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December 9, 2021
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Discover offers a broad range of credit card products, all branded under the “Discover it” family. So if you’re in the market for a card that offers cash back on every purchase or one designed to help you build credit, Discover has an option for you. Plus, for new cardmembers, these Discover cards matches all of the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year of card membership, and none of them charge an annual fee.
Here we list the top Discover it cards broken down by category to help you determine which one could be the best fit for you.
The Discover it® Cash Back offers the following cash back rewards program: earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
Note that you can only earn the 5% rate on the first $1,500 spent in the bonus category each quarter you activate.
That said, if you max out the spending cap by making $1,500 in purchases in the 5% bonus category each quarter after you activate, you’ll earn $300 cash back in one year.
Plus, new cardmembers will receive the following sign-up bonus: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
So, if you were to max out the $1,500 spending cap in the 5% categories each quarter during your first year of card membership, that sign-up bonus would turn the $300 you’d usually earn into $600 in cash back (and that’s not even factoring in cash back earned at the 1% rate).
The card also offers the following intro APR on purchases and balance transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases, after which a regular purchase APR of 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR will apply, and a 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, after which the regular 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR will apply.
If you don’t mind dealing with rotating bonus categories, the Discover it® Cash Back offers the opportunity to earn a generous amount of cash back. And if you need time to pay off a big purchase or a balance transferred from another card, the Discover it® Cash Back works for that, too.
However, there are cards with longer intro APR periods, so make sure to do the math on how long you’ll need to pay off your purchase or balance transfer.
Like all the Discover it cards, the Discover it® Cash Back comes with a $0 annual fee and foreign transaction fees of none. However, be aware that in some countries, Discover is less widely accepted than Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
The Discover it® Cash Back offers the following cash back rewards program: earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
Note that you can only earn the 5% rate on the first $1,500 spent in the bonus category each quarter you activate.
That said, if you max out the spending cap by making $1,500 in purchases in the 5% bonus category each quarter after you activate, you’ll earn $300 cash back in one year.
Plus, new cardmembers will receive the following sign-up bonus: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
So, if you were to max out the $1,500 spending cap in the 5% categories each quarter during your first year of card membership, that sign-up bonus would turn the $300 you’d usually earn into $600 in cash back (and that’s not even factoring in cash back earned at the 1% rate).
The card also offers the following intro APR on purchases and balance transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases, after which a regular purchase APR of 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR will apply, and a 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers, after which the regular 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR will apply.
If you don’t mind dealing with rotating bonus categories, the Discover it® Cash Back offers the opportunity to earn a generous amount of cash back. And if you need time to pay off a big purchase or a balance transferred from another card, the Discover it® Cash Back works for that, too.
However, there are cards with longer intro APR periods, so make sure to do the math on how long you’ll need to pay off your purchase or balance transfer.
Like all the Discover it cards, the Discover it® Cash Back comes with a $0 annual fee and foreign transaction fees of none. However, be aware that in some countries, Discover is less widely accepted than Visa and Mastercard credit cards.
With the Discover it® chrome, cardholders can 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically
For new cardmembers, there’s the sign-up bonus: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
If you max out the $1,000 spending limit each quarter by making $1,000 in gas station and restaurant purchases, you’ll earn $80 cash back on those purchases at the end of the year. Once you factor in the cashback match bonus, that amount jumps to $160.
If you have a large amount of high interest credit card debt that you want to transfer, or if you’d like to finance a large purchase and pay it off over time, you can do so without incurring interest charges for more than a year with the Discover it® chrome.
The card offers an APR of 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers. After that, you will be subject to an APR of 13.49% - 24.49% variable apr on any unpaid portion of your balance. Note that there is a balance transfer fee of 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*, which will be added to any transferred balance.
There’s also an APR of 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases. After, a 13.49% - 24.49% variable apr APR applies.
If you eat out frequently, have a long daily commute or are planning an upcoming road trip, the Discover it® chrome offers a solid cashback rate on gas station and restaurant purchases —plus, the card matches all of the cash back you earn at the end of your first year of card membership.
Purchases made at merchants classified as gas stations and full-service restaurants, cafes, cafeterias and fast-food locations qualify for the higher rewards rate, while those made at warehouse clubs, wholesale distributors and discount stores do not.
