Updated
Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
Discover® has a large roster of popular credit cards. If you're thinking of applying for one, then you probably want to know the required credit score for a Discover credit card.
Like every credit card company, Discover looks at many different factors during a credit card application. There's no set credit score for a Discover credit card, because your full credit history and financial profile matter. There are, however, suggested credit scores for Discover credit cards.
What credit score do I need for a Discover credit card?
You can get a Discover credit card with any credit score or even no credit history at all. Discover has credit card options to fit every consumer.
If you have bad credit or no credit history, you could get a secured card with Discover. For students with limited or no credit history, Discover offers student credit cards. Good credit, on the other hand, will qualify you for the best Discover credit cards.
Choosing a credit card
Don't you wish you could take a peek inside a credit card expert's wallet sometimes? Just to see the cards they carry? Well, you can't look in anybody's wallet, but you can check out our experts' favorite credit cards. Get started here:
To help you pick a card, here are the Discover credit cards you can choose from based on your credit situation.
Bad credit or no credit history
Discover has one secured credit card, the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, for consumers who need to build or rebuild their credit. This is one example of when there's no minimum credit score for a Discover card. Since this is a secured card, you will need to pay a security deposit to open it. You can choose an amount beginning at $200, and that will also be your starting credit limit.
While you'll need some cash upfront to get the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, this card can graduate to an unsecured card. That means Discover upgrades your card and refunds your deposit. Discover starts automatic monthly account reviews after seven months to see if you qualify for an upgrade.
Good to excellent credit
Discover recommends that applicants for most of its cards have good or excellent credit. To clarify, a good credit score is a FICO® Score of 670 or above.
In this case, it makes sense to go for one of the most valuable Discover credit cards. These are:
If these cards interest you, take a look at the comparison below to learn a bit more about them.
As of Apr. 16, 2024
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| Discover it® Cash Back | Discover it® Chrome | Discover it® Miles |
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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 |
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 |
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 |
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Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Good/Excellent (670-850) |
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Welcome Offer: N/A Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. |
Welcome Offer: N/A Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. |
Welcome Offer: N/A Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. |
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Rewards Program: 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 |
Rewards Program: 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 |
Rewards Program: Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase 1.5X miles |
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Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months |
Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months |
Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months |
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Regular APR: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
Regular APR: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
Regular APR: 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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Annual Fee: $0 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
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Students building credit
Discover has two student credit cards aimed at students who haven't built up much of a credit report yet. You can get one of these cards even if you lack credit history. Discover's student cards are:
Here is some more information about these two student credit cards.
As of Apr. 16, 2024
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| Discover it® Student Cash Back | Discover it® Student Chrome |
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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 |
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 |
|
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Fair/New to Credit Under(669)
Fair/New to Credit Under(669) |
Credit Rating Requirement:
Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Fair/New to Credit Under(669)
Fair/New to Credit Under(669) |
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Welcome Offer: N/A Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. |
Welcome Offer: N/A Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. |
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Rewards Program: 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 |
Rewards Program: 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 |
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Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 6 months Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months |
Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 6 months Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months |
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Regular APR: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR |
Regular APR: 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR |
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Annual Fee: $0 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
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Checking if you're pre-approved
One simple way to figure out which Discover cards match your financial profile is by using the card issuer's pre-approval tool. It only requires a soft credit check, which has no effect on your credit score. Instead of figuring out the credit score necessary for a Discover card, this tool can show you which Discover card fits your credit score.
Here's how to check if you're pre-approved for a Discover credit card:
- From the Discover site, click "All Products," "Credit Cards," and then "See if You're Pre-approved."
- Fill out the pre-approval form.
- Click "Check Now" to see your results.
Discover pre-approval doesn't mean you're guaranteed to be approved, but it does mean there's a high probability that you could get those cards.
Applying for a Discover credit card
The right credit score for a Discover credit card will all depend on which Discover card you choose. Once you've found one that works with your credit score or picked one using Discover's pre-approval tool, you can apply for it.
If you're not sure how to start, here's how to apply for a credit card:
- Click "Apply Now" on the card page.
- Fill out the application with the required information.
- Submit your application.
The process usually only takes a few minutes. Many applicants receive a decision right away.
Still have questions?
Here are some other questions we've answered:
Our Credit Cards Experts
Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. He writes for The Ascent and The Motley Fool, and his work has appeared in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.
Fact Checked
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman has worked with The Motley Fool since 2005, making errors his arch-enemies in a variety of roles including a six-year stint as the dedicated fact-checker for The Motley Fool's premium newsletter services. As The Ascent's Compliance Lead, he makes sure that all the site's information is accurate and up to date, which ensures we always steer readers right and keeps various financial partners happy. A graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, Nathan spends his spare time volunteering for civic causes, writing and podcasting for fun, adoring his wife, and wrangling his two very large young children.
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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.
Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Citigroup is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. Lyle Daly has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.