American Express vs Capital One bonuses
As of Sep 3, 2026, American Express has 9 live sign-up bonuses, up to $300. Capital One has 11, up to $2,000. Here is how they compare, verified against each institution's own terms.
At a glance
| American Express | Capital One | |
|---|---|---|
| Live sign-up bonuses | 9 | 11 |
| Biggest cash bonus | $300 | $2,000 |
| Bonus types | card, bank | card, bank |
| ChexSystems | Not applicable. No consumer checking bonuses currently listed | No ChexSystems pull reported for 360 accounts |
| Credit pull | Hard inquiry; often waived for existing cardholders | Hard inquiry for cards. Frequently all three bureaus |
| Eligibility | Once per lifetime per card product (see rule) | 360 Checking: once ever per customer |
| House rules | American Express once-per-lifetime & the pop-up | — |
Current offers
What to know about each
The biggest bonuses, and the least clear rules. Public offers are often lower than what you can actually get through referral or targeted links. Eligibility comes down to the once-per-lifetime rule and its pop-up warning, not published criteria. The Platinum fee moved to $895 in the 2026 refresh.
The gentlest bank-side program: evergreen promo codes, no fees, no pull, no keep period. Its card side is the opposite, known for pulling all three bureaus. The 360 code rotates, and the current one is part of the entry.
Common questions
Capital One has the bigger cash bonus right now, at $2,000. Figures change; both are checked against the source and shown above with the date.
The better pick is the offer whose requirement you can actually meet. Capital One currently gives you more offers to choose from. Weigh each bonus against the deposit or spend it needs, not just the headline number.
New to this? Start with how bank sign-up bonuses work, weigh both by value with the easiest to earn list, and see more head-to-heads on the compare page. Reference information, not financial advice.