Best Discover cards of February 2025
The best Discover credit cards offer easy rewards and great benefits. Known for carrying no annual fees across its entire product line, Discover remains one of our top choices for those just getting started with travel rewards. However, the lucrative cash-back rates, flexible redemption options and diverse offerings can be a good fit for just about any traveler.
We have selected the best Discover credit cards to empower consumers to earn on their everyday purchases without the hassle of annual fees.
- Discover it Cash Back: Best for cash back in rotating categories
- Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best for those with limited or poor credit history
- Discover it® Miles: Best for those who want to earn miles on a card with no annual fee
- Discover it® Chrome Card: Best for cash back on gas and dining purchases
- Discover it® Student Cash Back card: Best for students working on building up their credit
Best for cash back in rotating categories
Discover it Cash Back
| 5% | Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, and gas stations, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. |
| 1% | Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. |
Pros
- Generous first-year cash-back match offer, as Discover will effectively double all the cash back earned in your first 12 months holding the card
- No foreign transaction fees
- Earn 5% cash back in rotating bonus categories, on up to $1,500 in purchases quarterly (activation required)
- No annual fee
- Eligible customers may qualify for 0% introductory APR in the first 15 months you hold the card (regular ongoing variable APR will apply after)
Cons
- 5% cash back earnings capped at $75 cash back per quarter
- Rotating bonus categories must be activated each quarter to earn 5% cash back
- Limited redemption options
The Discover it® Cash Back is a solid option to net elevated cash-back earnings in rotating categories quarterly. Plus, you can get outsize value after your first year with the card, as Discover will match all of the cash back you’ve earned in the first 12 months of using it.
The information for the Discover it® Cash Back Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Best for those with limited or poor credit history
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
| 2% | Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. |
| 1% | Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. |
Pros
- No annual fee
- Earns rewards
- First-year cash-back match
Cons
- Limited rewards earning
- Requires a deposit
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card* allows you to earn cash back while establishing — or rebuilding — your credit. This card has no annual fee and offers first-year cash-back matching, so you don’t have to choose between rebuilding your credit or earning rewards.
Best for those who want to earn miles on a card with no annual fee
Discover it® Miles
| 1.5X | Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase. |
Pros
- No annual fee
- First-year reward match
- Competitive earning rate
Cons
- Limited perks
- Earns non-transferable rewards
The Discover it® Miles card* is a solid travel card that earns 1.5 miles per dollar spent on every purchase. Like several Discover cards, it offers no annual fee and first-year reward matching.
Best for cash back on gas and dining purchases
Discover it® Chrome Card
| 2% | Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. |
| 1% | Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases - automatically. |
Pros
- Uncapped cash back match at the end of your first year of card membership
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
Cons
- Several other cards offer more lucrative reward rates across broader bonus categories
The Discover it® Chrome Card* earns a flat 2% cash back rate on gas station and restaurant purchases — up to $1,000 combined per quarter — without needing to activate bonus categories. Cardholders will earn 1% cash back across all other purchases on top of an unlimited cash back match for every dollar they spend in their first year of card membership.
Best for students working on building up their credit
Discover it® Student Cash Back card
| 5% | 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-automatically. |
| 1% | Earn 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases – automatically. |
Pros
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- Elevated cash back rates in specific bonus categories
Cons
- Must remember to activate bonus categories each quarter
The Discover it® Student Cash Back card* is a great choice for students seeking to establish and build up their credit — as well as students who want a simple reward-earning credit card. Cardholders earn 5% cash back across designated purchases within specific categories — like grocery stores, gas stations, restaurants, and more — up to a $1,500 maximum each quarter. All other non-bonus non-category specific purchases earn 1% cash back.
