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The Journey Student Rewards from Capital One credit card amps up the value for cardholders who want to earn more rewards than the typical student credit card offers. The debt-averse side of us values that cardholders are incentivized to pay bills on time and avoid debt so they can earn 1% cash back for that month when paying bills on time. Our Journey Student Rewards from Capital One review will help you learn if it’s the right for your needs.
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
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We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
20,000 ThankYou® Points Earn $200 cash back after you spend $1,500 on purchases in the first 6 months of account opening. This bonus offer will be fulfilled as 20,000 ThankYou® Points, which can be redeemed for $200 cash back. | Up to 2% cash back 2% cash back: 1% when you buy plus 1% as you pay |
Intro: N/A Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months Regular: 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
This credit card is a good fit for: Students who want to earn cash back while building the financial habits that will help them achieve a good credit score.
The target audience for this card is young consumers with limited budgets. Fortunately, Capital One gives them a pass on this not-uncommon charge in the credit card world.
The base cash back rate is 1%, but a cardholder can bump that up to 1.25% if they are a timely payer. Each statement paid on time earns the higher rate of cash back. Not only does this bring in extra rewards, but it also encourages and builds good credit management for the user.
0.25% extra doesn't sound like much, but it can make a difference. If a customer spends $20,000 per year on the card but misses every payment, their cash back earnings would be $200 for that year. A timely payer would earn $250.
Planning on doing a semester abroad? Using your new credit to fund a jaunt overseas? If so, this card is a good travel companion, because it incurs no foreign transaction fee on any purchases outside of our borders.
The cash back you earn never expires as long as your account is open, so there is never any pressure or rush to redeem those earnings.
You have the flexibility of choosing statement credits, a check, or automatic disbursement to redeem cash back once a certain amount is accumulated, or on certain dates no matter the amount. This plethora of choices allow a cardholder to tailor the redemption method to their individual needs and is rare among competing cards.
It isn't unusual for student cards to have tempting intro APRs as low as 0%. This card has no such offer.
The regular APR is quite high compared to those of its rivals. Although this discourages late payments, which is a good thing, it can hurt the finances -- and that all-important credit profile -- of those who fall behind.
Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.
Given that this card is geared toward students, applicants with limited -- or possibly even no -- credit history may be able to obtain this card. Capital One classifies the credit level it requires to get this card as "average." It breaks this down to mean:
It's important to note that Capital One considers those to be only guidelines in a decision. The issuer will evaluate other factors to judge your creditworthiness.
Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is a good foot-in-the-door credit card. It's also appropriate for those in credit-recovery mode. Most likely you'll first receive this card with a low credit limit, so it's nearly impossible to get in a deep debt hole with it. That, plus the elevated cash back rewards for timely payment, helps build those good debt management skills we all need.
However, past the beginner/recovery stage, this card probably isn't the ideal go-to, as is the case with any student credit card. Other credit cards aimed at the middle-of-the-credit market have fuller feature sets, better rewards programs, lower APRs, and juicier bonuses.
That said, this card is a very good instrument for getting there. Good credit habits start early, and that journey can begin effectively with this card.
Read more: Best Credit Cards for Young Adults
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
The credit limit for the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One usually ranges from $200 to $2,000, although some cardholders have reported higher limits. Since this is a student credit card, credit limits tend to be low.
No, the Journey Student Rewards from Capital One is a plastic card.
No, this card isn't only for students. Although it's designed with students in mind, non-students can apply for it, too.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
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