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Discover it Student Cash Back Card Review 2024

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The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a great choice if you're a student with limited credit history and want to earn a strong rate of cash back on your everyday spending without paying an annual fee. Because of these benefits, this card earned our "top pick for students" vote in our guide to the best Discover credit cards .

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. Earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases automatically.

0% intro APR for six months on purchases

18.24% - 27.24% Variable

Earn Unlimited Cashback Match™

Fair/New to Credit

• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. From April 1 to June 30, 2024, you can earn 5% cash back at gas stations & electric vehicle charging stations, home improvement stores, and public transit on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%
• Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Discover matches your cash back after the first year
• con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Not the most rewarding cash-back card for non-bonus purchases

The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a great choice if you're a student with limited credit history and want to earn a strong rate of cash back on your everyday spending without paying an annual fee.

• Intro Offer: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers - only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200. There's no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
• 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.
• Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
• No credit score required to apply.
• Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It's free, activate with the mobile app.
• No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
• 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 18.24% - 27.24% applies.
• Terms and conditions apply.

Discover it Student Cash Back Overview

If you're a student over the age of 18, you may be thinking about how to get a credit card for the first time. After all, opening a card is a great first step in building credit and developing good financial habits for the future. However, getting approved for a credit card can be challenging if you're young and have a limited credit history.

Fortunately, some banks offer credit cards for students and starter credit cards for those who are just starting out with credit. The Discover it® Student Cash Back is a solid choice if you're looking for a no-annual-fee card that earns cash-back rewards, offers student-friendly features, and doesn't require a security deposit.

With the Discover it® Student Cash Back, you can earn 5% cash back in popular rotating bonus categories when you activate, on up to $1,500 in combined spending each quarter (then 1% back), as well as 1% back everywhere else with no limits (from April 1 to June 30, 2024, you can earn 5% cash back at gas stations & electric vehicle charging stations, home improvement stores, and public transit on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%). 

While there's no traditional welcome bonus, Discover will match all the cash back you earned with the Discover it® Student Cash Back after the first 12 months through the Discover Cashback Match program , and there's no limit to the amount matched.

Keep in mind there are other student credit cards that do offer a welcome bonus. For example, the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students offers a $200 cash rewards bonus after making $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days from account opening. And the Chase Freedom® Student credit card comes with a $50 bonus after first purchase made within the first three months from account opening.

Discover it Student Cash Back Card Rewards

How to earn rewards.

To maximize the cash back you earn with the Discover it® Student Cash Back, you'll need to activate the rotating bonus categories each quarter through your online Discover account.

Once you've activated the bonus, you'll earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined spending (then 1%) in that quarter's categories (from April 1 to June 30, 2024, you can earn 5% cash back at gas stations & electric vehicle charging stations, home improvement stores, and public transit on up to $1,500 in purchases after enrollment, then 1%). All other purchases earn a 1% cash back, with no caps.

Discover will automatically match, dollar-for-dollar, all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year (even on bonus categories). You don't need to do anything to activate this match.

How to Use Rewards

The simplest way to use rewards from the Discover it® Student Cash Back is by redeeming for a statement credit or direct deposit to an eligible checking or savings account. There's no minimum redemption amount, and your rewards don't expire as long as your account is open. 

Other redemption options include:

• Paying with rewards directly at Amazon or with PayPal
• Donating to Discover's charity partners which include American Cancer Society, ASPCA, American Red Cross, Carbonfund.org, Children's Miracle Network, Junior Achievement, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Make-A-Wish, Operation Homefront, and World Wildlife Fund
• Gift cards to popular merchants (minimum redemption amount may apply, some merchants offer a bonus)

Discover it Student Cash Back Benefits and Features

As you might expect from a student card with no annual fee, the Discover it® Student Cash Back doesn't come with a huge list of benefits, but it does have a couple of handy perks that can save you money and help you stay on top of your finances.

0% Introductory APR on Purchases

The Discover it® Student Cash Back comes with a 0% intro APR for six months on purchases (then a 18.24% - 27.24% Variable), which is helpful if you have a lot of school expenses to pay for upfront that you need a little more time to pay off.

Just be sure you have the means and a plan to pay off your balance before the promotional APR period expires, otherwise, you could be on the hook for hefty interest charges.

Free FICO Score

Discover it® Student Cash Back cardholders can access their FICO score for free, any time, through their online account. This makes it easy to keep an eye on your credit score and how it's changed over time.

Late Payment Forgiveness

If you're late with a payment on the Discover it® Student Cash Back, Discover won't charge you a fee the first time it happens, but they will charge a late payment fee after that. Paying late will not increase your APR, however.

Unique Card Designs

Discover it® Student Cash Back cardholders can choose from over a dozen colorful (and unusual) card designs that you don't usually find on conventional credit cards. 

Discover it Student Card Annual Fees and Other Costs

The Discover it® Student Cash Back has no annual fee and doesn't charge foreign transaction fees, so if you're making international purchases or traveling abroad it's a good pick. Just keep in mind Discover isn't always as widely accepted as other credit cards, so if you're traveling you might want to have a backup card just in case.

As with most other cards, there are fees for late payments (except the first occurrence), returned payments, balance transfers, and cash advances.

Compare the Discover it Student Card

Discover it student card vs. discover it student chrome.

If you'd rather not keep track of rotating bonus categories, Discover issues another student card — the Discover it® Student Chrome — which offers 2% back at restaurants and gas stations on up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter (then 1%), and 1% cash back on everything else. Like with the Discover it® Student Cash Back, there's no traditional welcome bonus, but for new card members in the first year, Discover will automatically match all the cash back you've earned at the end   of your first year.

Read our Discover it Student Chrome Card review .

Discover it Student Card vs. Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Card

If you want opportunities to earn strong rewards in different categories, consider the Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card, which earns 3% cash back on dining, groceries, entertainment, and eligible streaming services, and 1% back on everything else.

You also get a welcome bonus of $50 cash bonus once you spend $100 on purchases within three months of account opening, and some travel protection benefits that don't come with the Discover it® Student Cash Back.

Read our Capital One SavorOne Student Credit Card review .

Discover it Cash Back Student Card Frequently Asked Questions 

Yes, Discover's terms and conditions state you must be a student enrolled in a two- or four-year college to qualify for the Discover it® Student Cash Back card. You'll also be asked for your year in college and expected graduation dates when you apply for the card.

If you're not a student but like this card's features, check out the regular Discover it® Cash Back card instead.

The Discover it® Student Cash Back is designed for students with fair credit or who are new to credit. Fair credit is defined as a FICO score between 580-669, and new to credit means you may have a score below that or no score at all.

In fact, the card's application page says no credit score is required to apply. Discover will consider all the details you provide on your application, your credit report (which includes your credit score if you have one), and other information when they decide whether or not to approve you for the card.

Discover allows you to have a maximum of one Discover student credit card account. However, you're eligible to apply for a second Discover credit card after your first Discover credit card has been open for more than 12 months and you're no longer a student.

No, the Discover it® Student Cash Back is not a secured credit card , so you won't have to put down a cash deposit on approval. However, Discover does offer the Discover it® Secured Credit Card, which doesn't require you to be a student to qualify.

