Uncover the Discover Card Benefits | Discover Card Reviews & Rankings
Feeling overwhelmed by the sheer volume of credit cards available to consumers in today’s market? Credit card companies are making it increasingly difficult to distinguish the difference between all of their offerings. It can be a challenge to determine which credit card is going to be the right fit for you.
When it comes to Discover credit cards, sorting through the fine print is time-consuming, and you may struggle to keep the facts straight. You also have to keep in mind that, even though many of the Discover credit cards sound the same, they feature different programs and rewards.
What are the basic Discover card benefits? Find out what each of the Discover credit card reviews have to say about their basic features and advantageous rewards programs.
AdvisoryHQ is here to help lead you toward making wiser financial decisions, starting with selecting the right Discover credit card. For more details on what a thorough Discover it credit card review can provide, see our detailed comparison below.
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Discover Cards Comparison Review List
The list below is sorted alphabetically:
- Discover it® Card
- Discover it® for Students Card
- Discover it® Miles Card
- Discover it® Secured Credit Card
High Level Discover Card Comparison Table
Discover Credit Cards | Annual Fee | APR | Introductory Offer |
Discover it® Card | $0 | 11.24% to 23.24% | 0% APR for 12 months on purchases and balance transfers |
Discover it® for Students Card | $0 | 13.24% to 22.24% | 0% APR for 6 months on purchases |
Discover it® Miles Card | $0 | 11.24% to 23.24% | 0% APR for 12 months on purchases |
Discover it® Secured Credit Card | $0 | 23.24% | N/A |
Table: The above list is sorted alphabetically
Basic Discover Card Benefits
Because all of the Discover it® credit cards are fairly similar, they come standard with a handful of perks that cardholders will love. Any Discover credit cards review should start with the very basics of what to expect with your new Discover credit cards before launching into the specifics.
Image Source: Discover Credit Card
Consumers who are interested in polishing their credit score or keeping a close eye on it will love having access to their FICO credit score for free each month. Particularly for those interested in a Discover card for bad credit, monitoring the fluctuations in your credit score can help you to improve your number.
When you have a problem with your Discover card credit card, you can call into their customer service department anytime. They are available 24 hours a day with U.S.-based representatives. Calls are free, and their Discover credit card review notes that they don’t try to persuade you to sign up for additional products during your calls.
Security is paramount when you’re investigating potential Discover card benefits. You’ll never be held responsible for unauthorized purchases made on your Discover credit card. Suspicious activity is closely monitored so that Discover can alert you as quickly as possible.
After a quick Discover credit card review of your transactions, you can always freeze your account with Freeze It. If you suspect fraudulent activities, have misplaced your Discover credit cards, or just want some added protection for the day, you can use their Freeze It app to put a stop to spending on your card immediately. No purchases, transfers, cash advances, or balance transfers can be performed once you turn on this feature.
Having these Discover card benefits at your fingertips sets you up for success before you ever apply. If the basic programs offered on the Discover credit cards don’t appeal to you, you may be looking for a different program overall. Keep in mind that these Discover credit cards do have additional offers and cash back rewards programs as well.
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Discover Credit Card Offers: Cash Back
When it comes to the cash back rewards programs, what can the Discover card credit card programs offer to you as a consumer? Three of their cards (the Discover it® card, Discover it® for Students, and Discover it® Secured credit card) feature cash back rewards with generous rates and a handful of bonus offers depending on your spending.
A Discover credit card review is quick to point out that all three of these cards maintain the same base rate for cash back: 1% on all eligible purchases. While it may not seem like that rate would add up quickly, each Discover credit card offers opportunities to earn additional cash back in other spending categories.
For example, a Discover credit cards review should point out that the Discover it® Secured credit card allows you to earn 2% cash back at restaurants and gas stations (up to $1,000 in purchases each quarter). This is still a relatively low bonus offer, but it is designed to be a Discover card for bad credit. You’ll earn higher rewards with the Discover it® card and the Discover it® for Students card.
Both of these cards allow cardholders to earn 5% cash back in bonus categories that are determined on a quarterly basis. Spending categories will vary, but a Discover card benefits consumers who frequently use their card in all types of shopping. See below for the last two quarters and their cash back bonuses:
- October – December 2016: Amazon.com, department stores, Sam’s Club purchases
- January – March 2017: Gas stations, ground transportation, and wholesale club purchases
The Discover it® for Students card even awards cash back for receiving good grades. For the next five years, their Discover it® credit card review will take a close look at your GPA to determine if you’re eligible for a $20 bonus at the end of the school year. Students must maintain a 3.0 GPA to receive this bonus each year.
You should also take note of the fact that all three of these cards come equipped with their “first-year offer” in a thorough Discover credit cards review. These Discover card benefits allow you to double all of the cash back rewards you’ve earned during your first year of membership. Discover Bank credit card choices will automatically match all of the cash back you earn during your first year as a cardholder.
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Discover Card Benefits: Travel Miles
Only one of the Discover credit cards allows cardholders to accumulate travel rewards: the Discover it® Miles card. Unlike the other Discover credit cards that feature cash back rewards for all spending and bonus rewards for certain spending categories, the Discover it® Miles card is a little simpler and more straightforward.
Image Source: Discover Miles
On every purchase, you earn 1.5 miles with no limit and no expiration dates. Thorough Discover credit card reviews point out that not all credit cards allow you to save your rewards points indefinitely, another one of the excellent Discover card benefits.
