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Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card vs. Discover it^® Cash Back [2026]

Q: Is Discover it Cash Back a good first card?

The Discover it ® Cash Back (Rates and fees) is an excellent first card because it provides high cashback earning potential while giving you the opportunity to build your credit history at the same time. And you don't have to stress about an annual cost since the Discover it Cash Back has a $0 annual fee. Keep in mind that the Discover it Cash Back is recommended for people with good to excellent credit scores.

While the Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card (Rates and fees) is a beginner-friendly travel rewards card that has a low annual fee, the Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees) is ideal for everyday cash back and has no annual fee.

By Ben Walker, CEPF, CFEI® , Edited by Tracy Odell

Updated Nov. 10, 2026

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4.9

Generous welcome offer valued at up to $1,125 when redeemed via Chase Travel℠
High rewards on dining and bookings via Chase Travel
Up to 1.5x more value when redeeming points for travel through Chase Travel
Up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel
Receive valuable travel protections like trip delay reimbursement and primary rental car insurance

4.7

Our view

The Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card (Rates and fees) and Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees) are both rewards credit cards. But when comparing the Discover it Cash Back vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred card, consider that the former offers everyday cash back, while the latter is designed for travelers.

If you're after travel benefits and points, choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred. While it has a $95 annual fee, the cost may be well worth it when you take advantage of its many benefits. It earns Chase Ultimate Rewards points, which you can redeem for travel, transfer to partners, redeem as cash back, and more.

On the other hand, if you're looking for a no-annual-fee credit card for earning cash back on everyday purchases, choose the Discover it Cash Back. It offers a high rewards rate on rotating categories each quarter.

Let's look further into how the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Discover it Cash Back compare so you can determine which one is the best fit for you.

How we compared the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Discover it Cash Back

We compared the Chase Sapphire Preferred and Discover it Cash Back to help you decide which card makes more sense for your wallet. Here’s what we looked at:

Rewards: How you earn and redeem rewards, including bonus categories and welcome offers.
Costs: Annual fees, foreign transaction fees, and introductory APR offers.
Perks and protections: Travel benefits, purchase protections, and insurance coverage.
Acceptance: Where you can use each card, especially when traveling abroad.

Our recommendations weigh these features against different spending habits and goals. The best fit depends on how you spend and which benefits you’ll actually use.

To learn more about how we rate products, check out our FinanceBuzz ratings methodology.

Key takeaways

Carrying a $95 annual fee, the Chase Sapphire Preferred is a travel rewards card that offers up to a $100 statement credit for Chase Travel hotel stays per anniversary year.
The Discover it Cash Back is a no-annual-fee rewards card with quarterly rotating categories and intro APR offers on purchases and balance transfers.
Choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred if earning travel rewards and receiving other travel perks is most important to you.
Choose the Discover it Cash Back if you're focused on earning everyday cashback rewards or taking advantage of an intro APR offer.
Both rewards cards have attractive welcome offers and no foreign transaction fees.

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Discover it Cash Back comparison

	Chase Sapphire Preferred^® Card 4.9 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.	Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees) 4.7 FinanceBuzz writers and editors score cards based on a number of objective features as well as our expert editorial assessment. Our partners do not influence how we rate products.
Card type	Travel	Cash back
Credit card issuer	Chase	Discover
Credit card network	Visa	Discover
Annual fee	$95	$0
Welcome offer	Earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	Receive a $200 statement credit when you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months of account opening. Plus, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year (terms apply).
Earning rate	Earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, vacation homes at top brands, gas & EV charging, top streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs); 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.	Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases
Redemption methods	Travel Transfer partners Dining Combine points with eligible Chase cards Cash back (mailed check or statement credit) Pay Yourself Back Gift cards PayPal Amazon	Statement credits Direct deposits to eligible checking or savings accounts Gift cards Charitable donations Pay with cash back rewards at select merchants (Amazon and PayPal)
Intro APR	None	0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (then 18.74% - 28.74% (Variable)). 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 18.74% - 28.74% (Variable); Balance transfer fee applies).
Foreign transaction fee	None	None
Recommended credit score	Excellent, Good	Excellent, Good
	Apply now	Learn more

When should you choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

If you want a rewards credit card that's focused on helping you travel more, choose the Chase Sapphire Preferred. However, keep in mind that it comes with a $95 annual fee.

