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Discover has one of the deepest benches of high-quality credit cards that you’ll find amongst the most popular issuers. From lucrative sign-up bonuses and rewards to cutting annual fees, Discover credit cards are packed with perks.
The Ascent's best Discover credit cards:
- Bonus cash back and no annual fee: Discover it® Cash Back
- Gas & restaurants cash back and no annual fee: Discover it® chrome
- Travel card with no annual fee: Discover it® Miles
- Secured credit card and bad credit: Discover it® Secured Credit Card
- Bonus cash back for students: Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Gas & restaurants cash back for students: Discover it® Student chrome
High cash back
Great for: Bonus cash back and no annual fee
Rating image, 5.0 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
Earn up to 5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Somehow this card also packs in a 0% intro APR offer for no annual fee. Read Full Review
Rewards
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
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. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
- Earn 5% 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.
- Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
- Redeem cash back in any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
- Use your rewards at Amazon.com checkout.
- #1 Most Trusted Credit Card according to Investor’s Business Daily.
- No annual fee.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
Great for: Gas & 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 Read Full Review
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.
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.
Great for: Travel card with 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
A no-nonsense, no-annual-fee travel rewards card built for occasional travelers. The unlimited 1.5 Miles takes the hassle out of tracking categories and all of your miles get matched in the first year. Read Full Review
Rewards
1.5 miles per dollar on all purchases.
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 14 months
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 14 months
Ongoing APR
11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR
Welcome Bonus
Discover will match all the Miles you've earned at the end of your first year.
Highlights
- UNLIMITED BONUS: Only Discover will automatically match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
- Earn unlimited 1.5x Miles for every dollar spent on all purchases - with no annual fee.
- New! Redeem Miles to pay any part of your monthly bill, including your minimum payment.
- Turn Miles into cash in any amount, any time. Or redeem as a statement credit for travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more with no blackout dates. However you redeem, Miles keep the same value. And Miles never expire.
- No Blackout Dates. Simply pay for travel purchases like airlines, hotels, rental cars, and more with your Discover it® Miles card.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
- Freeze your account in seconds with an on/off switch either on the mobile app or website to prevent new purchases, cash advances, and balance transfers.
- 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.
Great for: Secured credit card and bad credit
Rating image, 5.0 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
Need to build your credit history? This card is a great place to start. It offers perks rarely found in secured cards including cash back, no annual fee, and double cash back in the first year. Read Full Review
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.
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: N/A
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months
Ongoing APR
22.99% Variable APR
Welcome Bonus
Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year.
Highlights
- No Annual Fee, earn cash back, and build your credit with responsible use.
- Using your secured credit card helps build a credit history with the three major credit bureaus. Generally, prepaid and debit cards can’t do that.
- Establish your credit line with your tax return by providing a refundable security deposit of at least $200 after being approved. Bank information must be provided when submitting your deposit.
- Automatic reviews starting at 8 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
- Earn 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.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
- Get 100% U.S. based customer service & get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score
- 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.
- Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites.* Activate for free.
Great for: Bonus cash back for students
Rating image, 5.0 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
Earn up to 5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Somehow this card also packs in a 0% intro APR offer for no annual fee. This student card somehow rivals many of the best cash back cards on the market. Read Full Review
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.
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 6 months
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months
Ongoing APR
12.99% - 21.99% Variable APR
Welcome Bonus
Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your 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! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 5% 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. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
- Good Grades Rewards: $20 statement credit each school year your GPA is 3.0 or higher for up to the next 5 years.
- Earn rewards while building your credit history that can help you after graduation. And, get your free Credit Scorecard that includes your FICO® Credit Score and important details that help make up your score.
- No annual fee. No late fee on first late payment. No APR change for paying late.
- Refer-a-Friend: Once you become a Discover it® Student cardmember, you can earn a statement credit each time you refer a friend and they’re approved. Over half a million students got Discover Cards from their friends' recommendations.
- Freeze It® on/off switch for your account that prevents new purchases, cash advances & balance transfers in seconds.
- Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites.* Activate for free.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 12.99% - 21.99% applies.
Great for: Gas & restaurants cash back for students
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
Earn double cash back in the first year and secure rich rewards for gas & restaurants to fuel both your car and stomach. The inclusion of no annual fee makes this a hard-to-ignore card in its category. Read Full Review
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.
Annual Fee
$0
Intro APR
Purchases: 0%, 6 months
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months
Ongoing APR
12.99% - 21.99% Variable APR
Welcome Bonus
Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your 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! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
- Earn 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.
- Good Grades Rewards: $20 statement credit each school year your GPA is 3.0 or higher for up to the next 5 years.
- Earn rewards while building your credit history that can help you after graduation. And, get your free Credit Scorecard that includes your FICO® Credit Score and important details that help make up your score.
