First-year winner

Chase Freedom Unlimited
$81 Year 1 edge
$718 vs $637
Compare Cards
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A

Card B

Monthly spend
Reward assumptions
Credits & benefits
Count the credits and perks you actually expect to use. Credit rows start with conservative default values; edit them for your own merchant, timing, or travel friction.
Card A
Counted benefits
$0
Credits
None
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Capital One Travel Protections
Price Protection · No listed cash value
Capital One Travel includes booking tools such as price monitoring, price drop protection, price match, and flexible booking features on eligible bookings.
Capital One Entertainment Access
Other · No listed cash value
Access to eligible entertainment, sports, and dining events through Capital One Entertainment.
Hertz Five Star Status
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can enroll in Hertz Five Star status for added rental benefits.
Card B
Counted benefits
$0
Credits
None
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
DashPass Membership and Quarterly Promos
Other · No listed cash value
Cardholders can receive a complimentary DashPass membership window plus rotating non-restaurant DoorDash promos.
Lyft Partner Offer
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible Lyft purchases can qualify for an elevated partner offer during the issuer's promotional period.
Purchase Protection
Purchase Protection · No listed cash value
Can help protect eligible new purchases against damage or theft for a limited period after purchase.
Extended Warranty Protection
Extended Warranty · No listed cash value
Can extend the original U.S. manufacturer's warranty on eligible purchases.
Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver
Rental Car · No listed cash value
Can provide theft and collision coverage for eligible rental vehicles.
Trip Cancellation and Interruption Insurance
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse covered prepaid travel expenses when a qualifying trip is canceled or interrupted for a covered reason.
Trip Delay Reimbursement
Travel Insurance · No listed cash value
Can reimburse eligible out-of-pocket expenses when a covered trip is delayed beyond the issuer's threshold.
Verdict
First-year winner

$81 Year 1 edge
$718 vs $637
Winner after year 1

$81 ongoing edge
$518 vs $437
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $0 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Capital One

Year One
$637
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$437
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$437
1.50% effective return
Welcome Offer
$200
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
None
$0 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$500
3 mo window · $167/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
Watch for
Chase

Year One
$718
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$518
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$518
1.78% effective return
Welcome Offer
$200
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
None
$0 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$500
3 mo window · $167/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
Watch for
Spend Mix Math
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
1.5%
$5,400
Capital One Quicksilver Cash
$81
1.50%
Chase Freedom Unlimited
$162
3.00%
Groceries
1.5%
$7,800
Capital One Quicksilver Cash
$117
1.50%
Chase Freedom Unlimited
$117
1.50%
Travel
1.5%
$3,000
Capital One Quicksilver Cash
$45
1.50%
Chase Freedom Unlimited
$45
1.50%
Gas
1.5%
$1,920
Capital One Quicksilver Cash
$29
1.50%
Chase Freedom Unlimited
$29
1.50%
General
1.5%
$11,040
Capital One Quicksilver Cash
$166
1.50%
Chase Freedom Unlimited
$166
1.50%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
Raw Breakdown
Use the spec table below when you want the literal field-by-field differences in rewards, benefits, transfer partners, fees, and approval profile.
| Metric | Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card | Chase Freedom Unlimited |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | Free | Free |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | 3% |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | — | 3% |
| Other rewards | — | 3% Drugstore purchases. |
| Travel rewards | 5% Hotels, vacation rentals, rental cars, and activities through Capital One Travel. | 5% Travel purchased through Chase Travel. |
| All rewards | 1.5% | 1.5% |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | $200 credit Spend $500 in 3 mo | $200 credit Spend $500 in 3 mo |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | 3 listed | 7 listed |
| Benefit highlights | Capital One Travel Protections · Capital One Entertainment Access · Hertz Five Star Status | DashPass Membership and Quarterly Promos · Lyft Partner Offer · Purchase Protection · +4 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Good | Good |
| Network | — | visa |
| Reward type | Cashback | Cashback |
Annual fee
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Free
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Free
Foreign transaction fee
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
None
Chase Freedom Unlimited
3%
Dining rewards
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
—
Chase Freedom Unlimited
3%
Other rewards
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
—
Chase Freedom Unlimited
3%
Drugstore purchases.
Travel rewards
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
5%
Hotels, vacation rentals, rental cars, and activities through Capital One Travel.
Chase Freedom Unlimited
5%
Travel purchased through Chase Travel.
All rewards
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
1.5%
Chase Freedom Unlimited
1.5%
Welcome offer
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
$200 credit
Spend $500 in 3 mo
Chase Freedom Unlimited
$200 credit
Spend $500 in 3 mo
Estimated benefits
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
3 listed
Chase Freedom Unlimited
7 listed
Benefit highlights
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Travel Protections · Capital One Entertainment Access · Hertz Five Star Status
Chase Freedom Unlimited
DashPass Membership and Quarterly Promos · Lyft Partner Offer · Purchase Protection · +4 more
Credit needed
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Good
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Good
Network
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
—
Chase Freedom Unlimited
visa
Reward type
Capital One Quicksilver Cash Rewards Credit Card
Cashback
Chase Freedom Unlimited
Cashback