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Discover® Bank has some of the best cash back cards we've seen. It's also one of the highest-rated card issuers for customer service, making it a winning pick no matter which way you cut it.
The best Discover credit card will be different for everyone because it will depend on what you want out of your card. That said, the Discover it® Cash Back (see rates and fees) is likely the most popular Discover card thanks to its high rewards rate.
It offers up to a 5% Cashback Bonus® on category purchases when activated each quarter, up to $1,500. Bonus categories rotate every three months and can include popular categories like groceries and gas. Other purchases earn 1% cash back.
All of Discover's cards come with no annual fees and charge a 0% foreign transaction fee. Additionally, every Discover credit card earns some kind of reward. With that in mind, you really can't go wrong no matter which card you pick.
Great for: Bonus cash back and no annual fee
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
1% - 5% Cashback
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer N/A
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
We think this card has among the highest cash back potential for cards with no annual fee. The key is the Unlimited Cashback Match — Discover automatically matches all the cash back new cardholders have earned at the end of the first year. That cash back can seriously add up when you earn 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories (when you activate them, up to the quarterly maximum) and 1% on other purchases. Read Full Review
Great for: Gas & restaurants cash back and no annual fee
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards 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
1% - 2% Cashback
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer N/A
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Features the typically impressive slate of Discover card perks, but without the big bonus cash back. Read Full Review
Great for: Travel card with no annual fee
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
1.5X miles
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer N/A
Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
A straightforward, no annual fee travel rewards card built for occasional travelers. The unlimited Miles and welcome offer are standout perks. Read Full Review
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
Great for: Secured credit card and bad credit
New/Rebuilding Under(579)
Intro APR
Purchases: n/a
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months
Regular APR
28.24% Variable APR
Rewards 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
1% - 2% Cashback
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
We think this card has among the highest cash back potential for a secured card with no annual fee. The key is the Unlimited Cashback Match — Discover automatically matches the cash back new cardholders earn at the end of the first year. This card could be perfect for you if you're new to credit, or rebuilding after past troubles. Read Full Review
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Great for: Bonus cash back for students
Fair/New to Credit Under(669)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 6 months
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months
Regular APR
18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Rewards 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
1% - 5% Cashback
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer N/A
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Student credit cards are sometimes light on perks, but this Discover one might surprise you. You can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of spending in rotating bonus categories -- just opt in every quarter. And earning 1% back on other purchases plus an innovative Unlimited Cashback Match welcome bonus makes this one worth considering for college students. Read Full Review
Great for: Balance transfers and cash back
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 6 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months
Regular APR
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
Rewards Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
1%-5% cash back
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer N/A
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
If you want a balance transfer card that still has value after the 0% intro APR period expires, then this may be the card for you. It offers 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers with a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*. That alone makes it a great balance transfer card. The lucrative cash back program means you can continue to reap benefits from this card even after you pay-off your balance transfer. Read Full Review
Great for: Gas & restaurants cash back for students
Fair/New to Credit Under(669)
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 6 months
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months
Regular APR
18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Rewards 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
1% - 2% Cashback
Annual Fee
$0
Welcome Offer N/A
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Has all the important perks for a student credit card. It's light on fees and doesn't charge an annual fee, plus it has a solid cash back program and a potentially big sign-up bonus. Read Full Review
Discover's credit cards each fit in their own little niche, making it easy to choose the right Discover card for your needs. Here's a breakdown >>
The best Discover credit cards come in a variety of types, including several cash back options and a few credit-building cards for beginners. You can earn cash back rewards in a range of useful categories, including both rotating and year-round rewards. Plus, every card comes with a unique welcome bonus: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. Is Discover a good credit card? Let's take a closer look at the Discover credit card reviews.
Great for: Rewards maximizers
The Discover it® Cash Back is a good pick for anyone who wants to maximize their rewards, as it offers rotating 5% Cashback Bonus® categories each quarter. Once the bonus categories are activated, your Discover card will earn 5% back on up to $1,500 in bonus category purchases every quarter and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases.
Read the full Discover it® Cash Back review
Great for: Gas guzzlers and foodies
The Discover it® Chrome is an easy-to-use card that automatically earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants for the first $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, you'll earn an unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases.
Read the full Discover it® Chrome review
Great for: Casual travelers
The Discover it® Miles is a flexible travel rewards card with no annual fee that automatically earns 1.5x Miles for every $1 in purchases.
Read the full Discover it® Miles review
Great for: Credit builders
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is a great option for anyone building credit for the first time or for those rebuilding their credit. It charges no annual fee, earns a 2% Cashback Bonus® at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter (plus unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases), and has a low security deposit requirement. You can even get an automatic upgrade to an unsecured card (at Discover's discretion).
Read the full Discover it® Secured Credit Card review
Great for: Budding rewards collectors
The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a rotating bonus category rewards card for college students looking to build credit. You'll earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in bonus category purchases each quarter you activate, with new bonus categories every three months. And you'll also earn unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases.
Read the full Discover it® Student Cash Back review
Great for: Balance carriers
The Discover it® Balance Transfer is designed for users who want to transfer a balance from another card, offering a long 0% intro APR period on transferred balances. It's also handy for new purchases, providing a modest 0% intro APR offer as well as cash back rewards on purchases. The go-to rate of 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR applies after the 0% intro APR expires.
Read the full Discover it® Balance Transfer review
Great for: College commutes
The Discover it® Student Chrome is a flat-rate rewards student credit card ideal for commuting students who want to build credit and earn rewards. It offers a 2% Cashback Bonus® on up to $1,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each quarter -- no activation necessary -- plus unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases.