Note that items bought made using third-party payment accounts, tap-and-pay, mobile or wireless card readers, virtual wallets or similar technology may not qualify for the 2% cashback rate.
Cashback rewards never expire and can be redeemed for statement credits, electronic deposits to your bank account, charitable donations, merchandise or gift cards.
The Discover it® chrome comes with a $0 annual fee and a foreign transaction fee of none.
With the Discover it® chrome, cardholders can 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically
For new cardmembers, there’s the sign-up bonus: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
If you max out the $1,000 spending limit each quarter by making $1,000 in gas station and restaurant purchases, you’ll earn $80 cash back on those purchases at the end of the year. Once you factor in the cashback match bonus, that amount jumps to $160.
If you have a large amount of high interest credit card debt that you want to transfer, or if you’d like to finance a large purchase and pay it off over time, you can do so without incurring interest charges for more than a year with the Discover it® chrome.
The card offers an APR of 0% Intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers. After that, you will be subject to an APR of 13.49% - 24.49% variable apr on any unpaid portion of your balance. Note that there is a balance transfer fee of 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*, which will be added to any transferred balance.
There’s also an APR of 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases. After, a 13.49% - 24.49% variable apr APR applies.
If you eat out frequently, have a long daily commute or are planning an upcoming road trip, the Discover it® chrome offers a solid cashback rate on gas station and restaurant purchases —plus, the card matches all of the cash back you earn at the end of your first year of card membership.
Purchases made at merchants classified as gas stations and full-service restaurants, cafes, cafeterias and fast-food locations qualify for the higher rewards rate, while those made at warehouse clubs, wholesale distributors and discount stores do not.
Note that items bought made using third-party payment accounts, tap-and-pay, mobile or wireless card readers, virtual wallets or similar technology may not qualify for the 2% cashback rate.
Cashback rewards never expire and can be redeemed for statement credits, electronic deposits to your bank account, charitable donations, merchandise or gift cards.
The Discover it® chrome comes with a $0 annual fee and a foreign transaction fee of none.
The Discover it® Miles lets cardholders automatically earn unlimited 1.5x miles on every dollar of every purchase - with no annual fee.
Discover makes redeeming miles easy:
When redeeming miles for travel purchases, you must make the redemption within 180 days of the purchase date. Travel purchases that qualify include:
The card comes with Discover’s standard sign-up bonus for new cardmembers: Only Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
The Discover it® Miles also offers a break on interest charges with an introductory rate on purchases of 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases. After, a 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR applies.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly travel rewards credit card that makes it easy to redeem miles for travel, past purchases or cash back — and also charges a $0 annual fee — take a look at the Discover it® Miles card. Note that you cannot book travel through Discover, nor does the card offer a host of travel-centric benefits, such as trip interruption or cancellation insurance.
Those who travel more frequently may benefit from a higher-end travel rewards card that offers more travel-related benefits and a higher rewards rate, but know that those cards typically charge an annual fee.
The Discover it® Miles lets cardholders automatically earn unlimited 1.5x miles on every dollar of every purchase - with no annual fee.
Discover makes redeeming miles easy:
When redeeming miles for travel purchases, you must make the redemption within 180 days of the purchase date. Travel purchases that qualify include:
The card comes with Discover’s standard sign-up bonus for new cardmembers: Only Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
The Discover it® Miles also offers a break on interest charges with an introductory rate on purchases of 0% Intro APR for 15 months on purchases. After, a 13.49% - 24.49% Variable APR applies.
If you’re looking for a budget-friendly travel rewards credit card that makes it easy to redeem miles for travel, past purchases or cash back — and also charges a $0 annual fee — take a look at the Discover it® Miles card. Note that you cannot book travel through Discover, nor does the card offer a host of travel-centric benefits, such as trip interruption or cancellation insurance.
Those who travel more frequently may benefit from a higher-end travel rewards card that offers more travel-related benefits and a higher rewards rate, but know that those cards typically charge an annual fee.
Discover it® Student Cash Back cardholders earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
The card also offers the same sign-up bonus as the other Discover cards: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
If you need to finance a large purchase over a few months, there is an intro offer of 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases from the date of account opening. After that, the interest rate will range from 14.49% - 23.49% Variable APR.
Students willing to keep track of bonus categories can maximize their cash back with the Discover it® Student Cash Back, while also building credit through responsible credit practices. But if remembering to opt into the categories each quarter is too much of a hassle, the Discover it® Student chrome may be a better fit. Whichever you choose, paying on time and keeping balances low will help build a great credit score.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back’s highest bonus categories must be activated online each quarter, and this could be a hassle for some students who don’t want to bother or would prefer a card offering a flat-rate rewards program.
If you’re looking for a balance transfer card offering a 0% intro APR period that can help you save on interest charges, the Discover it® Student Cash Back won’t be a good fit as it just offers 10.99% Intro APR for 6 months for balance transfers, then a 14.49% - 23.49% Variable APR will apply.
Discover it® Student Cash Back cardholders earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
The card also offers the same sign-up bonus as the other Discover cards: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
If you need to finance a large purchase over a few months, there is an intro offer of 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases from the date of account opening. After that, the interest rate will range from 14.49% - 23.49% Variable APR.
Students willing to keep track of bonus categories can maximize their cash back with the Discover it® Student Cash Back, while also building credit through responsible credit practices. But if remembering to opt into the categories each quarter is too much of a hassle, the Discover it® Student chrome may be a better fit. Whichever you choose, paying on time and keeping balances low will help build a great credit score.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back’s highest bonus categories must be activated online each quarter, and this could be a hassle for some students who don’t want to bother or would prefer a card offering a flat-rate rewards program.
If you’re looking for a balance transfer card offering a 0% intro APR period that can help you save on interest charges, the Discover it® Student Cash Back won’t be a good fit as it just offers 10.99% Intro APR for 6 months for balance transfers, then a 14.49% - 23.49% Variable APR will apply.
With the Discover it® Business Card, small business owners can earn 1.5% cash back on every dollar spent on all purchases, no activation required.
The sign-up bonus is the same as the other Discover cards: Get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, automatically. And no limit to how much we’ll match. So you could turn $350 cash back into $700 with Cashback Match™.
There is a promotional APR for purchases of n/a, after which an APR of N/A will apply.
Small business owners looking for a N/A annual fee credit card that offers a flat-rate cashback rate on all purchases will do well with the Discover it® Business Card. There are no quarterly categories to activate and rewards can be redeemed as cash or toward purchases at Amazon.com — plus, there are no caps on earning cash back on your purchases.
With the Discover it® Business Card, small business owners can earn 1.5% cash back on every dollar spent on all purchases, no activation required.
The sign-up bonus is the same as the other Discover cards: Get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, automatically. And no limit to how much we’ll match. So you could turn $350 cash back into $700 with Cashback Match™.
There is a promotional APR for purchases of n/a, after which an APR of N/A will apply.
Small business owners looking for a N/A annual fee credit card that offers a flat-rate cashback rate on all purchases will do well with the Discover it® Business Card. There are no quarterly categories to activate and rewards can be redeemed as cash or toward purchases at Amazon.com — plus, there are no caps on earning cash back on your purchases.
Earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card reports account and payment activity to all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), so as long as you keep your balance well under 30% of your credit limit and pay on time every month, that positive activity will help build up your credit score.
Plus, after you’ve had the card for seven months, Discover will begin conducting monthly account reviews to see if you’re eligible to graduate to an unsecured card and get your deposit refunded. If this happens, your card will transition to a Discover it® chrome. Note that Discover will evaluate your behavior across your credit cards and loans from Discover as well as other issuers or lenders. You can also get your deposit back if you choose to close your account and pay any remaining balance.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card has a 24.49% Variable APR. Though this is on par with other cards aimed at applicants with limited, bad or poor credit, it’s still high. To avoid interest charges, make it a point to pay off the card in full each month.
If you’ve made some credit mistakes in the past and need to rebuild your credit history and score, or you’re completely new to credit and want to get off to a great start, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can help.
It’s a secured credit card, meaning you must submit a security deposit (a minimum of $200 up to $2,500) equal to the amount of your credit line. In the event you don’t pay off what you charge to the card, Discover will use the deposit to cover the nonpayment — otherwise, secured cards function just like regular, unsecured credit cards.