Consider the Chase Sapphire Preferred instead of the Discover it Cash Back if:

You want to earn travel rewards.
You want to take advantage of travel perks and benefits.
You want to combine points with other eligible Chase credit cards.
You already have a relationship with Chase.

Chase Sapphire Preferred benefits and perks

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred, you can take advantage of a generous welcome offer and earn 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, vacation homes at top brands, gas & EV charging, top streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs); 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.

You can also earn 75,000 bonus points after you spend $5,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.

Additionally, you receive these travel benefits:

Travel redemptions
Up to 1.5x more value on select flights and hotels when redeemed through Chase Travel℠
Travel insurance
Up to $100 in statement credits each anniversary year for hotel stays booked through Chase Travel℠
No foreign transaction fees

Learn more in our Chase Sapphire Preferred review.

When should you choose the Discover it Cash Back?

If you want opportunities to earn a high rate of cashback rewards on everyday expenses, choose the Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees). This card has a $0 annual fee.

We'd recommend the Discover it Cash Back to you if:

You want to earn a high rate of cash back on quarterly rotating categories.
You want a $0 annual fee.
You would take advantage of intro APRs.
You already have a relationship with Discover.

Discover it Cash Back benefits and perks

The Discover it Cash Back has a $0 annual fee and no foreign transaction fees. You can earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases

Receive a $200 statement credit when you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months of account opening. Plus, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year (terms apply).

You can also take advantage of these intro APR offers:

Intro APR on purchases: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (then 18.74% - 28.74% (Variable)).
Intro APR on balance transfers: 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 18.74% - 28.74% (Variable); Balance transfer fee applies).

Learn more in our Discover it Cash Back review.

What do both cards excel at?

Welcome offers: Both cards provide welcome offers that new cardholders can take advantage of.
Earning potential: You can earn rewards on eligible purchases with either card. There are also bonus categories for earning more rewards on specific purchases.
Foreign transaction fees: You don't have to worry about paying foreign transaction fees with the Chase Sapphire Preferred or Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees).

Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Discover it Cash Back: 7 important differences

1. Rewards rates

The Chase Sapphire Preferred offers 5X points on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠; 3X points on dining, vacation homes at top brands, gas & EV charging, top streaming services, and online groceries (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs); 2X points on all other travel purchases, and 1X points on all other purchases.

With the Discover it Cash Back, you can earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases

There's no clear winner because these are different types of earning rates. If you prefer travel rewards, the Sapphire Preferred makes more sense. If you prefer cash back, the Discover it Cash Back makes more sense.

Winner: It's a tie because the better rewards rate depends on your spending habits and preferences.

2. Redemption options

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has these redemption options:

Travel
Transfers to airline and hotel partners, such as Southwest, United, and World of Hyatt
Dining
Cash back (mailed check or statement credit)
Pay Yourself Back

Combine points with eligible Chase cards, such as the Chase Sapphire Reserve^®, Chase Freedom Unlimited^®, Chase Freedom Flex^®, and more
Gift cards
PayPal
Amazon

The Discover it Cash Back has these redemption options:

Statement credits
Deposits to eligible checking or savings accounts
Gift cards

Charitable donations
Pay with Cashback Bonus at select merchants (Amazon and PayPal)

Overall, the Sapphire Preferred has more redemption options.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred because it offers more flexibility with its higher number of redemption options.

3. Annual fees

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has a $95 annual fee, while the Discover it Cash Back has a $0 annual fee.

If you want to avoid annual cardmember costs, the Discover it Cash Back makes more sense.

Winner: Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees) because it has a $0 annual fee.

