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Capital One Spark Cash Select Review
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
$750 Cash Back once you spend $6,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 1X miles per dollar otherwise.
5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; 1X miles per dollar otherwise.
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Earn 1.5% Cash back on all eligible purchases
Pros
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Low minimum spend required to receive the Early Spend Bonus
Cons
- Only earns 1.5% where other cards earn 2% back
- Lacks a complete set of features and benefits that most annual fee cards have
- Capital One does a hard pull with all 3 credit bureaus when you apply
When a card earns cash back, it has a value in our calculator of $0.01, just as you'd expect! 😉
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Chase Ink Business Cash® Credit Card
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
Earn $350 in the form of 35,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $3,000 on purchases in the first three months and an additional $400 in the form of 40,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first six months after account opening. Points are transferrable if you also hold a Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred.
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
- Earns 5X on office supply stores, cable, internet, and phone
- Points earned can be transferred to other eligible Chase Ultimate Rewards cards
- Earn a 10% Business Relationship Bonus (only cards opened March 21 - Nov 2024; requires Chase Business Checking account) and No annual fee
Pros
- Great 5X (office supplies, cable, internet, phone) and 2X (gas stations and dining) bonus categories.
- No annual fee
- Points earned can be combined to a Chase Ink Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card
Cons
- Charges a foreign transaction fee
- Rewards earned are only cash back unless you have a Chase Ink Preferred®, Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, or Chase Sapphire Reserve® Card to unlock points transfers
- Earns only 1% on non-bonus categories
The Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, and Ink Preferred all have the ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners. We use an average value that you can expect to get by utilizing your points for these transfer partners. If you do not have at least one of these cards, Ultimate Rewards are worth exactly 1 cent per point. Also keep in mind that when you redeem your points, you can elect to book travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal where the Sapphire Preferred and Ink Preferred have a point value of 1.25 cents per point and the Sapphire Reserve has points worth 1.5 cents each. You can move points freely between your Ultimate Rewards cards, i.e. from a Chase Freedom Unlimited to a Chase Sapphire Reserve. You can also read our Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
Get $750 in the form of 75,000 Ultimate Rewards points when you spend $6,000 in your first 3 months. Points are transferrable if you also hold a Sapphire Preferred, Sapphire Reserve, or Ink Business Preferred.
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
- Simple. Earn 1.5% cash back on all purchases
- Rich signup bonus
- No annual fee
Pros
- With 1.5% cash back on all purchases, it's a perfect "default" card for purchases not in a bonus category on your other cards
- No annual fee
- Points earned can be transferred to your Chase Ink Preferred®, Sapphire Preferred® Card, or Sapphire Reserve® Card
Cons
- Comes with a foreign transaction fee when travelling or making a purchase in a foreign currency
- Rewards earned are only cash back, although you can transfer the Ultimate Rewards points earned to a Chase Ink Preferred®, Sapphire Preferred® Card, or Sapphire Reserve® Card to enable airline and hotel points transfers
- No bonus spend categories
The Sapphire Reserve, Sapphire Preferred, and Ink Preferred all have the ability to transfer to airline and hotel partners. We use an average value that you can expect to get by utilizing your points for these transfer partners. If you do not have at least one of these cards, Ultimate Rewards are worth exactly 1 cent per point. Also keep in mind that when you redeem your points, you can elect to book travel through the Ultimate Rewards portal where the Sapphire Preferred and Ink Preferred have a point value of 1.25 cents per point and the Sapphire Reserve has points worth 1.5 cents each. You can move points freely between your Ultimate Rewards cards, i.e. from a Chase Freedom Unlimited to a Chase Sapphire Reserve. You can also read our Guide to Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Hilton Honors American Express Card
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
Earn 80,000 Hilton Honors Bonus Points after you spend $2,000 in purchases on the Card in the first 6 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
Applies to bookings at Hilton Honors properties booked directly with Hilton. Otherwise, earn 3X
At U.S. Gas Stations
At U.S. Restaurants. Take out and delivery included.
