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The Points Guy believes that credit cards can transform lives, helping you leverage everyday spending for cash back or travel experiences that might otherwise be out of reach. That's why we publish a variety of editorial content and card comparisons: to help you find a great card to turn your goals into reality.
Our site may earn compensation when a customer clicks on a link, when an application is approved, or when an account is opened with our partners, and this may impact how or where these products appear. While we don't cover all available credit cards, our editorial team creates and maintains all of the analysis of these cards, and our content is not influenced nor subject to review by any credit card company, bank or partner prior to (or after) publication. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Reviews
Discover it Cash Back credit card review: Rotating 5% cash back
Katie Genter is a digital nomad who has traveled full time since June 2017. She writes and edits stories about points and miles, and loyalty programs, often letting her personal experiences color these stories.
When Ryan worked as a TPG credit cards writer, he oversaw refreshes of card reviews and card offer stories. He enjoyed racking up cash back and helping readers maximize their points and miles for their next big trip.
also contributed to this story
March 3, 2025 • 8 min read
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The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.
Editorial note: This is a recurring post, regularly updated with new information and offers.
Quick summary
This cash-back card offers 5% back at select merchants each quarter, up to $1,500 in purchases, with enrollment required and 1% back on other purchases.
There is no annual fee, and new cardholders receive a unique first-year benefit where all cash back earned is matched after 12 months.
Bonus categories rotate quarterly and typically include locations like gas stations, grocery stores and restaurants.
Redemption options are flexible, including statement credits, bank deposits, gift cards and purchases at select merchants.
What to consider
You must enroll each quarter to activate the 5% categories, and the bonus rate only applies to the first $1,500 in purchases per quarter at eligible merchants.
There is no traditional welcome offer, but the first-year cash-back match can significantly boost rewards for new cardholders.
Redemption for gift cards may offer extra value, but options like statement credits or bank deposits provide straightforward access to rewards.
What you'll miss from the article
A detailed comparison of competing cash-back cards and guidance on maximizing value based on your spending habits.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
The Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card provides 5% cash back on the first $1,500 in purchases that you make each quarter with select merchants. The eligible merchants rotate quarterly and require enrollment. You’ll earn 1% cash back on all other purchases and the card doesn’t charge an annual fee. There’s no traditional welcome offer, but Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐⭐
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Determining how to maximize the points and miles earned by many credit cards can be complicated and time-consuming — and may seem less valuable if you don’t travel. For both of these reasons, some folks opt for credit cards that earn cash back.
Among them, the Discover it Cash Back card provides 5% cash back on the first $1,500 in purchases that you make each quarter (enrollment required) with select merchants, which change every three months. These merchants typically include gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants and more. Even if you use travel rewards cards for most purchases, you may find value in adding this card to your wallet thanks to the fact that it makes earning cash back so easy.
It has no annual fee and a recommended credit score of 670. Now, let’s dive into the card’s benefits, earning, redeeming and how it compares to other cards to decide if the Discover it Cash Back card is right for you.
The information for the Discover it Cash Back card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Discover it Cash Back pros and cons
Pros
Cons
No annual fee
Rotating bonus categories
No traditional welcome offer
Limited redemption options
Discover it Cash Back welcome offer
The Discover it Cash Back doesn’t offer a traditional welcome offer, but it does offer a unique earning opportunity for new cardholders.
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Discover will match all the cash back earned during the first 12 consecutive billing periods that the new account is open. The match for the entire year occurs at the end of the 12th billing period. That effectively means that the earnings rates on this card are doubled for the first year, making for a potentially lucrative opportunity if you use this card often in those first 12 months.
The Discover it Cash Back card has benefits and perks that are well-suited for first-time or less experienced cardholders. Earning and redeeming cash back is simple and straightforward — but we’ll dedicate later sections of this review to earning and redeeming.
SHUTTERSTOCK
Free overnight shipping for card replacement to any U.S. street address
Freeze your account in seconds to prevent new purchases with an on/off switch available on both the mobile app and website
Free Credit Scorecard that includes your credit score, number of recent inquiries and more
Free alerts you can activate that notify you if your Social Security number is found on any of thousands of dark websites
Those aren't anything to write home about if you're used to lavish travel perks, but it is a pretty decent list of standard benefits for a no-annual-fee cash-back card.
Discover it Cash Back earns 5% cash back with different merchants each quarter you enroll, such as gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com and more.
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You need to activate the 5% categories before making purchases in the bonus category each quarter — but Discover makes the process easy online, and you can activate up to two months before each quarter begins.
However, you’ll only earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter at eligible merchants. Assuming you spend $1,500 on purchases in the 5% categories during a quarter that you activate the bonus, you’ll earn $75 in cash back on these purchases.
You’ll also earn 1% cash back on all other purchases with the Discover it Cash Back. You may want to boost your cash-back percentage on other purchases by using another card with better flat-rate earnings or increased earnings in select categories. One example is the Discover it® Miles, which also matches the cash back you earn during your first year.
The information for the Discover it Miles card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Redeeming cash back with the Discover it Cash Back
Some cards earn cash-back rewards but then make it difficult to actually obtain your cash back. This is one place where the Discover it Cash Back card excels. There are many options and most will allow you to obtain as little as a penny in cash back.
SUMMER HULL/THE POINTS GUY
These options include:
Gift cards or instant eCertificates, starting at $5
Redeem rewards through Amazon.com, Apple Pay®, or with PayPal
Charitable donations to select charities, starting at a penny
Credit to your account, starting at a penny
Electronic deposit into any checking or savings account you designate, starting at a penny
Pay with Cashback Bonus at select merchants, starting at a penny
For all but one of these options, your cash back is worth its face value. Gift cards can be the exception — some are available with a bonus. For example, you may be able to find some merchants offering a $25 or $30 gift card for $20 in cash back.
If you shop with any of these merchants, this will provide the best value. Otherwise, TPG editor Emily Thompson would recommend simply redeeming for a credit to your account — instead of using a gift card, you can charge another purchase to your credit card and earn even more rewards.
If you want to earn a different rotating category card: The (see rates and fees) earns 5% back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases in quarterly bonus categories after you activate. But with the right card pairing, you can transfer your rewards from this card to Chase's hotel and airline partners. For more details, check out our full review of the Chase Freedom Flex.
If you want set spending categories: The earns 3% cash back spent at U.S. supermarkets, U.S. online retail purchases and U.S. gas stations each year (up to $6,000 for each category per year, then 1%) and 1% on all other purchases. Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be redeemed as a statement credit or at Amazon.com checkout. For more details, check out our full review of the Amex Blue Cash Everyday.
If you want to earn more on non-bonus spending: The (see rates and fees) earns 2% back on all purchases (1% when you buy and 1% as you pay). For more details, check out our full review of the Citi Double Cash.
If you're a beginner or looking to add more bonus categories to your cash-back strategy, the Discover it Cash Back is a great choice. However, if you're looking for more consistent bonus categories or a longer list of benefits, you'll want to go with a different card.
Bottom line
The Discover it Cash Back provides 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter in rotating categories upon enrollment. The card has no annual fee, so it’s a relatively easy choice to add to your wallet for use in these categories each quarter — especially if you’ve already exhausted your Chase 5/24 slots.
However, the potential cash back in these 5% categories is limited to the first $1,500 in purchases each quarter and you’ll only earn 1% cash back on all other purchases, so this shouldn’t be your everyday go-to card.
