Discover Cashback Calendar: Here’s How to Earn Incredible 5% Bonuses [Updated with 2023 Categories]

Another quarter, another fresh list of categories on the Discover cashback calendar. Activating your Cashback Bonus categories can give you a rewards boost and push it to the top as one of the best cash back credit cards, provided you're willing to do some footwork.

Here’s what you need to know about the Discover cashback calendar and the current bonuses available now.

How does the Discover Cashback Bonus work?

The Discover it^® Cash Back offers a cashback rewards program where cardmembers can earn an unlimited, flat 1% cash back rate on non-bonus categories. One of the biggest appeals of this card, however, is its Cashback Bonus opportunities.

Every quarter, you can earn 5% Cashback Bonus rewards on purchases under specific categories. The purchase categories rotate each quarter, starting from the first day of the first month to the last day of the last month; for example, January 1 through March 31.

Your ability to earn the Cashback Bonus, however, is capped at $1,500 every quarter from the time you activate it. Keep in mind that you must activate the bonus each quarter through your Discover Cashback Bonus account to earn 5% on eligible purchases.

Purchases made using tap-to-pay, your mobile device, or similar methods may not be eligible for the 5% bonus. In some cases, the technology doesn’t give Discover the information it needs to recognize rewards bonus eligibility. Also, third-party partner purchases — like a purchase from a Starbucks that’s inside a Target store — may not qualify.

Earned bonus rewards, based on the Discover cashback calendar, will usually post to your account within two billing cycles.

When does Discover announce its cashback calendar?

The card issuer releases its Discover cashback calendar each quarter throughout the year, similar to many other cashback credit cards. Each category is released a month before it becomes available, which is a helpful benefit for cardmembers who prefer to plan their eligible bonus transactions ahead of time.

Discover 5% Cashback Bonus categories for 2022 and 2023

Cashback Bonus purchases may be eligible for 5% rewards if they fall under the following categories:

2023 dates	5% Cashback Bonus categories for 2023	Exclusions
January 1 through March 31	Grocery stores, drugstores, and select streaming services	Excludes Walmart and Target purchases. Bundled streaming services or streaming services billed by a third party may not be eligible.
April 1 through June 30	Restaurants and wholesale clubs	Purchases from individual merchants, stand-alone stores, and affiliated wholesale club services may not be eligible.
July 1 through September 30	Coming soon	Coming soon
October 1 through December 31	Coming soon	Coming soon

2022 dates	5% Cashback Bonus categories for 2022	Exclusions
January 1 through March 31	Grocery stores and fitness club & gym memberships	May include Walmart grocery pickup and delivery purchases, but excludes other Walmart and all Target purchases. Individual merchants and stand-alone stores within fitness clubs and gyms may not be eligible.
April 1 through June 30	Gas stations and Target	Gas stations at supermarkets and supercenters may not be eligible
July 1 through September 30	Restaurants and PayPal	Payments through Xoom transfer Restaurant transactions using PayPal only receive a total of 5% bonus (i.e., doesn’t earn 10%)
October 1 through December 31	Amazon.com and digital wallets	Digital wallets include Apple Pay, Google Pay, Samsung Pay, and Garmin Pay. Using these digital wallets to make purchases on Amazon.com will only earn 5%.

FAQs about the Discover Cashback Bonus

Other cards with rotating bonus cash back categories

Discover is not the only credit card issuer to offer cards with bonus cash back categories. Though these other cards don't match your cash back in your first year like Discover, they still present great opportunities to make the most of your spending.

The Chase Freedom Flex℠ earns 5% cash back on rotating quarterly categories (on up to $1,500 spent) and travel purchased through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal. Past categories have included Walmart, PayPal, streaming services, drugstores, fitness club and gym memberships, gas stations, home improvement stores, Whole Foods, and a variety of other retailers. The Chase Freedom Card also offers these categories, even though it is no longer open for applications.

As with the Discover card, these categories require activation if you want to earn the bonus cash back. Keeping an eye on the Chase Freedom categories will help you know where to spend and when.

Bottom line on Discover cashback calendar

Staying in the know for when the Discover cashback calendar is published and remembering to activate the 5% bonus categories each quarter can help you get the most value out of your Discover it Cash Back Credit Card.

Even if you don’t plan on making purchases under a particular category, it’s a wise move to active your option to earn lucrative quarterly bonuses in case you do. This is the best way to get the most out of this great rewards credit card.