Capital One Venture X Business Card vs. Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card [Detailed Comparison]

Your business is starting to grow and you’ve decided to secure a business card. But which one?

It’s not a trivial question to ask yourself — the right business card can be an important step to separate personal expenses from business expenses and simplify accounting at tax time.

Perhaps simplifying is an appropriate choice of words, as the business cards we’re comparing here fit that description.

The Capital One Venture X Business Card* and Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card* make earning rewards a simple process.

When it comes to redeeming those points for awards, you have flexibility in what you use them on and protections and benefits that add even more value.

Here’s what you need to know to decide if one of these Capital One business cards is a fit for your business.

* (Information collected independently. Not reviewed by Capital One.)

Capital One Venture X Business Card vs. Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card — Overview

Before we dig into the details, let’s start with a quick overview of the Capital One Venture X Business card and the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card.

Here’s how the cards stack up side-by-side:

The Value of a Welcome Offer

Welcome offers present unique opportunities that let you earn a large number of rewards following card approval.

Once approved for either the Capital One Venture X Business card or the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card, you can qualify for a welcome bonus after meeting the minimum spending requirements.

Welcome bonuses can vary on our featured cards, but they can be worth hundreds, even thousands, of dollars. You should always review all available offers before applying for any card.

These card snapshots contain the most current welcome offers:

Capital One Venture X Business Card

U.P. Rating

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Venture X Business card offers at least 2x miles on all purchases, and comes packed with premium perks.

Capital One Venture X Business Card

The Capital One Venture X Business card offers at least 2x miles on all purchases, and comes packed with premium perks.

Welcome Offer

Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening

150,000 miles

UP's Bonus Valuation*:

$2,700

Annual Fee

$395

APR

All charges made on this account are due and payable in full when you receive your periodic statement. The minimum payment due is the New Balance as indicated on your statement.

Why We Like This Card

The information regarding the Capital One Venture X Business card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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The Capital One Venture X Business card is a great all-around premium rewards card that helps you rack up miles on all of your business expenses.

From 2x miles on all purchases, airport lounge access, an annual travel credit, complimentary employee cards, and more, there is plenty to love about the Capital One Venture X Business card.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 10x miles per $1 on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• 5x miles per $1 on flights purchased through Capital One Travel
• 2x miles per $1 on all other purchases
• $300 annual travel credit on bookings made through Capital One Travel
• 10,000 bonus miles awarded on your account anniversary each year
• Unlimited complimentary access for cardholder and 2 guests to 1,300+ lounges, including Capital One Lounges and Priority Pass lounges
• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck credit
• No-additional-fee employee cards (rates and fees)
• No preset spending limit
• No foreign transaction fees (rates and fees)

Cons

• $395 annual fee (rates and fees)
• 10x and 5x bonus categories are limited to Capital One Travel bookings

Card Highlights

• Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
• This card has no preset spending limit, so you get purchasing power that adapts to your spending needs. The annual fee on this card is $395
• Earn 150,000 bonus miles once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months from account opening
• Redeem your miles on flights, hotels and more. Plus, transfer your miles to any of the 15+ travel loyalty programs
• Earn unlimited 10X miles on hotels and rental cars and 5X miles on flights booked through Capital One Travel, where you’ll get the best prices on thousands of options
• Every year, you’ll get 10,000 bonus miles after your account anniversary date. Plus, receive an annual $300 credit for bookings through Capital One Travel
• Empower your teams to make business purchases while earning rewards on their transactions, with free employee and virtual cards. Plus, automatically sync your transaction data with your accounting software and pay your vendors with ease
• Skip the lines with up to a $100 statement credit on TSA PreCheck^® or Global Entry. Then enjoy unlimited complimentary access to Capital One Lounges and a network of 1,300+ lounges worldwide, including Priority Pass™ and Plaza Premium Group lounges
• This is a pay-in-full card, so your balance is due in full every month
• Elevate your stay at luxury hotels and resorts from the Premier Collection with a $100 experience credit and other premium benefits on every booking

Financial Snapshot

• APR: All charges made on this account are due and payable in full when you receive your periodic statement. The minimum payment due is the New Balance as indicated on your statement.
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Travel Rewards Credit Cards

Rewards Center

Capital One Miles

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card

U.P. Rating

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the in's and out's of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus card offers an unlimited 2% cash-back on all purchases and helpful features for business owners.

Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card

The Capital One Spark Cash Plus card offers an unlimited 2% cash-back on all purchases and helpful features for business owners.

Welcome Offer

Earn $1,200 cash back once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months

$1,200

Annual Fee

$150

APR

N/A

Credit Recommended

Upgraded Points credit ranges are a variation of FICO^®Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit cardapplication.

Excellent (740-850)

Why We Like This Card

The information regarding the Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card was independently collected by Upgraded Points and not provided nor reviewed by the issuer.

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The Capital One Spark Cash Plus Card is great for business owners looking to improve their bottom line by earning 2% cash-back on all purchases without a high annual fee. Further, with no preset spending limit, the ability to get your $150 annual fee refunded every year you spend at least $150,000, and no-additional-fee employee cards, there is something that every business owner will love (rates & fees).

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Unlimited 2% cash-back on all purchases
• 5% cash-back on hotels and rental cars purchased through Capital One Travel
• No preset spending limit
• Get your $150 annual fee refunded every year you spend at least $150,000 (rates & fees)
• No foreign transaction fees (rates & fees)
• Extended warranty coverage
• Payment flexibility (pick your own due date)

Cons

• $150 annual fee (rates & fees)

Card Highlights

• Earn a one-time cash bonus of $1,200 once you spend $30,000 in the first 3 months
• Earn unlimited 2% cash back on every purchase, everywhere—with no limits or category restrictions
• Comes with no preset spending limit, so it can adapt to your needs based on your spending behavior, payment history and credit profile
• Get your $150 annual fee refunded every year you spend at least $150,000
• Earn unlimited 5% cash back on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
• Add employee cards for free, and earn unlimited 2% cash back from their purchases
• $150 annual fee
• Spark Cash Plus has no APR because your balance is due in full every month

Financial Snapshot

• APR: N/A
• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Card Categories

• Credit Card Reviews
• Business Credit Cards
• Cash Back Credit Cards

More Reads

• Best Capital One Business Credit Cards
• Best Capital One Credit Cards
• 10 Best Ways To Earn Lots of Capital One Cash-back Rewards
• Capital One Launches New Spark Cash Plus Card for Businesses

Earning Potential

Earning a welcome bonus is a sure way to jumpstart your rewards earning. You continue to earn rewards by spending on your card.

Here’s how your business would earn ongoing rewards with the Capital One Venture X Business card or the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card.

Spending on the Card

The earning structures on both of our featured cards appear to be similar. The better card for your business, however, will depend on your preference for either Capital One miles or cash.

Also, keep in mind that the Capital One Venture X Business card has a higher annual fee. Make sure your business will receive at least as much as the difference in added value each year.

Added value can come from additional earning potential, greater options at redemption time, or features and benefits. We’ll discuss all of those elements shortly.

Card Renewal Bonus

With the Capital One Venture X Business card, you receive 10,000 bonus miles each time you renew your card. The first bonus is triggered after your first card renewal.

Though the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card doesn’t have a renewal bonus, your card renewal fee will be refunded if you spend $150,000 on your card in a calendar year.

Earning rewards is an important factor to consider when selecting a business card, but there are others, as well. You also must consider how you’d prefer to redeem those rewards.

Let’s look next at the value of your rewards at redemption time.

Redemption Options

Earning rewards on the Capital One Venture X Business card and Capital One Spark Cash Plus card is a similar process for both cards, but you’ll see the real value of earned rewards at redemption time.

There are plenty of options with either card — but there are also key differences.

Here’s how redemption options compare between the 2 cards:

The Capital One Venture X Business card gives you the ability to transfer miles earned on it to Capital One’s airline and hotel partners and thus offers a better potential value for rewards.

On the other hand, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card has no option to transfer rewards earned on it directly to airline or hotel partners. If you have another Capital One miles-earning card, you can transfer the rewards to that card and then transfer to airline and hotel partners.

