Discover offers a variety of financial products, including high-value consumer credit cards. Choose from some of the best cash back credit cards available to elevate your rewards earning on everyday purchases. Or consider a travel credit card to enhance your future travel experiences.
If you’re interested in applying for a new Discover credit card, check out these excellent options.
Latest Discover personal card offers
What is Discover?
Discover is a digital banking and payments services company that launched its first product, the Discover Card, in 1986. Since then, the company has grown to offer other services and products, including online banking accounts, personal loans, and more credit card account options. Discover also operates as a combined payments network, processing credit card payments around the world on the Discover Network, PULSE, Diners Club International, and over 10 Alliance Partners.
Discover has many different credit card products that offer great value and include a surprising benefit: no annual fee. It’s not uncommon for a credit card issuer to offer cards without an annual fee, but to have your entire lineup of credit cards have no annual fee is a different story. This means less stress and more benefits and rewards for you.
Discover has about 20,000 employees, which includes its U.S.-based customer service team. In 2022, the company’s total net income was about $4.3 billion.
What are the different types of Discover credit cards?
Discover’s selection of personal credit cards includes different types of products for different types of consumers, including various rewards credit cards. Keep your financial goals in mind as you choose between different rewards programs, such as cash back cards, travel cards, no annual fee cards, and more.
Discover cash back cards
The majority of Discover credit cards offer cashback rewards on every purchase, which can be redeemed for statement credits, gift cards, and more. Certain Discover cash back cards also earn bonus rewards on certain purchases, like filling up at gas stations or dining out at restaurants.
Certain Discover credit cards offer an unlimited cashback match on all cash back you’ve earned during your first year as a cardholder. This match has no minimum spending requirements or maximum rewards allowed. Discover will match whatever cash back you earn your first year. This allows for potentially huge rewards during your initial cardholder phase. Keep in mind that certain rewards may require activation.
Discover offers these cash back cards:
- Discover it® Cash Back
- Discover it® Chrome
- Discover it® Secured Credit Card
- Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Discover it® Student Chrome
- NHL® Discover it®
For more options beyond Discover, check out our list of the best cash back credit cards.
Discover travel cards
If you’d rather earn travel rewards instead of cash back, a travel credit card makes more sense for you. The best travel credit cards earn travel rewards on every purchase, making saving up for your next big trip easy. You'll also want to look for cards with no foreign transaction fees to make the most of your purchases.
Discover’s travel card earns miles you can redeem for cash back or a statement credit for a travel purchase. So if you purchase things like airfare, hotel stays, or gas, you can redeem your miles as statement credits toward these purchases.
Discover offers these travel cards:
No annual fee Discover cards
Every Discover credit card is a no annual fee card. This means there’s no annual cost for being a Discover card holder, so you can freely earn cash back or travel rewards without worrying about an added cost.
With no annual fee, there’s no stress in trying to earn enough rewards to get the value out of your card. From day one, these cards provide plenty of value. With their rewards potential and additional perks, they’re some of the best no annual fee credit cards available.
Discover offers these no annual fee cards:
- Discover it® Balance Transfer
- Discover it® Cash Back
- Discover it® Chrome
- Discover it® Miles
- Discover it® Secured Credit Card
- Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Discover it® Student Chrome
- NHL® Discover it®
Discover intro APR cards
A great strategy for how to pay off debt is using a 0% intro APR credit card. This is a type of card that offers an intro 0% APR for a certain number of months before the variable APR kicks in, so you don’t have to worry about interest growing during this period. This gives you time to focus on clearing your accounts of any existing debt before an interest rate increase.
The best balance transfer cards have 0% intro APR offers on them. Use these offers to transfer an existing debt balance onto your new card, and you won’t have to pay interest on that balance during the intro period. Some cards also offer a 0% intro APR for new purchases as well.
Discover offers these intro APR cards:
- Discover it® Balance Transfer: Refer to cardholder agreement for details.
- NHL® Discover it®: Refer to cardholder agreement for details.
- Discover it® Cash Back: 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 18.74% - 27.74% Variable; 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 18.74% - 27.74% Variable. Note that there is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
- Discover it® Chrome: 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then 18.74% - 27.74% Variable; 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 18.74% - 27.74% Variable. Note that there is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
- Discover it® Miles: 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 18.74% - 27.74% Variable; 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 18.74% - 27.74% Variable. Note that there is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
- Discover it® Student Cash Back: 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then 17.74% - 26.74% Variable. Note that there is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
- Discover it® Student Chrome: 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then 17.74% - 26.74% Variable. Note that there is an intro balance transfer fee of 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
Read our list of the best 0% APR credit cards for more options.
Discover co-branded cards
Discover partners with other companies to issue credit cards with specific card benefits. These types of cards are called co-branded cards. In the instance of the NHL Discover it Card, the benefits and perks are the same as the Discover it Cash Back. The only difference is that you get to show off your NHL team pride with a card with your team’s logo.
Discover offers this co-branded card:
How does Discover compare to other credit card companies?
Discover is a big name in the financial services industry, but it has to constantly change and adapt when going up against companies like Chase, American Express, and Capital One. With such tough competition, how does Discover match up with other card issuers?
