Capital One Mobile App Review: Packed With Useful Features

A person wearing a blue suit uses their gray phone.

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With the Capital One Mobile app, you'll have an easy way to manage your credit card accounts on the go, along with your other financial accounts with the bank. Whether you're a new Capital One credit card user or you're a longtime customer who hasn't used the bank's mobile app much, here's what you need to know and how to make the most of it.

Key Features of the Capital One Credit Card Mobile App

The Capital One Mobile app makes it easy to manage your accounts, including reviewing transactions, making payments, taking advantage of offers and redeeming rewards. Additionally, cardholders can enjoy security features to keep their accounts safe.

Login and Security

The first time you log in to your account on the app, you'll need to enter your username and password. The bank uses two-factor authentication in the form of a text message to ensure that it's you. Once you're in, you can enable fingerprint or facial recognition biometrics to speed up the process on future logins.

If you've lost your card, you can lock it directly from the app so no one can use it without your permission. You can then unlock it if it's found. The app also allows you to request a replacement card if yours is missing or damaged.

Finally, Capital One is one of a few card issuers that allow you to create virtual card numbers that you can use to shop online without using your real card number. You can request a card number through the mobile app and use it wherever you'd like. Once you're done with it, you can cancel that card number without needing to cancel the main account and get a new one.

Account Alerts

Capital One lets users create a number of alerts to stay on top of their accounts and avoid potential fraud. You can request the alerts in the form of an email or a push notification from the app. Options include:

  • Available credit is below a certain amount
  • A transaction was made outside of the U.S.
  • Your payment is due
  • A payment has been scheduled or posted
  • A payment is two days past due
  • A purchase over a certain amount has been made

Payment Options

You can make payments on your credit card account directly from the mobile app. To do so, you'll designate your pay-from account, the payment date and the amount. If you don't have a pay-from account yet or you want to change it, you can do that from the app.

You can also set up automatic payments from the mobile app, or if you prefer to do it manually, you can add your monthly due date to your calendar app.

Reward Redemptions

You'll be able to view your rewards balance and redeem your rewards directly in the mobile app. All of your redemption options will be listed, and you'll be able to see how many miles or how much cash back you'll need for each one.

The Capital One Mobile app allows you to view your card's benefits, so you can easily take advantage of their value when you're out and about.

You'll also be able to view and activate Capital One offers from the app, which can come in handy if you're shopping online and want to see if there's an offer available for a specific retailer. These cash back offers can come in the form of a percentage or a set amount.

To activate an offer, you need to visit the merchant through your mobile app or online account. Unfortunately, you can't use Capital One Offers on in-store purchases.

Credit Score Access

The Capital One CreditWise platform offers free access to your VantageScore credit score based on TransUnion data. You don't have to be a Capital One customer to use CreditWise, but you'll need a Capital One account to access it through the bank's mobile app.

In addition to your credit score, the app also breaks down the different factors that impact your credit score and how you're doing with each.

For example, it may say that you're doing great with on-time payments but you've got some recent hard inquiries in your credit history. You can tap on each factor to get an idea of how the ratings work.

You'll get insights on your payment history, length of credit history, utilization rate, recent inquiries, new accounts and total available credit.

Finally, you can get a birds-eye view of your TransUnion credit report, with information about your accounts and balances, inquiries, public records and personal information.

Keep in mind, though, that VantageScore is not used by lenders as widely as the FICO® Score model. Still, it can give you a ballpark idea of your overall credit standing.

Spend Tracking

Capital One allows you to view your recent transactions, which is an important habit to get into if you want to keep track of your spending and prevent credit card fraud. You can also revisit old statements if you want to check on something from the past year or so.

However, the app doesn't provide additional spending insights like you might get with some other credit card mobile apps.

Ratings

  • Apple App Store: 4.8 stars out of 5 (September 2021)
  • Google Play Store: 4.7 stars out of 5 (September 2021)

Use Your Credit Card Mobile App to Stay on Top of Your Finances

Credit card mobile apps make it easy to track your spending on the go, and with the Capital One Mobile app, you'll also be able to utilize security features, view and redeem rewards, enjoy cash back offers, learn about card benefits and more.

If you have a Capital One credit card, take the time to familiarize yourself with the bank's mobile app so you can take advantage of its features. Impressed by all the features? Check out some of the best credit card mobile apps around.

Note: The Android version of the Capital One Mobile app was used for this review. Features and capabilities of the app on Apple devices may differ slightly from what is described here.