The Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card are two of the most popular cashback cards in the market.
The Chase Freedom Unlimited sets itself apart with 1.5% back on non-bonus purchases, plus higher rewards in select categories including dining and travel. This flexible rewards card becomes even more valuable when paired with a premium Chase card, allowing you to transfer your rewards to travel partners.
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.
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: Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card.
Overview of Each Card
Welcome Bonuses
Freedom Unlimited:
The Chase Freedom Unlimited currently offers the following welcome bonus:
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Quicksilver Rewards:
The Quicksilver Card currently offers the following welcome bonus:
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Earning Rewards
Freedom Unlimited:
The Chase Freedom Unlimited earns the following rewards:
- 5% cash-back on travel purchased via the Chase Travel℠.
- 5% cash back on Lyft rides (through March 2025).
- 3% cash back on dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services.
- 3% cash back at drugstores.
- 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
But you can easily increase the value by 25-50% of this card’s rewards by holding a premium Chase Ultimate Rewards card, which allows you to transfer to Chase’s airline and hotel partners or cash out points towards travel with higher bonuses:
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:
The Chase Freedom Unlimited wins. It offers higher cashback rates in more spending categories, along with a solid 1.5% cashback rate for non-category purchases.
Card Benefits and Perks
Freedom Unlimited:
The Chase Freedom Unlimited offers the following benefits:
Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers. After that, a reg_apr,reg_apr_type APR.
120-Day Purchase Protection: Get 120 days of protection against damage, theft, and even loss of your purchases – one of the longest windows available. This premium coverage automatically applies when you pay with your card.
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.
Trip Cancellation & Interruption Insurance: This protection reimburses you for non-refundable, prepaid travel expenses if you need to cancel before departure or cut your trip short due to covered situations like severe illness or weather events. Coverage activates when you pay for your trip with the card, but it’s important to note that reimbursement only applies for specific covered reasons rather than any cancellation.
Secondary Rental Car Insurance: This card provides backup protection for rental car damage or theft when you charge the full rental to your card.
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.
Winner:
It’s a tie. While the Freedom Unlimited offers more benefits overall, the Capital One Quicksilver offers important benefits of no foreign transaction fees and 0% Intro APR.
Value of the Annual Fees
Freedom Unlimited:
The Chase Freedom Unlimited has no annual fee, making it a great option for earning rewards without having to pay a large annual fee.
Authorized users can be added to the card for free and can help earn rewards through their spending.
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.
Winner:
It’s a tie. Both cards don’t have annual fees.
Redeeming Rewards
Freedom Unlimited:
To redeem the points or rewards on this Chase card, log in to your Ultimate Rewards® account, navigate to the “Earn/Use” tab on your home page, and choose the type of redemption you want. The most popular options include:
Cash Back: Redeem your points in the form of a statement credit towards your balance or receive a direct deposit into a bank account.
Gift Cards: Convert your rewards into a gift card from your preferred retailer, with gift card options starting at 500 points for $5, so that’s worth 1 cent per point.
Pay With Points: Use your points to pay for Amazon or PayPal purchases. However, we don’t really recommend this option since redemption values are typically less than 0.8 cents apiece. Amazon Gift cards would be a better option.
Travel: If you book a trip through Chase’s travel portal, you redeem your rewards at one cent per point.
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:
Chase Freedom Unlimited because you have the potential to unlock valuable airline and hotel transfer partners if you have a premium Ultimate Rewards card such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.
The Verdict
Both the Freedom Unlimited and Quicksilver Cash are great cards for earning rewards.
However, the Chase Freedom Unlimited offers extra bonus points at restaurants and drugstores, while offering the potential to team up for great rewards with other Chase cards.
The Quicksilver Card is still a good choice with no foreign transaction fees, which is rare for a no annual fee card.
Which card are you going to choose?
