Discover Credit Card Reviews, Rules & Opinions

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Updated: October 8, 2024

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Discover has seven credit cards on offer, including ones for students. Unfortunately, Discover does not currently have any credit cards for businesses available to new applicants. Other types of Discover cards come in the form of a travel credit card, a secured card and an NHL co-branded card.

Qualifying for Discover’s more rewarding cards typically requires you to have a credit score of over 670. However, this is not the case with its student and secured cards.

Featured Credit Cards Offered by Discover

Of the seven credit cards that Discover has on offer, you may find a cash back card, a student card, a travel card and a secured card. Depending on the card you get, you may benefit through an introductory 0% APR offer on purchases and balance transfers.

Credit CardMoneyGeek RatingAboutRewards RateAnnual FeeRecommended Credit
4.0/ of 5
The original 5% cash back revolving bonus categories cardEarn 1%–5% cash back
$0670–850 (good to excellent)
On Issuer's Site
A sound no-annual-fee credit card that offers bonus cash back for students Earn 1% – 5% cash back
$0(No Credit History)
On Issuer's Site
A good no-annual-fee travel credit card with an introductory 0% APR offerEarn unlimited 1.5X miles on every purchase
$0670-850 (Good to Excellent)
On Issuer's Site
3.8/ of 5
Extra cash back at restaurants and gas stationsEarn 1%–2% cash back
$0670-850 (Good to Excellent)
On Issuer's Site
A good student credit card with bonus cash back categories Earn 1% – 2% cash back
$0(No Credit History)
On Issuer's Site
A practical no-annual-fee secured card for earning cash back and building creditEarn 1% – 2% cash back
$0(No Credit History)
On Issuer's Site

The Best Discover Credit Cards in 2024

We revisit our list of the three best Discover credit cards each month after accounting for factors such as welcome bonuses, reward categories and other benefits.

Discover it® Cash Back Card
Credit Card logo for Discover it® Cash Back Card
MoneyGeek Rating
3.7/ of 5
On Issuer's Site

Rewards Rate
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at differe...
Annual Fee
$0
Balance Transfer Offer
0% for 15 months on balance transfers
Recommended Credit
670–850 (good to excellent)
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Credit Card logo for Discover it® Student Cash Back
MoneyGeek Rating
3.6/ of 5
On Issuer's Site

Rewards Rate
Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at differe...
APR
17.74% - 26.74% variable
Annual Fee
$0
Recommended Credit
(No Credit History)
Discover it® Miles

Rewards Rate
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every d...
APR
17.74% - 27.74% variable
Annual Fee
$0
Recommended Credit
670-850 (Good to Excellent)

Rules for Applying, Acceptance & Welcome Bonuses

Carrying out some research in advance is important if you wish to apply for a Discover credit card. From questions about eligibility criteria to how often you may apply, we have you covered. We also shed light on how Discover’s welcome offers work.

What is the accepted credit score range for most cards?
How many cards can you own?
How many times can you apply?
How many times can you get pre-approved?
How many times can you claim the welcome bonus?

Other Considerations About Discover

There is more to selecting a Discover credit card than looking at fees, rewards and APRs. Knowing just where Discover stands in other regards can be equally important

Feature
Description

Customer Service & Satisfaction

According to the 2021 J.D. Power US. Credit Card Satisfaction Study, Discover stood at the second spot when it came to customer satisfaction among the national credit card issuers. It scored 837 out of 1,000.

You may contact a Discover representative over the phone, via its website’s online chat platform, via regular mail or through its social media accounts.

Mobile Apps & Online Services

In the 2021 J.D. Power Mobile Banking App Satisfaction Study, Discover’s app ranked third in credit card mobile app satisfaction. It scored 875 out of 1,000.

Discover provides apps for devices that run on iOS and Android. The apps let credit card users view account activity, download statements, make payments, redeem rewards and check their FICO score. You can also manage your credit card account by logging in to the Discover website.

Security & Credit Monitoring Services

Discover provides various security and credit monitoring features, although these are not the same across all its cards. Depending on the card you get, you may expect Social Security number alerts, a $0 fraud liability guarantee, the ability to freeze your account, free overnight card replacement and free access to your FICO score.

Loyalty Programs & Other Issuer Perks

Discover credit cards are not linked to any loyalty program. You can redeem the cash back you earn as a deposit into your bank account, as a statement credit or to make purchases through Amazon.com and PayPal. You can redeem miles as cash, as a statement credit for travel purchases or to make purchases at Amazon.com and PayPal. The cash back or miles you earn never expire.

Authorized Users

Discover lets you add up to five authorized users per credit card. Authorized users should be at least 15 years of age

Overall Opinion of Discover & Their Credit Card Offerings

While Discover does not have an extensive range of credit cards on offer, it has options to meet the needs of most consumers. For example, while it offers two student cards, it also has a secured card for those with poor credit. Unfortunately, Discover does not have any business credit cards available at the moment. Depending on your individual requirements, you may benefit by getting a Discover credit card under different circumstances.

    highschoolStudent icon

    Building credit as a student

    Students who wish to build their credit histories can choose from two Discover student credit cards. Both let you earn higher cash back on bonus categories.

    boyThinking icon

    Repairing credit

    If you wish to build or repair your credit and don’t qualify for Discover’s student cards, you may want to consider applying for its secured card. Discover starts conducting monthly reviews of your account to refund your deposit and upgrade you to a non-secured card in the seventh month.

    worldTraveler icon

    Earning rewards without paying annual fees

    What sets Discover apart from most credit card providers is that none of its credit cards charge annual fees, its secured card included. This way, you earn cash back or miles without paying any annual fees.

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EXPERT OPINION

"While Discover does not provide a welcome bonus for new applicants, it does offer to double all of the rewards earned during the first year your account is open. Depending on how much you spend and the rewards you earn, this offer could be more valuable than many welcome bonus offers from competing credit cards."

- Lee Huffman, credit card expert at BaldThoughts.com

Still Not Sure About This Issuer? Consider These Options.

If you’re unsure whether getting a Discover credit card would work well for you, take a look at what some of the other top issuers have to offer. You may also consider looking for options based on specific categories such as cash back or travel.

Learn More About Credit Cards in General

About Doug Milnes, CFA


Doug Milnes, CFA headshot

Doug Milnes is a CFA charter holder with over 10 years of experience in corporate finance and the Head of Credit Cards at MoneyGeek. Formerly, he performed valuations for Duff and Phelps and financial planning and analysis for various companies. His analysis has been cited by U.S. News and World Report, The Hill, the Los Angeles Times, The New York Times and many other outlets.

Milnes holds a master’s degree in data science from Northwestern University. He geeks out on helping people feel on top of their credit card use, from managing debt to optimizing rewards.


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*Rates, fees or bonuses may vary or include specific stipulations. The content on this page is accurate as of the posting/last updated date; however, some of the offers mentioned may have expired. We recommend visiting the card issuer’s website for the most up-to-date information available.
Editorial Disclosure: Opinions, reviews, analyses and recommendations are the author’s alone and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity. Learn more about our editorial policies and expert editorial team.
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