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Best Discover credit cards for September 2023

Updated August 29, 2023

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.

Image of Discover it® Cash Back

Best overall cash back card

Discover it® Cash Back

Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site
Rating: 4.4 stars out of 5
4.4 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Image of Discover it® Balance Transfer

Best for balance transfers

Discover it® Balance Transfer

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on Discover's secure site
Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5
4.6 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Image of Discover it® Miles

Best travel card

Discover it® Miles

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on Discover's secure site
Rating: 3.9 stars out of 5
3.9 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Image of Discover it® Student Cash Back

Best overall student card

Discover it® Student Cash Back

Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

No Credit History
Info
Image of Discover it® Chrome

Best for gas station purchases

Discover it® Chrome

Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4.0 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

Good to Excellent (670 – 850)
Info
Image of Discover it® Student Chrome

Best for gas and dining for students

Discover it® Student Chrome

Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
4.0 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

No Credit History
Info
Image of Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Best for building credit

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Apply now Lock
on Discover's secure site
Rating: 5 stars out of 5
5.0 Bankrate review
Info

Intro offer

Info

Annual fee

Recommended credit

No Credit History
Info

Compare Bankrate’s top Discover credit cards

Card Name Best For Cash Back Highlights Bankrate Review Score
Discover it® Cash Back Cash back 5% cash back on rotating categories each quarter when you activate (up to $1,500 in combined purchases, then 1%) with 1% on all other purchases 4.4 / 5
(Read full card review)
Discover it® Balance Transfer Balance transfers 5% cash back on rotating categories each quarter when you activate (up to $1,500 in combined quarterly purchases, then 1%) with 1% on all other purchases 4.6 / 5
(Read full card review)
Discover it® Miles Travel Unlimited 1.5X miles 3.9 / 5
(Read full card review)
Discover it® Student Cash Back Students 5% cash back on rotating categories each quarter when you activate (up to $1,500 in combined purchases, then 1%) with 1% on all other purchases 5.0 / 5
(Read full card review)
Discover it® Chrome Gas purchases 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%) with 1% on all other purchases 4.0 / 5
(Read full card review)
Discover it® Student Chrome Gas and dining for students 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%) with 1% on all other purchases 4.0 / 5
(Read full card review)
Discover it® Secured Credit Card Building credit 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, then 1%) with 1% on all other purchases 5.0 / 5
(Read full card review)

A closer look at the top Discover credit cards

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Discover it® Cash Back

Best overall cash back card

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Discover’s CashBack Match™  program will essentially double your cash back earnings at the end of your first year with the card.

Cash back strategy enthusiasts who want to and can maximize Discover’s rotating cash back calendar.

Cardholders who want to earn high cash back rates may find more convenience in the Citi Custom Cash℠. It automatically adjusts to earn a high cash back rate in the eligible category you spend the most in each billing cycle.

Read our full Discover it® Cash Back review or jump back to offer details.

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Discover it® Balance Transfer

Best for balance transfers

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After the balance transfer intro offer ends, the card essentially becomes similar to the Discover it® Cash Back and earns cash back on Discover’s rotating calendar.

Debt reducers who want to take advantage of a lengthy intro APR offer.

If you need more time to pay off your balance, the Citi® Diamond Preferred card offers a longer intro APR offer. However, it doesn’t earn rewards.

Read our full Discover it® Balance Transfer review or jump back to offer details.

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Discover it® Miles

Best Discover travel card

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The Discover it® Miles card earns unlimited 1.5X miles on purchases and Discover will match your earnings at the end of your first year with the card.

Travel rewards card beginners who want to earn miles, but not with a specific airline.

This card earns rewards at a relatively low rate, making it difficult to rack up miles. People looking for a new travel card will be better served by a card that earns boosted rewards exclusively for travel-related purchases rather than a flat-rate for general purchases, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card.

Read our full Discover it® Miles review of jump back to offer details.

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Discover it® Student Cash Back

Best overall student card

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Discover’s student cash back card has the least stringent credit requirements, but still offers the same rotating categories as the Discover it® Cash Back.

Students who can fit maximizing bonus category spending and planning into their busy college schedules.

If you’re a student who has at least good credit, you might be more interested in the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students. It earns boosted cash back rates in various categories of your choosing that make it more flexible than the Discover it® Student Cash Back.

Read our full Discover it® Student Cash Back review or jump back to offer details.

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Discover it® Chrome

Best for gas station purchases

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With the Discover it® Chrome card, the elevated cash back rates and no rotating categories mean you can earn without tracking Discover’s bonus calendar.

Roadtrippers and weekend warriors who fill up at the pump often.

A quarterly cap on rewards can hinder cardholders who spend around $350 each month on gas and restaurant purchases. If you want to earn 2 percent back on purchases in these categories, opt for a card with the same rate and no spending caps. The Citi® Double Cash Card, for instance, earns unlimited 2 percent cash back on every purchase (1 percent when you buy, 1 percent when you pay your bill.

