Discover it Cash Back vs. Discover it chrome – WalletHub
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The Verdict: There isn’t a clear winner between Discover it® Cash Back and Discover it® chrome. They’re both good in their own way. But they’re just different, having been designed with different types of users in mind. Discover it® Cash Back has a high (5%) bonus cash back rate that applies to the first $1,500 spent in designated categories that change every three months and require activation. Discover it chrome is more consistent but has a lower ceiling, giving you 2% bonus cash back on the first $1,000 spent per quarter in the same categories – gas and restaurants – all the time.
Discover it Cash Back and Discover it chrome are nearly identical in all other categories, though. Both offer 1% cash back on other purchases. Both double all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of the first year. Neither charges an annual fee or a foreign transaction fee. And you won’t get either without a good or excellent credit score.
You can learn more about how the two stack up against one another in various categories below.
SIDE BY SIDE COMPARISON
General
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Network | Discover | Discover |
Credit Card Company | Discover | Discover |
Min Credit Required | Excellent or Good | Excellent or Good |
Annual Fee | $0 | $0 |
Purchases
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Intro APR | 0% | 0% |
Intro APR Period | 14 months | 14 months |
Regular APR | 11.99% - 22.99% Variable | 11.99% - 22.99% Variable |
Transfers
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Intro APR | 0% | 0% |
Intro APR Period | 14 months | 14 months |
Regular APR | 11.99% - 22.99% Variable | 11.99% - 22.99% Variable |
Transfer Fee | 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)* | 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)* |
Rewards
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Reward Type | Cash Back | Cash Back |
Reward Bonus | N/A | N/A |
Reward Cap | No | No |
Reward Details |
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Penalties
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Max Late Fee | $40 | $40 |
Max Overlimit Fee | See Terms | See Terms |
Max Default APR | None | None |
Cash
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Cash APR | 24.99% Variable | 24.99% Variable |
Cash Advance Fee | Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater | Either $10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater |
Other
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Additional Info |
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One-time Setup Fees | None | None |
Foreign Transaction Fee | 0% | 0% |
Grace Period | See Terms | See Terms |
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DISCOVER IT CASH BACK VS DISCOVER IT CHROME: REWARDS
Discover it Cash Back gives 5% cash back up to a quarterly maximum spent in bonus categories that change each quarter and require activation. Discover it chrome always gives 2% cash back on your first $1,000 spent on gas and restaurant purchases per quarter. Which is better for you comes down to if you want a high cash back rate but ever-changing categories you need to sign-up for quarterly or a lower rate and consistency. Both cards give you 1% cash back on all purchases outside of the bonus categories. And both match your first year’s cash back on your account anniversary.
Category Winner: Discover it Cash Back if you prefer higher rates, Discover it chrome if want your bonus categories to stay the same.
DISCOVER IT CASH BACK VS DISCOVER IT CHROME: INTEREST RATE
Both cards have a 11.99% - 22.99% Variable APR. They offer intro rates of 0% for 14 months on purchases and 0% for 14 months on balance transfers (balance transfer fees apply).
Category Winner: Tie
DISCOVER IT CASH BACK VS DISCOVER IT CHROME: CREDIT REQUIRED
Both Discover it Cash Back and Discover it chrome require good credit for approval, which means you have the best chances with a score of 670+.
Category Winner: Tie
DISCOVER IT CASH BACK VS DISCOVER IT CHROME: REVIEWS
Discover it Cash Back receives a score of 3.9 / 5 from WalletHub’s editors. Discover it chrome only gets 3.6 / 5. The deciding factor is the greater upside potential of Discover it Cash Back's bonus cash back categories. Both cards get an average of 4.0/5 from WalletHub’s users.
Category Winner: Discover it Cash Back
Still Not Sure?
Discover it Cash Back and Discover it chrome are two popular Discover cards. But that doesn't necessarily mean either one is right for you. So if you're still on the fence about which credit card to apply for, checking out these additional resources may be helpful: