The Discover it® Cash Back lets you earn one of the highest cash back rates currently available on popular spending categories that rotate quarterly. New cardholders will also receive an Unlimited Cashback Match bonus their first year, as well as an interest-free period — all for a $0 annual fee.
Whether you’re a student seeking out your first credit card to build credit, or you’re gearing up for some travel and want a credit card that offers travel rewards, there’s likely something in the “Discover it” family for your wallet.
Discover cards come with no annual fees, easy-to-use rewards programs and sign-up bonuses that match all of the cash back you earn during your first year of card membership. And if you need to finance a large purchase or transfer a balance, each card also has an intro APR on purchases and/or balance transfers — often as low as 0%.
We’ll highlight the pros and cons of each Discover card below to help you determine which is the best fit for you.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Double your cash back in the first year
With the Discover it® Cash Back, you’ll earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
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. If you max out the $1,500 spending cap each quarter, you’ll earn $300 back in a year. Once you factor in the Cashback Match sign-up bonus, that amount jumps to $600 during the first year of card membership.
This card also offers intro APRs on purchases and balance transfers for more than a year, which is good if you need time to pay off a big purchase or do a balance transferred from another card.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.No credit score required to apply
Discover accepts applicants with limited / poor credit.
If you’re new to credit or you’ve made some credit mistakes in the past and need to rebuild your credit profile, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card can help you build or establish your credit with responsible card usage.
There’s a $0 annual fee, but you will be required to submit a security deposit (ranging from $200 to $2,500) that will serve as your line of credit. After 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.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.A simple travel rewards card that earns miles with every purchase
Earn 1.5 Miles per dollar on all purchases.
The Discover it® Miles lets you earn a flat cash back rate on every purchase, which can be used to help offset the cost of future travel. You’ll get 1.5 Miles per dollar on all purchases. Plus, new cardholders receive an Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match bonus at the end of their first year.
And while this card doesn’t allow you to transfer miles to travel partners, you can redeem your miles as cash back via an electronic deposit or for travel.
It’s a solid starter travel credit card, since it comes with a simple rewards structure, a $0 annual fee, no foreign transaction fees and an intro APR on purchases for more than a year.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Earn up to 2% cash back on gas and dining
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® Chrome is ideal if you spend a substantial amount on gas and dining each month, as it lets you earn an accelerated cash back rate at gas stations and restaurants. If you max out the $1,000 spending cap each quarter on 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 for new cardholders, that amount jumps to $160.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Get up to 5% cashback on rotating categories
If you’re in college, this student credit card offers a great opportunity to earn a high cash back rate in popular spending categories. Its intro APR can be helpful for larger purchases or an emergency. And with no credit score required to apply for the Discover it® Student Cash Back, you can start building credit while also earning rewards on your everyday purchases.
You’ll earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. A first-year cash back match for new cardholders further sweetens this offer.
How LendingTree Rates Credit Cards?
Our experts rate credit cards based on several factors including card benefits, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers do not influence or have a say in our card ratings. Read our credit card methodology here.Elevated rewards at gas stations and restaurants.
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.
If you’re a college student, this card provides a great opportunity to earn elevated rewards on gas and restaurant purchases. The Discover it® Student Chrome lets you 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.
It also offers a 0% Intro APR for 6 months on purchases, then a 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR after that time, as well as a 10.99% Intro APR for 6 months on balance transfers, followed by a 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR. Plus, like other Discover cards, it offers a generous sign-up bonus.
This card is good for financing college necessities like a new computer or apartment necessities — at the same time, other cards do offer longer intro periods, so keep that in mind if this is a feature that appeals to you.
