Discover has always been a leader in the cashback rewards game; with their generous 5% cash back in rotating categories offer, you can earn up to $75 in cashback rewards each quarter if you activate. But their latest card takes credit card cash back rewards to new heights.
The Discover it® Cash Back сard lets new cardmembers match the cashback rewards you earn the first year you have the card. That means if you earn $500 in cash back, you'll get $1,000 on your cardmember anniversary. This is an unbeatable, best-in-class offer that makes it a great time to apply for a new cash back credit card.
Basically, here's how it works: you'll use your Discover it® Cash Back card to make purchases anywhere you like – online, at the gas pump, in department stores, at restaurants and bars, and any place else you want the convenience of paying with a credit card. You'll get 1% cash back on every dollar you spend, everywhere, but you'll also get 5% cash back in certain categories like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com and more up to the quarterly maximum (provided you enroll).
Seasonal bonuses for the best shopping rewards
These rotating categories shift with the seasons, giving you extra cash back at places like grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com, or gas stations.
Discover usually matches the bonus to the time of year, so in December, when people are doing their holiday shopping, you might get 5% back at department stores (up to the quarterly maximum), while in the spring you might get 5% back at grocery stores. Each year, they offer new purchase categories for extra cash back offers, so you never know where your opportunities to earn will pop up. All you have to do is sign up for the bonus each quarter.
Doing the math on rewards
The cap for the 5% bonus is $75 per quarter, so you'll only earn the 5% back for the first $1,500 you spend in the bonus category. But even after that, you'll continue to earn 1% back on every dollar you spend in every category, including the bonus category. The more you spend, the more you'll earn back. If you spend the maximum amount in each bonus category all year long, you'll have accrued $300 in cash back rewards in the bonus categories alone. With the Cashback Match, that's $600 (but only for the first year).
Redemption is easy and options abound
When it comes time to redeem those rewards you've racked up, it couldn't be easier. You can do it online, in your account center, just by logging in with your user name and password. Then you choose how you'd like to receive your rewards; you can get a statement credit to your account, choose gift cards to your favorite stores, or eCertificates to use online, have your reward direct deposited into any account you choose, including prepaid cards or bank accounts, use your rewards to pay for online purchases, or even make a charitable donation to an eligible charity of your choice. There are a few select charities that partner with Discover to allow you to use your cash back reward as a donation.
Retailers that allow you to get a gift card for the amount of your cash back bonus include many of the biggest and most popular brands around, including Barnes & Noble, Sephora, Zappos, Apple, and more. Some retailers will even give you a bonus to redeem your reward as a gift card with them; you might be able to get a gift card for an even higher amount that the balance of your cash back rewards account.
Low interest rates and other perks
Besides the incredible cash back deal now being offered, Discover is a solid low-interest credit card that offers many benefits and perks for members. Their customer service consistently wins awards for being courteous, helpful, prompt, and clear. You can call anytime, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, for assistance with your account, and you'll be greeted by a friendly voice.
If you're looking for a 0% APR introductory rate, you're in luck: the Discover it® Cash Back offers a 14-month long no-interest promotional rate on both purchases and balance transfers (when the introductory interest rate is over, the ongoing APR of 14.24% - 25.24% Variable will apply). The balance transfer fee is 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*. So, if you want to pay down debt from other, higher-interest credit cards, or if you'd like to make a major purchase and take your time paying it off, you'll be able to do this with the Discover card.
There's no annual fee for this card, and – bonus for world travelers – no foreign transaction fee for purchases made overseas. This is a real money-saver if you find yourself out of the country very often, or enjoy shopping abroad.
Free FICO scores and more
The Discover it® Cash Back card is available to customers with excellent, good, or average credit. If you're concerned about your credit score, you'll appreciate being able to monitor it with a free Credit Scorecard. Every month, your FICO score will be updated in your Credit Scorecard account, along with information about any factors affecting your credit score like inquiries and missed payments. Keep track of the ups and downs and ensure that your score stays solid with this valuable free perk.
Another great benefit of all Discover cards is the Freeze it® feature, which allows you to freeze your account in case you misplace your card. If the card is lost or stolen, you can keep it frozen until you find it, or cancel it and have a new one sent out. In the event that you find your card, you can easily unfreeze the account and continue using it. When frozen, the card can't be used to make purchases, do balance transfers, or get cash advances.
Comparing it to the competition
When you look at the Discover it® Cash Back card along with the other premium cash back cards available, it stacks up pretty impressively. The Blue Cash Preferred Card from American Express offers 6% cash back at grocery stores and 3% back at gas stations, but that's still less than practically 10% cash back you can get when you match your 5% rotating cash back rewards in select categories for the first year (provided you activate all categories and spend up to the quarterly maximum). And the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express offers an introductory $100 bonus offer, but doesn't double your cash back.
Overall, the Discover it® Cash Back card performs well against the competition – but really, there's no need to choose one over the other. It's great to have more than one card in your wallet, in case one of them isn't accepted somewhere. Discover is accepted at 9.6 million merchants worldwide, so wherever you go, you'll be able to use your card to make purchases and rake in rewards. Apply today, and start collecting that cash back as soon as you're approved.