Instead of receiving cash back, Discover credit cards review your transactions and how many points you have earned, allowing you to redeem them on future purchases. You may redeem them for airfare, hotel accommodations, and more. A great feature to point out in Discover card reviews is that there are no blackout dates, so you can redeem your points whenever it’s most convenient for you.
Similar to the other Discover credit cards, the Discover it® Miles card will also match all miles you accrue during your first year of membership. These Discover credit card offers apply to new cardholders only for their first year of membership.
Additionally, you also earn some cash back rewards that should be mentioned in Discover card reviews of the Discover it® Miles card. In-flight Wi-Fi purchases will be reimbursed (up to $30 annually) in statement credits. Your Discover credit cards can help you to travel more conveniently and with a greater sense of luxury.
Introductory Discover Card Benefits
Occasionally, you’ll find that Discover Bank credit card choices are accompanied by limited time offers that appeal to new cardholders. Oftentimes, these are issued in the form of more favorable interest rates or terms, and the Discover card benefits do not typically last through the lifetime of the cardholder’s account.
The Discover it® credit cards are no different, with three of the four offerings we’re comparing featuring great introductory interest rates. A Discover credit cards review would be remiss not to point out the inherent value of these Discover credit card offers.
The Discover it® card and the Discover it® Miles card both feature a 0% introductory APR for the first twelve months on purchases. The Discover it® card will also extend this offer to balance transfers, making it ideal for those who need to pay down debt. A good Discover credit card review should always mention how beneficial this offer can be for those who have tremendous amounts of debt on other high interest credit cards.
The Discover it® for Students card is less generous with its introductory APR offer, but the Discover card benefits are still worth mentioning in a Discover credit cards review. Instead of a 12-month offer, this student credit card offers 0% introductory APR for the first six months on purchases only.
The Discover it® Secured card features no introductory offers to entice cardholders to make large purchases or to transfer their balances. While that doesn’t make this a bad card, many Discover card reviews are likely to favor the options that allow consumers the freedom to use their card even briefly without interest rates.
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Rates and Fees
A thorough Discover credit cards review must mention the cost of maintaining these Discover credit cards. How do the rates and annual fees stack up among these four Discover credit cards? In order to determine if one of the Discover credit cards is better for consumers than another, we compared their APRs and annual fees to see how they line up.
All four of the Discover credit cards offer cardholders an easy and cost-efficient card to maintain. Annual fees accompany none of the Discover credit cards. This allows you to use Discover card benefits, including the cash back and travel rewards programs, without any real cost to you apart from the interest you accrue.
When it comes to interest rates, the four Discover card benefits do tend to vary slightly. Unsurprisingly, Discover credit card reviews can be quick to point out that the Discover it® Secured card features the highest interest rates of the four. This Discover card for bad credit (or no credit at all) has interest rates that come in at 23.24% APR.
Image Source: Discover Credit Card
The other Discover credit card choices offer cardholders the opportunity to maintain a lower APR, depending on their creditworthiness. The upper limits of the interest rates available in quick Discover card reviews of the interest rates come close to the Discover it® Secured card, though. See below for an easy comparison of the interest rates in order from lowest to highest:
- Discover it® card: 11.24% to 23.24% APR
- Discover it® Miles card: 11.24% to 23.24% APR
- Discover it® for Students card: 13.24% to 22.24% APR
These Discover card credit card programs feature highly competitive interest rates that are among some of the best in the industry. Our Discover credit cards review points out that there are definitely advantages to opting for some of the low rates possible among these Discover credit cards choices.
Late Fees and Other Costs
Unfortunately, interest rates and annual fees aren’t the only costs that must be considered in a Discover credit cards review. Consumers who have a habit of making late payments or who need to transfer their balances from one card to another also need a Discover credit cards review that will take a look at the additional costs of card maintenance.
Fortunately, the cost to maintain these four Discover credit cards is the same.
Cardholders are given a grace period in which they can miss one payment due date and have their late fee waived. This fee is waived only the first time the payment is missed and can cost cardholders up to $37.
The other primary benefit that should be mentioned in a Discover credit cards review is the lack of penalty APR. Many cards from other companies will feature a higher interest rate that remains until you can demonstrate consistent and responsible payments in a timely manner. In this case, a missed payment does not result in a higher interest rate.
Consumers who wanted to roll the balances off of their high interest credit card and onto their Discover credit cards will be pleased with the balance transfer fees as well. They are relatively low compared to some credit cards, coming in at just 3% of the amount transferred. This is a great way to take advantage of the introductory interest rates that are offered.
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Discover the Discover Cards Benefits Yourself
Applying for a new credit card can fill some consumers with trepidation. They want to make the wisest decision, but the number of factors that need to be considered are overwhelming.
You’ll need to evaluate just what features are most important to you before you apply for any of the Discover Bank credit card choices.
Consider whether you would benefit most from a Discover card for bad credit, a cash back rewards program, or a travel rewards program.
Do you need to move a balance from one card to another? Understanding which features would be the most helpful to you in the here and now can assist you in making an educated decision that will lead to a brighter financial future.
Our Discover it® credit card review has equipped you with the basic details regarding the cost and the perks of each of these wonderful Discover credit cards. Now that you are sufficiently armed with knowledge of all the Discover card benefits, it’s time to decide. Which of the Discover credit cards is right for you?
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