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- Discover it® chrome Review
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With unique and valuable sign-up bonuses, competitive rewards rates, and few fees to speak of, the Discover it® chrome credit card can go the distance with many of the higher-profile rivals. Case in point: the Discover it® chrome offers bonus cash back in for gas and restaurants. In this Discover it® chrome review, we'll cover what it has to offer and where it could improve.
Great for: Gas stations & restaurants cash back and no annual fee
Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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.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.
Bottom Line
The typical (impressive) slate of Discover perks are included (FICO® Score for free, no foreign transaction fees, and more) with this card that's a good fit for cardholders wanting big gas & restaurant rewards
Rewards
2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants ($1,000 spend cap each quarter), 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 14 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 14 months
Ongoing APR
11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR
Welcome Bonus
Dollar-for-dollar match of all cash back earned the first year
Highlights
- INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – 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.
- Earn cash back on your next road trip with 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- Redeem your cash back for any amount, any time. Cash rewards never expire.
- 100% U.S. Based Customer Service available any time.
- Get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, number of recent inquiries and more.
- Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites.* Activate for free.
- No annual fee.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
Full Discover it® chrome review
Top perks
Double cash back in the first year: Unique to Discover credit cards, this potentially lucrative sign-up bonus has the issuer matching your annual cash back earnings 1-for-1 after the first year.
Up to 2% back: The elevated cash back rate applies to spending at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined spending in these two categories every quarter. On all other spending, this card earns 1% back.
No annual fee: The Discover it® chrome doesn't have an annual fee.
0% intro APR: This intro APR applies to both purchases and balance transfers for 14 months. Note: The go-to variable rate applies after the promo period expires.
No foreign transaction fees: You don't need to worry about paying extra when you travel abroad. While many credit cards include a 3% foreign transaction fee, Discover doesn't charge this.
Free FICO® Score: This can easily be accessed through Discover's web or app, or in every one of your monthly statements. Besides the score, users can see details about the five factors that impact it.
No cash back redemption minimum: You can redeem cash back at any time and for any amount. Your cash back also never expires as long as your credit card remains open.
What could be improved
Bonus cash back rate: The biggest issue with the Discover it® chrome is that its cash-back rates pale in comparison to many of the top cash back cards. If you shop around, you can easily find other cards that offer a higher bonus cash-back rate, more bonus categories, or both of the above.
Balance transfer fee: Although the 0% intro balance transfer APR is helpful, it would really get a boost if Discover didn't charge a balance transfer fee. There is a 3% intro balance transfer fee for the first 90 days after you open the card and 5% for any transfers thereafter.
Suggested credit score
Applicants with a high likelihood for approval will have good to excellent credit and a FICO® Score of at least 670.
Credit card companies weigh more factors than just credit scores in their decisions, so your credit score alone won't guarantee whether your application is approved or denied. There are reports of consumers getting the Discover it® chrome with a credit score below 670, but there are also consumers with higher scores who have been denied.
Alternatives to consider
- If you want higher cash back rates: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express earns an incredible 6% back at U.S. supermarkets, up to a spending cap of $6,000 per year. It also gets you 6% back on select U.S. streaming services and 3% back at both U.S. gas stations and on transit purchases. There is a $95 annual fee, but if you have high spending in those areas, then the card's elevated cash back rates will more than make up for that.
- If you want different bonus categories: The Discover it® Cash Back has rotating quarterly bonus categories you activate where it earns 5% back on up to $1,500 in quarterly spending. That could be the better option if a lot of your spending is outside of the gas and groceries categories.
As of Jan. 05, 2021
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| Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express | Discover it® Cash Back |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0 stars
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.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. |
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
5.0 stars
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.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. |
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Apply Now
On American Express' Secure Website. |
Apply Now
On Discover's Secure Website. |
| Read Full Review | Read Full Review |
| Rates & Fees | Rates & Fees |
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Credit Rating Requirement: |
Credit Rating Requirement: |
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Welcome Bonus: $250 after spending $1,000 within 3 months |
Welcome Bonus: Dollar-for-dollar match of all cash back earned the first year |
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Rewards Program: 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets ($6,000 spending cap per year), 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit, 1% back on all else |
Rewards Program: Cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically |
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Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 12 months Balance Transfers: N/A |
Intro APR: Purchases: 0%, 14 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 14 months |
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Regular APR: 13.99%-23.99% Variable |
Regular APR: 11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR |
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Annual Fee: $95 |
Annual Fee: $0 |
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Foreign Transaction Fee: 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars. |
Foreign Transaction Fee: None |
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Highlights:
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Highlights:
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Apply Now
On American Express' Secure Website. |
Apply Now
On Discover's Secure Website. |
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This credit card is right for you if:
Thanks to the bonus cash back this card earns at gas stations and restaurants, the Discover it® chrome has obvious appeal for those who value gas credit card rewards. The 0% intro APR also makes it a good choice if you need to finance a large purchase and pay it off over time or get a lower rate on credit card debt.
If your focus is earning as much cash back as you can, you should check out what other cards are offering first. As mentioned above, this card's cash back rates are good, but they're not quite a match for some of the best cards on the market, even among other no annual fee cards.
About the Author
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.
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