Discover is known for excellent customer service, no annual fees across their entire lineup, and competitive cash back rewards. They're especially popular for the rotating 5% categories and strong offerings for students and those building credit.
Discover Overview
Discover operates as both a card issuer and payment network. While their acceptance is slightly lower than Visa or Mastercard, it's grown significantly and most major retailers accept Discover.
Discover it Cash Back Cards
Discover it Cash Back
Discover's flagship card with rotating 5% categories:
- Annual fee: $0
- Sign-up bonus: Cashback Match—Discover matches all cash back earned in the first year
- Earning rates: 5% on rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500/quarter), 1% on everything else
- Key benefits: No annual fee ever, first-year cash back match effectively doubles rewards
Rotating categories typically include:
- Q1: Grocery stores, fitness clubs
- Q2: Gas stations, home improvement stores
- Q3: Restaurants, PayPal
- Q4: Amazon, Target, Walmart
Best for: Those willing to track and activate quarterly categories for maximum value.
Discover it Chrome
- Annual fee: $0
- Earning rates: 2% at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000/quarter), 1% on everything else
- Best for: Those who prefer consistent categories over rotating ones
Student Cards
Discover it Student Cash Back
Same benefits as the regular Discover it, designed for students:
- Annual fee: $0
- Earning: 5% rotating categories, 1% everything else, plus Cashback Match first year
- Student bonus: $20 statement credit each school year your GPA is 3.0 or higher (up to 5 years)
- Best for: College students building credit while earning rewards
Discover it Student Chrome
- Annual fee: $0
- Earning: 2% at gas and restaurants, 1% everything else, plus Cashback Match
- Student bonus: Same GPA reward as Student Cash Back
Secured Card
Discover it Secured
One of the best secured cards available:
- Annual fee: $0
- Deposit: $200-$2,500 refundable deposit
- Earning: 2% at gas and restaurants (up to $1,000/quarter), 1% everything else
- Key benefits: Cashback Match first year, automatic review for upgrade to unsecured card after 7 months
Best for: Those building or rebuilding credit who want rewards while doing so.
Travel Card
Discover it Miles
- Annual fee: $0
- Earning: 1.5x miles on all purchases
- Redemption: Miles can be redeemed for travel statement credits
- First year: Miles Match doubles all miles earned
Discover Benefits Across All Cards
No Annual Fees—Ever
Every Discover card has $0 annual fee, making them excellent long-term holds.
Cashback Match
Discover automatically matches all rewards earned in the first year. A unique benefit no other major issuer offers.
No Foreign Transaction Fees
All Discover cards have no foreign transaction fees, though international acceptance can be limited.
Free FICO Score
Access your FICO Score for free on statements and online.
$0 Fraud Liability
Never responsible for unauthorized purchases.
Freeze it
Instantly freeze your account if you misplace your card.
Discover Acceptance
While Discover has grown significantly, some merchants—particularly small businesses and international locations—may not accept it. Consider carrying a Visa or Mastercard backup for these situations.
Who Should Get Discover Cards?
- Students: Discover it Student offers excellent rewards while building credit
- Category maximizers: Those who track rotating categories can earn significant rewards
- Credit builders: The secured card is among the best available
- Fee avoiders: No annual fees ever on any Discover card
Discover cards work well as part of a broader financial strategy, especially for those new to credit or wanting straightforward rewards.