Why You Should Trust Us: How We Reviewed the Discover it® Student Cash Back

When Personal Finance Insider reviews a credit card, we scrutinize the fine print to explore the details, then assess the pros and cons of each product. We rate credit cards on a scale of one to five points, considering five factors in total and considering them relative to other comparable cards on the market.

See our full explanation of  how we rate credit cards  »

When considering whether or not Discover is right for you, consider its additional product lines:

• Discover Personal Loan Review
• Discover Student Loan Review
• Discover Bank Review
• Discover Savings Account Review
• Discover CD Rates
• Discover Home Loans Review

Editorial Note: Any opinions, analyses, reviews, or recommendations expressed in this article are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any card issuer. Read our editorial standards .

Please note: While the offers mentioned above are accurate at the time of publication, they're subject to change at any time and may have changed, or may no longer be available.

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***Terms, conditions, and exclusions apply. Refer to your Guide to Benefits for more details. Travel Accident Insurance is not guaranteed, it depends on the level of benefits you get at application.

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Pros and cons of the discover it student cash back, who is this card best for, who should skip it, a closer look at the discover it student cash back, other cards to consider, how discover it® student cash back compares to other cards, our methodology.

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Discover it Student Cash Back Credit Card: The Best Option for Most College Students

This student credit card beats the competition on nearly every front.

Jaclyn DeJohn

Jaclyn is a CNET Money editor who relishes the sweet spot between numbers and words. With responsibility for overseeing CNET's credit card coverage, she writes and edits news, reviews and advice. She has experience covering business, personal finance and economics, and previously managed contracts and investments as a real estate agent. Her tech interests include Tesla, SpaceX, The Boring Company and Neuralink.

Evan Zimmer

Staff Writer

Evan Zimmer has been writing about finance for years. After graduating with a journalism degree from SUNY Oswego, he wrote credit card content for Credit Card Insider (now Money Tips) before moving to ZDNET Finance to cover credit card, banking and blockchain news. He currently works with CNET Money to bring readers the most accurate and up-to-date financial information. Otherwise, you can find him reading, rock climbing, snowboarding and enjoying the outdoors.

Courtney Johnston

Senior Editor

Courtney Johnston is a senior editor leading the CNET Money team. Passionate about financial literacy and inclusion, she has a decade of experience as a freelance journalist covering policy, financial news, real estate and investing. A New Jersey native, she graduated with an M.A. in English Literature and Professional Writing from the University of Indianapolis, where she also worked as a graduate writing instructor.

Discover it® Student Cash Back

The Discover it® Student Cash Back* has the coveted one-two combo of simplicity and value. It’s as rewarding as some standard, non-student credit cards and provides one of the best welcome offers on the market. 

Best of all? You don’t need a lofty credit score to qualify. And so long as you manage it well -- meaning not spending money you don’t have and paying your bill in full and on time each month -- your credit standing will likely improve.

If you’re in college, a student credit card can help you build credit, earn rewards and provide an emergency source of financing. And in most cases, you won’t have to worry about a credit check, like you would with a standard credit card .

The Discover it® Student Cash Back offers the best of all those features. Its rewards program is arguably one of the best -- depending on your budget -- and the welcome bonus is currently unmatched. And even if you don’t want to use a credit card regularly, a short introductory APR makes this a good option for any emergency expenses.

And while all student credit cards are pretty forgiving when it comes to credit checks, Discover does not require a credit score at all -- though the card can help you build your credit with responsible use. That means not overspending and paying your bill on time.

Between its accessibility and higher-than-average rewards, this credit card can provide the best value for most college students. (It’s also one of the few credit cards that allows you to choose from a handful of different designs.)

Read more:   Best Debit Cards for College Students

Earn rewards and build credit

Access an introductory purchase APR

One of the best welcome offers available

No credit score required to apply

Rewards could entice you to overspend

Carrying a balance on a credit card can lead to expensive interest charges

Missing payments could damage your credit score

The Discover it Student Cash Back is one of the best student cards you could pick. If you’re still on the fence, consider if any of these points apply to you:

• College students looking to build credit: If you’re trying to establish a good credit score, paying your bill on time each month and regularly not charging up to your credit limit can help.
• College students who want to earn rewards: The Discover it Student Cash Back earns an impressive rate even among standard credit cards. The categories do change quarterly, but they’ve historically covered popular expenses like gas, fitness memberships and eating out.
• Parents who want their kids to have access to emergency credit: The Discover it Student Cash Back would give students a line of credit they could use in the case of an emergency. It also features an introductory purchase APR, so if it’s a large expense, it won’t grow any bigger from interest charges during that time.

While the Discover it Student Cash Back is a great card, it’s not right for everyone. If any of these situations apply to you, perhaps you’d be better served by another credit card.

• You’re easily enticed into spending money you don’t have: Rewards are great. They can help cut back on certain expenses or help you cover a purchase you’ve had your eye on. However, if you’re likely to spend more just to earn them, you could find yourself in credit card debt.
• You don’t want to manually activate rewards: The Discover it Student Cash Back features revolving rewards that change each quarter, or every three months. You’ll need to manually activate these rewards every time they change to use them. If that sounds too much to keep track of, there are simpler (yet less rewarding) options.

Rewards and redemption

While the rewards rate is higher than most credit cards , the rewards program is a little more volatile. You earn 5% cash back on quarterly rotating rewards categories on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter (then 1%). You do have to activate each category manually through your account each quarter.

The current quarterly 5% rewards categories through June are:

• Gas stations and electric vehicle charging stations
• Home improvement stores
• Public transit

For all other purchases, you’ll earn a standard 1% cash back per dollar spent. You can redeem your cash back as a statement credit in any amount, or you can apply your cash back directly to Amazon.com and online store PayPal purchases.

Building your credit with the Discover it Student Cash Back

Like with other credit cards, you can build your credit with the Discover it Student Cash Back with responsible use.

At minimum, this means making your monthly credit card payments on time. You at least want to make the minimum payment on time each month, but you should aim to pay more than this amount -- ideally the entire statement balance -- each month to avoid interest charges .

You also want to keep your credit utilization ratio low. This ratio represents how much credit you have compared to the amount of credit you’re using. Ideally, you want to use less than 30% of your credit line at any given time. So if you have a $2,000 credit limit, you will want to make sure you have less than a $666 balance at any time to help boost your credit score. 

A good rule of thumb is to treat your credit card as if it were cash. That means not spending more than you can afford to pay back right away. If you pay off a purchase as soon as you make it, you won’t have to stress about missing a payment or have to pay extra from interest.

Welcome bonus

Even if you never use the bonus rotating category, the Discover it Student Cash Back’s welcome bonus , called the Unlimited Cashback Match™, may make this card worthwhile.

At the end of your first year as a cardholder, Discover will match all the cash back you earned in the prior 12 months and post that amount to your account as a bonus. This means that if you earned $200 in cash back throughout the year based on your expenditures, Discover will give you another $200.

