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3. Discover it® Cash Back review: High bonus value, but not for everyone

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101

reviews

3.5

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

Great for rotating cash back categories

Annual Fee: $0

The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 707

The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $9,684

Explore more about this card:

• Pros and cons
• In-depth Editorial review
• Member reviews

Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their Discover it® Cash Back or similar cards.

% of members by credit limit range

The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $9,684, with $500 being the most common.

Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their Discover it® Cash Back or similar cards.

% of members by credit score range

The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 707, with 810 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.

This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Member stats

Updated daily

28.5%

Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.

44 years

Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.

$101,822

Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.

Pros and cons

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High rewards rate in rotating categories

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Cashback Match feature adds lots of potential value

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No annual fee to eat into your rewards value

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Bonus categories change every quarter

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Cash back bonus requires quarterly activation

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Rewards rate for non-bonus categories isn’t especially good

Is the Discover it® Cash Back worth it?

The Discover it® Cash Back card has a rotating cash back category system that can provide significant value, especially with no annual fee.

This card is ideal for people who are proactive about their credit card rewards and don’t mind adjusting their spending habits quarterly to maximize returns.

Discover it® Cash Back at a glance

• Annual fee: $0
• Standout benefit: Cashback Match feature
• Best rewards rate: 5% cash back in rotating categories
• Baseline rewards rate: 1% on all purchases
• Foreign transaction fee: None

Discover it® Cash Back best benefits and features

Rotating cash back categories

The Discover it® Cash Back card offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases made in bonus categories when you activate each quarter, then 1% thereafter. In the past, categories have included gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants.

Cashback Match feature

Rather than a traditional sign-up bonus, Discover it® Cash Back offers Cashback Match. At the end of your first year as a Discover cardholder, Discover matches all of the cash back you’ve earned, effectively doubling your rewards for that year (you may see different offers on Credit Karma). This feature makes the Discover it® Cash Back card an exceptionally rewarding option for new cardholders.

Intro 0% APR on purchases and balance transfers

The Discover it® Cash Back offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months from account opening. After that, there’s a variable purchase APR of 17.49% - 26.49%.

The card also offers an introductory 0% APR for balance transfers for 15 months from the date of your first transfer. Additionally, balance transfers have to be posted to your account by a specific date for the intro offer to apply. You’ll also pay a balance transfer fee of 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms).

After the balance transfer intro period ends, you’ll pay an ongoing variable APR of 17.49% - 26.49% on any leftover amount of that transferred debt.

What are the drawbacks of Discover it® Cash Back?

Quarterly activation required

To earn 5% cash back in the designated categories, you must remember to activate these each quarter, an additional step that’s easy to overlook.

Variable category relevance

The benefit of rotating bonus categories can vary among cardholders. This is because the quarterly categories, which offer accelerated rewards on specific types of purchases, might not always match up with what an individual cardholder spends their money on. You’ll earn fewer rewards when the categories don’t line up with your typical spending.

Other cards to consider

• Discover it® Miles: If you’re looking for flexibility in travel and cash back redemptions, this card could be ideal.
• Discover it® Student Cash Back: This card can help students establish credit while earning cash back.
• Citi Double Cash® Card: People who prefer a straightforward flat-rate cash back card may find this card to be a good option.

Looking at these aspects of the card helps us determine whether we’d recommend it to our members.