Cash Back card review
Discover it® Cash Back
Rotating 5% categories plus a first-year match that effectively doubles everything you earn.
Open to new applicantsVerified on issuer pages
At a glance
Annual fee$0
Welcome offer$200 statement credit bonus after $500 in 3 months, plus Unlimited Cashback Match$500 in 3 months
IssuerDiscover
Rewards programDiscover Cashback Bonus
Foreign transaction feeNone
Welcome offer
$200 statement credit bonus after $500 in 3 months, plus Unlimited Cashback Match after $500 of spending within 3 months.
Discover matches all cash back earned in the first year. The $200 bonus was shown on Discover's own card page on 2 November 2026.
Offers vary. Welcome offers on this card can differ by applicant, by referral and by the link you apply through. The figure above is what our source showed on the date given, not a guarantee of what you will be offered.
Earning rates
| Rate | On | Cap or condition |
|---|---|---|
| 5% | Rotating quarterly categories | Historically $1,500 in spending per quarter, with activation required |
| 1% | Everything else | No cap stated |
Benefits and credits
- Unlimited Cashback Match Discover matches all cash back earned in your first year.
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
Restrictions worth knowing
- Quarterly activation is required for the 5% rate.
- The 5% has historically been capped at $1,500 in spending per quarter.
- Discover acceptance is narrower than Visa or Mastercard, particularly outside the US.
How to use it well
- The first-year match is the real offer. At the quarterly cap, 5% matched becomes an effective 10% on up to $6,000 of category spending.
- Acceptance is the catch. Do not make this your only card for a trip abroad.
Sources and freshness
What we checked: Fee, bonus and Cashback Match confirmed on Discover's own card listing page, 2 November 2026. The quarterly cap is a longstanding published figure flagged as historical.
- Discover: credit cards — read November 2, 2026
Last updated: November 2, 2026.
Other Discover cards
- Discover it® Miles — $0, open to new applicants