You will have to wait until the end of your first year with Discover to get this cash-back welcome bonus, but the potential value of this bonus is beyond what comparable student cards offer. 

Introductory APR

Some credit cards offer a low introductory APR period, which gives you a route to avoid interest during this time period. You could use this intro APR period to finance large purchases, but we recommend only using this feature if an unexpected necessity or emergency pops up. 

The Discover it Student Cash Back card offers a 0% introductory APR on purchases for 6 months. After that, you’ll be subject to a 18.24% to 27.24% variable APR. If you do use the introductory APR to cover a charge, make sure you make all the minimum payments on time -- otherwise, you could forfeit the promotional rate and start racking up interest.

You should aim to pay off the whole balance in full by the end of the promotion to avoid interest charges. Your billing statement will tell you how much of your balance is subject to the promotional or regular APR each month.

Discover it® Student Chrome

The Discover it® Student Chrome* is comparable to the Discover it Student Cash Back in many ways, but it’s geared more toward college commuters. Instead of rotating cash-back rewards, it offers smaller, more consistent rewards on gas stations and restaurants. You’ll earn 2% cash back on gas stations and restaurants , on up to $1,000 in combined spending each quarter (then 1%). Cafes, takeout, delivery and fast food all count toward the restaurant category. You’ll earn 1% on all other purchases, but you also get the benefit of the Unlimited Cashback Match™ with this card. The introductory APR is identical to that of the Discover it Student Cash Back too.

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card

The Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card* isn’t necessarily ideal for commuters, but any student who frequently buys their own meals may get good use out of this card.

The SavorOne student earns 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores. Entertainment includes movie theaters, sports promoters (professional and semi-professional live events), amusement parks, tourist attractions, aquariums, zoos, dance halls, record stores, pool halls and bowling alleys. Meanwhile, popular streaming services include Netflix, Hulu and Disney+. Note that Target, Walmart and other superstores don’t count as grocery stores, so you’ll only earn 1% back at these retailers.

Otherwise, there’s no introductory APR and the welcome bonus doesn’t have as much potential -- you earn a $50 cash bonus when you spend $100 on the card in your first three months. Despite these weaknesses, the cash-back rewards rates still make this one of the strongest student credit cards available.

Petal® 2 “Cash Back, No Fees” Visa® Credit Card

Student credit cards typically offer those with limited or no credit a way to start building credit and create a credit history. They generally come with lower credit limits than typical credit cards and don’t charge annual fees. And they often have novice-friendly features, including late payment forgiveness, incremental credit limit increases over time and credit education resources. Reward rates may be lower than for standard cash-back and  travel credit cards , however, making student credit cards a lower-risk, lower-reward financial tool.

While some people choose to build credit with a  secured credit card  -- that is, a card where you’ve backed your credit limit with a cash deposit -- student credit cards work a bit differently. Student credit cards don’t generally require cash upfront, but these cards typically only offer a small credit line, sometimes just a few hundred bucks. That way, the student can use the card to build credit without the risk of racking up too much credit card debt (which leads to bad credit).

A typical nonstudent credit card application requires a high credit score (around 650 or so) and at least a few years of credit report history. To get a student credit card, however, you often don’t necessarily need either, though some proof of financial experience and responsibility helps when it comes to securing a credit card offer. The issuer may ask you for information regarding any income you may have (even if it’s from family), and any checking account or savings account you may have. You do need to prove enrollment generally in a four-year college, community college or other higher education institution.

In addition to more relaxed eligibility requirements, the best student credit cards will offer some of the following features:

• Special rules for credit newcomers such as minimal late fees and no-penalty APRs
• Lower credit limits -- usually between $500 and $2,000
• Cash-back rewards program on spending
• A “reasonable” APR -- usually between 15% and 20%

CNET reviews credit cards  by exhaustively comparing them across set criteria developed for each major category, including cash-back credit cards, welcome bonus credit cards, travel rewards credit cards and balance transfer credit cards. We take into consideration the typical spending behavior of a range of consumer profiles -- with the understanding that everyone’s financial situation is different -- and the designated function of a card. 

*All information about the Discover it Student Cash Back, Discover it Student Chrome and Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card has been collected independently by CNET and has not been reviewed by the issuer.

The editorial content on this page is based solely on objective, independent assessments by our writers and is not influenced by advertising or partnerships. It has not been provided or commissioned by any third party. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products or services offered by our partners.

Discover it® Student Cash Back benefits guide

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Bankrate has partnerships with issuers including, but not limited to, American Express, Bank of America, Capital One, Chase, Citi and Discover.

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Key takeaways

• Discover it® Student Cash Back is a great first card for students who want to get experience earning cash back rewards.
• Not only do you get the benefit of cash back but the card also includes perks like free access to your credit score and a short introductory APR offer term on purchases.
• The card is also a low-cost option for students with no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees and the first late payment is waived.
• While the Discover it® Student Cash Back comes with great benefits, students should remember not to overspend just to earn cash back.

If you’re a college student looking to apply for a credit card, the Discover it® Student Cash Back might have your name on it. Do you want to build credit? Check. Do you hate annual fees? Check. Do you like earning rewards? Check. Do you want a low interest rate, low-fees structure and a suite of innovative credit protection features? Check, check and check.

The Discover it® Student Cash Back has a special place in the Discover card lineup. For a student credit card, it’s unusually rich in features — after all, not too many issuers feel compelled to offer cash back or other valuable benefits to cardholders who are new to credit.

Discover it® Student Cash Back card benefits

This card not only offers a generous rewards program, but it will match all of the cash back you earn at the end of your first year. Plus, you might qualify even if you don’t have any credit history.

No credit score is needed to apply

Getting your first credit card may feel like a credit Catch-22: You need a credit history to get your first credit card, but you need a card to build credit history . In this regard, the Discover it® Student Cash Back can be a great fit for students with a thin credit file (or no file at all) because, unlike some other student cards, the Discover it® Student Cash Back doesn’t require a credit score to apply.

​​5% cash back in rotating bonus categories

The Discover it® Student Cash Back card offers 5 percent cash back in rotating categories each quarter (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases, then 1 percent), plus 1 percent cash back on all other purchases. Note: You’ll need to activate your categories every quarter to earn the 5 percent cash back.

Unlimited Cashback Match

Discover it® Student Cash Back doesn’t have a traditional welcome bonus, but it does have a unique offering called Cashback Match™. You don’t need to activate it, there’s no minimum spending requirement and it’s truly unlimited. For example, if you earned $200 in cash back during the end of your first year, Discover will match it dollar for dollar, turning it into $400.

Flexible redemption options

Your rewards never expire, and in most cases, there is no redemption minimum. You can redeem rewards for statement credits, direct deposits to your bank account, gift cards, donations to select charities or shopping at Amazon.

​​​0% intro APR for purchases for 6 months

If you’re planning on a large purchase, you can have up to six months to pay it back interest-free. However, if you don’t pay it back in full before the introductory APR period is over, the regular variable APR will kick in (18.24 percent to 27.24 percent, based on your creditworthiness).