We value Capital One miles at about 1.8 cents each at redemption time. Redeeming cash-back generally has a face value of 1 cent for every reward cent earned.

Spending Example

If your business spends $150,000 each year in 2x miles-earning categories, you’d earn 300,000 Capital One miles on the Capital One Venture X Business card.

On the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card, you would earn 2% cash-back, or $3,000, for this same level of spending.

You could potentially redeem the 300,000 miles for approximately $5,400 worth of travel via Capital One transfer partners. Transferring miles to airline and hotel programs yields greater potential value by purchasing award flights or free hotel nights.

Alternatively, you could utilize the $3,000 cash-back earned on the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card to offset business expenses.

Both cards allow you to redeem rewards for 1 cent each toward a statement credit for previous travel purchases. Additionally, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card lets you redeem rewards for 1 cent each for any purchase.

Travel Protections and Benefits

Travel protections and benefits are complimentary additions to the Capital One Venture X Business card and Capital One Spark Cash Plus card.

Protections can provide a monetary cushion if something should go wrong during your trip, and travel benefits can make your trip more comfortable or save you money.

Here are the protections and benefits with both cards:

• Rental Car Insurance — Use your card to rent an eligible vehicle and receive coverage for collision or theft of most rental cars
• Roadside Assistance — Take advantage of 24-hour toll-free dispatch to help with services like towing and fuel delivery
• No Foreign Transaction Fees

Capital One Venture X Business Card — Additional Travel Benefits

• Global Entry or TSA PreCheck Fee Reimbursement: Use your card to pay for your application or renewal fee and receive reimbursement as a statement credit, up to $100, every 4 years
• Capital One Travel Credit: An annual $300 travel credit when purchasing travel via Capital One Travel.
• Worldwide Lounge Access: Access to over 1,400 Priority Pass lounges and lounge-alternative properties for you and 2 additional guests. Cardholders also receive complimentary access to Capital One Lounge and Plaza Premium Lounge locations with 2 complimentary guests per visit.
• Premier Collection and Lifestyle Collection Hotel Benefits: Book your stay via Capital One Travel and receive a room upgrade (when available), daily breakfast for 2, early check-in and/or late checkout (where available), and complimentary Wi-Fi. In addition, receive up to $100 in on-site credit.

Shopping Protections

Shopping protections can come in handy if something goes wrong with an eligible purchase you made with your card or if there’s an unauthorized use of your card.

Here are the top shopping protections on both the Capital One Venture X Business card and the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card:

• Purchase Protection Assurance — Eligible purchases are covered for the first 90 days of purchase in the event of theft or damage
• Extended Warranty —- Extends the factory warranties of eligible items purchased with your card
• $0 Fraud Liability — Zero fraud liability for unauthorized charges

Note that we’re not including a comprehensive list of travel and shopping protections and benefits and that descriptions are abbreviated. You’ll find full descriptions and more information on terms and conditions in the guide to benefits for each card.

Annual Fees and Authorized Users

Selecting the right business card includes considering the associated fees that come with membership.

The Capital One Venture X Business card has an annual fee of $395. The Capital One Spark Cash Plus card has an annual fee of $150.

Adding employee cards can help you manage business expenses by letting you set limits for employee purchases and view transactions as soon as they post. There is no additional fee to add authorized user employee cards to either of our featured cards.

Final Thoughts

While the earning structures on both the Capital One Venture X Business card and Capital One Spark Cash Plus card are similar, the Capital One Venture X Business card has the edge at redemption time.

Plus, the value of miles earned on the Capital One Venture X Business card can be greater, when redeemed for travel, than the value of cash-back earned on the Capital One Spark Cash Plus card.

The Capital One Venture X Business card does have a higher annual fee, but if you value lounge access at all and can use the $300 annual Capital One Travel credit, that difference is negated.

Finally, qualifying for the generous welcome bonus offers on either of our featured cards may require a high minimum spend. You should review those requirements and be sure your business can meet these expenditure levels before selecting either card.

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.