Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card vs. Wells Fargo Autograph: Which is Best?

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Both the Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card and Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card are popular credit card options.

The Quicksilver Cash Rewards card is 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.

The Autograph card offers elevated rewards on everyday purchases including restaurants, travel, gas stations, and streaming services. The card provides solid travel and shopping protections including cell phone coverage, making it a practical choice for daily spending with no annual fee.

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.

Overview: Quicksilver vs Autograph

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
  • 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 reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR.
  • No Annual Fee
Learn How to Apply Our Review

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
  • bonus_miles_full
  • 3x points on Restaurants, Travel, Gas, Transit, Ridesharing, Streaming, and Phone Plans
  • Cell Phone Insurance
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • No Annual Fee
Learn More Our Review
Non-affiliate link.

Welcome Bonuses

Quicksilver Rewards:

The Quicksilver Card currently offers the following welcome bonus:

bonus_miles_full

Wells Fargo Autograph:

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card currently offers the following welcome bonus: bonus_miles_full

Earning Rewards

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.

Wells Fargo Autograph:

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card earns points at the following rates:

  • 3 points per dollar on restaurants, including take-out, catering, and delivery;
  • 3 points per dollar on travel, including airfare, hotels, car rental, and cruises;
  • 3 points per dollar at gas stations;
  • 3 points per dollar at EV charging stations;
  • 3 points per dollar on transit, including subways, ride shares, parking, tolls, and more;
  • 3 points per dollar on popular streaming websites;
  • 3 points per dollar on cell phone and landline providers; and
  • 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases.

Winner:

It depends. The Quicksilver is better for non-bonus spending at 1.5% versus 1.0%, but the Autograph card offers 3x points in many popular categories like dining, travel, and gas stations.

Card Benefits and Perks

Quicksilver Rewards:

The Quicksilver Card offers the following benefits and perks:

Intro APR: Enjoy a 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases, then a reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR .

Extended Warranty Protection: Your purchases gain an extra year of warranty protection when bought with this card, extending manufacturer warranties of three years or less without the inflated prices of store warranty plans.

No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.

Travel Accident Insurance offers coverage for accidental death or dismemberment while traveling on a common carrier when the trip is purchased using the eligible credit card.

Wells Fargo Autograph:

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card offers the following benefits for its cardholders:

Intro APR: Enjoy a 0% Intro APR for 12 months. After that, either a reg_apr,reg_apr_type applies.

Cell Phone Protection: When you use your card to pay your monthly phone bill, you’ll receive valuable coverage against damage or theft of your device.

Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.

No Foreign Transaction Fees: You’ll save money on every purchase while traveling internationally since this card doesn’t add the typical 3% surcharge that many other cards impose.

Roadside Dispatch: Get access to 24/7 emergency roadside assistance for situations like dead batteries, flat tires, fuel delivery, and mechanical breakdowns. While you’ll need to pay for the actual service provided, having access to reliable help when stranded can be invaluable.

Visa Signature Benefits: This card is a Visa Signature card offering special benefits such as rental car discounts, golf and wine discounts, and emergency travel assistance.

Visa Signature Concierge: Your card comes with a dedicated 24/7 concierge service ready to assist with your lifestyle needs. Whether you need help securing dinner reservations, finding event tickets, or planning travel arrangements, your personal concierge is just a phone call away.

Winner:

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card since it offers cell phone insurance. 

Value of the Annual Fees

Quicksilver Rewards:

The Capital One Quicksilver comes with a $0 annual fee, making it an accessible option for those wanting simple cash back rewards. While there’s no annual fee to offset, the card does provide some valuable benefits including no foreign transaction fees, concierge service, extended warranty protection, and travel accident insurance.

Wells Fargo Autograph:

The Wells Fargo Autograph Card has no annual fee, allowing you to enjoy its benefits without a yearly cost. 

Winner:

Tie. Both have no annual fee.

Redeeming Rewards

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.

Wells Fargo Autograph:

Through the Wells Fargo rewards portal, you can redeem your points at a fixed value of 1 cent per point in several ways: statement credits applied directly to your card balance, gift cards available in $25 increments, travel bookings including flights, hotel stays, and rental cars, credits to qualifying Wells Fargo products like credit cards, checking accounts, or mortgages, and direct purchases at participating merchants, including PayPal. 

However, transferring points to Wells Fargo’s airline and hotel partners can potentially provide even greater value. The bank currently partners with several major programs including Air France-KLM Flying Blue, British Airways Executive Club, and Choice Privileges hotels, with more partners likely to be added as the program expands.

Wells Fargo Logo Wells Fargo Transfer Partners
Aer Lingus Aer Lingus AerClub Air France Air France-KLM Flying Blue
LifeMiles Avianca LifeMiles British Airways British Airways Executive Club
Iberia logo Iberia Plus Choice Logo Choice Privileges (1 to 2)

Winner:

Tie. Both are cash back cards that easily allow you to cash out your cash back.

The Verdict

Both the Quicksilver Card and Wells Fargo Autograph Card are good options. 

The Quicksilver card is better for everyday spending and the Autograph card is better if you want to track your categories to maximize your rewards. 

Which card are you going to choose?

Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
  • 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 reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR.
  • No Annual Fee
Learn How to Apply Our Review

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card
  • bonus_miles_full
  • 3x points on Restaurants, Travel, Gas, Transit, Ridesharing, Streaming, and Phone Plans
  • Cell Phone Insurance
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees
  • No Annual Fee
Learn More Our Review
Non-affiliate link.

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