuers. So in this guide, we’ll look at separate credit card categories and isolate the 2 best products available in each segment. Before we do that, let’s take a look at how Capital One miles compares to Citi ThankYou Rewards. Table of contents
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Comparing Capital One Miles and Citi ThankYou RewardsAir France business class. Image Credit: Air FranceCapital One’s proprietary rewards program is called Capital One Miles, and the miles you earn and redeem are Capital One miles. Similarly, Citi’s proprietary rewards program is called Citi ThankYou Rewards, and the points you earn and redeem are Citi ThankYou Points. Currently, Citi has a small portfolio of credit cards that participate in ThankYou Rewards, while Capital One’s portfolio is slightly larger. Remember, Citi and Capital One operate totally independent points programs, but Capital One miles can be redeemed in these ways:
Similarly, Citi ThankYou Points can be redeemed as follows:
Capital One Miles and Citi ThankYou Rewards both share similar redemption pathways, but you’ll almost always want to avoid PayPal, Amazon.com, online shopping, or cash-back, as these will definitely yield the lowest redemption value. You’ll often get less than 1 cent per point through these redemptions. Specifically, Capital One miles are worth:
On the other hand, Citi ThankYou Points are worth:
In comparison, when you transfer Capital One miles or Citi ThankYou Points to travel partners, you can get upwards of 10 cents per point of value. Transfer PartnershipsTo get maximum value from your Capital One miles or Citi ThankYou Points, you’ll need to pay attention to each program’s transfer partners. Simply put, you can transfer your bank’s points to airline frequent flyer programs or hotel loyalty programs. From there, you can use those new points or miles to book award travel, including Air France business class, Emirates first class, and much more. At the moment, there are a series of transfer partners that are offered to both Capital One and Citi (all at a 1:1 ratio unless otherwise noted):
Capital One offers a couple of useful partnerships beyond what Citi offers:
Citi, meanwhile, has access to transfers to Qatar Airways Privilege Club and Thai Airways Royal Orchid Plus. Overall, we believe Capital One has the slight edge over Citi, simply because of how useful Air Canada and British Airways are as frequent flyer programs. Still, Citi’s enhanced transfer ratio with Choice Privileges of 1:2 allows savvy travelers to book Preferred Hotels for some terrific value. In the end, we value Capital One miles at 1.8 cents each and Citi ThankYou Points at 1.6 cents each. Bottom Line: Capital One miles are slightly more valuable than Citi ThankYou Points, thanks to partnerships with British Airways Executive Club and Air Canada Aeroplan. However, Citi can be more useful for booking hotel stays, thanks to a 1:2 transfer partnership with Choice Privileges. Best Overall Travel Rewards CardImage Credit: Luca Bravo via UnsplashBetween Capital One and Citi, travel rewards credit cards are a big focus. Let’s take a look at our winning products in this section! Winner: Citi Premier® CardThe Citi Premier card is currently Citibank’s flagship credit card in the U.S. This mid-tier rewards credit card offers impressive overall travel rewards with a streamlined structure that’ll make it easy for you to maintain all personal expenses on a single card while earning lots of rewards. It earns 3x ThankYou Points on air travel, gas stations, hotels, restaurants, and supermarkets. On all other purchases, you’ll earn 1x ThankYou Points. This credit card also offers an annual $100 hotel savings benefit when a single stay of $500 or more (excluding taxes and fees) is booked through thankyou.com. You’ll get access to Citi Entertainment, contactless payments, digital wallets, no foreign transaction fees, and fee-free authorized user cards, too. Runner-up: Capital One Venture Rewards Credit CardThe CapOne Venture card has been around for many years — over time, its benefits and rewards have transformed, and today, it earns up to 5x Capital One miles:
As we mentioned earlier, Capital One miles are worth 1.8 cents per mile, which translates to a maximum return on spending of 9%. You’ll also find that the CapOne Venture card earns at least 2x miles on purchases, which guarantees a minimum return on spending of 3.6%. The CapOne Venture card also includes a handful of useful travel benefits:
