Discover it® Cash Back vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠: Which cash back card is right for you?

Young woman standing in front of a beautiful canyon while debating if she should get the discover it vs chase freedomImage: Young woman standing in front of a beautiful canyon while debating if she should get the discover it vs chase freedom

In a Nutshell

Discover it® Cash Back and Chase Freedom Flex℠ both offer 5% cash back in rotating categories that you have to activate, but which is the better card? The answer may depend on your lifestyle and spending habits.
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This offer is no longer available on our site: Chase Freedom Flex℠

Getting 1% or 2% cash back on your rewards credit card is certainly better than getting nothing.

But if you’re in the business of maximizing rewards and want a card that offers up to 5% cash back, your decision will likely come down to one of two cards: Discover it® Cash Back vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠.

These two rewards-earning powerhouses have a lot in common. They both offer up to 5% cash back in rotating bonus categories that have to be activated each quarter, and they both come with an impressive sign-up bonus.

But one card may be more appealing than the other, depending on your needs and lifestyle. Let’s look at how these two cash back contenders compare head to head.


  1. Best for sign-up bonus: Chase Freedom Flex℠
  2. Best for rewards points: Tie
  3. Best for card benefits: Discover it® Cash Back
  4. What to consider when applying for a card with rotating rewards categories
  5. Which card is right for you?

Best for sign-up bonus: Chase Freedom Flex℠

This one’s a pretty close call, so you’ll need to ask yourself which is more valuable: the Chase Freedom Flex℠ $200 sign-up bonus or the Discover it® Cash Back dollar-for-dollar cash back match at the end of the first year.

It all comes down to how much you plan on spending — and where you plan on spending it.

To earn the $200 sign-up bonus with Chase Freedom Flex℠, you have to spend $500 within the first 3 months of having the card.

The Discover it® Cash Back match promotion means that you’ll essentially earn 2% cash back on all purchases and a whopping 10% cash back in rotating bonus categories that you activate, up to the quarterly cap, for the entire first year as long as your account is not closed and you are still in the cash back reward program at the time Discover calculates your potential award.

Best for rewards points: Tie

Discover it® Cash Back and Chase Freedom Flex℠ both offer cash back rewards of up to 5% in merchant and product categories that rotate quarterly, so this contest is a dead heat. And since both cards require quarterly activation of those categories, ease of use is about the same.

The categories themselves aren’t always the same though. So it’s difficult to definitively say one card offers better categories than the other.

Discover it® Cash Back offers 5% bonus categories like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, select rideshares and online shopping — and categories in the past have included home-improvement stores and wholesale clubs.

Do I automatically qualify for bonus categories?

You don’t. Both cards require users to activate the new bonus categories each quarter to receive the 5% cash back bonus. Also note that both cards cap bonus spending at $1,500 per quarter. Any purchases exceeding $1,500 qualify for the regular 1% cash back rate.

Best for card benefits: Discover it® Cash Back

Discover it® Cash Back edges out Chase Freedom Flex℠ with some added security benefits such as the Freeze it® feature, which functions as an on/off switch for certain activities on your account in case you misplace your credit card.

If you’re worried about someone finding your card and going on a spending spree, this feature (accessible via the website and mobile app) can be a serious relief. Free overnight card replacement is a nice perk, too, though you hopefully won’t have to use it too much.

Otherwise, the shopping benefits between these two cards are equally impressive. Both feature zero liability protection, which means you won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your card or account information.

From our partner

Discover it® Cash Back

3.6 out of 5

From cardholders in the last year

See details, rates & fees

Read our full review of the Discover it® Cash Back.

What to consider when applying for a card with rotating rewards categories

Before choosing a cash back card with rotating categories, look closely at the terms and conditions. You’ll want to know when rewards categories change, how they might be limited and whether there are any other restrictions.

Cards such as Discover it® Cash Back and Chase Freedom Flex℠ can be a lot more lucrative than their flat-rate counterparts, but they also take a little extra legwork. To take full advantage of these cards, you’ll have to commit to activating and spending in specific categories each quarter. If that seems like too much of a headache, consider looking for a more straightforward cash back card.

Which card is right for you? 

These are both great cash back cards, and it’s hard to go wrong with either. The best card for you likely depends on your lifestyle and spending habits.

We recommend Discover it® Cash Back if you’re confident you’ll spend enough in the first year to make the cash back match worth it.

But if you’re not planning on using your credit card as much but can spend at least $200 on purchases within the first 3 months to take advantage of the sign-up bonus, Chase Freedom Flex℠ could be the card for you. This is especially true if you plan to rack up points internationally, since Chase cards are more widely accepted than Discover cards.

On the other hand, if you’re traveling to a country that does accept Discover, you won’t pay any foreign transaction fees with Discover it® Cash Back while Chase Freedom Flex℠ charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. If you plan to travel overseas, consider this factor before making your choice.


About the author: Deb Hipp is a freelance writer with a bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing from the University of Missouri-Kansas City. When she’s not writing about personal finance and news, she enjoys traveling to seas… Read more.