​​​Light on fees

Besides no annual fee, the Discover it® Student Cash Back doesn’t have a penalty APR, and it’ll waive the late payment fee the first time you pay late (after that, up to $41). The card also doesn’t have a foreign transaction fee , which would make it a good option for studying abroad.

Low regular APR

While we recommend that you avoid interest by paying your bill in full every month, we know that life happens. So if you have to carry a balance every now and then, the Discover it® Student Cash Back offers a regular variable APR of 18.24 percent to 27.24 percent, which on the lower end is better than the average credit card interest rate .

Free ​FICO credit score access

With the Discover it® Student Cash Back, you can view your FICO credit score (provided by TransUnion) for free. You can view your score by logging in to your account.

Credit protection benefits

Discover it® Student Cash Back offers several innovative credit protection benefits:

• ​ Discover Identity Alerts . Discover will monitor your Experian credit report daily and it will send an alert when there is a new inquiry or account found on your report. Discover will also monitor thousands of malicious websites for your personal information and send you an alert if your Social Security number is found on one of those websites.
• ​ Online Privacy Protection . Discover will help to regularly remove your personal information from 10 popular websites that sell private data. You can activate this feature for free online or via Discover’s mobile app.
• ​ Freeze it . With this feature, you can easily freeze your account if you lose your card. Discover will not authorize new transactions like purchases, cash advances and balance transfers.

​How to maximize Discover it® Student Cash Back benefits

The best way to maximize the Discover it® Student Cash Back’s benefits is to plan your spending according to the card’s 5 percent rotating bonus categories and remember to activate them every quarter. Then, at the end of the first year, Discover will match all of the cash back you’ve earned.

That said, you should never spend money just to receive cash back . And don’t put yourself in a position where you can’t pay your bills in full — even cash back won’t help if you have to pay interest.

The bottom line

With no annual fee, an excellent rewards program and no credit score requirement, the Discover it® Student Cash Back is one of the most attractive student credit cards on the market today. While rotating bonus category cards may be a little more complicated than flat cash back cards, the unlimited Cashback Match feature might make this extra work worthwhile during the first year, especially for cardholders who can consistently maximize the 5 percent bonus categories.

Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards vs. Discover it® Student Cash Back

Is the Discover it Student Cash Back worth it?

Discover it Student Cash Back Credit Card Review

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Discover it Student Cash Back benefits guide

Learn what benefits are available to you so you can get the most out of this card

Published: September 1, 2022

Author: Lindsay VanSomeren

Editor: Claire Dickey

Reviewer: Claire Dickey

How we Choose

The Discover it Student Cash Back card offers a lot of ways for you to start building credit while earning rewards. Here are all the features you need to know about to get the most out of it.

The content on this page is accurate as of the posting date; however, some of our partner offers may have expired. Please review our list of best credit cards , or use our CardMatch™ tool to find cards matched to your needs.

Back in the day, credit card companies used to get people to sign up for their products on campus by offering cheap perks like frisbees or T-shirts. Those days are long gone, but credit card companies can still offer enticements for students to sign up — in the form of card perks and bonuses.

Enter the Discover it® Student Cash Back card, which comes with student-friendly perks and benefits that not only help you earn rewards but help you build your credit responsibly, too. If you’re new to credit cards , though, it can be easy to get confused regarding those perks. We’ll walk you through the full suite of Discover it Student Cash Back benefits so you can take advantage of all it has to offer.

• You’ll earn great rewards

The Discover it Student Cash Back card has a rewards program that’s essentially the same as the full-fledged, non-student version of this card, the Discover it® Cash Back. Both of these are well-known in the industry for having a great rewards program with a first-year, cash back matching bonus.

With the Discover it Student Cash Back, you’ll earn twice the normal amount of cash back during your first year because Discover matches your cash back earnings for a first-year bonus. So, if you spend enough to earn, say, $150 in cash back in your first year, you’ll end up getting $300.

You’ll earn a minimum of 1 percent cash back on all purchases. But because it’s a rotating category card , you’ll have the opportunity to earn a much higher rate —  5 percent cash back — on spending in certain categories that change each quarter (on up to $1,500 per quarter, then 1 percent, with enrollment required).

Discover publishes a cash back rewards calendar each year that outlines what the bonus categories are each quarter. To earn that 5 percent cash back for the quarter, you’ll need to log in to your account and activate the bonus category. If you forget to activate it, you won’t earn the higher rate, even if you do spend money in that category.

• The fees are reasonable

Another thing that makes this such a student-friendly card is that you won’t have to pay much for it. Here’s a breakdown of the fees that are particularly important to you as a student:

The Discover it Student Cash Back card doesn’t have an annual fee . That makes it free to keep open, and that’s a good thing for building credit.

As you grow and move on to bigger and better cards in the future, keeping this card open will anchor your credit history so that it stretches as far back as possible. This can help grow your credit score so that by the time you’re ready to apply for a mortgage or a car loan, for example, you’re in the best position possible.

Interest rate

You won’t pay any interest on new purchases for the first six months after you open the card. That makes it a great time to buy things you might need that you’re not able to afford with savings or student loans, like outfitting your dorm room or moving across the country.

If you make sure to pay it all back before the six months are up, it’s essentially an interest-free loan. At the end of the introductory period, the regular 17.49 percent to 26.49 percent variable APR will apply.

Free pass on first late payment

The first time you make a late payment, Discover won’t charge you a fee. After that, it’s a $41 charge each time you pay late. This allows you some sort of a pass if you’re new to making payments, but you’ll still pay in the form of a hit to your credit score .

Paying late can seriously damage your credit , and that’s especially true if you’re just starting to build credit. To play it safe, don’t count on this feature too much. Instead, set all your payments on autopay for the minimum amount, and, ideally, pay your full statement balance each billing cycle.

No foreign transaction fee

Credit card companies often charge foreign transaction fees of around 3 percent when you swipe your card abroad. This card doesn’t come with that fee, which makes it handy if you’re heading to another country for a short trip or a study abroad program.

Unfortunately, though, Discover isn’t as widely accepted abroad as Visa, so if travel is calling your name, check whether Discover is accepted where you’ll be going. If not, you may want to consider another card with no foreign transaction fees .

You’ll get credit-building and safety perks

As a college student, you might be nervous about getting your first credit card , and that’s understandable. If so, you’ll like the safety features of the Discover it Student Cash Back card. If you lose the card or it’s stolen, you can easily switch it off in the app or your online account so that no one can use it.

Discover also provides you with a free, regularly updated FICO credit score so you can see in real time how your credit-building efforts are going. It also maintains a few free credit-monitoring services to alert you if anything fishy is happening. For example, Discover monitors the dark web for your Social Security number to notify you if it’s for sale so you can take steps to protect yourself.

As more of the world becomes digitally connected you might be concerned about people being able to find your personal details, especially if you’re moving around between home and college life a lot. To help ease those concerns, Discover is now offering a free Privacy Protection feature you can switch on in the app to have your name and personal information removed from up to 10 popular people-finding websites.

How to maximize your Discover it Student Cash Back benefits

The Discover it Student Cash Back card comes with a ton of great features that most students will really appreciate. If you’re interested in learning how to use rewards cards , it’s a great option.