- No annual fee. No late fee on first late payment. No APR change for paying late.
- Refer-a-Friend: Once you become a Discover it® Student cardmember, you can earn a statement credit each time you refer a friend and they’re approved. Over half a million students got Discover Cards from their friends' recommendations.
- Freeze It® on/off switch for your account that prevents new purchases, cash advances & balance transfers in seconds.
- Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites.* Activate for free.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 12.99% - 21.99% applies.
Discover is a unique credit card issuer that often gets left out of credit card discussions, even though the issuers offers some of the best credit cards. However, they have a number of valuable credit cards on offer, whether you’re looking to save up travel miles, get some cash-back rewards, or pay off debt using a balance transfer. This guide explains everything you need to know about Discover and their best credit cards.
What is Discover?
Discover is unique in that it is both a credit card issuer and a payment processing network, similar to American Express. While Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are the three biggest issuers in the United States, Discover falls in at number four. Ever since introducing their “cash-back bonuses” program in the late 1980s, Discover has been a pioneer in the world of cash-back rewards. They were also one of the first issuers to offer credit cards with no annual fee, and to this day, the best Discover credit cards come with a $0 annual fee.
Types of Discover credit cards
Discover offers something for everyone, whether you’re a frequent flyer with excellent credit or a student with no credit history at all. Here’s an overview of the different types of credit cards on this list.
Travel rewards credit cards
Discover’s travel rewards credit cards offer rewards in the form of “miles” that can be redeemed for travel purchases. These credit cards are great for people with good credit who travel often or want to travel more.
Cash-back credit cards
As one of the first issuers to offer cash-back rewards, Discover has some fantastic credit cards that will offer you cash back on every purchase you make. These cards are perfect for people with good credit who want easy-to-redeem cash rewards.
Secured credit cards
You can qualify for a Discover credit card even if you have bad credit. Discover’s secured credit cards are secured with an initial deposit rather than your credit score, and they’re specifically designed to help you build or rebuild your credit. These cards have no annual fee and a low security deposit required.
Student credit cards
It’s important to build credit early on, but it’s hard to qualify for credit cards when you don’t have a credit history. Luckily, Discover’s student credit cards are geared toward people with a skimp credit history. They’re a great way to build credit, and they even offer rewards and perks like cash for good grades.
Balance transfer credit cards
Discover’s balance transfer credit cards offer consumers the chance to transfer over an existing balance from another issuer and pay it off at a 0% introductory APR for a set period of time. As long as you pay off your balance before the promotional period ends, this is a great way to get out of debt without paying a penny in interest.
Which Discover credit card is right for you?
If it’s high rewards and low fees you’re after, it’s crucial to select a credit card that fits with your spending profile and credit score. Luckily, Discover’s straight-forward card offerings make it pretty simple to choose.
If you have bad credit or a limited credit history:
- Discover it® Secured
- Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Discover it® Student chrome
If you want to maximize your travel rewards:
- Discover it® Miles
If you prefer cash back:
- Discover it® chrome
- Discover it® Cash Back
If you’re paying off debt:
- Discover it® Balance Transfer
FAQs
-
While you can have more than one Discover card, Discover does limit cardholders to two cards at a time. Even then, your applications must be spaced out over a 12 month period of time.
-
While it is true that Discover is not as widely accepted, as Visa and Mastercard Discover has been partnering with a range of global partner networks, such as UnionPay, JCB, and Diners Club, to ensure that your card works wherever you go.
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Discover will match all of the rewards you earn during your first year as a cardholder. This includes cash-back and miles-earning cards. You don’t have to sign up for the program, and there is no limit to how much they will match.
This means that for your first year as a cardholder, a 5% rewards rate is matched by Discover. If you earn 1.5 Miles per $1 spent, you actually earn 3 Miles per $1 spent during your first year.
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Fortunately no, Discover’s cash-back earnings never expire as long as a customer maintains an account.
To summarize, here are the best Discover credit cards
| Card | Rating | Great For |
|---|---|---|
|
Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Bonus cash back and no annual fee |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Gas & restaurants cash back and no annual fee |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Travel card with no annual fee |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Secured credit card and bad credit |
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Rating image, 5.0 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Bonus cash back for students |
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Rating image, 4.5 out of 5 stars.
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Great For: Gas & restaurants cash back for students |
About the Author
Elizabeth is a personal finance writer specializing in credit cards, debt repayment, and small business. Her work has appeared on The Motley Fool, MSN Money, Yahoo! Finance, and Business Insider. She’s an avid credit card points collector and perpetual traveler currently living in Costa Rica.
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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. The Motley Fool has a Disclosure Policy. The Author and/or The Motley Fool may have an interest in companies mentioned.
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