How To Get A Discover Card

Discover has some of the best cash back cards. It's also one of the highest-rated card issuers for customer service, making it a winning pick no matter which way you cut it. Read on to learn more about Discover's current credit card products.

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
Balance transfers and cash back: Discover it® Balance Transfer
Gas & restaurants cash back for students: Discover it® Student chrome

Great for: Bonus cash back and no annual fee

Discover it® Cash Back

Intro APR

Purchases: 0% Intro APR, 14 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR, 14 months

Regular APR

11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR

Includes a robust rewards program and rich sign-up bonus offer that has unlimited upside. Somehow this card also packs in a great intro APR offer for no annual fee. Read Full Review
- Rotating bonus categories
- Sign-up bonus offer
- Great intro APR offer
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fee
- No fixed bonus categories
- 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.
- Click "APPLY NOW" to see rewards, FICO® Credit Score terms, Cashback Match™ details & other information.

Great for: Gas & restaurants cash back and no annual fee

Discover it® chrome

Intro APR

Purchases: 0% Intro APR, 14 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR, 14 months

Regular APR

11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR

The typical (impressive) slate of Discover perks are included with this card that's a good fit for cardholders wanting gas and restaurant rewards Read Full Review
- Sign-up bonus offer
- Gas and restaurants rewards
- No annual fee
- Great intro APR offer
- Mediocre bonus category cash back rate
- 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.
- Click "APPLY NOW" to see rewards, FICO® Credit Score terms, Cashback Match™ details & other information.

Great for: Travel card with no annual fee

Discover it® Miles

Intro APR

Purchases: 0% Intro APR, 14 months

Balance Transfers: 10.99% Intro APR, 14 months

Regular APR

11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR

A no-nonsense, no-annual-fee travel rewards card built for occasional travelers. The unlimited Miles and sign-up bonus are lucrative standout perks. Read Full Review
- Earn miles on purchases
- Great sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fee
- Great intro APR
- Limited ways to use miles
- No balance transfer offer
- No bonus categories
- 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.
- Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase - with no annual fee.
- 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.
- Click "APPLY NOW" to see rewards, FICO® Credit Score terms, Discover Match® details & other information.

Great for: Secured credit card and bad credit

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Intro APR

Purchases: N/A

Balance Transfers: 10.99% Intro APR, 6 months

Regular APR

22.99% Variable APR

This card is a great place to start when building your credit history. It offers perks rarely found in secured cards, including cash back, no annual fee, and Discover's innovative sign-up bonus. Read Full Review
- Cash back rewards
- Great sign-up bonus offer
- No annual fee
- Can graduate to an unsecured card
- Minimum deposit amount
- 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. 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.
- Click "APPLY NOW" to see rewards, FICO® Credit Score terms, Cashback Match™ details & other information.

Great for: Bonus cash back for students

Discover it® Student Cash Back

Intro APR

Purchases: 0% Intro APR, 6 months

Balance Transfers: 10.99% Intro APR, 6 months

Regular APR

12.99% - 21.99% Variable APR

A leading student credit card with a rewards program that goes toe-to-toe with some of the top rewards cards we've come across. Read Full Review
- Rotating bonus categories
- Great sign-up bonus offer
- No annual fee
- Credit score monitoring
- No fixed bonus categories
- 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.
- 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.
- Click "APPLY NOW" to see rewards, FICO® Credit Score terms, Cashback Match™ details & other information.

Great for: Balance transfers and cash back

Discover it® Balance Transfer

Intro APR

Purchases: 0% Intro APR, 6 months

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR, 18 months

Regular APR

11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR

Get the best of both balance transfer and cash back worlds with this card. Not only do you get a great intro APR on balance transfers, but you also get a rich cash back program. Read Full Review
- Great intro APR offer
- Sign-up bonus offer
- Robust cash back program
- No annual fee
- FICO® Score for free
- No fixed bonus categories
- 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 any amount, any time. Rewards never expire.
- #1 Most Trusted Credit Card according to Investor's Business Daily.
- Get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score, number of recent inquiries and more.
- No annual fee.
- Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
- Click "APPLY NOW" to see rewards, FICO® Credit Score terms, Cashback Match™ details & other information.