If you want to build credit, set up a small bill on autopay to be charged to your credit card each month, such as a Netflix or Spotify subscription. Then, set up your bank account to autopay your credit card for the amount of that small charge.

That way, you’re setting the whole system up on autopilot to help you build credit. Feel free to charge other items to your card (especially if you need to buy something that’s within the quarterly bonus categories), but remember to pay those off on time, too. That way, you’ll earn all the benefits and rewards without having to pay any interest or fees. If you can set this habit in place early, you’ll see a lifetime of affordable perks that pay you back in spades.

Bottom line

College is a great time to start building your credit because by the time you graduate, you’ll already have a leg up. You’ll understand how to use debt responsibly and how to use credit card rewards, and you’ll have a good credit score to boot. College is a safe time to experiment with how you’ll run the rest of your life, and if that includes credit cards, the Discover it Student Cash Back card is a great choice.

Editorial Disclaimer

The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective assessment of our writers and is not driven by advertising dollars. It has not been provided or commissioned by the credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners.

Lindsay VanSomeren is a former contributor to CreditCards.com who started out racing sled dogs and studying wildlife biology in Alaska, without a care for money or finances. She quickly pivoted toward personal finance, though, once she saw how powerful an impact it had on improving her family's life. VanSomeren has written on personal finance and credit for websites including Bankrate, LendingTree, Credit Karma and Forbes Advisor.

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Activate Discover bonus categories for Q3 2023

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The Budget Savvy Travelers

BREAKING FREE WITHOUT BREAKING THE BUDGET

Home » Discover Student Card – #1 Credit Card For College and Travel

Discover Student Card – #1 Credit Card For College and Travel

Providing the best of both worlds, the Discover student card allows cardholders to build their credit on a tight budget and earn rewards faster than any other credit card on the market. Plus, there are several extra perks geared towards first-time credit card users. For example, Discover will automatically waive the late fee on the first late payment, no questions asked.

Living on a tight budget, it’s no secret that we count every penny . With gas prices going through the roof, we were looking for a credit card with the best rewards and finally selected the Discover card. This says a lot about the card because Harry worked in the credit card industry for seven years.

Fortunately, the regular cashback card (for non-students) provides the same rewards as the Discover student card. We began using it earlier this year, and now prefer it over every other card in our stack.

Generally, when selecting a credit card we seek out cards that offer both the best rewards and a $0 annual fee. As a result, if you’re in college and looking to do some traveling, you should consider adding the Discover student card to your pocketbook. Of course, the most important thing to remember is that this is not a “blank check.” You’ll need to pay back all of the transactions so it’s important to use your credit card responsibly .

Here’s what we like about the Discover student card.

Perks of the Discover Student Card

Geared towards college students, the Discover It Student Cashback Card , as it’s officially named is a great way for students to build credit. Also, as a credit card for everyday use, it offers far superior rewards to any other student card.

Build Credit

Only applicants who have no credit score are approved for the Discover student card. In other words, Discover will only approve those applicants that have no credit history . As a result, this is a great first-time credit card for college students.

Cardholders build their credit when making payments to Discover. Once received, Discover reports the payments to the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion), which in turn begins the process of building credit.

Receive the Most Rewards/Cashback

Not only will cardholders receive 1% back on all purchases but they will receive an additional 4% back on select categories each quarter, for a total of 5% cashback , up to a quarterly maximum of $1,500 in spending. Also, at the end of the first year, Discover will automatically match the rewards earned with a cashback bonus—so, if you’ve earned $500 during the first year, Discover will credit your account another $500!

To emphasize, the rewards are the main reason why we transitioned away from Visa/Mastercard to Discover. For example, if it cost $100 to fill up a car with gas, using your Discover card you’ll get $10 back—you’ll get $5 on the monthly statement and $5 at the end of the year. Of course, you only get the extra 4% on select categories throughout the year. Either way, it adds up quickly, especially if you can line up big purchases with the quarterly categories.

The 5% categories are changed every quarter. However, to give some color regarding how the program works, below are the categories used in each quarter for 2022:

• 1st: Supermarkets and fitness clubs
• 2nd: Gas stations and Target
• 3rd: Restaurants and PayPal
• 4th: Amazon and Digital Wallets

Finally, the Discover student card offers a 0% APR on purchases for six months. However, it’s important to know that you’ll still be required to make the minimum payment during this time.

Get Quick Cash When Checking Out

Use the Discover student card at most grocery stores and you can get cash without making an extra trip to the ATM. Upon checking out cardholders are asked on the payment terminal if they’d like cash back—you can withdraw up to $120 every 24 hours with no fees.

Student Travel

Most people don’t realize how vast the Discover network is—it’s accepted in over 200 countries . Probably, the best reason for bringing the Discover student card on vacation overseas is because it doesn’t charge a foreign transaction fee. Also, you may use it in the US or anywhere around the world where the following logos are displayed: Discover, Diners Club International, PULSE, JCB, or UnionPay.

Countless credit cards charge a 3% fee for using a credit card overseas . Banks call this a foreign transaction fee. For example, if you were to visit an overseas supermarket and make a purchase for the equivalence of $100, you’ll be charged an additional $3 as a foreign transaction fee. Fortunately, the Discover student card does not charge its cardholders this foreign transaction fee.

Budget Tip : Make sure you purchase travel health insurance before departing for your trip— this is what we use .

Before traveling, be sure to contact Discover to let them know you’re traveling. Nowadays, financial institutions are constantly monitoring their client’s accounts for suspicious activity . Therefore, it’s a good idea to notify them of your expectant travel plans before departure so that your use overseas doesn’t get flagged as fraudulent activity—this will lead to Discover temporarily “freezing” the ability of the card to charge transactions.

Use a Debit Card to Withdrawal Cash Overseas

Using a debit card is the best way to withdraw cash overseas while traveling . For example, we use the Charles Schwab Debit Card because they reimburse us for all ATM fees.

Shockingly, these fees overseas can easily reach USD 10+ per transaction. For example, if you were to use a standard Visa/Mastercard/Discover/Amex card, you would most likely have to pay these hefty ATM fees. In short, it’s best to carry a Charles Schwab Debit Card when withdrawing money overseas.

Security & Other Features

There are numerous security and other features when using the Discover student card including:

• Online privacy protection: Discover will help remove any of your personal information that popular websites use to sell your data.
• A credit scorecard to track your FICO credit score .
• Alerts to notify you of your social security number being found on the internet.
• If your card goes missing, you can easily block new transactions from occurring.
• The ability to quickly replace a stolen, damaged, or lost credit card with free overnight shipping.

Discover It Student Cashback vs. Discover It Student Chrome

When applying for the Discover It Student Cashback card you may have noticed another student card; the Discover It Student Chrome. The only difference between the two cards is in how they earn rewards.

The Cashback card earns 1% rewards on all transactions and an additional 4% (5% total) on the rotating quarterly categories. Cardholders earn 1% on an unlimited number of transactions and the 5% categories are limited to $1,500 of purchases.

On the other hand, the Student Chrome card earns 2% rewards only on restaurant and gas station purchases. Also, rewards can only be earned on up to $1,000 of purchases per quarter.

As a result, the best Discover student card is the Discover It Student Cashback card as it will most likely earn the most rewards.

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Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card review 2024: rewards, benefits, and more

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card offers generous travel rewards for a reasonable annual fee, making it an excellent choice for frequent travelers who prioritize earning points on hotels, airlines, and dining expenses.

Marc Guberti

Marc Guberti is a Certified Personal Finance Counselor (CPFC) and Bankrate contributor. He also writes articles on finance and investing for US News & World Report, InvestorPlace, Benzinga, and other publications.

Hanna Horvath

Hanna Horvath is a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ and Bankrate's senior editor of content partnerships.

Updated April 24, 2024, 2:34 PM EDT

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Advertiser disclosure: Content provided by Bankrate.com. Fox and its content partners earn compensation from the affiliate companies below. This content doesn’t include all available offers, and compensation may impact how and where links appear in the content.

The new Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card is a great travel card with a reasonable annual fee. This card is best for frequent travelers thanks to its unlimited 5X points on hotels, 4X points on airlines, 3X points on other travel, and 1X points on all other purchases.

In this review, we'll dive into the features, benefits, and potential drawbacks of the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card, helping you determine if it's the right fit for your wallet.

Key takeaway

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card offers great rewards on hotels, airlines, and dining expenses alongside travel protection benefits, making it a valuable tool for those who spend heavily in these categories and want to maximize their travel rewards.

Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Visa® Card

• 5X points back on hotels and other great travel rewards
• Generous welcome bonus
• Annual statement credit for airfare purchases
• No portal that restricts which travel purchases qualify for bonus points
• No foreign transaction fees
• Travel protection benefits
• Rewards primarily focused on travel and dining categories
• No introductory APR period
• $95 annual fee

Key features

• Unlimited 5x points on hotels, 4x points on airlines, 3x  points on other travel and dining, 1x on other purchases
• $50 annual airfare statement credit 

Travel protection benefits 

Benefits and rewards.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card comes with a generous welcome bonus of 60,000 reward points after spending $4,000 within the first three months. This bonus can be redeemed for travel, gift cards, or statement credits, giving you a head start on earning points. 

One of the most attractive aspects of this card is its unlimited reward structure. Cardholders earn 5X points on hotel bookings, making it an excellent choice for those who frequently stay at hotels. 

The card also offers 4X points on airline purchases, helping you accumulate points quickly when booking flights. For other travel expenses and dining, you'll earn 3X points, while all other purchases earn 1X points.

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card costs $95 per year, on par or lower than many other comparable travel credit cards. 

You’ll also get a $50 annual statement credit for any airline booking (with a $50 minimum airline purchase), effectively reducing the annual fee to just $45. This credit can offset the cost of flights, making your travel even more affordable.

Redeeming rewards

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card is a flexible travel card, which means you can transfer points to hotel or airline partners.

Co-branded cards often offer 2X-5X points on travel and may restrict which airlines or hotel chains you can use points with. For example, an American Airlines credit card often requires you to board an American Airlines plane to get the maximum points back. 

Unlike other travel cards, you don’t have to use Wells Fargo’s travel portal to earn bonus points when booking travel. For example, you can earn 5X points on travel purchases with the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card , but you must make those purchases within the Chase Travel℠ portal to earn the bonus points.  

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card doesn’t have this type of restriction. Also, unlike many other cards, there’s no cap on the rewards you can earn, says David Shipper, Strategic Advisor at Datos Insights. 

This card offers trip cancellation, reimbursing you up to $15,000 for non-refundable expenses such as lodging, flights, and activities if your trip is canceled for a covered reason. This benefit provides peace of mind when booking travel, knowing you're protected against unforeseen circumstances. 

The Autograph Journey card also offers other travel protections, such as trip delay reimbursement, lost luggage reimbursement, and auto rental collision damage waiver. These benefits can save you money and hassle in travel disruptions or mishaps.

Considerations and downsides

While the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card offers impressive rewards, there are a few potential downsides.

The card comes with an annual fee of $95, which may be a deterrent for some (especially when there are plenty of solid no annual fee cards on the market). But, the $50 annual statement credit for airfare effectively reduces the annual fee to $45, making it more manageable. 

“The card comes with a $95 fee, which many consumers will not want to pay. However, that fee is in line with other travel-related credit cards (if not a bit lower) and will more than offset by the card's many bonus features,” Shipper says. 

Another drawback is that the card's rewards are focused primarily on travel and dining. If you don't spend heavily in these categories, you may be unable to maximize the card's rewards. 

Additionally, the redemption options for reward points may be limited compared to other travel cards . While Wells Fargo does have a list of travel partners you can transfer points to at a 1:1 rate, the network is not as diverse or large as other competitors.  

This card also doesn’t have a 0% introductory APR offer, making it not the best choice for those who may carry a balance.

Who is the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card best for?

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey Card is an excellent choice for frequent travelers who spend heavily on hotels, airlines, and dining. The lack of limits on your bonus points makes this card especially worthwhile.

But if you spend regularly outside of these categories, this may not be the best card for you. 

You’ll get 1X points back on non-travel and non-dining purchases, but that’s the minimum across the industry. You’re better off using another card for groceries, electronics, gas, and everyday purchases.

Alternatives

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card offers many perks for people who like to travel often. However, you should compare credit cards before choosing the right travel card for your finances. Here are some alternatives.

Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

The Chase Sapphire Preferred card also offers 60,000 bonus points if you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your account.

The card offers 5X points on travel purchased through Chase’s Travel portal, 2X on other travel purchases, 3X on dining and grocery purchases (excluding Walmart, Target, and wholesale clubs), 3X points on select streaming services, and 1X on all other purchases.

The Sapphire Preferred card has a greater range of spending categories that exceed 1X points back. You’ll also get 25% more value when you redeem your points through the Chase Travel℠ portal. For example, 60,000 points can be valued at up to $750 for qualifying travel expenses. The card has a $95 annual fee.  

Capital One Venture Rewards Card

The Capital One Venture Rewards card offers a straightforward unlimited 2X miles for every dollar you spend. You’ll also earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, all for a $95 annual fee.

The new cardholder offer is 75,000 bonus miles if you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first three months of opening your card. The card comes with travel accident insurance.

The ability to earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase is a good perk for non-travel spending categories. However, you must use Capital One Travel to book your flights and hotels to receive the maximum bonus miles.

Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card

The Wells Fargo Autograph card is a good starter card for those who want to earn travel rewards but don’t want to pay an annual fee.

You can receive unlimited 3X points at restaurants, travel, gas and electric vehicle charging stations, transit, popular streaming services, and phone plans. All other purchases are eligible for 1X points. You can redeem points for travel, gift cards, and cash.

The card doesn’t have as many travel benefits but has some notable perks. You’ll get up to $600 of cell phone protection against theft or damage, 24/7 roadside dispatch, and an auto rental collision damage waiver.

You can earn 20,000 bonus points if you spend $1,000 within the first three months of opening your account, which is worth up to $200 in cash back. 