Read the full Discover it® Student Chrome review
Discover has a diverse credit card lineup, all of which offer purchase rewards that can be redeemed for cash or statement credits. Plus, Discover card benefits are available with all cards. However, each card has its own niche, offering specific perks for cardholders.
Most of Discover's credit cards offer cash back rewards, but how you earn those rewards varies based on the individual card. Discover card cash back rewards can be redeemed in a few different ways:
Take a look at our guide on how to redeem rewards on Discover credit cards for more details.
Some Discover card rewards categories rotate, providing a 5% Cashback Bonus® on up to $1,500 in purchases in the current bonus categories. Bonus categories change each quarter, and you'll need to activate your bonus categories to earn the 5% back. You can see the current bonus categories by checking the Discover cash back calendar.
In addition to rotating rewards cards, Discover also has several cards with static bonus categories. These cards earn flat-rate rewards in fixed categories that cover popular types of everyday purchases.
Read more: Best Cash Back Credit Cards
There is only one card marketed as the Discover travel card -- the Discover it® Miles -- which earns unlimited 1.5X Miles per $1 on purchases. Miles can be redeemed in several ways, including for cash and as statement credit to cover travel-related purchases made with your Discover card. You'll earn $0.01 per mile when you redeem your rewards.
While other Discover cards aren't specifically designed to be travel credit cards, all of Discover's lineup charges a 0% foreign transaction fee. This means you can use the best Discover credit card on your travels without worrying about paying a foreign transaction fee on purchases in a foreign currency.
Discover has one of the best secured credit cards you can find, loaded with perks that are rare for secured cards. For one thing, it doesn't have any annual fee, and it also doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. Plus, you'll earn rewards on purchases, a rarity in the secured card market.
The security deposit requirement is competitively low and completely refundable, and it sets your credit limit. Discover will start evaluating your progress after eight months, and eligible cardholders could be automatically upgraded to an unsecured card. You can also track your credit score the entire time with a free monthly FICO® Score.
Discover has one credit card specifically marketed for balance transfers: Discover it® Balance Transfer. This card offers a long introductory 0% intro APR on balance transfers. It also comes with an introductory deal for the balance transfer fee: 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*. Your interest rate returns to a 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR after the intro period expires.
While not advertised for transfers, several other Discover credit cards also come with some type of 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers. And you can save on interest for new purchases, as most Discover credit cards come with an intro 0% intro APR deal for purchases. The go-to variable rate applies for these, too, after the intro period.
Discover offers not one, but two different student credit cards. Discover's student credit cards are designed to help college students start building credit, and they have no credit score or credit history requirements to qualify.
You also won't need to pay any fees to open an account or pay annual fees to keep it open. Additionally, every Discover student credit cardholder will earn cash back rewards on new purchases, with the type of rewards varying depending on which student card you pick.
Discover offers a referral program, and you can earn up to $500 in statement credits per calendar year through it. To see your current referral bonus offers and get a referral link, log in to your Discover account. Open the "Rewards" menu and select "Refer a Friend." When a friend or family member applies for a card through your referral link and is approved, you'll receive a statement credit. Your referral will also receive a statement credit after making a purchase in the first three months.
The Discover Refer-a-Friend program is available with the following Discover cards:
Cardholders of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card and the Discover it® Business Card aren't eligible to refer a friend.
Discover has a credit card for nearly every credit score. Cardholders with good credit scores can choose from one of Discover's many cash back rewards credit cards, all of which offer purchase rewards as well as introductory 0% APR offers (followed by, of course, a go-to variable rate).
If you have no or limited credit, you can opt for one of Discover's secured or student cards. College students with no credit can use a student rewards credit card to build credit, while non-students can put down a small deposit for a secured card. Discover credit card offers include a free monthly FICO® Scores so you can track your progress toward a higher credit score.
Learn more: What Credit Score Do I Need for a Discover Credit Card?
When you compare credit card offers from Discover, it will come down to two main factors:
If you have good credit, you'll want to focus more on the type of rewards you want to earn. You'll need to decide if you want rotating bonus categories with a higher rewards rate or static bonus categories at a slightly lower rate.
If you need to build credit, you have a few choices. College students who are first-time credit card users should choose one of Discover's two student cards, which vary in the type of rewards you earn (rotating bonus category versus static bonus category). If you're not a college student and need to build credit, then go with Discover's secured card.
As you're thinking about which card to get, you may want to know if you'll be approved when you apply. Check out our guide on how to qualify for Discover pre-approval to find out more about how it works.
Card | Rating | Great For |
---|---|---|
2024 Award Winner
|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Bonus cash back and no annual fee |
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Gas & restaurants cash back and no annual fee |
|
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Travel card with no annual fee |
|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Secured credit card and bad credit |
|
2024 Award Winner
|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Bonus cash back for students |
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Balance transfers and cash back |
|
Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best = Excellent = Good = Fair = Poor |
Great For: Gas & restaurants cash back for students |
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
Our highest-rated credit cards have:
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
Discover offers a wide range of card types, all of which have purchase rewards and a $0 annual fee. The different types include:
Apply for a Discover credit card based on the type of rewards you want to earn and your credit history.
The credit score you need for a Discover credit card will depend on the specific card. If you have a low or no credit score, then choose a secured or student card. If you have a good credit score -- typically defined as a FICO® Score of 670 or higher -- then you can choose any Discover rewards card.
By nearly any metric, Discover is generally considered to be a good credit card company. Discover is regularly ranked within the top two for customer satisfaction from sources like J.D. Power. The issuer also boasts an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).
Our Credit Cards Experts
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent does not cover all offers on the market. Editorial content from The Ascent is separate from The Motley Fool editorial content and is created by a different analyst team.
The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.