The Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) is a popular travel rewards card. But before applying, you might want to consider the Capital One Venture’s small-business counterpart — the Capital One Spark Miles for Business (see rates and fees).
Like the Capital One Venture, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business earns 2 miles per dollar on every purchase and allows cardholders to redeem their miles for travel purchases as well as transfer them to Capital One’s 18 airline and hotel partners. In fact, the two cards are so similar you might have trouble telling them apart, other than their names.
But it’s worth delving into their differences to determine whether the Capital One Venture or Capital One Spark Miles for Business will be a better choice for your needs and which card’s benefits you can better leverage for rewards.
Here’s an overview of the Capital One Spark Business vs. Venture and a detailed comparison to help you decide between them.
Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business comparison
| Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card | Capital One Spark Miles for Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Sign-up bonus | 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening | 50,000 bonus miles after spending $4,500 on purchases in the first three months of account opening |
| Annual fee | $95 (see rates and fees) | $0 the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees) |
| Earning | 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
2 miles per dollar on every purchase |
| Redeeming | Miles transfer to 18 airline and hotel partners
1 cent per mile toward travel 0.5 cents per mile for other statement credits |
Miles transfer to 18 airline and hotel partners
1 cent per mile toward travel 0.5 cents per mile for other statement credits |
| Other benefits | Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit every 4 years
No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees) Travel accident & secondary auto rental coverage* Purchase protection, extended warranty* |
Up to $100 Global Entry or TSA PreCheck statement credit every 4 years
No foreign transaction fees(see rates and fees) Primary auto rental coverage on business rentals, otherwise secondary Free employee cards Account and business management tools Purchase protection, extended warranty |
*Benefits only available to accounts approved for the Visa Signature card. Terms apply.
Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business welcome offer
The Capital One Venture is offering 75,000 bonus miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening.
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business is currently offering 50,000 miles after spending $4,500 on purchases within the first three months of account opening. The $95 annual fee is waived for the first year (see rates and fees).
Winner: Capital One Venture. It has a higher sign-up offer with a lower spending requirement.
Related: 6 reasons to get the Capital One Venture Rewards card
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Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business benefits
Although these cards offer similar benefits, their differences mostly come down to the fact that the Capital One Venture is a personal credit card, and the Capital One Spark Miles for Business is…well, a business credit card.
They both have a $95 annual fee, but the Spark Miles for Business waives it for the first year.
Both cards offer a statement credit worth up to $100 for a Global Entry or TSA PreCheck application once every four years, which can cut down on your hassle at the airport.
The Capital One Spark Miles for Business also extends primary car rental collision coverage when renting for business purposes and paying with your card, which is a real standout feature. If renting for personal reasons, the coverage is secondary, like you’d get with rentals paid for with the Capital One Venture.
Both cards will extend manufacturer warranties of three years or less up to an additional year. The Capital One Spark Miles also includes purchase protection of up to $10,000 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder up to 90 days from the date of purchase. By contrast, the Capital One Venture’s purchase protection caps out at $500 per claim and $50,000 per cardholder.
Both cards will insure lost luggage up to $3,000 but don’t expect other travel protections like trip delay, interruption, or cancellation coverage.
Neither card charges foreign transaction fees, nor does it cost money to add authorized users, such as employees with the Capital One Spark Miles for Business.
Winner: Capital One Spark Miles for Business, thanks to its primary auto rental coverage (for business purposes) and higher purchase protection caps.
Benefits only available to accounts approved for the Visa Signature card. Terms apply.
Earning miles on the Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business
The two cards have similar earning structures. They earn at least 2 miles per dollar on every purchase with no limit to how many miles you can earn.
That means you’ll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase you make — like that new TV or couch you’ve been coveting — with no annual limits to worry about. This makes both cards some of the best options for everyday spending.
The Venture Rewards, however, also earns 5 miles per dollar on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, giving it the edge.
Winner: Venture Rewards.
Related: The best Capital One credit cards
Redeeming miles on the Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business
One of the main selling points of both cards is the sheer variety and value you can enjoy when redeeming the miles they earn. With both cards, your options are the same, so you won’t enjoy an advantage from one over the other. That said, it’s still worth reviewing all the possibilities.
Let’s start with the simplest. Capital One miles earned with either card are redeemable for travel at a rate of one cent apiece. You can either use your miles to make reservations, such as flights or hotel stays, directly through Capital One Travel. You can also charge a travel purchase elsewhere – say an airline site or an online travel agency – and then log into your Capital One account and redeem your miles for a statement credit against it within 90 days. So your return on spending with either card is a solid 2%.
If you redeem your miles for cash back against other charges with either card, you get a mere half-cent per mile in value. This brings down your return on spending to just 1% – so it’s best to avoid this and just use a different cash-back card without specific redemption category restrictions.
Winner: Tie.
Related: Tips and tricks to get maximum value from your Capital One Miles
Transferring miles on the Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Spark Miles for Business
Where things get more exciting, though, is that Capital One has 18 travel transfer partners and miles transfer to most at a 1:1 ratio. Some of our favorite partners are Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles.
Related: How to transfer Capital One miles to airline partners
Winner: Tie.
Should I get the Capital One Venture or Capital One Spark Miles for Business?
When you get down to it, the Capital One Venture and Capital One Spark Miles for Business are both excellent travel rewards credit cards. Their easy-to-understand earning structure of 2 miles per dollar on all purchases is simple to leverage on everyday expenses. Both cards enable you to redeem miles not just directly for travel purchases but also to transfer them to 15 airline and three hotel partner programs, making them extremely dynamic and potentially valuable.
If you already have two Capital One personal credit cards or regularly rent cars for business and depend on high-dollar purchase protections, the Capital One Spark Miles for Business is probably your best choice. However, if you are eligible to apply for the Capital One Venture, it’s a great addition to your wallet.
Related: Why the Capital One Venture has a spot in our wallets
Bottom line
When it comes to the Capital One Spark Business vs. Venture, if either card has been on your radar for a while and you’ve put off applying for one reason or another, they’re good options to earn a flat 2 miles per dollar spent on most purchases. With either card, you can’t go wrong, especially if you have some specific ways in mind to redeem your Capital One miles once you rack them up.
Learn More: Capital One Venture Rewards
Learn More: Capital One Spark Miles for Business
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.
Additional reporting by Eric Rosen.
