$100 cash bonus after spending $300 on purchases in the first 3 months.

Before you take this offer

Check the requirement, not the headline

Practically every welcome offer is conditional: you get it after spending a set amount within a set window, or after keeping a balance in place for a number of months. The figure that decides whether the offer is worth anything is not the bonus — it is whether that condition is something you were going to do anyway. Money you would have spent regardless makes the bonus close to free. Money you bring forward, or borrow, to reach a threshold is you paying for your own bonus.

What it costs to keep afterwards

A bonus is paid once. The annual fee is charged for as long as the account stays open, and on a credit card the interest rate is charged on anything you do not clear each month. A balance carried for a few months routinely costs more than a welcome bonus is worth, which is why an offer only makes sense on a product you would want without it. The figure for this one is above, with the date we verified it.

Confirm it at the source

Offers change without notice, vary by state, and sometimes depend on how you arrive at the application. We read this one on Capital One's own page on the date shown above and we publish that date precisely because it goes stale — if you are reading this long after, treat it as a starting point and check the current terms with the issuer before applying. We are not paid to feature this offer and the link to Capital One earns us nothing.