Great for: Gas & restaurants cash back for students

Discover it® Student chrome

Intro APR

Purchases: 0% Intro APR, 6 months

Balance Transfers: 10.99% Intro APR, 6 months

Regular APR

12.99% - 21.99% Variable APR

Earns a potentially big sign-up bonus and you can secure rich rewards for gas and restaurants. The inclusion of no annual fee makes this a hard-to-ignore student credit card. Read Full Review
- Great sign-up bonus offer
- Gas and restaurant rewards
- No annual fee
- Credit score monitoring
- Lackluster bonus category cash back rate
- 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.
- 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.
- Click "APPLY NOW" to see rewards, FICO® Credit Score terms, Cashback Match™ details & other information.

The best Discover credit cards come in a variety of types, including several cash back options and a few credit-building cards for beginners. You can earn cash back rewards in a range of useful categories, including both rotating and year-round rewards. Plus, every Discover card comes with a unique sign-up bonus that matches the rewards you earn in the first year. Let's take a closer look at the options.

Discover it® Cash Back

Great for: Rewards maximizers

The Discover it® Cash Back is a good pick for anyone who wants to maximize their rewards, as it offers a new 5% cash back bonus category each quarter. Once the bonus category is activated, you can earn 5% back on up to $1,500 in category purchases every quarter and 1% cash back on other eligible purchases.

Read the full Discover it® Cash Back review

Discover it® chrome

Great for: Gas guzzlers and foodies

The Discover it® chrome is an easy-to-use card that automatically earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants for the first $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, you'll earn an unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases.

Read the full Discover it® chrome review

Discover it® Miles

Great for: Casual travelers

The Discover it® Miles is a flexible travel rewards card that automatically earns 1.5 miles per dollar on purchases.

Read the full Discover it® Miles review

Discover it® Secured Credit Card

Great for: Credit builders

The Discover it® Secured Credit Card is a great option for anyone building credit for the first time or for those rebuilding their credit. It charges no annual fee, offers robust rewards, and has a low security deposit requirement. You can even get an automatic upgrade to an unsecured card.

Read the full Discover it® Secured Credit Card review

Discover it® Student Cash Back

Great for: Budding rewards collectors

The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a rotating category rewards card for college students looking to build credit. You'll earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in bonus category purchases each quarter you activate, with a new bonus category every three months. And you'll also earn unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases.

Read the full Discover it® Student Cash Back review

Discover it® Balance Transfer

Great for: Balance carriers

The Discover it® Balance Transfer is designed for users who want to transfer a balance from another card, offering a long promotional period with 0% intro APR on transferred balances. It's also handy for new purchases, providing a modest 0% intro APR offer as well as cash back rewards on purchases. The go-to variable rate applies after the 0% intro APR expires.

Read the full Discover it® Balance Transfer review

Discover it® Student chrome

Great for: College commutes

The Discover it® Student chrome is a flat-rate rewards student credit card ideal for commuting students who want to build credit and earn rewards. It offers 2% cash back on up to $1,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each quarter -- no activation necessary -- plus 1% cash back on other purchases.

Read the full Discover it® Student chrome review

Discover has a diverse credit card lineup, and every last one of them offers useful purchase rewards that can be redeemed for cash or statement credits. Plus, benefits for Discover cardholders are available with all cards. However, each card has its own niche, offering specific perks for cardholders.

Cash back rewards cards

Most of Discover's credit cards offer cash back rewards, but how you earn those rewards varies based on the individual card. Cash back rewards can be redeemed in a few different ways:

As cash in your bank account
As a statement credit to pay off your card balance
At checkout with partner retailers
For a gift card with select retailers
As a donation to eligible charities

Some Discover cards have rotating rewards, which provide 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases in the current bonus category. Bonus categories change each quarter, and you'll need to activate your bonus category to earn the 5% back. You can see the year's bonus categories by checking the Discover cash back calendar.

In addition to rotating rewards cards, Discover also has several cards with static bonus categories. These cards earn flat-rate rewards in fixed categories that cover popular types of everyday purchases.

Travel rewards cards

Discover has one card marketed as a travel rewards card -- the Discover it® Miles -- which earns unlimited miles on purchases. Miles can be redeemed in several ways, including for cash and as statement credit to cover travel-related purchases made with your Discover card. You'll earn $0.01 per mile when you redeem your rewards.

While other Discover cards aren't specifically designed to be travel credit cards, all of Discover's lineup charges a 0% foreign transaction fee. This means you can use your favorite Discover card on your travels without worrying about paying a foreign transaction fee on purchases in a foreign currency.

