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Discover it® Chrome Review: Save on Debt With a Long Balance Transfer Offer

Review Updated
Lyle Daly
Author: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Writer

Lyle Daly is a personal finance writer who specializes in credit cards, travel rewards programs, and banking. His work with Motley Fool Money and The Motley Fool has appeared syndicated in USA Today and Yahoo! Finance. He was born in California but currently lives as a digital nomad with a home base in Colombia.

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Nathan Alderman
Fact Checked: Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
Nathan Alderman
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The Discover it® Chrome is good for cardholders who want to get out of debt more quickly. It has a fantastic balance transfer offer and one of the better welcome bonuses from a no annual fee card. Unfortunately, it also has a low cash back rate that limits its long-term value.

Find out whether you should apply or keep looking in our full Discover it® Chrome review.

Ratings Methodology
Unlimited Cash Back Match

Discover it® Chrome

Apply Now for Discover it® Chrome

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Discover it® Chrome
Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Rating image, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
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= Excellent
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Credit Score: Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.
Recommended Credit Score required for this offer is: Good/Excellent (670-850)
Apply Now for Discover it® Chrome

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Credit Score Circle with letter I in it. Falling within this credit range does not guarantee approval by the issuer. An application must be submitted to the issuer for a potential approval decision. There are different types of credit scores and creditors use a variety of credit scores to make lending decisions.

Good/Excellent (670-850)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 6 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 18 months

Regular APR

18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Rewards Circle with letter I in it. 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

1% - 2% Cashback

Annual Fee

$0

Welcome Offer

Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.

  • The main draw of this Discover card is the balance transfer offer, which is one of the best we've come across. Unlike many balance transfer cards, it combines that with cash back rewards. But the cash back program doesn't measure up to what other cards offer.

    • Sign-up bonus offer
    • Gas and restaurants rewards
    • 0% intro APR
    • No annual fee
    • No foreign transaction fee
    • Low cash back rates
    • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers–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.
    • Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter, automatically. Plus earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.
    • Get a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers. Then 18.49% to 27.49% Standard Variable APR applies, based on credit worthiness. Rates as of December 12, 2024.
    • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
    • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
    • No annual fee.
    • Terms and conditions apply.

Credit card comparison

We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.

Offer Our Rating Welcome Offer Rewards Program APR Learn More
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
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Best for cash back on rotating categories 		Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. 1% - 5% Cashback Circle with letter I in it. Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

Intro:

Purchases: 0%, 15 months

Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months

Regular: 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.

Apply Now for Discover it® Cash Back

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for cash rewards on everyday spending 		$200 cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months. 2% cash rewards Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 2% cash rewards on purchases.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% intro APR for 12 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers

Purchases: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening

Balance Transfers: 0% intro APR, 12 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers

Regular: 19.24%, 24.24%, or 29.24% Variable APR

Apply Now for Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card

On Wells Fargo's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5 Circle with letter I in it. Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale. 5 stars equals Best. 4 stars equals Excellent. 3 stars equals Good. 2 stars equals Fair. 1 star equals Poor. We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
 = Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
Best for unlimited rewards on purchases 		25,000 points Circle with letter I in it. 25,000 online bonus points after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening - that can be a $250 statement credit toward travel purchases 1.5 points per dollar Circle with letter I in it. Earn unlimited 1.5 points per $1 spent on all purchases, with no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, and your points don't expire as long as your account remains open.

Intro: Circle with letter I in it. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases. 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days. After the intro APR offer ends, 18.49% - 28.49% Variable APR on purchases and balance transfers will apply. A 3% fee for 60 days from account opening, then 4% fee applies to all balance transfers.

Purchases: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for purchases

Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR for 15 billing cycles for any balance transfers made in the first 60 days

Regular: 18.49% - 28.49% (Variable)

Apply Now for Bank of America® Travel Rewards credit card

On Bank of America's Secure Website.

Discover it® Chrome review

Is the Discover it® Chrome worth it?

The Discover it® Chrome is a strong choice if your goal is paying off debt. It's one of the top balance transfer cards, so it could help you save big on interest charges. This Discover card isn't worth it strictly as a cash back card -- there are other options that earn much more.

Author's note
Image of reviewer

One of the things I like the most about Discover credit cards is the first-class customer experience. Discover nails this, with U.S.-based customer service available 24/7. If you're like me and prefer to avoid calling, Discover also offers a live chat, and I've found the agents there to be very helpful. This isn't just my personal experience, either. Discover is consistently one of the top credit card issuers in customer satisfaction studies.

