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Cashback credit cards are a great tool to earn back some of the money you spend every day. The Discover it® Chrome card earns 2% cash back in two areas where many individuals spend — gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter).
Keep reading to learn more about this $0-annual-fee cashback card so you can decide whether it’s a good fit for your spending habits.
Earn Easy Cash Back on Gas & Restaurants
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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. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
Key takeaways
- The Discover it® Chrome card earns 2% cash back from gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter), making it a practical choice for many.
- For all other purchases it offers 1% cash back.
- Discover doesn’t charge a penalty APR for being late on payments.
Who should get the Discover it® Chrome?
The Discover it Chrome is great for individuals who spend considerable money at the gas pump or dining out each year. Purchases at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter) net 2% cash back. With rewards capped each quarter, though, Discover it Chrome is not ranked among the best gas credit cards available.
The card also requires at least a good to excellent credit score to be considered for approval. Individuals who don't meet the card’s criteria should consider other rewards credit cards with lower requirements or work to build up their credit score before applying.
Finally, the Discover it Chrome comes with almost no travel perks other than charging no foreign transaction fees, so it’s not the ideal card to have and use if you travel extensively. It is well suited for dining and gas expenses in your local area.
The Discover it Chrome does offer a 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months (then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable) and 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months (then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable). So if you have large purchases planned or an existing debt you’re paying high interest on, this card could be advantageous to have.
Card basics
| Card type | Cash Back |
| Credit card issuer | Discover |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Welcome offer | Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. |
| Intro APR | 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months (then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable)
0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months (then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable) |
| Reward rate | Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. |
| Recommended credit score | Good, Excellent |
| Foreign transaction fee | 0% |
Why we like the Discover it® Chrome: benefits and perks
- Generous cash back match offer: Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
- $0 annual fee: There is no annual fee with Discover it Chrome.
- Intro balance transfer offer: Cardholders benefit from a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then 17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR. While the intro balance transfer APR is great, be aware that there is a balance transfer fee of 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms). Once your intro interest rate ends, your balance will also become subject to the regular APR.
- Late fee forgiveness: With the Discover it Chrome, the first time you make a late payment, you don't have to pay a late payment fee. If you miss a subsequent payment, though, you'll pay a fee of up to $41.
- No penalty APR: Discover it Chrome doesn’t charge a penalty APR if you’re late paying your bill. This is a rare perk, especially among rewards credit cards.
- Free access to credit score: Discover it Chrome comes with access to your free FICO score online, through the mobile app, and on your monthly statements.
What we don’t like about this card: drawbacks
- Cap on rewards quarterly: You could earn 2% on spending at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter). After you reach that spending cap, all your spending will earn at the “all other purchases” 1% rate. So if you make a lot of purchases in the cashback categories, you may not get the most out of your spending.
- Limited perks: The Discover it Chrome doesn’t offer many extra benefits or perks outside of earning rewards. If you’re after travel benefits or statement credits from vendors, then this card won’t be the right fit for you.
- Not as accepted outside of the U.S.: Discover isn’t as widely accepted by international vendors as Visa or Mastercard, though it does beat out American Express.
Earning & redeeming cash back
Potential earnings in years one and two
Here's a look at how your cash back can add up with the Discover it Chrome.
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: $830
Year two earnings: $415
These values are based on the FinanceBuzz Credit Card Rewards Valuation Model, which takes a look at points earned via spending, the sign-up bonus, and the annual fee. The more you spend with this card, the more potential you have to receive a big cashback bonus at the end of year one, so you could see even higher earnings depending on your personal budget.
Best ways to earn
The best way to earn cash back is to use your Discover it Chrome card every time you fill up your gas tank or dine out (or get takeout) at a restaurant. This card earns 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter). All other purchases only earn 1% cash back, which isn’t great but is fairly standard on similar cashback cards.
Be sure to maximize card use in your first year of card ownership. Discover it Chrome matches all rewards earned your first year like some other Discover credit cards. The Cashback Match™ occurs automatically after your first card anniversary, so there’s nothing you need to do except use your card for purchases. So if you earn $200 during your first year of spending, you’ll earn another $200 at that point. Because the match only covers first-year spending, the card loses some value after that.
| Categories | Rewards rate |
| Gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter) | 2% |
| All other purchases | 1% |
Maximizing your redemptions
Discover it Chrome lets you redeem your cashback rewards in multiple ways. You can redeem for statement credits like most cashback cards, with redemptions starting at just one penny.
You can also redeem your cashback rewards in the following ways:
- Electronic deposits to your bank account
- Purchases at select merchants such as Amazon.com and PayPal
- Gift cards
- Donations to select charities
Cashback rewards from Discover have no minimums and no expiration date, so you can use them as quickly as you want or build them up for a large redemption later.
Discover it® Chrome FAQs
Is the Discover it Chrome a good credit card?
Discover it Chrome is a good card if you frequently spend money on gas and dining out at restaurants. This card earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
So it’s not ideal if you spend considerable money in different bonus categories than it features.
The card also has zero travel benefits other than charging no foreign transaction fees. Frequent travelers might be better off applying for one of the best travel rewards cards, many of which come with perks like airline fee credits, airport lounge access, and more.
Is the Discover it Chrome unsecured?
Yes, Discover it Chrome is an unsecured credit card. It is not a secured credit card. Approval for an unsecured card is typically based on a credit check and other factors such as your income and credit utilization, while secured credit cards require a cash deposit, the amount of which also acts as your credit limit.
Does the Discover it Chrome have a cashback limit?
With the Discover it Chrome, you can earn 2% on gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter). Rewards on purchases beyond that amount will earn 1% cash back. Rewards at the 1% cashback rate aren’t capped.
What credit score do you need for a Discover it Chrome card?
Like most credit card issuers, Discover doesn’t publish its credit requirements for card approval. Credit card applications are evaluated on a number of aspects beyond just creditworthiness.
That said, the Discover it Chrome card is appropriate for people who have good-to-excellent credit. A good to excellent FICO credit score is a score of 670 or higher.
Other cards to consider
While the Discover it Chrome credit card might be a great fit for some people, the bottom line is that it isn't the only cashback credit card out there.
Discover it Chrome isn’t the only cashback card offered by this credit card issuer. Discover it® Cash Back is another great option, especially if you want to maximize your spending with higher rewards rates. This $0 annual fee credit card 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—automatically. Plus, Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Read our Discover it Cash Back review.
Another top cash rewards credit card that might be more appealing is the Citi Double Cash® Card. This card has no caps on how much cash back you can earn in any spending category. Instead, the card earns 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24. Use your card for purchases, pay your monthly bill, and watch the rewards pile up.
Read our Citi Double Cash Card review.
Earn Easy Cash Back on Gas & Restaurants
Why We Like It
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
See how these cards compare:
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Discover it® Cash Back
- 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—automatically.
- Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
- No foreign transaction fees
- Rates and fees
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Citi Double Cash® Card
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases; plus, for a limited time, earn 5% total cash back on hotel, car rentals and attractions booked on the Citi Travel℠ portal through 12/31/24
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) APR
- No annual fee
- Rates and fees