How do Chase Freedom Unlimited and Discover It Cash Back compare?

The biggest difference between Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Discover it® Cash Back is in the cards’ rewards structures. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® card gives 5% cash back on travel through Chase, 3% back at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% back on all other purchases (plus an additional 1.5% cash back on everything, up to $20,000 spent the first year). Discover it® Cash Back offers 5% cash back on up to $1,500 spent in rotating bonus categories that change each quarter. All other purchases earn 1% cash back. And you must activate new bonus categories every quarter in order to receive the 5% cash back.

The Discover it® Cash Back card provides new cardholders with a unique introductory offer. Discover matches all cash back you’ve earned with the card at the end of the first year.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® has a slightly better introductory APR offer with 0% for 15 months for purchases and balance transfers. But Discover it® Cash Back gives 0% for 15 months on purchases and 0% for 15 months on balance transfers. This card does come with a lower regular APR once the intro rate expires. Its APR is 12.24% - 23.24% Variable, compared to the 15.24% - 23.99% (V) regular rate for Chase Freedom Unlimited®.

If you’re traveling abroad, Chase Freedom Unlimited® and Discover it® Cash Back aren’t your best credit card options. Chase Freedom Unlimited® imposes a 3% foreign transaction fee on all international purchases. Discover it® Cash Back has a 0% foreign transaction fee, yet it may be hard to find merchants that will accept it.

Ultimately, the two cards have several similarities. They are both cash back cards and each offers a bonus within the first year, along with introductory APRs. Chase Freedom Unlimited® has a $0 annual fee and Discover it® Cash Back comes with a $0 annual fee. Chase Freedom Unlimited® requires good or excellent credit for good odds of approval, while Discover it® Cash Back accepts applicants with fair credit.