At U.S. Supermarkets. * American Express defines a supermarket as offering a wide variety of food and household products such as meat, fresh produce, dairy, canned and packaged goods, household cleaners, pharmacy products and pet supplies. (Superstores, convenience stores and warehouse clubs are NOT considered supermarkets.)
- No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
- 7X points when staying at Hilton portfolio properties
- Comes with Silver Elite Status
Pros
- 7X points when staying at Hilton portfolio properties
- Comes with Silver Elite Status with the chance to earn Gold
- No annual fee and no foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Silver status benefits are light compared to Gold status
- The earn rate on everyday spend is higher on other cards
- Lacks any high end benefits, but then again it's a no annual fee card
Since Hilton moved to a variable pricing model, on average you'll be offered roughly a 0.5 cent value per point. What is nice is that although the pricing is mostly variable, they still cap the "standard" redemption rate on all properties. With the 5th night free on all award stays and resort fees waived on award stays, it's very possible to well exceed this value - even getting 1-2 cents per point - when used wisely.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
IHG One Rewards Traveler Credit Card
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
Earn 80,000 bonus points after spending $2,000 on purchases within the first 3 months of account opening.
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
At IHG brand hotels and resorts booked directly; otherwise earn 2X.
- Despite no annual fee, get IHG Silver Elite and a fourth reward night free on rewards of 4 or more consecutive nights
- Earn bonus points at IHG hotels and resorts, at gas stations, streaming services, and more
- Get solid purchase and travel protections
Pros
- Get a fourth night free on all reward night stays of 4+ nights.
- No annual fee.
- Solid sign up bonus points, especially for a no annual fee card.
Cons
- Doesn't come with a free night award, like the IHG Premier Card
- Complimentary Silver Elite status doesn't offer many perks
IHG, home of hotel brands like Intercontinental and Holiday Inn, generally provide about four tenths of a cent in value, following a 2021 devaluation and move to fully dynamic award pricing. I'll redeem when I can get more than that. While you can transfer from Chase Ultimate Rewards to IHG, you really never should as you are cutting the value in half as they transfer 1:1. There is no cap on any hotel rates in points like with Hilton. If you have an IHG Premier or Business Premier credit card, you'll get the 4th night free on rewards which can add significant value.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
20,000 miles when you spend $500 within 3 months
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
Only when booked via the Capital One Travel Portal; otherwise earn 1.25X miles per dollar.
Only when booked via the Capital One Travel Portal; otherwise earn 1.25X miles per dollar.
- Earns valuable Capital One miles with the ability to either redeem for travel at a value of one cent per point, or transfer miles to a wide range of excellent hotel and airline partners.
- 5X miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked via the Capital One Travel portal.
- Simple flat-rate earning structure with 1.25X miles per dollar on other eligible purchases.
Pros
- Decent sign-up bonus with no annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Solid array of travel and purchase protections
Cons
- Not as strong travel and purchase protections as the more robust (and expensive) Capital One Venture X Credit Card
- 1.25X per dollar is a fairly weak earning rate compared to the Venture or Venture X Cards
- While the card is simple to use, there is effectively a lack of real bonus categories unlike some of its competitors
It's worth noting that some Capital One cards earn 2 miles per dollar on everything, making the 1.6 cent per mile value an understatement as you'd be earning a 3.2% yield on every day spend. However, this assumes you will learn how to utilize the Capital One airline and hotel transfer partners, most of which transfer 1:1. The minimum value is 1 cent when used to book travel in their portal or to cover previously paid for travel, however, our calculator assumes you will use Capital One's air and hotel transfer partners when calculating a 1.6 cent per point value. We also have a Guide to Capital One Miles.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
Earn 15,000 Membership Rewards® points after you spend $3,000 in eligible purchases on the Card within your first 3 months of Card Membership. Terms Apply.
