Capital One Spark 2% Cash Credit Card Review
Key Takeaways
The Capital One Spark 2% Cash card offers a 100,000 point signup bonus (redeemable as cash back) after spending $10,000, with the $95 annual fee waived in the first year. The flat 2% earning rate makes it a strong option for businesses with significant non-bonused spending. However, because the card counts against your 5/24, it should only be considered if it fits within your broader card strategy.
Why This Card Could Be Right For You
The Capital One Spark 2% Cash card is built around simplicity. Instead of tracking bonus categories, you'll earn a flat 2% cash back on every purchase, making it a strong fit for businesses with significant non-bonused spending.
- Welcome offer: Earn a 100,000 point signup bonus (paid as cash back) after spending $10,000 in the first 3 months.
- Simple earning structure: Earn unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases with no category restrictions or spending caps.
- Transferable rewards potential: If you also have an eligible Capital One miles-earning card, you can move rewards between accounts and convert your cash back into transferable Capital One miles.
- First-year value: The $95 annual fee is waived in the first year, making the welcome offer even more attractive.
The biggest drawback is that, unlike most business cards, the Spark 2% Cash does count against Chase's 5/24 rule. Because the card offers few benefits beyond its earning structure and welcome offer, many cardholders will want to re-evaluate whether it's worth keeping once the annual fee kicks in during year two.
When The Usual Advice Doesn't Apply
This card might not be good for you:
- If you are up against your 5/24, there are other business cards in the Capital One family that don't count against it
- If you prefer earning points over cash back and don't have an eligible Capital One miles-earning card to convert cash back into transferable miles.
What to Know About Capital One Miles
Capital One is a flexible point system we use for travel items that other systems don't cover
- Partner transfers are niche airlines and hotel brands, making the points more difficult to maximize
- Using an award search tool such as PointsYeah makes finding flights with those airlines more realistic
- Simple redemptions for erasing travel can be useful for cruises & rental cars (at 1¢/point so value isn’t maximized)
- Capital One is particularly attractive to businesses with large spending
How The Capital One Spark 2% Cash Credit Card Fits In The Capital One Miles Ecosystem
This card earns straightforward cash back, but its value improves if you pair it with a miles-earning Capital One card that lets you convert rewards into transferable miles. It is one part of Capital One’s six-card business lineup.
Capital One also limits approvals to one every six months, so timing your applications matters. Here are the other five business cards:
- Capital One Venture X Business: Premium travel card with a large 150,000-mile bonus after spending $30,000. It comes with a $395 annual fee and is one of three Capital One business cards that does NOT count against your 5/24 status.
- Capital One Venture Business: Simple 2x miles on all purchases and does not count against your 5/24. It comes with a 50,000-mile bonus after $4,500 and a $95 annual fee.
- Capital One Spark 2% Cash Plus: Built for high spenders, offering 2% cash back and large bonuses tied to significant spending thresholds. This is the final Capital One business card that won't add to your 5/24.
- Capital One VentureOne Business: No annual fee and earns 1.5x miles on all spending, with a 50,000-mile bonus after $4,500.
- Capital One Spark 1.5% Cash Select: No annual fee option that earns 1.5% cash back, with a smaller bonus and simpler structure.
Card Information
Differentiating Perks
Rules
Historical Card Offers
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Estimated Next Offer
Capital One Spark 2% Cash Application Rules
Card approval not subject to 5-personal-cards-in-24-months rule
You won’t be approved for a second Capital One card if you’ve opened one in the past six months
