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How to Choose From Discover® Card Options?

Last Updated: May 10, 2024
3 min read
Getting a credit card

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Key points about: Discover credit card options

  1. All Discover credit cards offer rewards for eligible purchases and no annual fee.

  2. The percentage of rewards you can earn for each eligible purchase varies across Discover® Cards.

  3. Discover offers student and secured credit cards that may be ideal for those trying to build a credit history.1

Picking the right credit card can be difficult, especially when there are so many credit card issuers and cards to choose from. Discover offers credit cards with different rewards rates but ensures every cardmember receives valuable benefits no matter which card they choose.

What are the Discover credit card options?

All Discover credit cards, including cards geared toward college students and people looking to build a credit history1 or rebuild credit with responsible use,1 offer rewards. Discover credit card options include:

Which Discover® Card options do you qualify for?

A credit card company will likely check your credit report and credit score when you apply for a new credit card. Your credit history impacts which cards you may qualify for—from unsecured credit cards, some of which may require good credit to qualify, to secured credit cards which may have fewer requirements.

Applying for multiple credit cards within a short timeframe could make you appear risky to lenders and hurt your credit score. With the Discover pre-approval tool, you can see which Discover® Cards you’re pre-approved for before applying.

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Benefits that come with every Discover® Card

Each Discover® Card has specific features that may appeal to different people based on their financial needs. But every Discover® Card comes with certain benefits. Among other benefits, Discover® Cardmembers receive:

  • No annual fee: You don’t have to worry about paying to use your Discover® Card because there’s no annual fee.
  • Bonus rewards:  New Discover® Cardmembers can earn extra rewards at the end of their first year.
  • Rewards that won’t expire: Don’t worry about losing your rewards. At Discover, your rewards never expire.2
  • Easy reward redemptions: Choose among multiple redemption options, including gift cards, charitable donations, and statement credits.
  • $0 Fraud Liability Guarantee: You’re never held responsible for unauthorized purchases on your Discover Card.3

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With no harm to your credit score5

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Which Discover® Card options offer the most rewards?

While every Discover Card offers rewards, each card’s rewards program falls into one of three distinct earning styles:

  • Fixed-rate rewards: Earn a flat rate of unlimited rewards on all purchases.
  • Tiered rewards: Earn a higher percentage of rewards up to a set limit in certain spending categories and a lower flat rate of unlimited rewards on all other purchases.
  • Rotating rewards: Earn a higher percentage of rewards up to a set limit in certain spending categories that rotate throughout the year and a lower flat rate of unlimited rewards on all other purchases.

Did you know?

Credit cards with tiered rewards, like Discover it® Chrome cards, or quarterly spending categories, like Discover it® Cash Back cards, could help you earn more rewards if your typical purchases align with the bonus spending categories.

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What to consider when choosing a Discover credit card

The right Discover® Card for you can depend on your financial circumstances and personal preferences. Here are a few suggestions that could help you determine which card is best for you:

  • You’re a student: College students might want to consider one of our two student credit cards. These cards may have less strict qualification requirements. You could start with a low credit limit, making it easier to get the hang of responsible credit card habits, like making on-time payments each month and keeping your balances low.
  • You’re building or rebuilding your credit history: The Discover it® Secured Credit Card helps you build your credit history.1 And there’s no credit score required to apply.4
  • You travel: Our travel rewards credit card could be a good choice for frequent travelers who enjoy earning and redeeming credit card rewards for travel purchases and more.

You may already have an idea of what type of credit card you want. But learning about each Discover® Card, including which ones you might get approved for, can make it easier to choose the best one for you.

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  1. Build credit with responsible use(Secured): Discover reports your credit history to the three major credit bureaus so it can help build/rebuild your credit if used responsibly. Late payments, delinquencies or other derogatory activity with your credit card accounts and loans may adversely impact your ability to build/rebuild credit.

  2. Rewards Redemption: Rewards never expire. We reserve the right to determine the method to disburse your rewards balance. We will credit your Account or send you a check with your rewards balance if your Account is closed or if you have not used it within 18 months. You may be unable to redeem rewards in some limited situations such as when you choose to use an electronic funds transfer to redeem rewards to a new (unverified) deposit account. Any gift card must have a minimum value of at least $5.00 to be redeemed.

  3. $0 Fraud Liability: An “unauthorized purchase” is a purchase where you have not given access to your card information to another person or a merchant for one-time or repeated charges. Please use reasonable care to protect your card and do not share it with employees, relatives, or friends. Learn more at Discover.com/fraudFAQ.

  4. No Credit Score Required (Secured Card): Based on 2023 Discover it Secured credit card application data, applicants without a credit score may qualify. You must meet other applicable underwriting criteria. When we evaluate your creditworthiness, we consider all the information you provide on your application, your credit report, and other information. If you have a credit score, we may use that in our evaluation.

  5. There is no hard inquiry to your credit report to check if you’re pre-approved. If you’re pre-approved, and you move forward with submitting an application for the credit card, it will result in a hard inquiry which may impact your credit score. Receiving a pre-approval offer does not guarantee approval. Applicants applying without a social security number are not eligible to receive pre-approval offers. Card applicants cannot be pre-approved for the NHL Discover Card.

  • Legal Disclaimer: This site is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. The material on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and does not indicate the availability of any Discover product or service. It does not guarantee that Discover offers or endorses a product or service. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, you may wish to consult a qualified professional.