The American Express® Gold Card and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card serve different spending and reward preferences.
The Amex Gold Card is a great card for earning points at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and flights booked directly with airlines. Cardholders can also enjoy up to $424 in annual credits and nice travel and purchase protections.
The Capital One Quicksilver Card keeps rewards simple with unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases and includes useful benefits like no foreign transaction fees. The card works best for people seeking a low-maintenance rewards experience, though its earning rate falls behind more specialized cash back cards.
This article will compare each card based on several factors to help you make an informed decision on which card is the best to add to your wallet.Full Reviews: American Express® Gold Card and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card.
Overview: Amex Gold vs Capital One Quicksilver Rewards
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- 4x Points at U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- 4x Points at Restaurants Worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- Up to $424 in Annual Credits
- $325 Annual Fee (Rates and Fees)
- 1.5% Cash Back on Every Purchase
- 5% Cash Back on Hotels and Rental Cars Booked via Capital One Travel
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. After that, a 18.49% - 28.49% APR.
- No Annual Fee
Welcome Bonuses
Amex Gold:
The Amex Gold currently offers the following welcome bonus:
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.Quicksilver Rewards:
The Quicksilver Card currently offers the following welcome bonus:
Earn $200 as a one-time cash bonus once you spend $500 within 3 months from account opening.Earning Rewards
Amex Gold:
The Amex Gold earns Membership Rewards points and offers some very nice points multipliers to help you earn a lot of points:
- 4 points per dollar on dining at restaurants (including takeout and food delivery in the U.S.).
- 4 points per dollar on up to $25,000 in purchases at U.S. supermarkets per calendar year (then 1 point per dollar).
- 3 points per dollar on flights booked directly from the airline or through the Amex Travel.
- 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.
Quicksilver Rewards:
The Quicksilver Card earns:
- 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel.
- 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day.
Winner:
Amex Gold is a rewards-earning powerhouse with extra rewards at restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and flights.
Card Benefits and Perks
Amex Gold:
The American Express Gold Card offers the following benefits for its cardholders:
- Up to $120 annual dining statement credit: Earn up to $10 in monthly statement credits when you pay with the Amex Gold Card at participating dining partners, including Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, Milk Bar, and select Shake Shack locations. Enrollment is required.
- Up to $120 in annual Uber Cash: Earn up to $10 in Uber Cash monthly for Uber Eats and Uber rides in the U.S. when you enroll and add the card to the Uber app.
- Up to $100 in hotel credits: Cardmembers who use their card to book a stay of two nights or more through Amex’s The Hotel Collection receive a $100 on-site credit for qualifying activities.
- Trip delay insurance ($300 for a delay of more than 12 hours)*
- Lost luggage reimbursement*
- No foreign transaction fees
- Secondary rental car insurance*
- Return protection*
- Purchase protection*
- Extended warranty
Quicksilver Rewards:
The Quicksilver Card offers the following benefits and perks:
- 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then 18.49% - 28.49% APR.
- Extended warranty.
- No foreign transaction fees.
Winner:
Amex Gold offers way more benefits than the Quicksilver card.
Value of the Annual Fees
Amex Gold:
The American Express Gold has a $250 annual fee (rates and fees), which is offset by the $240 in credits, trip and purchase protections, and extra points on dining, flights, and U.S. supermarkets.
Quicksilver Rewards:
One of the best things about the Capital One Quicksilver card is that it allows you to earn cash back with no annual fee.
Winner:
Capital One Quicksilver with its no annual fee.
Redeeming Rewards
Amex Gold:
American Express Membership Rewards is a popular rewards program that offers a variety of redemption options, including travel, merchandise, gift cards, and more.
However, to get the most value out of your rewards, it’s important to use them strategically.
One of the best ways to use Amex Membership Rewards is through transfer partners.
The program partners with over 20 airline and hotel partners, including ANA, Air Canada Aeroplan, Iberia Avios, and Avianca LifeMiles.
By transferring your points to these partners, you can often get more value per point and enjoy a wider range of redemption options.
Membership Rewards Transfer Partners [1 to 1]
Quicksilver Rewards:
The cash back accumulated through your Capital One Quicksilver card can be utilized in a number of ways, including as a statement credit, a check, or a gift card. Alternatively, you have the option to use it directly towards a particular charge on your statement.
What’s more, there’s no requirement for a minimum amount to redeem your cash back. All you need to do is log into your account, either through the app or on your computer, and choose the redemption method that suits you best.
Winner:
Amex Gold because it offers the ability to transfer points to airline and hotel partners.
The Verdict
Both the
and Quicksilver Card are good choices.If you travel, then the Amex Gold is one of my favorite credit cards due to its extra rewards for restaurants, U.S. supermarkets, and flights.
If you want a no annual fee cash back card, the Quicksilver card is a good option with a nice welcome bonus.
Which card are you going to choose?
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.
- 4x Points at U.S. Supermarkets (on up to $25,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- 4x Points at Restaurants Worldwide (up to $50,000 per calendar year, then 1x points)
- Up to $424 in Annual Credits
- $325 Annual Fee (Rates and Fees)
- 1.5% Cash Back on Every Purchase
- 5% Cash Back on Hotels and Rental Cars Booked via Capital One Travel
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months. After that, a 18.49% - 28.49% APR.
- No Annual Fee