| Credit Cards | Our Ratings | Welcome Offer | Rewards Rate | Recommended Credit Credit scores ranges may vary. Your individual chance at approval may vary due to factors such as creditors using a particular variation at their discretion | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Discover it® Cash Back*
|
Winner
|
Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – 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. | 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically | Good / Excellent | |
|
Discover it® Secured Credit Card*
|
Building credit
|
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. | 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 | Limited / Poor | |
|
Discover it® Miles*
|
Travel
|
Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. | 1.5 Miles per dollar on all purchases. | Good / Excellent | |
|
Discover it® Chrome*
|
Gas and dining out
|
Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–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. | 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 | Good / Excellent | |
|
Discover it® Student Cash Back*
|
Rotating rewards categories for students
|
Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – 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 cash back into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match. | Earn 5% cash back at different places each quarter up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically | Limited / Fair | |
|
Discover it® Student Chrome*
|
Gas and dining rewards for students
|
Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – 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 cash back into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match. | 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 | Limited / Fair |
Discover is a good credit card brand, offering a variety of credit cards for a range of credit scores. Their customer service and solid credit card offerings make Discover credit cards a favorite. In fact, in a recent credit card satisfaction survey conducted by J.D. Power, Discover ranked #2 among national credit card issuers. They have 24/7 U.S.-based customer service, and if you lose your card, you can get a new card with free overnight shipping.
Each Discover card comes with a $0 annual fee and a popular new-member sign-up bonus that matches all of the cash back you earn in your first year of card membership.
But while Discover credit cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees, they aren’t accepted in every country. To see where you can use your Discover card, check out the Discover international credit card acceptance page.
The Discover it® Cash Back and the Discover it® Student Cash Back allow you to enroll in quarterly categories to earn bonus cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases per quarter. Discover announces the upcoming categories before the start of each quarter. Here are the categories for 2025:
| January-March | April-June | July-September | October-December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Restaurants, home improvement stores and select streaming services | TBA | TBA | TBA |
When deciding which Discover credit card (or any credit card) is right for you, ask yourself these questions:
Which card can I qualify for?
Those with bad or limited credit should opt for a secured card, whereas someone with good / excellent credit may qualify for the Discover it® Cash Back. The latter card offers a higher rewards rate and long intro APRs on purchases and balance transfers.
Is the card designed for a specific consumer?
Depending on how you plan to use the card, some choices will naturally be eliminated. For example, if you’re not a student or don’t care about earning miles, a student or travel card wouldn’t be a good fit. Or, if you have high-interest credit card debt that’s that you’re struggling to pay down, the balance transfer card would be your best option.
How much are the fees, if any?
Fees fall into two categories: ones you have to pay (like annual fees) and those that you
may be able to avoid (such as a late fee).
Discover cards don’t charge annual fees or foreign transaction fees, but you’ll want to consider the potential cost of:
To avoid late fees and over-the-limit fees, set up automatic bill payments and stay well below your credit limit.
What rewards are offered?
If you spend a significant amount each month on specific purchases, like groceries or gas, you should look at a card that offers an elevated rewards rate on those purchases, such as the Discover it® Chrome.
On the other hand, if your spending tends to fluctuate, or if you don’t want to keep track of rotating categories or spending caps, a flat-rate cash back credit card may be a better choice.
Is there an intro APR on purchases or balance transfers?
If you need to make a large purchase and pay it off over time, a credit card that offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for at least a year is ideal. Or, if you need to transfer high-interest debt from an existing credit card, you’ll want to consider a card that offers a long interest-free period on balance transfers.
No, Discover credit cards don’t charge foreign transaction fees.
You can close your Discover credit card account by calling the number on the back of your card and informing the customer service department that you want to cancel the account. Note, you’ll still be responsible for paying any outstanding balance, and any unused rewards may be voided when you close the account.
That said, you should avoid closing credit card accounts whenever possible, since the length of your credit history is the third most important factor impacting your credit score.
Discover offers a variety of credit cards for people with all levels of credit — ranging from those with bad credit or no credit history to those with excellent credit scores.
You can get a Discover credit card by successfully applying online or calling 800-DISCOVER.
To transfer your existing credit card balance to a Discover credit card, you must request a balance transfer from Discover. For new cards, this can be requested during the application process. If you have an existing Discover card, you can request a transfer by logging in to your online account or calling the number on the back of your card.
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 they’ll typically charge an annual fee.
The information related to the Discover it® Cash Back, Discover it® Secured Credit Card, Discover it® Miles, Discover it® Chrome, Discover it® Student Cash Back, Discover it® Student Chrome and Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card has been collected by LendingTree and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication. Terms apply.
The content above is not provided by any issuer. Any opinions expressed are those of LendingTree alone and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any issuer. The offers and/or promotions mentioned above may have changed, expired, or are no longer available. Check the issuer's website for more details.