Comparing the best Discover credit cards
Credit card | Best for | Intro offer | Earning rate | Annual fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Discover it Cash Back * *The information about the Discover it Cash Back has been collected independently by ThePointsGuy.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer. Open Editors rating Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Information updated as of 01/13/2025 | cash back in rotating categories | Cashback Match Open Intro bonus 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. | 1 - 5% cash-back | $0 |
Discover it® Secured Credit Card * *The information about the Discover it® Secured Credit Card has been collected independently by ThePointsGuy.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer. Open Editors rating Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Information updated as of 01/09/2025 | those with limited or poor credit history | Cashback Match™ Open Intro bonus 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. | 1 - 2% cash-back | $0 |
Discover it® Miles * *The information about the Discover it® Miles has been collected independently by ThePointsGuy.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer. Open Editors rating Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Information updated as of 02/03/2025 | those who want to earn miles on a card with no annual fee | Discover Match® Open Intro bonus Unlimited Bonus: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. | 1.5X points | $0 |
Discover it® Chrome Card * *The information about the Discover it® Chrome Card has been collected independently by ThePointsGuy.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer. Open Editors rating Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Information updated as of 02/03/2025 | cash back on gas and dining purchases | Cashback Match Open Intro bonus 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. | 1 - 2% cash-back | $0 |
Discover it® Student Cash Back card * *The information about the Discover it® Student Cash Back card has been collected independently by ThePointsGuy.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer. Open Editors rating Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Information updated as of 02/03/2025 | students working on building up their credit | Cashback Match Open Intro bonus 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. So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200. | 1 - 5% cash-back | $0 |
More details on the best Discover credit cards
The Discover it® Cash Back credit card earns 5% cash back on quarterly bonus categories up to the quarterly maximum when you activate and 1% cash back on all other purchases with no annual fee. When paired with Discover’s unlimited first-year cash-back match offer, giving an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back you earn at the end of your first year, this card can hold strong value with activated bonus categories — especially in the first year.
Beginners looking to get experience with a card that offers rotating rewards instead of a flat cash-back rate could find value in utilizing the Discover it® Cash Back’s various bonus categories, which have previously included restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores and more. More experienced points and miles hobbyists could also benefit from Discover’s unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back earned at the end of the first year, as any amount of cash back earned in the first year of holding the Discover it® Cash Back would be doubled without restrictions.
“The Discover it® Cash Back was the first credit card I used to earn rewards. I learned a lot about maximizing my everyday spending by activating 5% cash back bonus categories each quarter. And when I keep up with the bonus categories, I can earn generously in areas where I spend often, such as grocery stores and gas stations. The card’s temporary 0% intro APR helped me learn how to responsibly use a credit card with some added grace. I also got to choose a cool design from Discover’s catalog of card art options, and I enjoy keeping such a pretty card in my wallet.” — Augusta Stone, associate credit cards writer
If you prefer Chase, the Chase Freedom Flex® earns cash back similarly to the Discover it® Cash Back. For no annual fee, the Chase Freedom Flex earns 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories each quarter you activate, like the Discover it® Cash Back, though its welcome offer is different. The Chase Freedom Flex offers a $200 bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first three months from account opening, whereas the Discover it® Cash Back offers an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of all the cash back earned at the end of your first year.
The Discover it® Secured Credit Card* allows cardholders to earn rewards even with a limited credit history or less-than-stellar credit score. This card automatically earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, plus unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Anyone looking to build up their credit score or credit history who also wants to earn rewards on everyday purchases will get value out of the Discover it® Secured Credit Card*.
You won’t have to forgo earning credit card rewards just because you’re establishing or rebuilding your credit with the Discover it® Secured Credit Card* in your wallet. You’ll earn at least 1% cash back on all purchases and also Discover’s dollar-for-dollar cash-back match of all the cash back earned at the end of your first year, automatically.
The Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card offers a flat cash-back rate — an unlimited 1.5% cash back on all purchases — for no annual fee (see rates and fees).
The Discover it® Miles card* is a travel card that earns 1.5 miles on every dollar of every purchase with no limits on how many miles you can earn. This card comes with no annual fee and a first-year match, in which Discover automatically matches all miles earned at the end of your first year.
Those who travel frequently will enjoy the Discover it® Miles*; it’s important to note that the miles earned are not the same as the transferable miles you’d get from a card that earns Chase Ultimate Rewards or American Express Membership Rewards.
If you’re interested in a travel credit card without an annual fee that earns more than 1 mile on every purchase, the Discover it® Miles* could be a strong option for you. It’s important to note that miles earned on this card are not transferable miles, but there could be some value gained from the redemption options.
If you’re more interested in earning transferable miles on a card with no annual fee, the Capital One VentureOne Rewards Credit Card (see rates and fees) credit card is a solid option. Capital One miles can be transferred to any of their 15-plus transfer partners. The card earns a simple 1.25 miles per dollar spent on all purchases.
This card makes earning 2% cash back on restaurant and gas station purchases simple. Plus, your cash back doesn’t expire which means you can let your reward balance accrue over time without penalty.
If your main spend categories include filling up at gas stations and eating out a restaurants, the Discover it® Chrome Card* could be a good choice for you — especially if you want a card with no annual fee that you can also use abroad when you travel since it charges no foreign transaction fees, either.
Using the Discover it® Chrome Card* is an easy way to earn cash back that never expires.
