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The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the few secured credit cards that offers real cash back rewards.
With a $0 annual fee and the chance to upgrade to an unsecured card over time, it's a strong choice for anyone working to build or rebuild credit. (See rates and fees.)
As someone who once had to build their credit history from scratch with a secured card -- without many rewards to show for it -- I'd recommend it. Everyone needs to start their credit journey at some point, and if you can earn 1.5% cash back with a card like this one while you do it, all the better.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Credit Score:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: New/Rebuilding Under(579)
Credit Score
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
New/Rebuilding Under(579)
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: N/A
Regular APR
29.74% (Variable)
Rewards
Earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply.
1.5%-5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer
N/A
N/A
This no-annual-fee credit card earns an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases, and offers free credit monitoring tools -- making it a solid secured credit card option for consumers who want to earn rewards while building or rebuilding their credit.
No annual fee
Unlimited cash back
No foreign transaction fees
Includes a free credit monitoring tool
Potential to get your security deposit back as a statement credit
Requires a security deposit
No sign-up bonus
High variable APR
No annual or hidden fees, and you can earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, every day. See if you're approved in seconds
Put down a refundable $200 security deposit to get at least a $200 initial credit line
Building your credit? Using a card like this responsibly could help
Enjoy peace of mind with $0 Fraud Liability so that you won't be responsible for unauthorized charges
You could earn back your security deposit as a statement credit when you use your card responsibly, like making payments on time
Be automatically considered for a higher credit line in as little as 6 months with no additional deposit needed
Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. Terms apply
Monitor your credit score with CreditWise from Capital One. It's free for everyone
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates and 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.
Our highest-rated credit cards have:
High value through rewards or 0% intro APR offers
Attainable welcome bonuses that make up for any annual fees
Low annual fees or a balance transfer fee of 3%
Top perks such as purchase and travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, travel credits, and status upgrades
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates and 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.
Our highest-rated credit cards have:
High value through rewards or 0% intro APR offers
Attainable welcome bonuses that make up for any annual fees
Low annual fees or a balance transfer fee of 3%
Top perks such as purchase and travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, travel credits, and status upgrades
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
What I like about the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Card
1.5% cash back on every purchase
With the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Card, you'll earn unlimited 1.5% cash back on every purchase, which is well beyond the expectation for secured cards. Most secured credit cards offer no rewards at all, making the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Card a great cash-back-earning option while you build your credit.
You'll also earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Terms apply.
Ability to upgrade to an unsecured card
With responsible card use on the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Card -- like making on-time payments in full -- you could be considered for a credit limit increase. You can also get converted to an unsecured card in the same timeframe.
The way that secured cards typically work is that the issuer will give you a credit limit equal to your security deposit, which acts as collateral to protect the issuer against someone with poor or limited credit. After demonstrating a strong payment history, though, you can get upgraded to an unsecured card in just six months, then receive your security deposit back as a statement credit. Not bad.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash back on rotating categories
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
1% - 5% Cashback
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases
25,000 points
25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases
1.5-3 points per dollar
Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open. Earn 3 points per $1 spent on travel purchases booked through the Bank of America Travel Center.
Intro:
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers. Balance transfers
may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
4.80/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
$200 cash back
$200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening.
1% - 6% cash back
Earn 6% cash back for the first year in the category of your choice, 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, and unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. Earn 6% and 2% cash back on the first $2,500 in combined purchases each quarter in the choice category, and at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, then earn unlimited 1% thereafter. After the first year from account opening, you’ll earn 3% cash back on purchases in your choice category and 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs up to the quarterly maximum.
Intro:
0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases, and for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the Intro APR offer ends, a Variable APR that’s currently 18.24% - 28.24% will apply. A 3% Intro balance transfer fee will apply for the first 60 days your account is open. After the Intro balance transfer fee offer ends, the fee for future balance transfers is 4%. Balance transfers may not be used to pay any account provided by Bank of America.
Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases
Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days
The card charges a steep ongoing APR of 29.74% (Variable) (see rates and fees). That means if you don't pay off your balance on-time and in full, you'll owe interest at that high rate, which will make carrying a balance very expensive.
This is to be expected for a secured card for people with poor or limited credit history. But carrying a balance can get expensive quickly, so it's best to pay off your entire balance each month.
No welcome bonus
A few unsecured cash back cards also offer a welcome bonus after hitting a spending threshold within a specific amount of time. This card does not, which limits its short-term value.
How to apply for the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Card
Once you're approved and your security deposit's received, your card will be activated and mailed to you and you'll be ready to earn.
Final thoughts
The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card is one of the best secured cards available. It combines a solid rewards rate with the opportunity to build credit and eventually upgrade to an unsecured card.
If you want to earn while rebuilding your financial profile, this card is definitely worth a look.
Yes. Capital One may refund your deposit as a statement credit if you use your card responsibly, such as by paying on time.
You may be automatically considered for a credit line increase after six months of on-time payments, with no extra deposit required.
Yes. Capital One reports your payment activity to all three major credit bureaus, which can help you build or rebuild credit with consistent use.
Yes. The card has no foreign transaction fees, making it a good option for international travel.
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