The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) has long been a top travel rewards credit card with a manageable annual fee, a solid sign-up bonus and a strong flat-rate earning structure. But you may not realize that this popular card also has a no-annual-fee sister card: the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees).
Over the past few years, the Venture card family has only improved, largely due to the addition of new and valuable transfer partners, improved transfer ratios and the opening of the expansion of Capital One’s airport lounge network.
Yet despite the similar names and the identical redemption options, these two cards are geared toward different types of travelers. Below, we break down the differences to help you decide which is better for you.
Capital One Venture Rewards vs. Capital One VentureOne comparison
| Card | Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-up bonus | Earn 75,000 miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months from account opening | Earn 20,000 bonus miles once you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months from account opening |
| Earning rates |
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| Redemption |
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| Additional perks |
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| Annual fee | $95 (see rates and fees) | $0 (see rates and fees) |
For 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.
As you can see, there are some notable differences between the two, so let’s take a deeper dive into each category.
Capital One Venture Rewards Card vs. Capital One VentureOne welcome bonus
New Capital One VentureOne Rewards cardholders receive 20,000 bonus miles after spending $500 within the first three months of account opening. TPG’s July 2024 valuations peg Capital One miles at 1.85 cents each, making this bonus worth $370.
New Capital One Venture Rewards cardholders, on the other hand, will receive a much higher 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 within the first three months of account opening. According to TPG’s July 2024 valuations, this bonus is worth an impressive $1,388.
Winner: Venture Rewards. Its welcome bonus is over three times that of the VentureOne.
Related: The best time to apply for these Capital One cards based on offer history
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Capital One Venture Rewards Card vs. Capital One VentureOne benefits
It’s not typical to get many benefits on cards without an annual fee, so the travel and warranty protections on the Capital One VentureOne Rewards are nice to see. However, the real benefit that sets the VentureOne apart is the ability to transfer the miles it earns to Capital One’s full range of transfer partners without paying an annual fee (see rates and fees).
The Capital One Venture Rewards also comes with some valuable travel access and protections as well as a credit for Global Entry/TSA PreCheck.
Winner: Venture Rewards. Its additional travel benefits and the Global Entry/TSA PreCheck credit make it the clear winner.
Related: Is the Capital One Venture worth its annual fee?
Earning miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards Card vs. the Capital One VentureOne Card
Both the Capital One Venture Rewards and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards earn Capital One Venture Miles at a flat rate. Regardless of which card you choose, you can feel confident knowing you’re earning valuable rewards on each purchase without worrying about which category it falls under.
Both cards earn an impressive 5 Capital One miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel. On all other purchases, the Venture Rewards earns 2 miles per dollar, while the VentureOne earns 1.25 miles per dollar.
Winner: Venture Rewards. It earns 38% more than the VentureOne on everyday purchases.
Related: How to redeem Capital One miles for maximum value
Redeeming miles on the Capital One Venture Rewards Card vs. the Capital One VentureOne Card
Both the Capital One Venture Rewards and the Capital One VentureOne Rewards earn fully transferable Capital One miles and have the same redemption options. You can get great value from either card by transferring your miles to any of Capital One’s 15-plus travel loyalty programs.
You can also redeem your miles for a statement credit for eligible travel purchases or use them to book through Capital One Travel. You can redeem your miles for cash-back or gift cards.
Winner: Tie. Both cards earn transferable Capital One miles and have the same redemption options.
Related: Should you transfer Capital One miles to partners or redeem them directly for travel?
Transferring miles with the Capital One Venture Rewards Card vs. the Capital One VentureOne Card
Whether you have the Capital One Venture Rewards or the Capital One VentureOne Rewards, your best redemption option is to transfer your miles to any of Capital One’s 15-plus travel loyalty programs, including valuable options like Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles and Choice Privileges.
TPG managing editor Matt Moffitt especially appreciates the option to transfer his miles to Avianca LifeMiles for premium-cabin redemptions on United to Australia. With so many options, you’re sure to find a valuable transfer partner that fits your travel habits and goals.
Winner: Tie. Both cards have the same transfer options.
Related: Ultimate guide to Capital One airline and hotel transfer partners
Should I get the Capital One Venture Rewards or the Capital One VentureOne?
If you’re focused on avoiding annual fees, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards (see rates and fees) is worth adding to your wallet for its unique ability to earn transferable miles. However, if you don’t mind paying an annual fee, you’ll get more value from travel benefits and higher earning rates with the Capital One Venture Rewards (see rates and fees).
Related: Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Venture X
How to upgrade from the Capital One VentureOne Card to the Capital One Venture Rewards Card
If you have the Capital One VentureOne Rewards and want to upgrade it to the Capital One Venture Rewards, simply call the number on the back of your card and request a product change. However, note that you’ll forfeit the welcome bonus by doing a product change instead of applying for a new card.
Related: The ultimate guide to credit card upgrades
Bottom line
Both the Capital One Venture Rewards and the Capital One VentureOne earn valuable transferable miles and provide travel perks while keeping annual fee costs low. As far as no-annual-fee cards go, you’ll have difficulty finding another one that offers as much value as the VentureOne does with its transferable miles (see rates and fees). Still, the Venture Rewards card has more than enough perks to offset its $95 annual fee (see rates and fees).
Both are excellent cards and which is a better fit for you will come down to your personal priorities.
For more information, read our full review of the Capital One Venture Card and our full review of the Capital One VentureOne Card.
Apply here: Capital One VentureOne
Apply here: Capital One Venture Rewards
For 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.