Discover vs. Chase
Discover and Chase both offer credit card products, bank accounts, and loans. However, Discover has focused on online banking only, whereas Chase has in-person branches. In some ways, this makes Discover more modern because most financial services are easily accessible online.
Additionally, Discover is also a payments network. Although Chase has to partner with companies like Visa and Mastercard to process payments on its cards, Discover can use its own network and partner networks to process payments. Currently, Discover cards are accepted by 99% of U.S. merchants that take credit cards and millions of merchants worldwide.
Discover has over 20,000 employees, and Chase has more than 250,000 workers.
Discover vs. American Express
Discover and Amex both offer traditional banking services like savings accounts and credit card products. In addition, they also both offer payments networks for their credit cards,
Neither Discover nor Amex has the global reach of Visa or Mastercard with their payment networks, but they still serve millions of customers worldwide. Overall, Amex is a larger company than Discover. Amex has over 64,000 employees, whereas Discover has over 20,000.
Discover vs. Capital One
Discover and Capital One started in the financial industry around the same time, which means their history doesn’t stretch very far. Discover released its first credit card in 1986, and Capital One was founded in 1994. Today, both companies offer online bank accounts, credit cards, and loans.
Although Discover uses its own payments network to process credit card payments, Capital One partners with Visa and Mastercard to process payments. This means Capital One credit cards are generally accepted in more places worldwide, but within the U.S., it’s about the same. Capital One has over 51,000 employees, whereas Discover has over 20,000.
Which Discover credit card should you choose?
Discover credit cards vary in their earning potential and the benefits they offer. To choose the best card for you, carefully consider how each card aligns with your financial goals and lifestyle. A cash back credit card is ideal for earning cash back on everyday purchases, but a travel credit card is better for earning travel rewards.
The majority of Discover credit cards offer cash back on every purchase. Many of them also earn rewards in bonus categories. For instance, with the Discover it® Cash Back, you can earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. This makes it easy to earn cashback bonuses on everyday purchases.
For travel, the Discover it® Miles is an ideal option. With this card, you automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase, so it’s simple to start building miles for future travel. Or you can also use your miles for cash back, on Amazon.com, and when you pay using PayPal.
If you need to cut down a balance of debt, use a 0% intro APR card to help you get there. Many Discover credit cards offer 0% intro APR periods, which you can take advantage of if you’re drowning in debt. Use the 0% intro APR period to avoid accruing interest on purchases and/or balance transfers and pay down your existing debt faster.
If you have a limited credit history or your credit report is less-than-stellar, you might opt for the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, Discover it® Student Cash Back, or Discover it® Student Chrome. The Discover it Secured Credit Card requires a refundable security deposit, but Discover will report your payment history to the credit bureaus. This card could help you build good credit over time with responsible use. Discover's student credit cards offer perks like generous cash back.
The best Discover credit card for you depends on what you need and your financial situation. Look over the lists of available Discover cards to see which one could benefit you the most.
Discover credit cards FAQ
What credit score do you need for a Discover card?
To qualify for specific Discover credit cards, you’ll likely need a good or excellent credit score.
You may be considered for approval for certain Discover cards as a first-time cardholder with a limited credit history or fair credit. Fair FICO scores start off at 580, while good scores start at 670, and excellent scores are above 800.
Which Discover credit cards earn rewards?
These Discover credit cards earn rewards:
- Discover it® Cash Back
- Discover it® Chrome
- Discover it® Miles
- Discover it® Secured Credit Card
- Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Discover it® Student Chrome
- NHL® Discover it®
Which Discover credit cards have no annual fee?
These Discover credit cards have no annual fee:
- Discover it® Cash Back
- Discover it® Chrome
- Discover it® Miles
- Discover it® Secured Credit Card
- Discover it® Student Cash Back
- Discover it® Student Chrome
- NHL® Discover it®
How many Discover credit cards can you have?
You can have up to two Discover credit cards at any one time, though you can only have one Discover student card at a time.
Do Discover cards charge any fees?
Discover credit cards don't have annual or foreign transaction fees, which can help you reduce expenses. Keep in mind that, as with most other credit cards, there are still fees associated with cash advances, balance transfers, late payments, and returned payments.
How often does Discover increase your credit limit?
Discover may automatically increase your credit limit if you regularly use your credit card and always pay off the full balance amount. There is no specified time period for this to occur, but Discover will notify you if they increase your credit limit.
You can also request a credit limit increase by logging into your online account and filling out the request form or by calling Discover at 1-800-347-2683.
What benefits do Discover credit cards offer?
Each Discover credit card offers its own unique benefits, so the perks you get will likely vary based on the card you choose. Depending on the card, benefits might include cashback rewards, travel rewards, sign-up bonuses, identity theft protection, Social Security number alerts, and access to the Discover Freeze It® tool, which offers protection against unauthorized purchases.
Discover credit cards: bottom line
Discover credit cards are available to help you on your financial journey, whether you’re just getting started with credit cards or an experienced cardholder. Because Discover offers different types of cards, it’s easy to choose one that would best suit your lifestyle.
As you look over this Discover credit card guide, review each card’s earning potential and perks to see which one would be most beneficial for you. Take your time so you end up with the ideal card for your wallet.