Lastly, there are no additional annual fees for authorized users with this credit card. Bottom Line: The Citi Premier card and the CapOne Venture card are 2 credit cards always competing for market share in the travel rewards segment. We believe the Citi Premier card outranks the CapOne Venture card because of its impressive list of bonus categories; however, the CapOne Venture card can hold its own, especially with its travel benefits beyond rewards. Best Overall Business CardIf you’re running a business, you’ll need the best business card possible to help you be successful, and the best overall business cards in this instance are issued by Capital One. Winner: Capital One Spark Miles for BusinessThe CapOne Spark Miles card is our favorite overall business card. It entitles you to great rewards on business purchases, low fees, and travel benefits. Right now, you’ll find a welcome bonus on this card, as well as the ongoing ability to earn up to 5x Capital One miles on purchases:
This credit card is one of the best cards for business owners because you can confidently use this credit card and get a return on spending of at least 3.6%. You won’t need to worry about any specific bonus categories; instead, you’ll earn at least 2x miles on all purchases. The CapOne Spark Miles card also comes with 2 free visits to Capital One Lounges or Plaza Premium Lounges every year and an up to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit every 4 years. Lastly, the CapOne Spark Miles card comes with purchase security, extended warranty, no foreign transaction fees, and fee-free employee cards. Runner-up: Capital One Spark Miles Select for BusinessOur runner-up best business credit card is the CapOne Spark Miles Select card, which is just a step below the CapOne Spark Miles card. Notably, this card has no annual fee and still earns up to 5x Capital One miles:
So while you’re not going to earn at least 2x miles on your purchases like you would with the CapOne Spark Miles card, you will still earn at least 1.5x miles on all business purchases, which is equivalent to a 2.7% return on spending. The CapOne Spark Miles Select card also comes with purchase security, extended warranty, zero fraud liability, secondary car rental coverage, roadside assistance, and no-additional-cost employee cards. Best Premium Travel Rewards CardImage Credit: Rebe Adelaida via UnsplashIf traveling in style is a top priority for you, getting a premium travel rewards card should be at the top of your to-do list. Citi doesn’t really compete in this segment, but Capital One offers a fantastic product that fits this niche perfectly. Winner: Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit CardThe CapOne Venture X card is one of hottest credit cards available right now, and it’s easy to see why. To start, the welcome offer alone will have you itching to add this card to your wallet. Capital One’s flagship premium credit card enjoys a terrific earning structure of up to 10x Capital One miles:
If you earn 10x Capital One miles, you’re getting a return on spending of 18%, which is huge. Every anniversary year, you’ll enjoy a bonus of 10,000 miles. That’s on top of the up to $300 Capital One Travel credit and the up to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit. This credit card enables you to gain unlimited complimentary visits to Capital One Lounges, Plaza Premium Lounges, and Priority Pass Lounges, as well. And when you’re booking car rentals, get top-tier Hertz President’s Circle status as a complimentary benefit. The CapOne Venture X card even includes cell phone insurance, exceptional travel insurance, purchase protection, extended warranty, no foreign transaction fees, and up to 4 authorized users for no additional annual fee. Best Premium Travel Rewards Business CardNeed to run your purchases through your business but still want to enjoy luxury travel benefits? Capital One has got you covered! Here’s the best premium travel rewards business card available: Winner: Capital One Spark Travel Elite CardOne of the newest cards available is the CapOne Spark Travel Elite card. In fact, it’s so new that it’s not possible to sign up for this card through a public channel — you must do so through a relationship manager for your business. Currently, there’s a fantastic welcome bonus, and you’ll earn up to 10x Capital One miles:
Just like the CapOne Venture X card, the CapOne Spark Travel Elite card includes an account anniversary bonus of 10,000 miles, up to $300 in Capital One Travel credits, unlimited access to Capital One Lounges and Plaza Premium Lounges, and a complimentary Priority Pass Select membership. Of course, you’ll still get an up to $100 Global Entry/TSA PreCheck application fee credit with your card. The main difference is that the CapOne Spark Travel Elite card has no preset spending limit, which is huge, especially if you’re a high-spending business owner. Unlike other Capital One business cards like the CapOne Spark Miles card or CapOne Spark Miles Select card, the CapOne Spark Travel Elite card won’t report to your personal credit. Most would agree that the CapOne Spark Travel Elite card is the business version of the CapOne Venture X card but with no preset spending limit! Best No-Annual-Fee Credit CardFor some people, it’s easier to avoid annual fees altogether, especially if you are cash-constrained. Here are the best no-annual-fee credit cards offered by Capital One or Citi. Winner: Citi® Double Cash CardThe Double Cash card represents perhaps the most complete embodiment of the cash-back, low-fee credit card product. Indeed, it even offers a 0% introductory APR on balance transfers, and it may even offer an additional cash-back offer as part of its welcome bonus. The Double Cash card earns 2% cash-back on all purchases, which is split up into 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay. Just remember that even though the Double Cash card’s rewards are ThankYou Points, you’ll only be able to transfer your points to Choice Privileges, JetBlue TrueBlue, and Wyndham Rewards at reduced ratios. To get access to the complete list of airline partners, you’ll need to also hold the Citi Premier card. If you do have the Citi Premier card, your 2% cash-back is effectively convertible to 2x ThankYou Points, which is equivalent to a 3.2% return on spending. Otherwise, you can use your ThankYou Points for a fixed value through cash-back, gift cards, or direct deposit. This credit card also offers access to Citi Entertainment, fee-free authorized user cards, and fraud protection. Runner-up: Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit CardOur second-favorite no-annual-fee credit card is the CapOne VentureOne card, which is a terrific choice if you have good credit and want to dip your toes in Capital One’s rewards ecosystem without committing to an annual fee just yet. The rewards of up to 5x Capital One miles include:
Additionally, the CapOne VentureOne card gets you access to Capital One miles without an annual fee, plus secondary car rental coverage, extended warranty, no foreign transaction fees, and no-additional-fee authorized users. Best No-Annual-Fee Business CardNow that we’ve gone over the best no-annual-fee credit cards for personal transactions, let’s walk through the best business credit cards without annual fees. Winner: Capital One Spark Miles Select for BusinessOur favorite no-annual-fee business credit card is the CapOne Spark Miles Select card, which we actually discussed above. It’s worth mentioning again because you’ll earn at least 1.5x Capital One miles on all purchases, which is equal to a return on spending of 2.7%. Here is the breakdown:
This no-annual-fee credit card earns rewards that can be transferred to Capital One’s full list of travel partners, which is a game-changer for business owners looking to avoid annual fees. Also, the CapOne Spark Miles Select card includes purchase protection, extended warranty coverage, roadside assistance, zero fraud liability for unauthorized purchases, secondary rental car coverage, no foreign transaction fees, and employee cards for no additional annual fees. Runner-up: Capital One Spark Cash Select for BusinessThe CapOne Spark Cash Select card is the cash-back version of the CapOne Spark Miles Select card. The good news is that this card offers an impressive welcome bonus for a no-annual-fee card, plus the following rewards structure:
Plus, the CapOne Spark Cash Select card has zero fraud liability, fee-free employee cards, roadside assistance, no foreign transaction fees, and extended warranty. Best Card for Cash-backImage Credit: Katie Harp via UnsplashCash-back is the most flexible type of rewards. And for some people, it could be totally worth it. In this section, we’ll show you some of the best credit cards that earn cash-back from Capital One and Citi. Winner: Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit CardCredit CardBenefits & InfoCapital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card
The CapOne Savor card is one of the most impressive cash-back credit cards available. With this card, you’re eligible to earn a welcome bonus, plus up to 8% cash-back in unlimited rewards:
This credit card also offers shopping and travel benefits like extended warranty, zero fraud liability, no foreign transaction fees, and fee-free authorized users. Runner-up: Citi Custom Cash℠ CardOne of the best credit cards for cash-back, especially if you’re a relatively low spender from month to month, is the Citi Custom Cash card. The card currently offers a welcome bonus, plus a 0% introductory APR promotion on purchases and balance transfers. The Citi Custom Cash card earns 5% cash-back in your top eligible spending category each billing cycle (up to the first $500 spent) from the list below:
Although earning 5% cash-back on these categories is potentially fantastic, there’s a limit of just $500 per billing cycle in these purchases. On other purchases, you’ll earn 1% cash-back. One of the secrets of this card, though, is that your rewards are earned as ThankYou Points, which means that you can convert your 5% cash-back to a maximum of 8% return on spending if you also have the Citi Premier card. The Citi Custom Cash comes with access to Citi Entertainment, contactless payments, digital wallet capabilities, zero fraud liability, and fee-free authorized users. Best Business Card for Cash-backIf you’re running significant expenses through your business, saving an extra 1% or 2% could make an enormous difference in the long run. So if you’re looking to maximize your business’s transactions through cash-back cards, let’s look at our top picks. Winner: Capital One Spark Cash Plus CardOur winning cash-back business card is the CapOne Spark Cash Plus card. Right now, you can qualify for a substantial welcome bonus, and this product happens to be a charge card with no preset spending limit. Earn up to 5% cash-back on purchases:
You’ll note that the CapOne Spark Cash Plus card also has an annual $200 cash bonus every calendar year you spend $200,000 or more, too! Standard benefits are included, like purchase protection, extended warranty, zero fraud liability, roadside assistance, no foreign transaction fees, and no-additional-fee employee cards. Runner-up: Costco Anywhere Visa® Business Card by CitiThe Costco Anywhere Business card is our runner-up cash-back credit card for business owners. Although the card is co-branded with Costco, you can earn cash-back on so much more than just Costco purchases. Currently, the rewards of up to 4% cash-back are broken down as follows:
With this card, you can also use contactless payments, digital wallets, purchase protection, and Citi Entertainment. Lastly, there are no foreign transaction fees. There’s also no annual fee with your paid Costco membership, and authorized users come with no additional annual fees, too. Final ThoughtsCiti and Capital One both possess unique credit card offerings that fit neatly into specific target markets. That’s because Citi and Capital One both offer excellent cards for travel rewards or cash-back rewards. There are both ultra-premium options and no-annual-fee options, too. And lastly, while we value Capital One miles slightly higher than Citi ThankYou Points, you might end up earning points more quickly with certain cards with the Citi Premier card, for example. With a wide selection of options, you’re bound to find one you’re happy with! The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card, Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card, Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card, CapOne Spark Travel Elite Credit Card, Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card, Capital One Spark Cash Select for Business, Capital One Spark Miles for Business, and Capital One Spark Miles Select for Business was independently collected by Upgraded Points and was not provided nor reviewed by the issuer. Is Citi or Capital One better?EDITOR'S OVERVIEW. The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer is the winner over the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. The Citi Double Cash Card is a better credit card than Capital One Quicksilver because it provides more ongoing value, even though it may not be as lucrative during the first year.
Is there any card better than Citi double cash?Chase Freedom Unlimited® is the winner over the Citi Double Cash Card. While these are two of the most popular cash back credit cards on the market, Chase Freedom Unlimited gives higher cash back rates in a wide variety of bonus categories, short-term interest-free financing on new purchases, and better value overall.
What Capital One card is better than Quicksilver?The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card is the winner over the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card. Capital One Venture is a better credit card than Capital One Quicksilver because it offers uniquely valuable travel rewards at a worthwhile price.
What is the highest credit limit for Capital One quicksilver one?The Capital One Quicksilver credit limit depends on your income, creditworthiness and payment history. According to anecdotal reports, the card's credit limit can be as low as $750 and as high as $10,000.
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