Read our full Discover it® Chrome review or jump back to offer details.

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Discover it® Student Chrome

Best for gas and dining for students

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The Discover it® Student Chrome card gets most of the benefits of the Discover it® Chrome, but with more relaxed credit score requirements for approval.

College students who commute to class, take plenty of road trips and dine out often.

Students who don’t leave campus frequently, don’t commute and eat using a meal pass rather than dining out might find little value in the Discover it® Student Chrome card’s rewards categories. Instead, they might find more value in a card that comes with boosted rewards in categories like event tickets, streaming services and entertainment, like the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card.

Read our full Discover it® Student Chrome review or jump back to offer details.

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Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Best for building credit

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Discover it® Secured Credit Card cardholders can earn cash back as they build credit, a rarity among secured credit cards.

Credit beginners and people repairing bad credit who don’t want to miss out on earning rewards.

You could potentially earn more cash back annually if you spend across various categories outside gas and dining. If you want to use your secured card on grocery purchases while still earning decent rewards, a card like the Capital One Quicksilver Secured Cash Rewards Credit Card may be your best bet with its unlimited 1.5 percent back on every purchase.

What is Discover?

Discover is one of the four largest credit card networks in the country. As a network, it processes and verifies transactions among merchants, customers and banks. Discover is also a credit card issuer, which means unlike other major credit card networks like 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.

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Bankrate Insight

Discover has a track record of excellent customer service satisfaction, earning top marks in J.D. Power’s 2022 U.S. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, with a score of 841 out of 1,000 points. It’s second behind American Express, which earned 848 out of 1,000 points in the study.

Pros and cons of Discover credit cards

Pros

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    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.

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    FICO credit score updates: Cardholders can check their FICO score for free on their Discover credit card account.

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    No redemption minimum: Whether you have $1 or $100 in cash back rewards, you can redeem it whenever.

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    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.

Cons

  • 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.

How to choose the best Discover credit card for you

 
Choosing your next credit card – or your first credit card – can be a daunting task no matter how you approach it, but it doesn’t have to be. Deciding whether a Discover card is for you is as simple as asking yourself a few questions:
 

Are you willing to activate bonus categories every quarter?

Discover’s elevated cash back categories must be activated every three months, so you need to stay on top of your credit card account if you want to take full advantage of the 5 percent back on up to $1,500 in purchases, then it drops to 1 percent. If you don’t want to activate categories, opt for Discover’s Chrome cards, which offer 2 percent back on restaurants and gas stations on up to $1,000 per quarter, then 1 percent, but don’t require activation.
 

Do you need easier approval requirements?

For the Discover it® Cash Back, we recommend that people have good credit or very good credit scores before applying. If your heart is still set on Discover but your score is fair, consider the Discover it® Secured Credit Card. If you qualify as a student, consider one of Discover’s student credit card options. The credit score requirements are slightly lower on these cards compared to Discover’s flagship cash back card, and you’ll still get decent cash back. Plus, you’ll get Discover's Cashback MatchTM at the end of your first year regardless of the type of card.
 

How much cash back do you want?

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.

Who should get a Discover credit card

There are several Discover cards available for consumers, and the one you choose should be based on your individual financial needs.

Still unsure if a Discover credit card is right for you? Check out our Credit Card Spender Type Tool where you can get personalized credit card recommendations based on your credit score, spending habits and daily needs.

How the Discover Cashback Match program works

With Discover’s Cashback MatchTM 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:

  • A statement credit
  • A bank account direct deposit
  • Direct payment at Amazon.com
  • A physical or digital Partner Gift Card with 5 percent to 20 percent added value to each gift card (depending on merchant). Partner Gift Cards range from $5 to $200 in increments of $5.
  • A charitable donation

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.

Are Discover credit cards worth it?

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, Cashback Match program and fairly lucrative rewards rates make these kinds of credit cards worth a look.

How we asses the best Discover credit cards

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250+
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Congrats
50+
rewards programs valued
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5000
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Credit Card Reviews
40+
perks evaluated

When evaluating the best Discover credit cards, we take into account several factors, including how cards score in our proprietary card rating system and whether they offer features that fit the priorities of a diverse group of cardholders, from earning rewards to scoring a large sign-up bonus to saving on interest. 

We analyzed over 250 of the most popular credit cards and selected standouts that Discover offers. We scored each card based on the factors most relevant to its primary category, including its rewards rate, estimated annual earnings, intro APR period, ongoing APR, perks and more to determine whether it belonged in this month’s roundup. 

Here are some of the key factors that we considered: 

Have questions for our credit cards editors? Feel free to send us an email, find us on Facebook, or Tweet us @Bankrate.

 

Frequently asked questions about Discover credit cards