Discover it Cash Back
No annual fee · 1x on everything else · no foreign transaction fees
Terms verified 2026-09-08 against issuer terms · welcome offer re-checked 2026-10-23
Earn rates · how we got this
| Category | Rate | Cap |
|---|---|---|
| Rotating quarterly categories (rotating) | 5x | on the first $1,500/quarter |
| Everything else | 1x 1.0¢ per $1 |
uncapped |
Signup bonus: 20,000 points after $500 in 3 months. We never count unearned bonuses in savings math — a bonus you don't clear is worth zero. $200 bonus statement credit after $500 in the first 3 months, encoded as 20,000 DISCOVER_CASH at 1 cent each. Discover says it is available by applying through its own page and may not be through other channels. Separate from the first-year Cashback Match, which is not counted here. Bonus figure confirmed on the issuer's page 2026-10-23.
Non-cash perks
- $0 fraud liability on unauthorized purchases
- Free Social Security number dark-web alerts via CreditWise
- Freeze/unfreeze account instantly via app or site
- Free FICO Score 8 via CreditWise
- 24/7 human customer service (some specialized lines excluded)
- Choice of card design at signup
- Virtual card number for instant use before physical card arrives, where eligible
Does the fee earn out? · how we got this
No annual fee, so every point earned is pure upside. The question is only whether its rates beat the other cards already in your wallet — which depends on your spending, not the card.
Check the current offer on the issuer's site → Where a card link will appear once available — no link on this page pays us today.
Who this card is not for
Every point below is a term the issuer prints, read off this card's own row in our database — not an opinion about the card. One thing on this card rules out a kind of spender:
- Anyone who won't track a quarterly calendar. Its 5x rate applies to categories that change every quarter, on the first $1,500 of spending per quarter, and the issuer requires you to activate each quarter before you spend. In a quarter whose categories miss your spending — or that you forget to activate — those charges earn its base 1x.
Compared head-to-head
- Discover it Cash Back vs Capital One Quicksilver — which earns more?
- Discover it Cash Back vs Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express — which earns more?
- Discover it Cash Back vs Capital One Savor — which earns more?
- Discover it Cash Back vs Chase Ink Business Cash — which earns more?
- Discover it Cash Back vs Chase Freedom Flex — which earns more?
- Discover it Cash Back vs Chase Freedom Unlimited — which earns more?
- Discover it Cash Back vs Citi Double Cash® Card — which earns more?
- Discover it Cash Back vs AAA Daily Advantage Visa Signature — which earns more?
- Discover it Cash Back vs Chase Freedom Flex vs Citi Double Cash® Card — all three side by side
More from Discover
Which card should this spending actually be on? The demo re-scores a year of realistic spending against every card in a wallet — free, no signup. See it on sample data →
Verified 2026-09-08 against issuer terms · sources: www.discover.com · www.discover.com · finance.yahoo.com. Spot an error? Tell us.