First-year winner
United Explorer Card
$347 Year 1 edge
$1,616 vs $1,268
Compare Cards
Stack up the better credit card
Compare two cards side by side with your real spend, credits, fees, and rewards.
Card A
Card B
Monthly spend
Start with spending categories
Monthly Total
$2,430/mo
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
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Counted benefits
$330
Credits
$330
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$300 Annual Travel Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $300/yr
Receive up to $300 back annually on eligible travel bookings made through Capital One Travel.
Perk
10,000 Anniversary Bonus Miles
Other · Listed $100/yr
Receive 10,000 bonus miles each year starting on the first account anniversary.
Credit
Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive a statement credit for one qualifying Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application fee during the eligibility window.
Perk
Capital One Lounge Access
Lounge Access · No listed cash value
Access to Capital One Lounges and eligible landing locations for cardholders and permitted guests.
Perk
Priority Pass Select Membership
Lounge Access · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can enroll in Priority Pass Select for participating airport lounge access.
Perk
Complimentary PRIOR Subscription
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders receive a complimentary PRIOR subscription.
Perk
Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection Benefits
Travel Credits · No listed cash value
Eligible hotel bookings can include experience credits and space-available property perks.
Perk
Hertz President's Circle Status
Other · No listed cash value
Eligible cardholders can enroll in Hertz President's Circle status for enhanced rental benefits.
Perk
Capital One Dining Access
Other · No listed cash value
Access to select dining reservations and culinary experiences through Capital One Dining.
Perk
Capital One Entertainment Access
Other · No listed cash value
Access to eligible entertainment, sports, and dining events through Capital One Entertainment.
Card B
United Explorer Card
Counted benefits
$560
Credits
$560
Cash-like credits counted in the model
Perks
None
Optional user-valued benefits
Credit
$100 United Travel Credit
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Earn a United travel credit after spending $10,000 with the card within a calendar year.
Credit
$100 United Hotels Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Receive up to $100 back as statement credits on eligible prepaid United Hotels stays.
Credit
$60 Rideshare Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $60/yr
Enroll to receive up to $60 back as statement credits each calendar year on eligible rideshare purchases.
Credit
$50 Avis or Budget United Travel Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $50/yr
Receive United TravelBank cash for eligible Avis or Budget rentals booked through cars.united.com.
Credit
$120 Instacart Credits
Other · Listed $120/yr
Receive up to $120 in Instacart credits each calendar year for eligible Instacart purchases.
Credit
$100 JSX Credits
Travel Credits · Listed $100/yr
Receive up to $100 back as statement credits each anniversary year on eligible JSX flights.
Credit
Global Entry, TSA PreCheck, or NEXUS Fee Credit
Tsa Global Entry · Listed $30/yr
Receive a statement credit of up to $120 every four years for a qualifying application fee.
Perk
Free First Checked Bag and Priority Boarding
Other · No listed cash value
The primary cardmember and one companion can receive a first checked bag free and priority boarding on eligible United itineraries.
Verdict
United Explorer wins year 1 and long term.
Winner after year 1
United Explorer Card
$297 ongoing edge
$816 vs $518
Long-term breakeven: the higher-reward option needs roughly $77,990 per year in this spend mix to overcome the fee and benefit gap.
Capital One
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Year One
$1,268
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$518
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$583
2.00% effective return
Welcome Offer
$750
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$330
$330 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$4,000
3 mo window · $1,333/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Chase
United Explorer Card
Year One
$1,616
Welcome offer + annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
After Year 1
$816
Annual rewards + counted benefits - fee
Annual Rewards
$406
1.39% effective return
Welcome Offer
$800
Current listed first-year bonus value
Credits + Perks
$560
$560 credits + $0 perks
Bonus Spend
$3,000
3 mo window · $1,000/mo pace · Comfortable
Why it wins
- • Still delivers meaningful first-year upside from the welcome offer.
- • Your expected credit usage offsets most of the annual fee.
- • Stays usable for international purchases.
Watch for
- • The points value case is thinner without transfer-partner flexibility.
Spend Mix Math
Where the value actually comes from
Category returns are based on the spend mix you entered, your point-value assumption, and the benefits you chose to count.
Dining
2x
$5,400
Capital One Venture X
$108
2.00%
United Explorer
$108
2.00%
Groceries
2x
$7,800
Capital One Venture X
$156
2.00%
United Explorer
$78
1.00%
Travel
2x
$3,000
Capital One Venture X
$60
2.00%
United Explorer
$90
3.00%
Gas
2x
$1,920
Capital One Venture X
$38
2.00%
United Explorer
$19
1.00%
General
2x
$11,040
Capital One Venture X
$221
2.00%
United Explorer
$110
1.00%
Total annual spend
$29,160 across this mix
Capital One Venture X$583
United Explorer$406
Raw Breakdown
Full side-by-side details
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 Venture X Rewards Credit Card | United Explorer Card |
|---|---|---|
| Costs | ||
| Annual fee | $395 | $150 |
| Foreign transaction fee | None | None |
| Rewards | ||
| Dining rewards | — | 2x |
| Travel rewards | 5x 5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel. | 3x 3X miles on eligible United purchases; 2X on hotel stays booked with the hotel. |
| All rewards | 2x 2X miles on all other purchases. | 1x |
| Offer | ||
| Welcome offer | 75,000 pts Spend $4,000 in 3 mo | Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months. |
| Benefits | ||
| Estimated benefits | ~$430/yr | ~$560/yr |
| Benefit highlights | $300 Annual Travel Credit · 10,000 Anniversary Bonus Miles · Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit · +7 more | $100 United Travel Credit · $100 United Hotels Credits · $60 Rideshare Credits · +5 more |
| Profile | ||
| Credit needed | Excellent | Good |
| Network | visa | visa |
| Reward type | Miles | Miles |
Costs
Annual fee
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
$395
United Explorer Card
$150
Foreign transaction fee
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
None
United Explorer Card
None
Rewards
Dining rewards
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
—
United Explorer Card
2x
Travel rewards
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
5x
5X miles on flights and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel.
United Explorer Card
3x
3X miles on eligible United purchases; 2X on hotel stays booked with the hotel.
All rewards
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
2x
2X miles on all other purchases.
United Explorer Card
1x
Offer
Welcome offer
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
75,000 pts
Spend $4,000 in 3 mo
United Explorer Card
Earn up to 80,000 bonus miles
Earn 70,000 bonus miles after spending $3,000 in the first 3 months, plus 10,000 bonus miles after adding an authorized user in the first 3 months.
Benefits
Estimated benefits
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
~$430/yr
United Explorer Card
~$560/yr
Benefit highlights
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
$300 Annual Travel Credit · 10,000 Anniversary Bonus Miles · Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Credit · +7 more
United Explorer Card
$100 United Travel Credit · $100 United Hotels Credits · $60 Rideshare Credits · +5 more
Profile
Credit needed
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Excellent
United Explorer Card
Good
Network
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
visa
United Explorer Card
visa
Reward type
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Miles
United Explorer Card
Miles