Citi Premier® Card 

The Citi Premier card has a 60,000 bonus point welcome offer if you spend $4,000 after the first three months of opening your account. This card has a $95 annual fee. You can earn a $100 annual hotel credit if you spend $500 or more, helping you offset the annual cost.

The card offers 3X points back on restaurants, supermarkets, gas stations, air travel, and hotels. You will receive 1X points back on all other purchases. Points do not expire, and there is no limit to how many bonus points you can earn.

For a limited time, you can earn up to 10X points on hotels, car rentals, and attractions (excluding flights) booked through Citi’s travel portal. This promotional offer lasts until June 30, 2024. 

Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

The Bank of America Travel Rewards card is a straightforward card with no annual or foreign transaction fees. You’ll earn a flat 1.5X points on every purchase. You can also receive 25,000 bonus points if you spend $1,000 within the first 90 days of opening your account.

Unlike the Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card, this card has a 0% introductory APR offer. You’ll get 0% APR for the first 15 billing cycles for purchase. The intro balance transfer fee is 3% for the first 60 days, and this balance transfer fee goes up to 4% after the initial promotion.

Bank of America Preferred Rewards members can earn 25%-75% additional points on every purchase. Your membership level depends on your two-month combined average daily balance across your Bank of America bank accounts.

Outside of that, the card doesn’t have as many perks. It’s good for beginners who want to get started earning travel rewards. However, you may earn more rewards and access additional benefits if you use a card with an annual fee.   

The bottom line

The Wells Fargo Autograph Journey card is a great, flexible choice for travelers with a moderate annual fee. The card also has a generous welcome bonus similar to what you will find with other travel cards.

But it’s important to consider your spending habits and travel preferences when deciding if this card is right for you. If travel and dining aren’t your primary spending categories, you may find more value in alternative cards with different rewards. Its rewards, benefits, and travel protections make this card a solid choice for travelers. 

Editorial disclosure: Opinions expressed are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other entity. This content has not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of the entities included in the post.  

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Chase Freedom Unlimited Review: A Potential One-Card Solution

What’s on This Page

The bottom line, pros and cons, detailed review, compare to other cards, benefits and perks, drawbacks and considerations, how to decide if it's right for you.

The card's rewards structure isn't the easiest to remember. But its useful bonus categories, flexible rewards and outstanding welcome offer make it a top contender among cash-back cards.

Rewards rate

Bonus offer

Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

0% intro APR on purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months

Ongoing APR

APR: 20.49%-29.24% Variable APR

Cash Advance APR: 29.99%, Variable

Penalty APR: Up to 29.99%

Balance transfer fee

Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.

Foreign transaction fee

3% of each transaction in U.S. dollars

• INTRO OFFER: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!
• Enjoy 6.5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 4.5% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 3% on all other purchases (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year).
• After your first year or $20,000 spent, enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel, 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and unlimited 1.5% cash back on all other purchases.
• No minimum to redeem for cash back. You can choose to receive a statement credit or direct deposit into most U.S. checking and savings accounts. Cash Back rewards do not expire as long as your account is open!
• Enjoy 0% Intro APR for 15 months from account opening on purchases and balance transfers, then a variable APR of 20.49% - 29.24%.
• No annual fee – You won't have to pay an annual fee for all the great features that come with your Freedom Unlimited® card
• Keep tabs on your credit health, Chase Credit Journey helps you monitor your credit with free access to your latest score, alerts, and more.
• Member FDIC

No annual fee

Intro APR period

High rewards rate

No minimum redemption amount

Requires good/excellent credit

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a compelling combination of valuable rewards, flexible redemption options, a lengthy 0% introductory APR period and a sign-up bonus that’s worth more than most cash-back cards offer — all for an annual fee of $0 .

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® earns 3% cash back on restaurants and drugstore purchases, 5% back on travel booked through Chase and 1.5% back on other purchases. Put that together and you have a card that can really pile up the cash back. And if you carry other credit cards that also earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points , it packs even more value.

But all those different rewards rates make the card more complicated than competitors that offer a simpler 1.5% back on everything. One remedy: Make the Chase Freedom Unlimited® a top-of-wallet card for every purchase, and you’ll be sure to score those bonus rewards without having to think much about it.

It’s why this card makes a compelling case to be a one-card solution among cash-back credit cards.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® : Basics

Card type: Cash back .

Annual fee: $0 .

Sign-up bonus: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back! ( NOTE: This offer is available when you apply through NerdWallet. If you apply directly with Chase or through a different website, you may not be eligible for this offer.)

5% back on travel booked through Chase.

3% back at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery services.

3% back on drugstore purchases.

Through March 31, 2025, 5% back on qualifying Lyft services purchased through the Lyft app.

1.5% cash back on everything else.

Interest rate: 0% intro APR on purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months, and then the ongoing APR of 20.49%-29.24% Variable APR .

Foreign transaction fee: 3%.

» MORE: Benefits of the Chase Freedom Unlimited

Chase Ultimate Rewards® points

Although the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is marketed as a cash-back card, your spending actually earns Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. Points are worth a penny apiece when redeemed for cash back, thus you get 1.5% cash back or more depending on the category of your purchase. Points may also be redeemed for:

Gift cards at 1 cent per point.

Travel booked through Chase at 1 cent per point.

Amazon purchases at 0.8 cent per point.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is an excellent card on its own, but it's even better as a companion to other cards that earn Chase Ultimate Rewards® points. More on that below.

» MORE: Chase credit cards mobile app review

Chase Freedom Unlimited® vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠

If you're looking at the Chase Freedom Unlimited® , it's logical to wonder how it compares with the similarly named Chase Freedom Flex℠ .

Both Freedom-branded cards have an annual fee of $0 , and both offer lucrative ways to earn cash back.

The choice mostly comes down to rewards: 5% quarterly rotating categories on the Chase Freedom Flex℠ or the 1.5% “everything else” (instead of 1% everything else) of the Chase Freedom Unlimited® .

A quick evaluation:

Chase Freedom Flex℠ : The 5% cash back is enticing but complicated. Bonus cash back is also capped at $1,500 per quarter in spending before reverting to 1% back. Category activation is required; all other purchases earn 1% cash back.

Chase Freedom Unlimited® : The 1.5% back on everything else is less exciting but simpler and way more flexible.

Which is more valuable will depend on how well the rotating bonus categories of the Chase Freedom Flex℠ match your spending. It also depends on how much you spend overall. Big spenders might get more value from 1.5% on everything else because it’s unlimited.

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® runs on the Visa payment network, while the Chase Freedom Flex℠ is a Mastercard. In terms of acceptance, it doesn't matter much if you carry a Visa or a Mastercard . But Visa and Mastercard do offer some differing side perks.

The table in the dropdown menu below highlights the differences in rewards between the two cards and the older Chase Freedom® , which is no longer accepting applications and has been effectively replaced by the Chase Freedom Flex℠ .

For more information on which of these Freedom credit cards is right for you, see our full comparison story .

(There is yet another rewards-earning Freedom product — the Chase Freedom Rise℠ — but unlike the cards above, it is meant for beginners to credit.)

