Discover it^® Student Chrome Review [2025]: More Cash Back on Gas/Food

Discover it Student Chrome basics

Annual fee	$0
Rewards rate	Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. You'll still earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Welcome offer	Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Intro APR offer	0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then 16.74% - 25.74% Variable
FinanceBuzz value calculation1 <p class="">These values are based on the <a href="https://financebuzz.com/financebuzz-credit-card-valuation">FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model</a>, which takes a look at rewards earned via spending, the welcome offer, and the annual fee. We used a valuation of 1 cent/point unless otherwise stated above. These are estimated values - your actual earnings will depend on how much you spend and in what categories.<br></p>	Year one earnings: $343 Year two earnings: $171
Recommended credit score	Fair
Foreign transaction fee	0%
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Who is the Discover it Student Chrome good for?

The Discover it Student Chrome is a strong $0-annual-fee starter card for students with spending that aligns with the bonus categories.

This card is also excellent for beginners because you don't need a credit score to apply. You just need to be at least 18 years old and show proof of education, which are requirements you'll find with the majority of student credit cards.

You'll also receive some standard protections, like Social Security number alerts, and the ability to freeze your card if it gets lost or stolen. Overall, the Discover it Student Chrome is an all-around decent student rewards card for keeping earning simple.

Discover it Student Chrome rewards

Regular rewards: Discover it Student Chrome cardholders earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. You'll still earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. While this spending threshold is pretty low, you might not spend all that much on these two categories when you're in school anyway.

Welcome offer: The most interesting part of the card is the unusual welcome offer: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn $100 cash back throughout the year, you'll receive a $100 bonus.

Redemption methods

Cashback rewards can be redeemed for any amount as a statement credit, electronic deposit into your bank account, or gift card. Rewards can also be used to pay for your Amazon purchases or for purchases via PayPal at select merchants.

Potential earnings in years one and two

Remember, this is an estimation. The actual value will be determined by how much you spend and in which categories you spend.

Year one earnings: $343

Year two earnings: $171

These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which considers cash back earned via spending and the welcome bonus. Since the card doesn't have an annual fee, it's easier to see your rewards immediately.

Discover it^® Student Chrome benefits and perks

No foreign transaction fees: The Discover it^® Student Chrome has a 0% foreign transaction fee. If you're an international student, leave the country regularly, or just make purchases from foreign merchants, not having foreign transaction fees could be a huge advantage of this card.

Intro APR on new purchases: This card has a 0% intro APR offer on purchases for 6 months after account opening (then 16.74% - 25.74% Variable). It's rare for student cards to offer intro APRs at all.

Regular APRs: Compared to many other student credit cards, the Discover it Student Chrome card's regular APR range is on the lower side. You'll pay 16.74% - 25.74% Variable, depending on your creditworthiness, on new purchases after the 0% intro APR period is up. You still don't want to make a habit of carrying a balance on your credit card, especially when you're building credit from scratch, but a lower interest rate could potentially help you avoid some debt.

Security alerts: You will be alerted if Discover finds your social security number on the dark web, and if your card gets lost or stolen, you can freeze it right away. These benefits are nice, but other cards will give you much more.

Other cards to consider

Discover it^® Student Cash Back

There are several other student credit cards that are worth looking into. For starters, the Discover it^® Student Cash Back is a better option for most students than the Discover it Student Chrome. You'll 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 gives you more cash back and a higher spending threshold, but you'll have to remember to activate each quarter. You'll receive some of the same benefits as the Discover it Student Chrome, like the fact that Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

The only real difference between the cards is in the earning structure. As long as you don't mind keeping track of quarterly bonus categories, the Discover it Student Cash Back is the better option.

Read our full Discover it Student Cash Back Review.

Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

If you don't want to worry about activating your bonus earning category each quarter, you can use the Capital One Savor Student Cash Rewards Credit Card. It earns an elevated unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services, and at grocery stores (excluding superstores such as Walmart® and Target®). All other purchases earn 1% cash back. If you book hotels, vacation rentals and car rentals through Capital One Travel or tickets through Capital One Entertainment, you'll earn even more.

The only drawback is that this card doesn't come with an intro APR offer, so you'll need to be prepared to pay your balance in full every month to avoid interest charges. If you can commit to on-time payments in full and your spending aligns with the bonus categories, you'll find much more value in the Savor Student card.

Read our full Capital One Savor Rewards for Students Review.

FAQs

Bottom line

If you're a college student looking for your first credit card, consider the Discover it Student Chrome, especially if you do a lot of your spending at gas stations and restaurants. If you have a limited credit history, it could help you build credit, which will be useful in the future. One of the best things you can do to set yourself up financially is to establish a good credit score.

Double Rewards on Gas and Dining

Discover it^® Student Chrome

4.55

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^® Student Chrome

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Rates and fees

Current Offer

Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

Annual Fee

$0

Rewards Rate

Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. You'll still earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Benefits and Drawbacks

Benefits

• $0 annual fee
• Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
• Intro APR on new purchases
• No foreign transaction fees

Drawbacks

• Quarterly spending cap on higher earning rate
• Limited international acceptance
• Limited bonus categories

Card Details

• INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200.
• Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. You'll still earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
• Redeem cash back for any amount
• No credit score required to apply.
• No annual fee and build credit with responsible use.
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 16.74% - 25.74% applies.
• Terms and conditions apply.