Is the Capital One VentureOne Card worth it?

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card is what you might call an entry-level travel credit card. It doesn’t charge an annual fee and offers an unlimited 1.25X miles on every purchase — giving you a flexible way to earn and redeem travel benefits without having to pay an upfront cost.

But are the Capital One VentureOne Card benefits worth it? How does the VentureOne Rewards Card compare to travel credit cards that charge annual fees — and are the extra travel benefits worth paying an annual fee?

Let’s take a look at what kinds of cardholders would find the Capital One VentureOne Card worth it and which ones wouldn’t, and how it stacks up against other top travel credit cards.

When is the VentureOne Card worth it?

As a no-annual-fee travel card, the Capital One VentureOne may serve a variety of cardholder types well. If you relate to the following scenarios when the VentureOne Card is worth it, you should consider applying for it.

You want to earn unlimited rewards

Great for anyone who doesn’t want the hassle of tracking bonus categories, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card offers an unlimited 1.25 miles per dollar on all purchases. The only other way to earn bonus rewards is to book hotels and rental cars through the Capital One Travel portal, which would garner 5X miles. The best part is that there’s no spending cap on its flat rate. You could earn as many rewards as you’d like on the card.

Not only does this flat-rate rewards card provide the same benefits whether you buy groceries, gas or plane tickets, but the Capital One miles rewards program also offers extremely flexible rewards redemption options. You can turn your miles into statement credits, transfer them to more than 15 hotel and travel partners or use your miles to cover PayPal or Amazon.com purchases.

You don’t want to overspend for your welcome offer

Savvy cardholders know that one of the best ways to earn rewards is by taking advantage of a credit card’s welcome offer. The VentureOne Rewards Card offers new cardholders 20,000 bonus miles if they spend $500 in the first three months after opening their account — and those bonus miles can be worth as much as $200 if one redeems them for travel via Capital One Travel.

You frequently shop online

If you enjoy bargain hunting by scouring the internet for discount codes, you can use Capital One Shopping to automatically track coupons, price comparisons and more. When you download the Capital One Shopping app or add the Capital One Shopping extension to your Chrome browser, Capital One will begin searching for coupon codes and sending you price-drop alerts.

Plus, VentureOne Rewards cardholders can earn Capital One Shopping Credits (available on select purchases) by linking their VentureOne Rewards card to the Capital One Shopping app and using the card at checkout.

You’re still learning about credit

Whether you’re trying to improve your credit score or simply keep an eye on your credit, you’ll want to sign up for CreditWise from Capital One. CreditWise can help if you’re looking to advance your credit score to the next tier, and you’ll receive real-time updates as your credit improves.

This free credit monitoring app is one of our favorite credit monitoring services because it not only tracks changes to your credit score, but also monitors your personal and financial information for any potential security breaches. For instance, it’ll notify you if your email appears on the dark web and will let you know what you do next to keep your accounts safe.

When is the VentureOne Card not worth it?

Though the VentureOne Card is an excellent card for many consumers, it doesn’t suit high spenders and serious globetrotters. Let’s examine the scenarios in which the VentureOne doesn’t make sense more closely.

You spend more than $12,667 a year

The biggest drawback of the VentureOne Card is its relatively low flat rate. Consider instead the VentureOne’s sister card, the Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card. Earning an unlimited 2X miles on all purchases and 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, the Venture is as versatile as the VentureOne, but simply more lucrative.

However, because the Venture Rewards has a $95 annual fee, you should do the math to ensure you’ll earn enough rewards with your regular spending to cover the fee. The break-even point between the VentureOne and the Venture Rewards Card is $12,667 a year, at which you’ll earn $158.34 in rewards on both cards.

If you spend below $12,667, you may find it difficult to offset the annual fee and should go for the VentureOne. However, if you spend more than $12,667, you should go for the Venture Rewards Card since you’ll miss out on rewards at 1.25X miles.

You’d like Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit

By earning 5X miles on hotels and rental car bookings made with Capital One Travel and charging no foreign transaction fees, the VentureOne’s travel benefits are nearly identical to the Venture Rewards Card. However, consumers who fly often and would like to get expedited through security check or U.S. customs should apply for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck. If you had been angling for the VentureOne, keep in mind that it doesn’t reimburse you for those application fees, like other more premium travel credit cards.

A card that will offer you statement credit for it is the Venture Rewards Card. Every four years, you can get up to $100 statement credit for your Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application.

Should you get the VentureOne Card?

Is the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Card worth it? It depends. If you want a flat-rate rewards card with no annual fee, the VentureOne Rewards Card is a good way to earn miles on everything you buy and redeem those miles for everything from travel bookings to Amazon.com purchases.

But if you’re looking for a top travel credit card, the Capital One VentureOne Card might not be your best option. Although the VentureOne includes a number of benefits designed to help you save money and build your credit, its travel benefits are fairly limited. You don’t get any of the benefits that some of the best travel credit cards provide, such as TSA PreCheck and Global Entry application credits and airport lounge access. Using the VentureOne to earn and redeem Capital One miles gives you plenty of flexibility, but it probably won’t do much to improve your general travel experience.

If you want a Capital One credit card that offers a few more travel perks, the Capital One Venture is a great alternative. In exchange for a $95 annual fee, the Venture Rewards Card gives you an unlimited 2 miles per dollar on every purchase and an automatic statement credit to cover the cost of your TSA PreCheck or Global Entry application.

You may also wish to consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card. This travel credit card includes a few top-level travel benefits, including the opportunity to earn a welcome bonus of 60,000 bonus points when you spend $4,000 in the first three months, worth $750 toward travel when redeemed through Chase Ultimate Rewards. However, the Sapphire Preferred also charges a $95 annual fee like the Venture Rewards Card. If you’d like to avoid an annual fee altogether, you should stick with the VentureOne.

The bottom line

The Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card charges no annual fee and offers a few basic travel benefits, including the ability to earn and redeem Capital One miles. If you’re looking for a good starter travel card — or if you simply want a low-cost card — the VentureOne Rewards Card might be a good choice. If you’re hoping to get a little more out of your travel credit card, you might decide that the VentureOne travel benefits aren’t enough. Make sure you carefully assess your situation and spending habits before deciding to apply for the VentureOne or a more premium travel card.