Cash Back with Discover Cards: Everything You Need to Know (to Get the Most $$)

Finding a credit card that offers generous cashback rewards is a smart move so you can get the maximum percentage back with every purchase you make. And the good news is that there are lots of cashback cards out there — including multiple options from Discover.

If you want to get the most bang for your buck every time you make a purchase, it's helpful to learn what each of the best credit cards from Discover offers. This guide will help you find out everything you need to know about how to earn cash back with Discover — and pick the right Discover card for you.

How to earn cash back with Discover credit cards

Card name	Reward rate	Annual fee	Best for
Discover it Cash Back	5% cash back in quarterly rotating categories (including gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, and Amazon.com), up to quarterly maximum, and 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0	Those who want to maximize cash back and don't mind keeping track of rewards categories and activating quarterly bonuses
Discover it Student Cash Back	5% cash back in rotating categories each quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases, and 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0	Students who want to take advantage of generous rewards but who are still in school and can't qualify for the standard Discover it card
Discover it Chrome	2% cash back on purchases at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter), plus 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0	People who spend the most at gas stations and restaurants
Discover it Chrome for Students	2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations, up to $1000 per quarter; and 1% automatic cash back on all other purchases	$0	Students who do the bulk of their spending on dining and gas
NHL Discover it	5% cash back each quarter at places like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, and more, up to the quarterly maximum; unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0	Hockey fans who want to save on NHL.com purchases or are looking for a discounted NHL.TV subscription
Discover it Balance Transfer	5% cash back in quarterly rotating categories and 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0	People looking for a long introductory APR to transfer and pay down existing debt
Discover it Secured	2% cash back on purchases at restaurants and gas stations (up to $1,000 quarterly), and 1% cash back on all other purchases	$0	Those who need to build credit and can make a deposit for a secured card
Discover it Miles	1.5X miles per dollar on all purchases	$0	Frequent travelers who prefer to earn miles rather than cash back

Discover it Cash Back

The Discover it Cash Back is one of best cash back credit cards if you’re willing to activate and keep track of rotating bonus categories to maximize the potential rewards you can earn. This card offers:

• 5% back on specific bonus rotating categories (up to quarterly maximum) each quarter; you'll need to activate the bonus purchases and are limited to earning the 5% back on up to $1,500 in purchases per quarter
• Unlimited 1% all other purchases
• Automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you've earned at the end of your first year; while there's no other new cardmember bonus, this could be a big advantage if you spend a lot in your first year
• No annual fee
• 0% APR (annual percentage rate) for 15 months on purchases  (then 16.99% to 27.99% (variable)) and 0% (for transfers that post to your account by by September 10, 2023) for 15 months (then 16.99% to 27.99% (variable)) — although there’s a balance transfer fee, so this card isn't ideal for those looking to reduce the cost of debt payback

You'll need a good-to-excellent credit score to qualify for this card, but you can reap these generous rewards if you're approved.

Discover it Student Cash Back

The Discover it Student Cash Back card is a great choice if you're a younger borrower who hasn't yet had time to build a strong credit history — as long as you don't mind activating different rewards bonuses and keeping track of rotating bonus categories to maximize your cash back. This card offers:

• 5% cash back in rotating categories each quarter on up to $1,500 in purchases, and 1% cash back on all other purchases
• A $20 statement credit during any school year where your GPA is at least 3.0. You can earn this credit for a maximum of five years
• An automatic match of all cash back earned during your first year as a new cardmember
• No annual fees

Because this is a student card, it can be easier for younger people with shorter credit histories to qualify for the Discover it Student Cash Back versus the Discover it card not targeted to students. See our list of the best credit cards for students for more options.

Discover it Chrome

If  the bulk of your monthly spending takes place at restaurants and gas stations, you’re the ideal customer for the Discover it Chrome card. This card provides the chance to earn bonus rewards for those purchases without having to worry about activating rotating rewards categories. It offers:

• 2% cash back on purchases at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter), plus 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you've earned at the end of your first year
• 0% APR for 15 months on purchases (then 16.74% to 27.74% (variable)) and 0% APR for 15 months on balance transfers (then 16.74% to 27.74% (variable)) — but the balance transfer fee charged on this card makes balance transfers costlier than with some competitor cards
• No annual fee

Discover it Chrome for Students

The Discover it Chrome for Students card is the perfect choice for students who want the same cashback benefits of the standard Discover it Chrome card. This includes bonus cash back on restaurant and gas station purchases, as well as a cashback match after the first year as a cardmember. Key features of this card include:

• 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations, up to $1000 per quarter; and 1% automatic cash back on all other purchases
• Automatic match of cash back earned in your first year as a cardmember
• A $20 statement credit for good grades in each year when your GPA is 3.0 or higher for a maximum of five years
• 0% APR for 6 months on purchases, then 17.74% to 26.74% (variable)
• No annual fee

Like with the Discover it Student Cash Back Card, the Discover it Chrome for Students is easier for young people to qualify for than the standard Discover it Chrome card. This is because it's specifically designed for people whose credit history isn't as established.

NHL Discover it

If you are an avid hockey fan with good or excellent credit and want special savings when spending on your favorite sport, the NHL Discover it is the ideal cashback card for you. This card offers:

• 10% off when you shop at Shop.NHL.com and 10% off an NLH.TV subscription that you pay for with your Discover card
• 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in spending per quarter on rotating purchase categories.
• Unlimited 1% cash back on all other spending
• Automatic cashback match on all money earned during your first year as a cardmember
• 0% APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers (then 16.99% to 27.99% (variable)) — but beware of the balance transfer fee (3% fee on balances transferred by September 10, 2023 and a 5% fee for transfers after that), which can make the cost of transferring high-interest debt more expensive
• No annual fee

Discover it Balance Transfer

If you want to transfer existing debt to lower the interest rate you have to pay, you should give the Discover it Balance Transfer Card a close look. This card not only provides you the chance to earn generous rewards, but you'll also enjoy a long introductory APR on those transferred balances — making your debt repayment much cheaper.

