The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is no longer taking new applicants, although existing cardholders can still use the card. Those interested in the Journey Student Rewards card should check out the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards or the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card instead.
Key takeaways
- The Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One both offer students the chance to build credit while earning rewards with no annual fee required.
- With a 1.5 percent cash back rate on purchases, the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards has the ability to earn more in rewards than the Journey Student Rewards card.
- The Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards card also comes with a welcome bonus, while the Journey Student Rewards card does not.
As more student credit cards enter the starter credit card space, you might be wondering which one is right for you. Most major issuers have respectable student credit card offers, all with varying rewards rates, welcome offers and other benefits.
In this comparison guide, we’ll look at two student credit cards from Capital One — the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card and the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One*.
Main details
| Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards Credit Card | Journey Student Rewards from Capital One | |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | Early Spend Bonus: Earn $50 when you spend $100 in the first three months | N/A |
| Rewards rate |
|
|
| Intro APR | N/A | N/A |
| Annual fee | N/A | $0 |
Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards vs. Journey Student Rewards highlights
Rewards rate winner
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The Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards offers a flat 1.5 percent cash back on all purchases, and there’s no limit to how much cash back you can earn. This card also earns 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel and 10 percent cash back on Uber and Uber Eats purchases (through November 14, 2024).
In comparison, the Journey Student Rewards offers just 1 percent cash back on all purchases. That rate is then boosted to 1.25 percent back for the month if you pay your bill on time. If your goal is to earn as much cash back as possible, then the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards would be the better option of the two.
Welcome bonus winner
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The Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards currently offers a welcome bonus of $50 when you spend $100 within the first 3 months of card membership. This offer is among the better welcome offers available with student credit cards, and it would be easy to meet — you’d only have to spend about $34 per month to earn the bonus.
The Journey Student Rewards, on the other hand, does not offer a welcome bonus because it’s no longer taking new applicants.
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Neither card has an annual fee, meaning you won’t have to pay for a card membership each year. It’s easy to find a student credit card without an annual fee, so make sure that any card you’re seriously considering doesn’t have one.
Foreign transaction fee winner
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Both the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards and Journey Student Rewards include no foreign transaction fees. This means either card would be a good option for studying or traveling abroad since you won’t have to pay a fee (usually around 3 percent) for each transaction you make outside of the country.
Which card earns the most?
The following is a pretty straightforward spending example since we’re comparing the 1.5 percent cash back earned from the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards to the 1 percent cash back earned from the Journey Student Rewards. In addition to that, we’ll also throw in the Journey Student Rewards bonus cash back rate of 1.25 percent to see how much you can earn as an on-time payer.
Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards vs. Journey Student Rewards spending example
Let’s say you spend $125 on groceries, $50 on dining, $30 on entertainment and $40 on miscellaneous expenses each month for a total of $245. Of the three earning rates for the two cards, you could earn the following cash back on your purchases each month:
| Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards (1.5%) | Journey Student Rewards (1%) | Journey Student Rewards (1.25%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Groceries ($125) | $1.88 | $1.25 | $1.56 |
| Dining ($50) | $0.75 | $0.50 | $0.63 |
| Entertainment ($30) | $0.45 | $0.30 | $0.37 |
| Miscellaneous ($40) | $0.60 | $0.40 | $0.50 |
| Total spent ($245) | $3.68 | $2.45 | $3.06 |
For this spending example, we used modest spending amounts to estimate the potential rewards earnings since students likely won’t have high credit limits or spending budgets. But you can see that the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards wins out on cash back every time.
The Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards even beats out the Journey Student Rewards in terms of the welcome bonus. That’s extra money in your pocket that you can use however you want — for streaming services, takeout, shopping or whatever.
Why should you get the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards?
You should get the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash card if you want a straightforward way to earn a respectable cash back rate and a solid welcome bonus. Plus, the card includes multiple ways to redeem rewards and no foreign transaction fees, making it a good pick if you’re planning to travel or study abroad. It also comes with access to Capital One Travel and 5 percent cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through the portal.
Additional benefits
The Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards comes with a number of card benefits like price protection, extended warranty protection, complimentary concierge services, travel accident insurance, $0 fraud liability, virtual card numbers from Eno and credit monitoring through CreditWise, among others.
Also, you can automatically be considered for a higher credit limit in as little as six months, which is a much shorter time period than competing student cards. If you use your card responsibly, which means paying your bill on time and keeping your balance in check, then Capital One could reward you with an increased credit limit.
Redemption options
Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards cardholders can redeem their cash back rewards for statement credits, checks or to cover a recent purchase. Rewards can also be redeemed when you checkout with PayPal, shopping on Amazon and for gift cards from merchants like Starbucks, Ulta Beauty, Panera Bread, Whole Foods and others.
Recommended credit score
Since this is a student credit card, your approval odds are likely better if your credit profile is, at minimum, in the fair to good credit range (a FICO score of 580 to 740).
Why should you get the Journey Student Rewards?
If you’re a new cardholder looking to build your credit or practice good financial habits and you’re not interested in the welcome bonuses or higher rewards rates that come with other student cards, then the Journey Student Rewards could be a good fit for you. (Editor’s Note: The Journey Student Rewards card is no longer accepting new applications.)
Additional benefits
The Journey Student Rewards doesn’t have as many card benefits as the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards. The main benefits this card offers include access to the Capital One Travel portal, $0 fraud liability, virtual card numbers from Eno, credit monitoring through CreditWise and emergency card replacement. Plus, like the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards, you’ll be automatically considered for a higher credit limit after six months.
Redemption options
The redemption methods for this card are the same as the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards. You can redeem your cash back in the form of statement credits, checks, gift cards or shopping at Amazon or via PayPal.
Recommended credit score
The Journey Student Rewards requires a fair to good credit score (a FICO score of 580 to 740).
The bottom line
Building credit can be a long and difficult process, but starting early can make a huge difference. Some of the best student credit cards can help you build credit while also offering you perks like welcome bonuses and cash back on all of your purchases.
In this case, there are pros and cons for both the Capital One Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards and the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One. However, even if you only plan to hang on to a student card for a year or two, the Quicksilver Student Cash Rewards beats out the Journey Student Rewards in terms of its higher rewards rate, welcome bonus and additional benefits.
*The information about the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One card has been collected independently by Bankrate. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the issuer.
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