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Let's cut straight to the chase: These two Discover cards have more in common than they do in differences. They both come with no annual fee, the same welcome bonus, 0% intro APR offers, and wicked customer perks.
But the key difference (really the one that matters) is how they earn rewards.
While the Discover it® Chrome is awesome for gas and restaurant spending, the Discover it® Cash Back has bigger and wider rewards potential, if you're willing to stay engaged.
Let's delve into the exact details…
Discover it® Chrome vs. Discover it® Cash Back at a glance
4.70/5
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
4.70/5
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
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
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
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)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
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)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Welcome Offer:
INTRO OFFER: 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.
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Welcome Offer:
INTRO OFFER: 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.
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
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:
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.
1% - 5% Cashback
Intro APR:
Purchases: 0%, 6 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months
Intro APR:
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Regular APR:
18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Regular APR:
18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Highlights:
INTRO OFFER: 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.
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Then 18.24% to 27.24% Standard Variable APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
Redeem cash back for any amount
No annual fee.
Terms and conditions apply.
Highlights:
INTRO OFFER: 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.
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.
Redeem cash back for any amount
Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 90 seconds. No annual fee.
Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with your digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.24% to 27.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates and 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.
Our highest-rated credit cards have:
High value through rewards or 0% intro APR offers
Attainable welcome bonuses that make up for any annual fees
Low annual fees or a balance transfer fee of 3%
Top perks such as purchase and travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, travel credits, and status upgrades
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates and 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.
Our highest-rated credit cards have:
High value through rewards or 0% intro APR offers
Attainable welcome bonuses that make up for any annual fees
Low annual fees or a balance transfer fee of 3%
Top perks such as purchase and travel protections, no foreign transaction fees, travel credits, and status upgrades
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best credit card recommendations. Our aim is to maintain a balanced best-of list featuring top-scoring credit cards from reputable brands. 'Best for' category selections on this page are determined by our editors, and a single card may be recognized in multiple categories.
Ordering within lists is influenced by advertiser compensation, including featured placements at the top of a given list, but our product recommendations are NEVER influenced by advertisers. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.
How each card earns rewards
The biggest difference between these Discover cards is how each one rewards you for different spending. The Discover it® Chrome gives you consistent rewards at gas stations and restaurants, while the Discover it® Cash Back card offers rotating quarterly 5% categories (up to a quarterly maximum) that must be activated.
The Discover it® Chrome is built for people who regularly spend money at gas stations and restaurants (hello 20-year-old me!). There's no worrying about bonus categories or anything -- it's a flat rewards rate.
Here are the ways to earn cash back:
2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants, up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter
1% cash back on all other purchases
No rotating categories, no quarterly activation
This is clearly the more "hands off" kind of card for earning cash back. The only real concern is if you spend way more than $1,000 per quarter in the 2% categories, you may want to look at upgrading to a travel card or something with a bigger reward limit.
This one's for the optimizers who don't mind paying a bit more attention to earning categories.
Here are the ways to earn with the Discover it® Cash Back card:
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
Up to $1,500 in purchases per quarter (then drops to 1%)
Requires activation every quarter
Over a full year, the rotating categories can yield hundreds in cash back. But you've got to remember to activate and tailor your spending.
I will say that 5% cash back is a pretty huge percentage. Not many cards offer that reward rate at all. Even if only two of the rotating categories are applicable to your type of spending, that's half of the year earning a top cash back rate.
Welcome offer: Cash back match for the first year
Both cards include the same welcome offer. Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
That effectively doubles your cash back earned during year one for new cardholders. And don't worry, there's no complicated terms and conditions attached.
So if you earn $300 in cash back during your first year, you'll actually end up with $600.
Redemption options
Whether you go with the Discover it® Chrome or Discover it® Cash Back card, you'll get the same flexible redemption options. You can redeem the cash back in these ways:
Statement credits
Bank deposits
Pay with rewards at Amazon or PayPal
Donate to charity
Purchase gift cards
I always like the idea of donating my credit card rewards to charity… but when it's time to redeem, I usually treat myself to a little gift or put it toward travel instead. It's a bit selfish, I know. But hey, one day I'll follow through! Pinky promise.
0% intro APR perk for both cards
Both the Discover it® Chrome and Discover it® Cash Back have 0% intro APR offers, but the length and terms vary a little.
Discover it® Chromeintro offer: Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers and 6 months on purchases.
Discover it® Cash Backintro offer: Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers and purchases
Both cards offer a HUGE window for balance transfers, perfect for those looking to pay off existing high-interest credit card debt.
Just a couple notes, which apply to both cards:
Both cards have a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
When the 0% intro period ends, a standard go-to APR kicks in (18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR for Discover it® Cash Back and 18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR for Discover it® Chrome)
If your main goal is to transfer a balance, it's worth comparing all the top balance transfer cards -- not just these two. Earning rewards is nice, but your priority should be knocking out that debt as efficiently (and affordably) as possible.
Which card is better for you?
You really can't go wrong with either of these Discover cards. But here's my two cents for which type of person should get either card:
Choose the Discover it® Chrome if you…
Spend a lot at gas stations and restaurants
Prefer simplicity and consistency
Don't want to keep track of rotating categories
Choose the Discover it® Cash Back if you…
Want to earn the highest rewards rate possible
Don't mind activating categories each quarter
Can be strategic about your spending to match the rotating categories
Even more perks with both cards
Discover® Bank really is a great bank. Here are a few other features both of these cards have:
No annual fee
Free FICO® Score monitoring
U.S.-based customer service
Freeze-it® feature for instant card lock
No foreign transaction fees
Again, the main difference between the two comes down to how you spend and whether you want to maximize your earnings or simplify your life.
My take: I'd pick the Discover it® Cash Back…
I personally lean toward the Discover it® Cash Back card.
Setting a calendar reminder to activate categories is pretty simple for me (I'm also a finance nerds who loves points hacking and maximizing card perks!). Earning 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 is too good to pass up.
Plus, the first-year Cashback Match™ is extra juicy if you plan around the categories.
I definitely don't drive as much anymore, nor eat out at restaurants. So the Discover it® Chrome wouldn't give me quite as much return for my usage.
The bottom line
You can't go wrong with either of these cash back cards. Especially in your first year as a new cardholder when that Cashback Match™ offer kicks in.
The Discover it® Cash Back card is best if you want to earn as much as possible and are willing to stay engaged. Apply for the Discover it® Cash Back card here (see rates and fees) and activate your first rotating quarterly bonus categories!
The Discover it® Chrome card is best if you want a no-fuss way to earn solid rewards at gas stations and restaurants. Apply for the Discover it® Chrome here (see rates and fees) and fill up your tank with a smile!
The Discover it® Cash Back card has higher earning potential because it has 5% rotating categories (up to the quarterly maximum). But, you'll need to activate categories each quarter and spend within them to get the full benefit.
For many people who don't want to track rewards or worry about rotating categories, the Discover it® Chrome card may be a better fit. Even if they earn a tiny bit less, it can be less hassle.
No, the rotating categories are decided by Discover each quarter. You need to manually activate them through your online account or the Discover app to start earning the bonus rate. A quarterly maximum applies.
Yes, Discover typically allows product changes between its cards after you've had one for a while. If you start with one and later decide the other fits your spending better, you can usually switch without a hard credit pull.
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