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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 bonus cash back in two areas where many individuals spend — gas stations and restaurants.
If your daily commute to work leads you to multiple trips to the fuel pump each month, you can earn some of that money back with Discover it Chrome. If the thought of cooking dinner yourself after a long day at work seems like too much, you can earn cash back whether you go out or order takeout from your favorite local spot.
Keep reading to learn more about this no-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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Discover it® Chrome
Current Offer
Automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you've earned at the end of your first year
Annual Fee
$0
Rewards Rate
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
Who should get the Discover it Chrome?
The Discover it Chrome is great for individuals who spend considerable money at the gas pump or eating 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 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 also comes with an introductory APR of 0% on purchases for 15 months and 0% on balance transfers for 15 months (then 17.24% to 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 typefa | Cash Back |
| Credit card issuer | Discover |
| Annual fee | $0 |
| Intro bonus | Automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you've earned at the end of your first year |
| Reward rate | 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 |
| Recommended credit score | Good, Excellent |
| Intro APR | 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months, then 17.24% to 28.24% (variable) 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 15 months, then 17.24% to 28.24% (variable) |
| Foreign transaction fee | None |
Discover it Chrome benefits and perks
- Generous cash back match offer: New cardholders automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you've earned at the end of your first year.
- $0 annual fee: As with all Discover cards, there is no annual fee with Discover it Chrome.
- Intro balance transfer and purchase APR offer: Cardholders benefit from a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then 17.24% to 28.24% (variable) APR. While the intro balance transfer APR is great, be aware that there is a balance transfer fee of 3% on balances transferred by November 10, 2023 and 5% after that. Once your intro interest rate ends, your balance will also become subject to the regular APR.
- Late fee forgiveness: None the first time you pay late; after that, up to $41. With the Discover it Chrome, your first late payment is on the house.
- 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.
Drawbacks to this card
- Cap on rewards quarterly: Discover it Chrome caps your cashback earnings in the bonus categories on a quarterly basis. After you reach that cap, all your spending will earn at the 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: $790
Year two earnings: $395
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 eat 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 get 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
- 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. The only restriction on cashback rewards is that your card account must be open and in good standing to redeem them.
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 eating out at restaurants. This card earns 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. 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, 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. And credit card applications are likely evaluated on a number of aspects beyond just credit history. That said, you’ll probably need a good-to-excellent credit score to get approved for the Discover it Chrome card. 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 earns 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. Plus, you automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you've earned at the end of your first year.
Another top cashback 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. There are no complicated bonus categories to track. Just use your card for purchases, pay your monthly bill, and watch the rewards pile up.
Earn Easy Cash Back on Gas & Restaurants
Discover it® Chrome
Why We Like It
Automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any 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
- Up to 5% cash back
- Intro APR on purchases and balance transfers
- Automatically get an unlimited dollar-for-dollar match of any cash back you've earned at the end of your first year
- No foreign transaction 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
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then 19.24% - 29.24% (Variable) APR
- No annual fee
- Rates and fees
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