How does Chase Freedom Unlimited compare to Capital One Quicksilver?

[SouthJamaica]

It seems that Chase came up with the Freedom Unlimited to compete with the Capital One Quicksilver, which also gives you unlimited 1.5% cash back on everything.

I can think of certain advantages of the Quicksilver, such as (a) the absence of foreign transaction fees compared to Chase's 3% FTF, (b) the excellent balance transfer offers from Quicksilver (no fee, or 3% fee but zero interest),  as opposed to Chase's 5% balance transfer fee, and (c) 3% as opposed to 5% cash advance fee.

Are there any advantages to Chase's card over Capital One's?

[Anonymous]

1.5 UR > 1.5% if you have a CSP to transfer UR for travel.

[SouthJamaica]

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@Anonymous wrote:

1.5 UR > 1.5% if you have a CSP to transfer UR for travel.

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Thanks

[Anonymous]

The avantages to the Freedom Unlimited is when the card is combined with the CSP or Ink+ cards and you transfer the UR points to travel partners.  The 1.5% can easily become effectively 5% or higher.

[kdm31091]

If you're just redeeming for cash, they are basically identical. Mostly would depend on which lender you'd rather deal with.

If you pair with CSP or Ink and transfer to travel partners the value is much greater. Otherwise, no real difference between the products other than FTF as you mentioned and some balance transfer nuances.

[SouthJamaica]

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@Anonymous wrote:

The avantages to the Freedom Unlimited is when the card is combined with the CSP or Ink+ cards and you transfer the UR points to travel partners.  The 1.5% can easily become effectively 5% or higher.

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Thanks. I wasn't even aware you could do that. Didn't find anything like that in the description.

[SouthJamaica]

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@kdm31091 wrote:
If you're just redeeming for cash, they are basically identical. Mostly would depend on which lender you'd rather deal with.

If you pair with CSP or Ink and transfer to travel partners the value is much greater. Otherwise, no real difference between the products other than FTF as you mentioned and some balance transfer nuances.

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Nuances? To me a 5% fee compared to a 0% fee is more than a "nuance"

[kdm31091]

Well yes, for BTs the differences are rather pronounced, but it seems the chase is really a bad BT option with the fee.

[Anonymous]

It depends really how you plan on using either card.

I have both, and will be mainly only using the Quicksilver as second no-FTF card for my trips abroad, because I get more value from the Freedom Unlimited's points going into my CSP UR pool for transfer to airlines than just 1.5 cents per dollar spent.

[Ghoshida]

I get 0%APR, 2%BT fee offers from both of them. In that regards they are identical. Chase wins if you value UR points more than cash; Capital One wins if FTF is important to you.

Someone with a CSP will probably use it outside the US anyway. If you don't have the CSP then Chase has no clear benefits.