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As a Bankrate credit cards editor, Ashley Parks is fascinated by the ways people can make credit cards work for them when armed with the right knowledge.
Courtney Mihocik is an editor at Bankrate Credit Cards and CreditCards.com specializing in credit card news and personal finance advice. Previously, she led insurance content at Reviews.com and worked as the loans editor at The Simple Dollar.
Stephanie Zito is a professional traveler, self-employed humanitarian consultant and collector of credit card points. She shares savvy travel tips that she’s learned firsthand circling the globe for more than 25 years. She’s a backpacker, expect and premium traveler who’s visited more than 130 countries and all seven continents. Her life motto is “See the world, change the world, have fun doing it!”, and her mission is to inspire others along the journey.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. The offers that appear on this site are from companies from which Bankrate.com receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and the likelihood of applicants’ credit approval also impact how and where products appear on this site. Bankrate.com does not include the entire universe of available financial or credit offers.
Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.
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Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that our content is honest and accurate. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers.
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Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service.
Discover offers a variety of credit cards for everyday shoppers, travelers, students and business owners. Furthermore, the Discover brand is known for customer service and the fact that its credit cards charge no annual fee. To find the best Discover credit cards, we considered rewards rates, perks, benefits and more for you to decide which Discover card to add to your wallet.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Intro offer
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.
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.
Annual fee
Regular APR
Recommended credit
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
When it comes to overall cash back rewards, the Discover it Cash Back has a lot to offer. If you don’t mind some strategizing, you’ll earn 5 percent back on rotating categories each quarter on up to $1,500 in combined spending per quarter and then 1 percent (activation required). You also earn unlimited 1 percent back on all other purchases. You can use Discover’s cash back calendar to plan upcoming purchases and maximize your cash back.
Read our full Discover it Cash Back card review.
Pros
Cons
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Intro offer
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.
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.
Annual fee
Regular APR
Recommended credit
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Enjoy a lengthy (though not quite best-in-class) 0 percent introductory APR on balance transfers for 18 months (then 16.24 percent to 27.24 percent variable APR) with this version of Discover’s popular it card. Bonus: The card features a competitive cash back rewards program, meaning it retains value for the long term. Read our full Discover it Balance Transfer review.
Pros
Cons
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Intro offer
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.
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.
Annual fee
Regular APR
Recommended credit
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
Students looking for cash back rewards might find that this card makes the grade. You can earn 5 percent cash back on rotating bonus categories up to $1,500 per quarter, and then 1 percent, when you activate. The cash back rate on all other purchases is 1 percent unlimited.
Read our full Discover it Student Cash Back review.
Pros
Cons
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Intro offer
Unlimited Bonus: Only Discover gives you an unlimited match of 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.
Unlimited Bonus: Only Discover gives you an unlimited match of 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.
Annual fee
Regular APR
Recommended credit
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
The Discover it Miles earns unlimited 1.5X miles on every purchase, and you can apply the miles you’ve earned to travel purchases on your statement or redeem them for cash back. Plus, at the end of your first year as a card owner, Discover will match all the miles you’ve earned up to that point. Read our full Discover it Miles card review.
Pros
Cons
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Intro offer
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.
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.
Annual fee
Regular APR
Recommended credit
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
The Discover it chrome is a solid rewards card that fuels your cash back returns as you fuel up your vehicle. You’ll earn 2 percent cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter, then 1 percent) and 1 percent cash back on all other purchases.
Read our full Discover it chrome review.
Pros
Cons
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Intro offer
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.
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.
Annual fee
Regular APR
Recommended credit
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
With the Discover it Student chrome, the same rewards available to Chrome cardholders become accessible to students still on the college grind. The card earns 2 percent cash back at gas stations and restaurants (on up to $1,000 in combined spending per quarter and then 1 percent) along with unlimited 1 percent cash back on all other purchases. Read our full Discover it Student chrome card review.
Pros
Cons
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Our writers, editors and industry experts score credit cards based on a variety of factors including card features, bonus offers and independent research. Credit card issuers have no say or influence on how we rate cards.
Intro offer
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.
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.
Annual fee
Regular APR
Recommended credit
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
A FICO score/credit score is used to represent the creditworthiness of a person and may be one indicator to the credit type you are eligible for. However, credit score alone does not guarantee or imply approval for any financial product.
If you want to build your credit and earn cash back rewards in the process, the Discover it Secured Credit Card is an excellent option. Discover reports to the three major credit bureaus, so paying your Discover it Secured Credit Card statement on time every month can help your credit score. Read our full Discover it Secured Credit Card review.
Pros
Cons
The information about the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card for Students has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
Jump back to offer details.
Read our full Discover it Cash Back card review.
Jump back to offer details.
Read our full Discover it Balance Transfer card review.
Jump back to offer details.
Read our full Discover it Student Cash Back card review.
Jump back to offer details.
Read our full Discover it Miles card review.
Jump back to offer details.
Read our full Discover it chrome card review.
Jump back to offer details.
Read our full Discover it Student chrome card review.
Jump back to offer details.
Read our full Discover it Secured credit card review.
Discover is one of the four largest credit card networks in the country. As a network, it processes and verifies transactions between merchants, customers and banks. Discover is also a credit card issuer, which means unlike other major credit card networks, such as Visa and Mastercard, it doesn’t need to partner with other companies to offer you a line of credit.
