Discover it Chrome Card review: Earn cash back at gas stations and restaurants

Discover it Chrome overview

The Discover it® Chrome Card is a cash-back offering from Discover that earns bonus rewards on gas and restaurants (on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter). It's a decent option for no annual fee, but there are better options out there for cash-back earnings on everyday purchases. Card rating*: ⭐⭐

*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

The Discover it Chrome differs from the Discover it® Cash Back credit card, the issuer's other cash-back option, since it doesn't feature rotating bonus categories and has a lower quarterly threshold for elevated cash-back earnings.

The card has no annual fee and a recommended credit score of at least 670. Keep reading to learn more about the Discover it Chrome to see if it's worth adding to your wallet.

The information for the Discover it Chrome Card and the Discover it Cash Back credit 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.

Related: Best Discover cards

Discover it Chrome pros and cons

Discover it Chrome welcome offer

The Discover it Chrome doesn't provide a typical welcome offer, but you will earn a cash-back match at the end of your first year.

There's no limit to how much you can earn with the cash-back match at the end of your first year, which means your earnings are effectively doubled after 12 months. It's the same cash-back match offered by the Discover it Cash Back credit card.

This can be a solid offer if you plan on spending frequently with the card in your first year.

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Related: The best credit card welcome bonuses currently available

Discover it Chrome benefits

The Discover it Chrome's suite of benefits are standard and not flashy, but they are decent for beginners.

Here's a list of what you can expect with the card:

• No foreign transaction fees
• Free access to your FICO credit score with Credit Scorecard
• Ability to freeze your account on Discover's website or mobile app if you misplace your card
• $0 fraud liability if you notice unauthorized purchases on your card
• Online privacy protection, including the removal of personal information from select people-search sites

Again, these perks are not at the level of more premium offerings, but I believe they're good for newcomers to credit cards.

Related: 6 of our favorite under-the-radar credit card perks

Earning cash back with the Discover it Chrome

With the Discover it Chrome, you'll earn 2% cash back on purchases made at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. After that cap is met, you'll earn 1% cash back in these categories.

You'll earn 1% back on all other purchases.

These are fine cash-back rates for a no-annual-fee card in two popular categories. However, the $1,000 quarterly cap on earning 2% back could be limiting for higher spenders. Aside from the first-year cash-back match, the Discover it Chrome doesn't provide the strongest earning options.

Assuming you spend $1,000 in the 2% categories each quarter, that's just $20 cash back.

Plus, there are other, arguably better, options for earning elevated cash back without an annual fee (more on these later).

Redeeming cash back with the Discover it Chrome

It's simple to redeem the cash-back rewards you earn with the Discover it Chrome.

You can deposit your cash back into a bank account or apply it toward your bill as a statement credit. You can also get gift cards starting at $5; use your rewards through Amazon checkout, Apple Pay or PayPal; or make a charitable donation.

A nice perk is that you can redeem any amount of your cash-back rewards at any time.

The Discover it Chrome is a solid option for beginners since it makes redeeming cash back as simple as possible.

Related: How to redeem cash-back rewards from your credit card

Which cards compete with the Discover it Chrome?

There are multiple cash-back cards to consider that earn higher than 1% across popular bonus categories, including gas stations and restaurants.

• If you want to earn more on gas purchases: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express offers a higher cash back rate at U.S. gas stations than what's offered by the Discover it Chrome. The card charges a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees), so you'll have to weigh whether the annual fee is worth it to you. To learn more, check out our full review of the Amex Blue Cash Preferred.
• If you prefer rotating bonus categories: The Discover it Cash Back credit card is another card in the Discover ecosystem that offers bonus cash back in quarterly bonus categories (activation required) that occasionally include gas stations and restaurants, among other options. You'll get elevated cash back on the first $1,500 in combined purchases within the bonus categories each quarter. To learn more, check out our full review of the Discover it Cash Back.
• If you want no cap on 2% cash-back earnings: The Citi Double Cash® Card (see rates and fees) is a simple way to earn 2% cash back on every purchase (1% when you make a purchase and 1% as you pay that purchase off). You'll get 2% cash back on everything, and the card charges no annual fee. To learn more, check out our full review of the Citi Double Cash.

For additional options, check out our list of the best cash-back cards.

Related: Why the Citi Double Cash will always have a place in my wallet

Is the Discover it Chrome worth it?

In my opinion, the Discover it Chrome is not the best option for maximizing cash-back rewards, as the $1,000 quarterly cap on 2% bonus earnings for gas station and restaurant purchases waters down its potential. However, those who can make the most of the first-year cash-back match offer or newcomers looking for simple redemption options could find this no-annual-fee card worthwhile.

Bottom line

There are better options to earn more cash back on your gas station and restaurant purchases than the Discover it Chrome, even if you aren't looking to pay an annual fee. If you're comfortable with managing rotating bonus categories, you'll likely find more value in Discover's other cash-back offering, the Discover it Cash Back.

Those willing to spend a decent amount on the Discover it Chrome in the first 12 months of holding it will most likely receive the most value from it. For the majority of people, I say there are better options.

Related: How to choose the best credit card for you

For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Preferred card, click here.