Discover it Student Chrome Review
This article was last updated Jun 22, 2020. Terms and conditions may have changed. For the most accurate information, please consult the issuer website.
The Discover it® Student chrome is a great credit card for students – especially those commuting to campus – who are just beginning their credit journey. In addition to cash back on every purchase, the card offers benefits, such as free access to your FICO® Credit Score and a statement credit for good grades – all for a $0 annual fee.
Cash back can be redeemed for gift cards, instant eCertificates, charitable donations, credits to your card account, electronic deposits into any account you designate and merchandise.
We break down the pros and cons of the Discover it® Student chrome card, and show how it compares to the Discover it® Student Cash Back card, which also offers cash back on every purchase.
- Discover it® Student chrome pros
- Discover it® Student chrome cons
- Compare it to the Discover it® Student Cash Back card
- Which credit card is best for me?
Discover it® Student chrome pros
Rewards rate. The Discover it® Student chrome card offers 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. If you max out the $1,000 spend cap each quarter, you can earn $20 on gas station and restaurant purchases alone.
Sign-up bonus. Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
So, for example, if you earn $20 cash back on gas and restaurant purchases each quarter, you’ll receive $80 cash back at the end of the year. Once you factor in the Cashback Match bonus – that amount jumps to $160 for the first year of card membership.
Just keep in mind that the Discover Cashback Match bonus only applies to the first year of card membership.
0% intro APR. If you need to finance a large purchase, such as a laptop or textbooks, you can do so interest free for half a year with the Discover it® Student chrome. The card offers an intro APR of 0% for 6 months. After that, a regular APR of 12.99% - 21.99% variable applies.
Annual fee. The Discover it® Student chrome card comes with a $0 annual fee.
Additional Discover it® Student chrome benefits:
- Discover Good Grades Reward. Receive a $20 credit each year that you maintain a GPA of 3.0 or higher, for up to the next five years.
- Freeze it®. If you misplace your card, you can freeze it on the mobile app or website to prevent new purchases, cash advances and balance transfers.
- Discover® Identity Alerts. Receive complimentary daily monitoring of your Experian® credit report, including new account alerts, new inquiry alerts and more. You’ll also be notified if your Social Security number is found on the dark web.
- FICO® Credit Score. View your FICO® Score for free on monthly statements, mobile or online through Discover Credit Scorecard.
- Customer service. Discover’s 100% U.S.-based customer service representatives are available 24/7.
- No fee on your first late payment. Discover will waive the fee on your first late payment.
Discover it® Student chrome cons
Quarterly maximum on higher-rate purchases. With the Discover it® Student chrome card, you can only earn the elevated cashback rate on gas station and restaurant purchases on the first $1,000 each quarter. All other purchases earn 1% cash back.
No 0% intro APR on balance transfers. If you need to transfer a balance from a higher-interest credit card, you won’t be able to do so interest free with the Discover it® Student chrome card. That said, the card does offer a slightly lower introductory APR on balance transfers: 10.99% for 6 months, then an APR of 12.99% - 21.99% variable applies.
Balance transfer fee. Keep in mind that if you do transfer a balance, you will be subject to a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
Compare it to the Discover it® Student Cash Back
If you’re a student who wants the opportunity to earn a higher cashback rate in popular spending categories, you may want to look at the Discover it® Student Cash Back. The card lets you earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, select rideshares and online shopping, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically.
Additionally, as with the Discover it® Student chrome, Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
See how these cards stack up side by side.
Discover it® Student chrome vs. Discover it® Student Cash Back
| Discover it® Student chrome | Discover it® Student Cash Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Sign-up bonus | Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match. | Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match. |
| Rewards rate | 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. | Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, select rideshares and online shopping, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. 1% unlimited cash back on all other purchases - automatically. |
| Purchase intro APR | 0% for 6 months | 0% for 6 months |
| Regular purchase APR | 12.99% - 21.99% variable | 12.99% - 21.99% variable |
| Balance transfer intro APR | 10.99% for 6 months | 10.99% for 6 months |
| Regular balance transfer APR | 12.99% - 21.99% variable | 12.99% - 21.99% variable |
| Foreign transaction fees | None | None |
Besides the rewards programs, the Discover it® Student chrome card and Discover it® Student Cash Back card are virtually identical. Both cards offer Cashback Match bonuses, $0 annual fees and intro APRs on purchases and balance transfers. The cards also offer the same benefits, including a Good Grade Reward and free access to your FICO® Score.
However, with the Discover it® Student Cash Back card, you stand to earn quite a bit more cash back each quarter if you max out the card’s bonus spending cap. For example, if you spend $1,500 per quarter in the bonus categories with the Discover it® Student Cash Back card, you can earn $300 cash back on those purchases at the end of the year. And with the first-year Cashback Match offer, that amount will double to $600.
By contrast, if you max out the Discover it® Student chrome card’s $1,000 spend cap each quarter, you’ll only earn $80 cash back on gas station and restaurant purchases at the end of the year.
Read our Discover it® Student Cash Back review.
Which credit card is best for me?
If you eat out frequently, commute to campus or have an upcoming road trip planned to visit family, the Discover it® Student chrome card can provide a great opportunity to earn a generous amount of rewards, thanks to its solid cashback rate on restaurant and gas station purchases and Cashback Match bonus. But if you want the ability to earn a higher amount of cash back in a wider range of categories that rotate quarterly, such as grocery stores, Uber, Paypal, Amazon.com and Target.com, the Discover it® Student Cash Back card may be a better choice.