Some of the key features of this card include:

• 0% introductory APR on transferred balances for 15 months (then 16.74% to 27.74% (variable)). However, there’s still a 3% for balances transferred by July 10, 2023, and 5% after that.
• 5% cash back in quarterly rotating categories and 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you've earned at the end of your first year
• $0 annual fee

Discover it Secured

The Discover it Secured Card is the perfect choice if you’re trying to build credit, can't qualify for a standard card, and still want to earn rewards points. This card is one of the few secured credit cards available that offers generous cash back and charges no annual fee. Some of the key features of this card include:

• 2% cash back on purchases at restaurants and gas stations (up to $1,000 quarterly), and 1% cash back on all other purchases
• Automatic cashback match at the end of your first year as a card member
• No annual fee

Like all secured cards, the Discover it Secured requires you to place a deposit equal to your line of credit. But the big benefit of this is that you can qualify for a card even if you have no credit history at all or had credit problems in the past.

With the Discover it Secured, your security deposit is refundable, so you can eventually get back the deposit you've put down as you establish credit and become eligible for an unsecured card.

Discover it Miles

The Discover it Miles Card gives you the option to earn miles for purchases — but you can also redeem your miles for cash back if you'd prefer. Some key features of the card include:

• 1.5X miles per dollar on all purchases
• No blackout dates when you book travel using your rewards miles
• No annual fee
• Miles can be converted to cash back at a rate of one cent per mile

While travel cards don't typically provide as much flexibility in what you do with your rewards as cashback cards, they can be ideal for jet-setters who prefer miles that they can use toward free trips. But since the Discover it Miles Card allows you to redeem for cash back if you'd prefer, it can be a great choice if you want a travel card but also want a cashback option on occasion, too.

The Discover 5% cashback calendar

The Discover it, Discover it Student, and NHL Discover it Card all offer 5% cash back on rotating bonus categories. You have to manually activate this category each quarter to take advantage of it, so cardholders need to know the schedule to get the most out of these bonus rewards. The table below shows the Discover cashback calendar for 2023:

Discover 5% cashback categories for 2023
January through March	Grocery stores, drugstores, and select streaming services
April through June	Restaurants and wholesale clubs
July through September	Coming soon
October through December	Coming soon

Important things to know about Discover cashback match

One of the single best benefits of signing up for a new Discover cashback card is that you can get your cash back matched in the first year as a new cardmember. This means if you earn $1,000 in cash back, Discover will match that amount and give you an extra $1,000. Discover imposes no minimum or maximum limit on the amount of bonus cash back you can earn, and you automatically qualify for this bonus when you hit your one-year anniversary as a new cardholder.

This special bonus is available on multiple Discover credit cards, including the following:

• Discover it Cash Back
• Discover it Student Cash Back
• Discover it Chrome
• Discover it Chrome for Students
• NHL Discover it
• Discover it Secured

The Discover it Miles Card also provides matching miles instead of matching cash back, since this card provides your rewards in the form of miles instead of money.

You'll receive your bonus within one or two billing periods following the first 12 consecutive billing cycles after your new account is open. However, if you close your account or are no longer enrolled in the cashback rewards program when your bonus is calculated, you won't get the match.

The cashback match is also available only to new cardmembers.

How to access your Discover cashback rewards

Any cashback rewards you’ve earned in your most recent billing cycle will show up on the first page of your monthly statement. This helps you to keep track of how much money you're earning by using your Discover card.

You can also go online and sign into your Discover Account Center to see your available cash back at any time. This is listed under the Cashback Bonus Summary. If you don't already have an online Discover account, you can quickly and easily register for free.

How to redeem your Discover cashback rewards

Redeeming your cash back is easy with Discover. Just sign into your Account Center and choose which redemption option works for you. Or redeem your cash back by calling 1-800-DISCOVER if you don't want to create an online account.

Options for redeeming cash back include:

• Depositing funds into your bank account
• Applying your cash back to your Discover bill
• Using your cash back to make a charitable donation
• Paying with your Discover cash back when checking out with Amazon.com
• Putting your cash back onto a gift card

If you redeem for a gift card, you’ll need to have at least $20 in available cash back. For other redemption options, there’s no minimum required, and you can redeem as much or as little of your cash back as you want.

Application rules for Discover cards

Discover limits you to applying for one new card per year and to having two different Discover accounts total. Since you can open just one new card annually, you can get the cashback match only once per year. And because you’re restricted to two total Discover cards, you'll be able to take advantage of the matching cashback bonus for new cardmembers only twice.

The bottom line on how to earn cash back with Discover

As you can see, you have tons of opportunities to earn cashback rewards as a Discover customer. You just need to pick the right Discover card for you.

The Discover it, or its variations — including the Discover it Student or Secured Card — can work well if you want to earn a high rate of cash back on rotating categories. The Discover it Chrome or its student version is a better choice if you'd prefer to always earn a smaller but consistent amount back on restaurants and gas — rather than worry about activating a rotating bonus.

The “best” Discover card for you just depends on your spending habits and whether you're interested in keeping track of and activating rotating bonuses. Regardless, you can't go wrong with any of these Discover cards — especially if you're a new cardmember eligible for the matching cash back.