As a credit card network, Discover has a 99 percent acceptance rate from merchants in the U.S., but you may notice that fewer stores abroad accept your Discover credit card. Regardless, Discover offers a variety of credit cards with high customer satisfaction ratings and few fees that make them appealing to consumers.
Cashback Match: We can’t highlight this enough — Discover will match your cash back rewards at the end of your first year with the card, essentially doubling your cash earnings.
FICO credit score updates: Cardholders can check their FICO score for free on their Discover credit card account.
No redemption minimum: Whether you have $1 or $100 in cash back rewards, you can redeem it whenever.
High customer satisfaction: Discover earned 837 out of 1,000 points in the most recent J.D. Power’s U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, coming second behind American Express, which scored 838 out of 1,000.
Limited travel rewards: While Discover’s travel card earns 1.5X Miles on purchases, there are better travel rewards cards out there with higher rewards rates.
Earning caps: Higher cash back earning categories come with spending caps that cardholders need to watch out for.
Lower merchant acceptance: Discover is its own credit card network and issuer, meaning it isn’t accepted by as many merchants worldwide as cards in the largest two networks, Visa and Mastercard.
No consumer flat-rate cards: None of Discover’s consumer cash back cards offer an elevated flat rate on all purchases.
There are several Discover cards available for consumers, and the one you choose should be based on your individual financial needs.
College students with busy class, social and even travel schedules may benefit from the cash back earnings you’d get with the Discover it Student Cash Back and Discover it Student chrome cards. These are student credit cards that don’t require as much credit history as regular cash back cards for approval, so they are more attainable for young adults building their credit before they graduate. An important caveat is that Discover isn’t as widely accepted internationally as other cards, which is something for international or study abroad students to consider.
People starting out on their credit journeys and repairing past mistakes will benefit from the Discover it Secured credit card. It has a relatively low minimum security deposit of $200, plus free access to your FICO scores so you can track your credit-building progress as you use the card.
Certain Discover cards earn cash back at lucrative rates on rotating categories when you activate. If you want a chance to earn cash back and maximize savings on your regular spending at grocery stores, gas stations or Amazon.com at different points in the year, then the Discover it Cash Back Card will deliver.
With Discover’s Cashback Match program, all the rewards you earn in your first year as a cardholder are automatically doubled by Discover. For example, earning $500 in cash back in your first year as a Discover it Cash Back Credit Card holder means you’ll get an additional $500 added to your rewards.
This program may be more lucrative than a regular credit card welcome bonus that gives you money for spending a certain amount in the first few months with your new card. You have a whole year to build up your rewards and see their value double.
You can redeem your cash back rewards in a number of ways, giving Discover cardholders a ton of control over how they access their rewards. These options include:
Comparatively, Discover is one of the more flexible card issuers when it comes to point redemption. For example, you can use any Discover Miles you earn with the Discover it Miles card to cover travel purchases or Amazon.com purchases at the checkout screen. In addition, you can convert miles at a 1:1 rate for cash back as a bank account direct deposit. Discover has also announced that you can now use your miles to cover your credit card bill, including the minimum payment.
Discover rewards don’t expire for the life of your account. Unlike a few issuers, Discover will credit your account with your cash back or miles balance rather than forfeit your rewards if your account is closed or unused for 18 months. This perk is incredibly user-friendly and makes the issuer a top contender for people who are new to rewards cards.
If you activate the bonus category and then meet the $1,500 cap for 5 percent cash back every quarter when you enroll (then 1 percent cash back), you could get $300, plus another $300 at the end of your first year with the Discover it Cash Back. That’s a 10 percent return for your spending for the year, which is a lot more than what other issuers offer. You just need to be sure you’re maximizing your spending in each of the bonus categories quarterly and not skewing your spending toward purchases you wouldn’t make.
Or, you can opt for Discover’s chrome cards, which offer only 2 percent back at gas stations and restaurants. However, those elevated rates are only for the first $1,000 in combined spending per quarter, then it drops to 1 percent. With the chrome cards, you could earn $80 a year when you meet the cap each quarter.
Discover offers a range of no-annual-fee credit cards that come with features many will find appealing. Students, credit-builders, travelers, cash back enthusiasts — even NHL fans — will want to take a look at Discover’s lineup of cards to see if one is the right fit for them. That said, we love the Discover it Cash Back, and many other Discover cards can be great in the right person’s wallet.
When it comes to deciding if a card is worth it, you’ll have to evaluate your own financial needs and see if any of the cards Discover has to offer align with those needs. Discover’s high rates of customer satisfaction, Cash Back Match program and fairly lucrative rewards rates make these kinds of credit cards worth a look.
* See the online application for details about terms and conditions for these offers. Every reasonable effort has been made to maintain accurate information. However all credit card information is presented without warranty. After you click on the offer you desire you will be directed to the credit card issuer’s web site where you can review the terms and conditions for your selected offer.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed or approved by any advertiser. The information, including card rates and fees, is accurate as of the publish date. All products or services are presented without warranty. Check the bank’s website for the most current information.
Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. Bankrate is compensated in exchange for featured placement of sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. This compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear. Bankrate.com does not include all companies or all available products.
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