As a cash-back card, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® delivers a great treat for new cardholders followed by high ongoing value at a low cost. Its best features include:

Potentially rich sign-up bonus

Unlike a standard credit card bonus, which pays you a lump sum once you hit a specific spending amount, the bonus on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® comes in the form of higher reward rates in the first year, which, depending on how much you spend, can really add up: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back! ( NOTE: This offer is available when you apply through NerdWallet. If you apply directly with Chase or through a different website, you may not be eligible for this offer.)

Comparable no-fee cash-back cards nowadays offer bonuses of around $200.

Useful bonus categories

The bonus rewards categories are useful and lucrative:

5% back on travel purchased through Chase.

Restaurants and drugstores are especially useful rewards categories for many households. Spend $3,000 a year combined in those categories, and you’ll earn $90 annually.

And if you book travel through Chase, 5% can add up quickly on pricey travel itineraries. Vacation travel costing $6,000 gets you back $300, for example.

1.5% on 'everything else'

Cash-back credit cards with bonus categories, like 3% back on restaurants, typically offer 1% cash back on “everything else.” The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers 1.5% back on everything else.

While 0.5% more doesn’t seem like much, it adds up for big spenders because it has no limit. And many big-ticket expenses seldom fall neatly into typical bonus categories — think medical bills, car tires and furnace repair.

For those who spend a lot, say $5,000 per month on “everything else,” the extra 0.5% rate on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® means an extra $300 a year in cash back, compared with its typical competitors.

» MORE: Which 1.5% cash-back credit card should you choose?

Point transfers to maximize value

Because Chase allows you to transfer its points among cards that earn them, the Chase Freedom Unlimited® can be a cornerstone of a strategy to get maximum value out of every dollar you spend. If you have multiple Chase cards, you can:

Earn more points by splitting your spending between this card and the Chase Freedom Flex. By using the Chase Freedom Flex for purchases in the 5% bonus categories and the Chase Freedom Unlimited® on all other spending, you'd boost your overall rewards earnings significantly.

Get more value per point by transferring rewards to a card with elevated redemption values. Points earned with this card are usually worth a penny apiece. But several Chase cards give you more value per point when you use them to book travel through Chase's online portal, operated by Expedia:

With the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card and the Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card , each point is worth 1.25 cents when redeemed for travel through Chase.

With the Chase Sapphire Reserve® , points are worth 1.5 cents apiece when redeemed for travel through Chase.

These three cards also allow you to transfer points at a 1:1 ratio to about a dozen airline and hotel loyalty programs, including United Airlines, Southwest Airlines, JetBlue, Marriott and Hyatt. Depending on how you use transferred points, you could reap even more value.

» MORE: What is the 'Chase trifecta'?

It’s complicated

The 1.5% flat rate is easy enough to understand, but the mix of reward rates in other spending categories is head-spinning — especially for cash-back lovers, who tend to value simplicity. Add in the extra 1.5% in the first year, and things get even more ... interesting.

If you don’t want to carry around a rewards cheat sheet to optimally use a credit card and you’re just interested in cash-back rewards — not necessarily Chase Ultimate Rewards® — the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is one of the best flat-rate cards on the market. It offers 2% cash back on everything — and not just for a limited time.

» MORE: Credit cards that earn 2% cash back or more on purchases

Better rates available in specific categories

Cards with rewards bonus categories are most valuable when you spend a significant amount in those categories.

Alternative options include:

The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express pays an industry-leading 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 a year in spending (then 1%), plus 6% on select U.S. streaming subscriptions, 3% at U.S. gas stations, 3% on transit and 1% on all other spending. Terms apply ( see rates and fees ). It comes at a cost, though: A $0 intro annual fee for the first year, then $95. Terms apply. This is an ideal card for high grocery spenders.

The Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card pays 3% in a category of your choice (gas/EV charging, online shopping (including cable, phone, internet and streaming services), dining, travel, drugstores or home improvement/furnishings) and 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, on up to $2,500 in combined choice-category/grocery-store/wholesale-club spending per quarter. All other spending earns 1% cash back.

You can find out more about how this cash-back credit card compares versus the competition by visiting our list of best credit cards to get .

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a great deal for consumers — especially for those who already have the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve® .

It comes with a potentially rich sign-up offer, useful bonus rewards categories and plenty of options for cashing in rewards. It’s not as simple as a flat-rate cash-back card, but its versatility and value make it a strong choice.

» MORE: Which Chase Freedom credit card is right for you?

To view rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express , see this page .

Looking For Something Else?

Methodology.

NerdWallet reviews credit cards with an eye toward both the quantitative and qualitative features of a card. Quantitative features are those that boil down to dollars and cents, such as fees, interest rates, rewards (including earning rates and redemption values) and the cash value of benefits and perks. Qualitative factors are those that affect how easy or difficult it is for a typical cardholder to get good value from the card. They include such things as the ease of application, simplicity of the rewards structure, the likelihood of using certain features, and whether a card is well-suited to everyday use or is best reserved for specific purchases. Our star ratings serve as a general gauge of how each card compares with others in its class, but star ratings are intended to be just one consideration when a consumer is choosing a credit card. Learn how NerdWallet rates credit cards.

Frequently asked questions

Cardholders earn 5% back on travel booked through Chase and 3% back at restaurants and drugstore purchases. All other purchases earn 1.5% back. Plus, through March 31, 2025, cardholders earn 5% back on qualifying Lyft services purchased through the Lyft app.

You’ll need good to excellent credit to qualify for the Chase Freedom Unlimited® . Generally speaking, this is defined as a credit score of 690 or better. But a credit score alone isn’t enough to qualify for any credit card. Issuers take into account your income, existing debts and other information.

It depends on your spending habits. The cards have identical sign-up bonuses, 0% APR periods and $0 annual fees. The main difference is in the rewards. The travel, restaurant and drugstore rewards are the same on both cards. But the Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a solid 1.5% back on "everything else," while the Chase Freedom Flex℠ offers 5% cash back in rotating quarterly categories and 1% on other spending.

The annual fee on the Chase Freedom Unlimited® is $0 .

The Chase Freedom Unlimited® is a Visa.

Yes. The bonus is: Earn an additional 1.5% cash back on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) - worth up to $300 cash back!

Yes. The cards have some identical rewards, but you can use them together to maximize your cash back.

About the author s

Claire Tsosie

Gregory Karp

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New credit cards for students aren’t all the same. Compare student credit cards with this helpful chart to see how Discover stands out.

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‡Cash back rewards – Capital One Quicksilver Rewards for Students: 1.5% on all purchases. Capital One SavorOne Rewards for Students: 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, popular streaming services and at grocery stores, 1% on all other purchases. 1 Plus, earn 8% cash back on tickets at Vivid Seats. Bank of America Customized Cash Rewards Credit Card for Students: 3% cash back in the category of your choice: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores, or home improvement/furnishings, 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs, 1% on all other purchases.

Chart comparisons conducted by an independent research firm and based on competitor info compiled in February 2024.

†Compared card issuers may provide a FICO ® Credit Score or other credit score and other credit information. See issuers' websites for further details.

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