Spark Cash vs Spark Cash Select

Every figure below is from the same dataset Miles computes its recommendations from. Rows the two cards agree on are collapsed at the bottom.

Economics

Dollar figures are per year unless the row says otherwise. Ongoing annual value is Miles' estimate of what the card adds per year after its annual fee: statement credits discounted for realistic use, benefits, and earning above a strong flat-rate card on a typical spending profile. First-year value is a separate net figure that includes the welcome bonus. A welcome bonus shown at its advertised maximum may not be available to every applicant; that figure is not marked as stronger. ★ marks the stronger comparable figure on other rows, and no row is marked when either figure is unknown.
Figure	Spark Cash Capital One	Spark Cash Select Capital One
Annual fee	$95	Best: $0 $95/yr less
Ongoing annual value, after fee	$65	Best: $160 $95/yr more
First-year value	Best: $1,000 $280/yr more	$720
Authorized user fee	—Unknown	—Unknown

Sign-up Bonus

The current welcome offer as recorded in the dataset. No winner is marked: a bonus is points times a valuation times a spend requirement you may or may not clear, and the first-year value above already prices it.
Offer	Spark Cash Capital One	Spark Cash Select Capital One
Current offer	$1K bonus cashback after $10K spend in the first 3 months from account opening, $0 introductory annual fee for the first year	$750 cash back when you spend $6K within the first 3 months

Earning

Percentages are the return on a dollar spent: the multiplier times what Miles values those points at. ★ marks the higher return on a row. Categories only one card earns a bonus on are marked for that card; the other earns its base rate.
Category	Spark Cash Capital One	Spark Cash Select Capital One
Hotels booked through Capital One Business Travel	—Unknown	Best: 5%
Hotels booked through Capital One Travel	Best: 5%	—Unknown
Rental cars booked through Capital One Business Travel	—Unknown	Best: 5%
Rental cars booked through Capital One Travel	Best: 5%	—Unknown
All other purchases	Best: 2%	1.5%

Benefits

Statement credits, lounge access and elite status as listed in the dataset; protections are counted, not listed. No winner is marked: twelve small credits are not more than two large ones, and the row that prices them, ongoing annual value, is under Economics.
Benefit	Spark Cash Capital One	Spark Cash Select Capital One
Statement credits	—Unknown	—Unknown
Lounge access	—Unknown	—Unknown
Elite status	—Unknown	—Unknown
Protections	7	7

The same on both cards (5)

Rows where both cards state the same figure or the same earning rate. Nothing is marked, because there is no stronger side.
Fact	Spark Cash	Spark Cash Select
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Issuer	Capital One	Capital One
Rewards currency	Capital One Miles	Capital One Miles
Card type	Business	Business
Network	Visa	Visa

Which one is right for you

This page shows the difference. It does not pick: the winner depends on what you spend and what you already hold, and adding these figures up without knowing that would be a guess dressed as a verdict. Ask Miles and it computes the answer against your own wallet.

Ask Miles which to get