2020 Discover Cashback Calendar
This article was last updated Sep 14, 2020. Terms and conditions may have changed. For the most accurate information, please consult the issuer website.
Discover revealed the entire list of 5% cashback categories for 2020, so you can plan your spending for the year. That’s great news for Discover it® Cash Back and other eligible Discover cardholders will Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Here, we’ll review the 2020 cashback calendar, what you need to know to earn 5% cashback and how the Discover cashback calendar compares with the Chase Freedom® cashback calendar.
| Discover’s 5% Cashback Calendar 2020 | |||
| Jan-Mar | Apr-June | July-Sept | Oct-Dec |
| Grocery stores, Walgreens and CVS | Gas stations, Uber, Lyft and wholesale clubs, Home Depot (June only) | Restaurants and PayPal | Amazon.com, Target.com and Walmart.com |
Here’s what you need to know:
- You need to activate the bonus categories to earn 5% cash back. Log into the Account Center or call 1-800-DISCOVER (1-800-347-2683) to activate.
- Each quarter, 5% cash back is limited to $1,500 in spending. After you hit that ceiling, you’ll earn 1% cash back.
- All purchases outside the bonus categories automatically earn 1% cash back.
- Eligible cards include:
How the 2020 calendar compares with 2019
The 2020 cashback calendar is very similar to 2019’s calendar, with the addition of Walgreens, CVS, and wholesale clubs. Wholesale clubs were brought back this year after being absent in 2019. In 2018, Discover cardholders benefited from wholesale clubs as a bonus category twice — during the first and last quarters of that year.
There is also the return of rideshare services Uber and Lyft, which are included with gas stations and wholesale clubs from April to June.
Discover cashback calendar vs. Chase cashback calendar
Discover releases its entire 2020 cashback calendar in advance, while Chase unveils its categories on a quarter-by-quarter basis.
Here’s how the Discover and Chase cashback calendars compare for 2020:
| Discover it® Cash Back | Chase Freedom® | |
| Jan-Mar | Grocery stores, Walgreens and CVS | Gas stations, select streaming services*, internet, cable and phone services |
| Apr-June | Gas stations, Uber, Lyft and wholesale clubs | Gym memberships and fitness clubs, grocery stores**, select streaming services |
| July-Sept | Restaurants and PayPal |
Amazon.com and Whole Foods Market |
| Oct- Dec | Amazon.com, Target.com and Walmart.com | Walmart and PayPal |
*Eligible streaming services are Pandora, Netflix, Hulu, Sling, Vudu, FuboTV, SiriusXM, Spotify, YouTube, Apple Music and ESPN+
**Grocery stores do not include Target or Walmart purchases.
Which cashback program is better?
It’s hard to choose the best cashback program, since everyone has different spending habits. Depending on where you shop most should help you determine which card is a better fit.
If you’re in the market for a new cashback card, you should also take a close look at the Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card, which will provide cardholders a flexible rewards program, which began early in 2019. Existing and new Bank of America® Cash Rewards credit card holders will be able to earn 3% cash back in one of six categories: gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drug stores or home improvement and furnishings; 2% at grocery stores and wholesale clubs; and unlimited 1% on all other purchases. Cardholders can choose which category they want to earn 3% in every month.
The information related to the Chase Freedom® has been independently collected by CompareCards and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this card prior to publication.