Secured credit cards

Discover has one of the best secured credit cards you can find, loaded with perks that are rare for secured cards. For one thing, it doesn't have any annual fee, and it also doesn't charge foreign transaction fees. Plus, you'll earn rewards on purchases, a rarity in the secured card market.

The security deposit requirement is competitively low and completely refundable, and it sets your credit limit. Discover will start evaluating your progress after eight months, and eligible cardholders could be automatically upgraded to an unsecured card. You can also track your credit score the entire time with a free monthly FICO® Score.

Balance transfer cards

Discover has one credit card specifically marketed for balance transfers -- Discover it® Balance Transfer. This card offers a long introductory 0% intro APR on balance transfers. It also comes with an introductory deal for the balance transfer fee. Your interest rate returns to your standard variable APR after the promotional period expires.

While not advertised for transfers, several other Discover credit cards also come with some type of 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers. And you can save on interest for new purchases, as most Discover cards come with an intro 0% intro APR deal for purchases.

Student cards

Discover offers not one, but two different student credit cards. Discover's student cards are designed to help college students start building credit, and they have no credit score or credit history requirements to qualify.

You also won't need to pay any fees to open an account or pay annual fees to keep it open. Additionally, every Discover student credit cardholder will earn cash back rewards on new purchases, with the type of rewards varying depending on which student card you pick.

Discover has a credit card for nearly every credit type. Cardholders with good credit scores can choose from one of Discover's many cash back rewards credit cards, all of which offer purchase rewards as well as introductory 0% APR offers.

If you have no or limited credit, you can opt for one of Discover's secured or student cards. College students with no credit can use a student rewards credit card to build credit, while non-students can put down a small deposit for a secured card. All Discover credit cards offer free monthly FICO® Scores so you can track your progress.s

When you compare credit card offers from Discover, it will come down to two main factors:

Your credit score
Your rewards needs

If you have good credit, you'll want to focus more on the type of rewards you want to earn. You'll need to decide if you want rotating bonus categories with a higher rewards rate or static bonus categories at a slightly lower rate.

If you need to build credit, you have a few choices. College students who are first-time credit card users should choose one of Discover two student cards, which vary in the type of rewards you earn (rotating bonus category vs. static bonus category). If you're not a college student and need to build credit, then go with Discover's secured card.

The best Discover credit card is subjective, and it will depend on what you want out of your card. That said, the Discover it® Cash Back is likely the most popular Discover card thanks to its high rewards rate and rotating bonus categories. All of Discover's cards come with no annual fees and charge a 0% foreign transaction fee. Additionally, every Discover card earns some kind of rewards. With that in mind, you really can't go wrong no matter which card you pick.

Discover's credit cards each fit in their own little niche, making it easy to choose the right Discover card for your needs. Here's a breakdown:

Discover it® Cash Back: If you want to maximize your cash rewards with rotating bonus rewards categories.

Discover it® chrome: If you want year-round bonus rewards on gas and restaurant purchases.

Discover it® Miles: If you want to earn rewards you can redeem towards travel expenses.

Discover it® Balance Transfer: If you want a long 0% intro APR offer for balance transfers so you can pay down credit card debt.

Discover it® Student Cash Back: If you're a college student and want rotating bonus categories.

Discover it® Student chrome: If you're a college student and want cash back on gas and restaurant purchases.

Discover it® Secured Credit Card: If you need to build credit and want to earn cash back rewards.

FAQs

The best Discover credit card is the one that best fits your needs. The high-value Discover it® Cash Back is likely the most popular pick, as it offers up to 5% cash back on $1,500 in bonus category purchases activated each quarter. Bonus categories rotate every quarter and can include popular categories like groceries and Amazon.com.
Discover offers a wide range of card types, all of which have purchase rewards and $0 annual fee. The different types include:
- Cash back rewards cards
- Travel rewards cards
- Credit-building cards
- Balance transfer cards
- Student cards
Choosing the right type of Discover card will depend on the type of rewards you want to earn and your credit history.
The credit score you need for a Discover credit card will depend on the specific card. If you have a low or no credit score, then choose a secured or student card. If you have a good credit score -- typically defined as a FICO® Score of 670 or higher -- then you can choose any Discover rewards card.
By nearly any metric, Discover is generally considered to be a good credit card company. Discover is regularly ranked within the top two for customer satisfaction from sources like J.D. Power. The issuer also boasts an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau (BBB).