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
- 2x points rewards rate on all eligible purchases (up to the first $50,000 spent per calendar year)
- No annual fee; plus, add employee cards for no additional cost
- Business expense management tools and expanded buying power ability
Pros
- No annual fee, making the Blue Business Plus a great starter card for new or small business owners
- Earn 2x Membership Rewards points on purchases (capped at the first $50,000 in a year)
- Business expense management tools and expanded buying power ability
Cons
- The 2x earning rate is capped at $50,000 per year
- Charges a foreign transaction fee
Instant Transfers as well as solid transfer partners. The value would go up if they had any hotel partners with a fair exchange rate. ANA (an exception to instant transfers), Virgin, Air Canada and Avianca are top airline partners for maximizing your points. They can also transfer to Delta if you wish and while the rates aren't ideal, they can transfer to Marriott and Hilton as well. ANA provides almost unbeatable value for booking a Round the World flight all in Business Class. The stated value also assumes you will take advantage of transfer partners rather than book via their booking portal, where they are only worth between 1 and 1.5 cents. We've also created a Guide to American Express Membership Rewards.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
United Gateway℠ Card
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
Earn 20,000 bonus miles after you spend $1,000 on purchases in the first 3 months your account is open. Plus, 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases.
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
- No annual fee card
- Expanded "Saver" economy award availability
- A wide range of trip and purchase protections and benefits
Pros
- No Annual Fee
- Expanded "Saver" economy award availability
- A wide range of trip and purchase protections and benefits
Cons
- No free checked bags or priority boarding
- Does not provide the "upgrades on award ticket" benefit of the other United credit cards
- Mileage rate is not as good as many other cards and miles earned are only good in the United MileagePlus program
They have a similar network to AA in terms of reach via the Star Alliance and also (unlike Delta) allow for booking First Class international awards in the Star Alliance network, but they charge noticeably more for Partner Awards and the rates keep (stealthily) rising. United partner Lufthansa tends to have good availability to Europe making it somewhat easier to use to Europe than American, which relies heavily on British Airways and BA charges incredibly steep surcharges on those awards.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Citi Custom Cash℠ Card
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
$200 in the form of 20,000 bonus ThankYou® points when you spend $1,500 within 6 months
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
- The Citi Custom Cash rewards you with 5% cash back on your top spending category each month, on up to $500, from a broad range of selected categories.
- The only credit card to offer 5% on home improvement stores.
- The Citi Custom Cash card pairs well with a Citi Double Cash card, Citi Premier, or both!
Pros
- 5% is the highest possible reward for many of the Custom Cash Card's bonus categories
- No annual fee
- Includes very rare bonus categories, like home improvement stores
Cons
- With the Citi Custom Cash, your 5X earnings are capped at $500 per statement cycle on your top spend category each billing period
- Has a fairly low bonus offer, although not too bad for a no-annual fee credit card
- Charges a foreign transaction fee
If you have a Citi Premier card or a legacy Citi Prestige card, you can transfer your points to Citi's full range of airline and hotel partners. Other ThankYou points-earning cards can be pooled with your Premier or Prestige to unlock airline and hotel program transfers. We calculate that you can get an average of 1.6 cents per point when redeeming this way. If you have any other Citi ThankYou point cards and do not have a Premier or Prestige, then your ThankYou points are worth 1 cent each.
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
Bonus Offer
Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening
Bonus points for spend in the following bonus categories:
Only earns 5% when booked via Capital One Travel; else 1%
Only earns 5% when booked via Capital One Travel; else 1%
- No annual fee
- Earn 3% cash rewards on popular categories
- No foreign transaction fee
Pros
- No annual fee
- Earns 3% back on dining and at grocery stores
- Excellent Intro 0% APR offers
Cons
- Only earns 1% cash back on non-bonus categories
- Does not come with any fancy benefits like airport lounge access
- Must book via Capital One Travel to get 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars
When a card earns cash back, it has a value in our calculator of $0.01, just as you'd expect! 😉
Our ratings are determined by the authors and editors on our team. Each individual card feature is compared against all other cards we offer and the total score is an average of those 4 ratings.