If you want to stay within the Discover ecosystem but want a higher cash back reward rate, consider the Discover it® Cash Back card*, which offers 5% cash back in rotating categories you must activate quarterly. Another option is the Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees), which earns 2% cash back across all purchases — broken up as 1% when you buy and 1% when you pay.
*The information for the Discover it® Cash Back cards has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
The Discover it® Student Cash Back card* earns at least 1% cash back when you make a purchase within a non-bonus category. This means you earn rewards whenever you tap your card to pay for a purchase.
Students who want a cash back reward card and who are comfortable tracking and activating bonus categories.
In addition to solid cash back earning in specified categories, you’ll also automatically get a 100% cash back match at the end of your first new cardholder year.
Want to upgrade your Discover it® Student Cash Back card* to another product that earns valuable transferable currency? Consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card, which earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points and has great airline and hotel transfer partners.
*The information for the Discover it® Student Cash Back card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
How we rate
How to choose a Discover credit card
- Earning a welcome bonus is a great way to maximize your spending. While most Discover credit cards don't offer a welcome bonus, they do feature a first year cash-back match.1Welcome bonus
- Discover cards do not come with annual fees which allow you to optimize your spending without worrying about justifying the cost of an annual fee.2Annual fee
- Discover cards offer various bonus categories that allow you to maximize your spending and, in turn, rewards earned. Plus, Discover cards offer elevated cash back rates in various rotating categories throughout the year, making these cards flexible for every type of spender.3Bonus categories
Pros + cons of Discover cards
Pros
- Discover cards do not charge annual fees
- Discover cards also do not charge foreign transaction fees
- Most Discover cards offer a healthy 5% cash back rate in specific spend categories
- Activating cash back bonus categories is fast and easy
- Redeeming cash back is also straightforward and simple
Cons
- You must remember to activate bonus spend categories
- There are better card options if you prefer to earn a flat reward rate across all purchases without needing to activate specific spend categories
Frequently asked questions
With no cash or points sign-up bonuses, Discover cards probably shouldn’t be the first cards you add to your wallet. That being said, for people with poor or limited credit histories, the various student and secured cards Discover offers can be a great stepping stone to more rewarding transferable points cards.
Experienced players can get great value here as well. Since there’s no cap on the first-year cash-back match, high-spending individuals and businesses can score an incredible return on bonus categories and everyday spending without jumping through as many hoops as some other cards require.
You can apply for a Discover credit card like you would apply for any credit card – online or by phone. The easiest option is to do it online. A credit card issuer will ask for some personal information, including your name, contact information, annual income, Social Security number and other financial details. You’ll be asked to read the terms and conditions of the card’s benefits, interest rates and applicable fees.
Once you apply, many issuers will give you a decision in just a few seconds, but you could end up having to wait for up to two weeks for an answer.
For Discover cards, you must be at least 18 or older to apply for a card. If you’re not yet 21, you will have to apply online. Discover Secured credit card applicants must also apply online.
Credit score requirements will vary by the card you are looking to add. For instance, the Discover it Secured credit card is meant for those needing to build or rebuild their credit. A standard Discover it® Card, such as Discover it® Cash Back or Discover it® Miles, would be more suited for those with established credit.
Credit card payments are typically due the same day each month. It’s smart to set some sort of reminder to remember to pay off your Discover credit card on time to avoid missing payments. You can normally use online banking services to make an electronic credit card payment.
We at TPG always recommend that you avoid carrying a balance on your credit card from month to month. Rapidly compounding interest charges you accrue when carrying a balance will likely wipe away any gains you earn toward valuable rewards.
Every Discover it credit card earns an unlimited cash-back match for the first 12 months of card ownership (with the exception of the Discover it® Miles, which matches every mile earned after the first year). This means Discover gives an unlimited dollar-to-dollar match of all the cash back (or miles) earned at the end of your first year.
Otherwise, certain Discover cards earn cash back differently. The Discover it® Cash Back earns 5% cash back in rotating quarterly bonus categories (up to the quarterly maximum when you activate) and 1% cash back on all other purchases, while the Discover it® Chrome earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically, plus 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases, for instance.
You can activate your new Discover credit card online, using the Discover mobile app or over the phone by calling customer service. Once you activate your card, you can use it immediately as long as the account is open and the card has not expired.
After weighing the appropriate considerations regarding whether you should keep the card open or ultimately cancel it, you can cancel a Discover credit card by picking up the phone and calling the card issuer. If the bank offers a “secure message center,” there’s a chance you may be able to close your account online.
Before canceling the card, be sure you’ve planned an exit strategy, protected any lingering rewards, paid the balance of the account and canceled any recurring payments.