An unusual feature of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card is that it has a cash back program. And compared to some other unsecured cards for bad credit, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card doesn’t have expensive fees or confusing terms. It’s consistently one of the best credit card choices for building credit.
Earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card reports account and payment activity to all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), so as long as you keep your balance well under 30% of your credit limit and pay on time every month, that positive activity will help build up your credit score.
Plus, after you’ve had the card for seven months, Discover will begin conducting monthly account reviews to see if you’re eligible to graduate to an unsecured card and get your deposit refunded. If this happens, your card will transition to a Discover it® chrome. Note that Discover will evaluate your behavior across your credit cards and loans from Discover as well as other issuers or lenders. You can also get your deposit back if you choose to close your account and pay any remaining balance.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card has a 24.49% Variable APR. Though this is on par with other cards aimed at applicants with limited, bad or poor credit, it’s still high. To avoid interest charges, make it a point to pay off the card in full each month.
If you’ve made some credit mistakes in the past and need to rebuild your credit history and score, or you’re completely new to credit and want to get off to a great start, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can help.
It’s a secured credit card, meaning you must submit a security deposit (a minimum of $200 up to $2,500) equal to the amount of your credit line. In the event you don’t pay off what you charge to the card, Discover will use the deposit to cover the nonpayment — otherwise, secured cards function just like regular, unsecured credit cards.
An unusual feature of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card is that it has a cash back program. And compared to some other unsecured cards for bad credit, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card doesn’t have expensive fees or confusing terms. It’s consistently one of the best credit card choices for building credit.
| Credit card | Best for | Rewards program | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover it® Cash Back | Overall | 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically. | $0 |
| Discover it® chrome | Dining and gas | 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically | $0 |
| Discover it® Miles | Travel | Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase - with no annual fee. | $0 |
| Discover it® Student Cash Back | College students | 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically. | $0 |
| Discover it® Secured Credit Card | Building credit | 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. | $0 |
Discover is accepted nationwide; however, you may encounter some retailers that only take Visa, Mastercard or American Express. (For example, Costco only accepts Visa.)
In the past, Discover had less acceptance everywhere, but the bank claims that it’s now accepted in 99% of places that take credit cards. Still, you may run into trouble with card acceptance when you are traveling abroad — or even in Canada— as the network is not as well known in foreign countries.
Discover offers a wide array of consumer cards, none of which charge an annual fee. While none offer huge sign-up bonuses or extensive travel benefits, such as lost luggage or trip cancellation protection, they are great cards to have for everyday use. For example, if you’re a college student looking to build up your credit history, it’s fairly easy to get approved for the Discover it® Student Cash Back, a great first card to start your credit journey. Odds are your credit limit will be low initially, but as you demonstrate responsible borrowing and repayment behavior over time, you’ll likely get credit limit increases incrementally.
Yes. You can check your FICO Score anytime with Discover’s Credit Scorecard — but only if you are currently a Discover cardholder. Once you have a Discover card, you can access your FICO Score for free, and your score is updated every 30 days. Checking your own credit score has no impact on your credit score.
Yes. Discover offers a prequalification or preapproval tool that allows you to see if your odds of approval for a Discover card are good. You’ll have to enter your name, address, income, as well as your income and housing expenses, but know that there is no credit score impact when using the tool. But while you may prequalify for a Discover card, you aren’t guaranteed acceptance until you formally apply as Discover will then do a deeper dive into your credit history to evaluate your creditworthiness.
To select the best Discover credit cards, our credit card experts compared the top credit cards offered on Discover’s site and LendingTree.com.
Factors that played into our choices included weighing the value of any ongoing rewards programs and any fees associated with the cards, as well as selecting the best card for your needs.
While Discover only offers a handful of credit cards compared to other issuers, you might find that their lack of annual fees could make them a great addition to your wallet. However, if you’re looking to score a lot of travel points for airfare or hotels, know that there are other cards that may help you do that, though typically charging an annual fee.
The above offers and/or promotions may have since changed, expired, or is no longer available. Check the Issuers’ website for more details.