4. Card protections

The Chase Sapphire Preferred provides these coverages and protections:

Purchase protection
Extended warranty protection
Trip cancellation and interruption insurance
Auto rental coverage

Baggage delay insurance
Trip delay reimbursement
Travel and emergency assistance services
Emergency Evacuation and Transportation coverage

Overall, the Sapphire Preferred provides more and better protections to cardholders. The Discover it Cash Back doesn't provide any noteworthy protections.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred because it provides more card protections.

5. Introductory APR offers

The Chase Sapphire Preferred doesn't provide intro APR offers to help you avoid paying a high interest rate for a certain amount of time.

The Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees) provides these intro APR offers:

Intro APR on purchases: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases (then 18.74% - 28.74% (Variable)).
Intro APR on balance transfers: 0% intro APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 18.74% - 28.74% (Variable); Balance transfer fee applies).

In general, many Discover credit cards provide intro APR offers. Travel cards, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred, don't typically have intro APR offers.

Winner: Discover it Cash Back because it has excellent intro APR offers.

6. Card benefits

You can take advantage of these benefits with the Chase Sapphire Preferred:

Earn up to $100 in statement credits each account anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠.
Get up to 1.5x more value when you redeem your points for eligible travel through Chase Travel℠. That means 75,000 points could be worth up to $1,125 if you book eligible travel through the Chase Travel portal.
Receive one statement credit of up to $120 every four years as reimbursement for the application fee charged to your card for a Global Entry, TSA Precheck® or NEXUS application.
Get one year of complimentary Apple TV service ($180 value; must activate by Dec. 31, 2026).
Receive at least 12 months of complimentary DashPass membership ($120 value for 12 months; must activate by Dec. 31, 2029).

The Discover it Cash Back doesn't provide much in the form of additional unique benefits. That's common on cards without annual fees.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred because it has more perks and benefits.

7. Card network

The Chase Sapphire Preferred uses the Visa credit card network, while the Discover it Cash Back uses the Discover network.

For overall card acceptance, Visa and Mastercard are better than Discover. For example, Visa is accepted in over 200 countries and territories worldwide, while Discover doesn't provide that same kind of reach. But if you don't plan to travel abroad, either network should work just fine.

Winner: Chase Sapphire Preferred because Visa is the superior network in terms of worldwide acceptance.

FAQs

Can you get cash back with the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

Yes, while the Chase Sapphire Preferred earns Ultimate Rewards points, it provides multiple cashback options, such as receiving a statement credit or a mailed check.

You can also redeem your Chase Ultimate Rewards points for travel through the Chase portal, transfers to travel partners, Chase Dining experiences, gift cards, certain online purchases, Pay Yourself Back options, and combining points with other eligible Chase cards.

Is Chase Sapphire Preferred worth the annual fee?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred can typically be worth the $95 annual fee if you're able to take advantage of its many benefits. That includes up to $100 statement credits each anniversary year for hotel stays purchased through Chase Travel℠.

You can also combine points from other eligible Chase cards onto your Sapphire Preferred and they could be worth up to 1.5x more value for eligible travel redemptions through Chase Travel℠.

Is Discover it Cash Back a good first card?

The Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees) is an excellent first card because it provides high cashback earning potential while giving you the opportunity to build your credit history at the same time. And you don't have to stress about an annual cost since the Discover it Cash Back has a $0 annual fee. Keep in mind that the Discover it Cash Back is recommended for people with good to excellent credit scores.

Bottom line

We recommend the Chase Sapphire Preferred if you want to earn points that you can redeem for travel. If you would rather earn cash back with a $0-annual-fee card, consider the Discover it^® Cash Back (Rates and fees).

You can also consider whether getting both cards makes sense for your finances. For example, you might save the Chase Sapphire Preferred for travel purchases and use the Discover it Cash Back for everyday purchases within the quarterly rotating categories.

If you're interested in more options, compare credit cards to find the right credit card offer for you.

Great for Flexible Travel Rewards

Chase Sapphire Preferred^{^®} Card

4.9