Best Discover Credit Cards Of April 2024

The best Discover cards were given rankings based on welcome bonuses, fees, rewards and other perks. What is best for most customers might not be right for you. Conduct informed research before deciding which cards will best help you achieve your financial goals.

Read more: How Forbes Advisor Rates Credit Cards

Several years ago, Discover unified all of its products under the “Discover it” brand, which is essentially a platform for all its cards. These cards share many of the same features and benefits, including no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees and no penalty fee on your first late payment.

Discover it cards are eligible to receive a Cashback Match at the end of your first year holding the card. This means that at the end of your first year of card membership, Discover will take all eligible points earned and match them, essentially doubling all your rewards.

Other benefits include free access to your FICO® Score, as well as a suite of tools to help prevent fraud and identity theft. You can also use your Discover card to receive cash at checkout from a number of major retailers without incurring cash advance fees or paying a higher interest rate.

Be aware, however, that Discover does not offer many benefits that you might be accustomed to, such as rental car insurance, purchase protection and extended warranty coverage.

The APR for a Discover card will depend both on the specific Discover card you apply for as well as your credit profile. The potential APRs available for each Discover card currently available are the following:

• Discover it® Secured Credit Card: Best Secured Discover Card: 28.24% variable APR on purchases and balance transfers
• Discover it® Cash Back: Best for Earning Bonus Cash Back: 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases and eligible balance transfers. Then, a standard rate of 17.24% - 28.24% variable applies. A balance transfer fee of up to 5% of the amount transferred applies
• Discover it® Student Cash Back: Best Discover Student Card: 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 18.24% - 27.24% applies
• Discover it® Miles: Best Discover Card for Travel: 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months of account opening. After that, a variable APR of 17.24% - 28.24% applies. A balance transfer fee of up to 5% of the amount transferred applies
• Discover it® Chrome: Best Discover Card for Road Trips: 0% introductory APR for 15 months on purchases and eligible balance transfers. Then, a standard rate of 17.24% - 28.24% variable applies. A balance transfer fee of up to 5% of the amount transferred applies

Finding the best credit card for your needs can feel overwhelming. First, don’t assume each credit card’s basic features or fee structures are the same. For example, some issuer’s cards charge foreign transaction fees, and some don’t. Not all cards offer the same types of rewards or any rewards at all.

Examine your spending before settling on a card that earns rewards to see which card is likely going to return the most when it comes to rewards. If you’re considering applying for a Discover card, first compare additional benefits with cards outside of the Discover network—cards from one issuer often have variations on extra benefits, and another issuer’s lineup may be more appealing to you.

Applying for a Discover credit card is much like applying for any other credit card. Perhaps the simplest way to apply for a Discover card is to visit the company’s website, but prospective cardholders can also call Discover and apply over the phone.

Discover also offers a preapproval tool on its website where potential cardholders can provide personal information and see if they’re likely to receive approval. Pre-qualification will not hurt your credit score, but a pre-qualification does not guarantee approval for a card.

What credit score do you need for a Discover card?

Discover offers cards for people with various credit scores. Those with a good credit score or higher may qualify for the Discover it® Cash Back. However, those with a lower credit score may still qualify for the Discover it® Secured Credit Card or the Discover it® Student Cash Back.

How can I receive approval for a Discover credit card?

There is no guarantee you’ll receive approval for any credit card, but you can take several steps to increase your likelihood of successful application. These might include paying off delinquent accounts or reducing your credit utilization to improve your creditworthiness.

Also, find a card most aligned with realistic expectations for your credit score. If your credit score remains subprime, the greatest rewards cards on the market are likely out of reach, so finding a secured card to help build better credit would likely mean more success.

Is a Discover Credit Card Worth It?

Whether a Discover card or another credit card is worth it will depend on your circumstances. Since Discover credit cards tend to have earnings caps on their rewards categories, they can be a good fit for those who plan to charge smaller amounts to their credit card and want to avoid an annual fee. However, high spenders could likely find more value in one of the top rewards cards from a different issuer.

There are numerous advantages and drawbacks to carrying a Discover card compared to cards from other major issuers. While Discover cards, in general, offer solid rewards, you can often find better options elsewhere. If low fees and excellent customer service are important to you, however, a Discover card may prove to be the best option.

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