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Discover it® Chrome vs. Discover it® Cash Back: Which Card Should You Get?

Updated
Joel O'Leary
Author: Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary
Joel O'Leary
Full-Time Personal Finance Writer

Joel O’Leary is a full-time Personal Finance Writer at Motley Fool Money, covering credit cards, bank accounts, investing, mortgages, and other personal finance topics. Joel has been writing about personal finance since 2018, previously leading editorial content for the How To Money podcast and serving as a resident writer at Budgets Are Sexy. He bought his first rental property at age 18, funding the down payment with savings from his high school job at McDonald’s -- a testament to his lifelong passion for smart money decisions. His work aims to make personal finance accessible and actionable for everyday readers. When he’s not writing, Joel enjoys surfing and spending time with his family.

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The Discover it® Chrome (rates and fees) and Discover it® Cash Back (rates and fees) have more similarities than differences. They both have no annual fee, the same Cashback Match welcome bonus for new cardholders, and strong intro APR offers.

The differences they do have, though, are pretty key.

With the Discover it® Cash Back, you'll get higher cash back potential in rotating categories each quarter. With the Discover it® Chrome (rates and fees), meanwhile, you'll get a slightly longer intro APR on balance transfers.

Want to find out which is right for you? Let's delve into the exact details.

Discover it® Chrome vs. Discover it® Cash Back at a glance

Here's a quick side-by-side comparison of these two cash back credit cards.

Image for
Image for
Discover it® Cash Back Discover it® Chrome
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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.
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5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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.
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= Excellent
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= Fair
= Poor
4.70/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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.
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= Excellent
= Good
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4.70/5 Circle with letter I in it. 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.
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= Excellent
= Good
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Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Issuer's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Discover it® Chrome

On Issuer's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. 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

Good/Excellent

Credit Rating Requirement: Circle with letter I in it. 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

Good/Excellent

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. 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.

Welcome Offer: Circle with letter I in it. INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. 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.

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. 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

Rewards Program: Circle with letter I in it. 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

Intro APR:

Purchases: 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months

Intro APR:

Purchases: 0%, 6 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months

Regular APR:

17.49% - 26.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies

Regular APR:

17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR

Annual Fee:

$0

Annual Fee:

$0

Highlights:

  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. 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. No annual fee.
  • 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months; 17.49% - 26.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies.
  • Terms and conditions apply.

Highlights:

  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers. 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. You'll still earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
  • Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Then 17.49% to 26.49% Standard Variable APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • Redeem cash back for any amount
  • No annual fee.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Issuer's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Apply Now for Discover it® Chrome

On Issuer's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

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At Motley Fool Money, every credit card we review is rated on a 5-star scale, scored to a tenth of a point. Our ratings weigh the features that matter most: rewards rates, 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.

We score cards within four primary categories:

  • 0% intro APR cards for paying down balances or financing purchases
  • Travel cards for maximizing points, miles, and perks on the road
  • Cash back and rewards cards for everyday spending value
  • Business cards designed to fit company expenses and growth

Top-rated cards typically combine strong long-term value, attainable bonuses, low fees, and standout protections or perks.

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, every credit card we review is rated on a 5-star scale, scored to a tenth of a point. Our ratings weigh the features that matter most: rewards rates, 0% intro APR offers, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and purchase protections.

We score cards within four primary categories:

  • 0% intro APR cards for paying down balances or financing purchases
  • Travel cards for maximizing points, miles, and perks on the road
  • Cash back and rewards cards for everyday spending value
  • Business cards designed to fit company expenses and growth

Top-rated cards typically combine strong long-term value, attainable bonuses, low fees, and standout protections or perks.

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 (rates and fees) gives you consistent rewards at gas stations and restaurants, while the Discover it® Cash Back card (rates and fees) offers rotating quarterly 5% categories (up to a quarterly maximum) that must be activated.

Here are the specific ways to earn for each card:

Discover it® Cash Back: Rotating reward categories

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 the cards highest cash back rate 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.

Discover it® Chrome: Simple, set-it-and-forget-it rewards

The Discover it® Chrome (rates and fees) 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 top categories, you may want to look at upgrading to a travel card or something with a bigger reward limit.

Welcome offer: Cashback 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 rewards in the first year for new cardholders. And don't worry, there's no complicated terms and conditions attached.

So if you earn $150 in cash back during your first year, you'll actually end up with $300.

Redemption options

Whether you go with the Discover it® Chrome or Discover it® Cash Back card (rates and fees), 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 (rates and fees) and Discover it® Cash Back (rates and fees) come with long intro APR offers, but the length and terms vary a little.

Discover it® Chrome (rates and fees): 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers and 6 months on purchases (then a 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR applies). Balance transfer fee applies.

Discover it® Cash Back (rates and fees): 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers and purchases (then a 17.49% - 26.49% variable APR after that; balance transfer fee applies applies).

Both cards offer a long runway on balance transfers, perfect if you're looking to pay off existing high-interest credit card debt. And they both have balance transfer fees.

If your main goal is to save on existing debt, the Discover it® Chrome (rates and fees) is a slightly better choice. But it's also 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
  • Are transferring a balance and want a longer intro APR offer

Choose the Discover it® Cash Back if you…

  • Want to earn the highest rewards rate possible
  • Don't mind activating categories each quarter
  • Want a super long intro APR for new purchases
  • Can be strategic about your spending to match the rotating categories

Personally, I'd lean toward the Discover it® Cash Back card (rates and fees). 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 just too good to pass up.

Plus, setting a calendar reminder to activate categories is pretty simple for me (I'm also a finance nerd who loves points hacking and maximizing card perks).

Even more perks with both cards

Here are a few other features both of these cards have:

  • No annual fee
  • 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.

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 while taking advantage of a long balance transfer offer. Apply for the Discover it® Chrome here (see rates and fees).

FAQs

  • The Discover it® Cash Back card (rates and fees) has higher earning potential because it has 5% 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. 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 (rates and fees) 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 to start earning the bonus rate. A quarterly maximum applies.