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The card offers a simple but just-OK rewards rate. Those who have excellent credit can likely find a better option. Why trust our credit card experts Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select * The information for the Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. basics
Capital One Spark Cash Select reviewCapital One’s Spark Cash Select is a no-frills business credit card that comes in two flavors: One designed for good credit and one designed for excellent credit. The only difference between the two is that the version for good credit comes with an introductory APR offer and no welcome bonus and the one aimed at those with excellent credit has a 18.49% to 24.49% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers with no intro APR period and comes with a welcome bonus of a $750 cash bonus after spending $6,000 on purchases in the first three months of account opening. Otherwise, the cards are identical. Both versions offer a rewards boost for certain travel bookings. The card earns 1.5% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. Although that elevated cash-back rate doesn’t apply to airlines or flight bookings, the card does offer a few perks for frequent flyers, including access to Capital One Lounges (which comes with all Capital One business cards) and no foreign transaction fees. But overall this card may fall flat for most business owners, especially for those with excellent credit who can qualify for a card that offers better rewards in areas of typical business spending. Pros
Cons
Capital One Spark Cash Select rewardsThe Capital One Spark Cash Select earns:
Using government data and other publicly available information, we estimate a mom-and-pop business in the U.S. that would be in the market for this card has around $25,087 in annual expenses it can charge to a credit card. Here’s an example of how the rewards might break down: The small business in this example would earn an annual total of $438 in cash-back rewards, assuming they book all hotels and car rentals through Capital One Travel. Capital One Travel offers a guarantee to match or beat prices on other travel booking sites like Expedia. To make a reservation, you’ll need to set up an account on the site. Then you can book online for free or by phone, which may trigger a booking fee. Capital One Spark Cash Select perksCapital One offers a long list of perks and tools on all of its business credit cards. With the Spark Cash Select card, you can:
How the Capital One Spark Cash Select compares to other business credit cardsCapital One Spark Cash Select vs. Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus * The information for the Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.Small business owners with a strong cash flow who are looking for the ability to earn an unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase and 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel — with the flexibility to spend big when needed — could benefit from the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card. As a pay-in-full card, you can’t carry a balance and it also has a $150 annual fee, refunded every year you spend at least $150,000 annually. If that number sounds well above your company’s spending habits — know the break-even point where the Spark Cash Plus is more rewarding than the Spark Cash Select, in spite of the annual fee, is $30,000. In other words, if your business spends more than $30,000 a year, the Spark Cash Plus card earns more money back. Capital One Spark Cash Select vs. U.S. Bank Business Leverage® Visa Signature® Card * The information for the U.S. Bank Business Leverage® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.The U.S. Bank Business Leverage Visa Signature Card earns 5% cash back on prepaid hotels and car rentals booked directly in the Rewards Center, 2% cash back in the top two categories each month and 1% cash back on all other eligible purchases and comes with a $0 introductory annual fee for the first 12 months, after that $95 per year. If your spending is concentrated in one or two categories, this is likely the more rewarding card option. Capital One Spark Cash Select vs. Ink Business Cash® Credit CardThe Chase Ink Business Cash has no annual fee and earns 5% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year, 2% cash back on the first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. This card is one of the best business cards on the market for small business owners looking to maximize returns on their spending and is likely to outearn the Spark Cash Select. The rewards on business expenses, plus the valuable travel and purchase coverages¹, make this card a strong choice for ventures of all sizes. The Capital One Spark Cash Select is right for you if:
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)There are two Capital One Spark Cash Select credit cards and each has a different credit score requirement. FICO defines very good credit as 740 and high and good credit as starting at 670. Capital One does not disclose a minimum or maximum credit limit for the Spark Cash Select credit card. Credit card limits are typically determined by a range of factors, including your credit score, income and percentage of available credit you’re using. If you prefer a simple rewards structure, have excellent credit and if hotels and car rentals are a significant expenditure for your business — the Capital One Spark Cash Select credit card could be right for you. ¹For Capital One products listed on this page, some of the above benefits are provided by Visa® or Mastercard® and may vary by product. See the respective Guide to Benefits for details, as terms and exclusions apply. *The information for the Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select, Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus and U.S. Bank Business Leverage® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Blueprint. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer. Blueprint is an independent publisher and comparison service, not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and we encourage you to seek personalized advice from qualified professionals regarding specific financial decisions. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Blueprint has an advertiser disclosure policy. The opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the Blueprint editorial staff alone. Blueprint adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. The information is accurate as of the publish date, but always check the provider’s website for the most current information.  Sarah Brady is a personal finance writer and educator who's been helping individuals and entrepreneurs improve their financial wellness since 2013. Sarah's other publications include Investopedia, Experian, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC), Credit Karma and LendingTree and her work has been syndicated by Yahoo! News and MSN. She is also a former HUD-Certified Housing Counselor and NFCC-Certified Credit Counselor. Allie is a journalist with a passion for money tips and advice. She's been writing about personal finance since the Great Recession for online publications such as Bankrate, CreditCards.com, MyWalletJoy and ValuePenguin. She's also written personal finance content for Discover, First Horizon Bank, The Hartford, Travelers and Synovus. Robin Saks Frankel is a credit cards lead editor at USA TODAY Blueprint. Previously, she was a credit cards and personal finance deputy editor for Forbes Advisor. She has also covered credit cards and related content for other national web publications including NerdWallet, Bankrate and HerMoney. She's been featured as a personal finance expert in outlets including CNBC, Business Insider, CBS Marketplace, NASDAQ's Trade Talks and has appeared on or contributed to The New York Times, Fox News, CBS Radio, ABC Radio, NPR, International Business Times and NBC, ABC and CBS TV affiliates nationwide. She holds an M.S. in Business and Economics Journalism from Boston University. Follow her on Twitter at @robinsaks. Is Capital One Spark hard to get approved for?Is Capital One Spark Hard to Get Approved For? If your credit score is above 740, you most likely meet most (if not all) of the approval requirements and below traits: Never declared bankruptcy or defaulted on a loan. Not been 60+ days late on a credit card, medical bill, or loan in the last year. Is the Capital One Spark business card good?Our Verdict. With unlimited 2% cash back on purchases, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus* is an excellent business cash-back card for those with strong credit. The annual fee of $150 is palatable compared to many high-end card fees. Of course, there are lower fee options you may want to consider as well. What is the limit on Capital One Spark business card?The limit on a Capital One Spark Classic business card is $500, but you may receive a higher limit depending on how high your credit score and income level are. on Capital One's Secured Site. Credit score is one of the many factors lenders review in considering your application. What credit score do I need for a Capital One Spark business card?Business owners with imperfect credit may not be approved for other business credit cards from Capital One, yet the Spark 1% Classic* is geared toward people with fair credit. This typically includes any FICO score between 580 and 669. |