What everyone else is saying

Here's a look at what more credit card reviews and social media users think of the Discover it® Chrome.

What other review sites say

Average review site rating: 4.0 / 5.0 stars

We read reviews of the Discover it® Chrome from five other review sites. The verdict: It's an excellent choice if you're looking for a balance transfer card, but a mediocre one if you're looking for a cash back card. Here's what reviewers liked about this card:

  • A long 0% intro APR on balance transfers
  • A potentially lucrative welcome offer
  • Light on fees, with no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and no fee for your first late payment

Reviewers didn't like the low rewards rate with just a pair of 2% back categories, and a small bonus spending cap of $1,000 in combined purchases per quarter. They also pointed out that it's not nearly as good for financing purchases as it is for balance transfers.

Online consensus

The Discover it® Chrome isn't the most popular card on social media. People don't consider it all that useful outside of the first year because of its welcome offer. To be fair, most comments criticizing the card are evaluating it as a cash back card, not a balance transfer card.

Several people pointed out that this Discover card's bonus rates are pretty lackluster, and that plenty of cash back cards earn more than 2% back at gas stations and restaurants. They also say that you could get a card that earns 2% back on all purchases. But some social media users do recommend the Discover it® Chrome for balance transfers.

Discover it® Chrome features and benefits

Become debt free with a long 0% intro APR

Debt, and especially credit card debt, can be tough to pay off. To make it easier, the Discover it® Chrome has a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers (and for 6 months on purchases).

The go-to 18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024. applies after the 0% intro APR period expires, and there's a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.

A balance transfer offer is like the fast track for getting rid of debt. With this Discover card, you'll have 18 months to pay down the balances you transfer, without paying more interest.

Cash back rewards with a valuable welcome bonus

The Discover it® Chrome earns cash back, although it isn't a big earner. It has a cash back rate of 2% at gas stations and restaurants, on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter in these categories. It earns an unlimited 1% on other purchases.

What really makes Discover cards like this one special is the Unlimited Cashback Match. Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. If you earn $300, you'll get another $300 from Discover. Since it's unlimited, this is one of the most valuable sign-up bonuses if you have high credit card spending.

Avoid some of the most common credit card fees

I haven't met anyone who likes paying credit card fees. Discover has some of the best credit cards if your priority is keeping fees to a minimum. All its cards, including the Discover it® Chrome, have:

  • No annual fee
  • No foreign transaction fee
  • No late fee the first time you pay late (there are fees for any additional late payments)

Easy-to-use cash back with no redemption minimum

Some credit cards make it frustrating to redeem your rewards. You might need to wait until you meet a redemption minimum, such as $20 or $25.

With this Discover card, you can redeem cash back at any time and for any amount. Discover also gives you several ways to use your cash back, including:

  • Apply it as a statement credit on your credit card bill
  • Deposit it to your bank account
  • Pay with it through Amazon.com, Apple Pay, and with PayPal
  • Get gift cards starting at $5, with an added bonus on every card
  • Donate it to a charitable cause

Highly rated customer service to resolve any issues

Customer service is something most people don't think about too much, until they need it. When you do, it's nice to have a credit card issuer that offers quality customer service and doesn't keep you waiting on hold for 15 minutes.

This is one of Discover's strong suits, as it has live U.S.-based customer service available 24/7. While I haven't had to contact Discover often, I have done so occasionally to ask questions. I've always gotten fast, quality service.

What could be improved

Low cash back rates for limited earning potential

The biggest problem with the Discover it® Chrome is its cash back rates. It has just two bonus categories, gas stations and restaurants, and it only earns 2% back in the first $1,000 you spend combined in those categories per quarter. The rest of your purchases earn the standard 1%.

Other no annual fee cards earn 3% or 4% in those same bonus categories. You could also get a cash back card that earns a flat rate of 2% on all your purchases. With either option, you'd earn much more cash back than you would with the Discover it® Chrome.

The balance transfer offer and welcome bonus aren't the best combination

The Discover it® Chrome's balance transfer offer and Unlimited Cashback Match are great features on their own. They don't work nearly as well together, because they pull you in opposite directions.

A balance transfer offer is a way to get out of debt faster, while saving money on interest. After you transfer over your debt, you should pay down your balance transfer card as quickly as possible, ideally before the 0% intro APR ends. It helps to keep your spending on that card to a minimum, so you don't add to your balance.

But Discover's Unlimited Cashback Match rewards you for spending money during the first year. The more you spend, the more cash back you'll earn that Discover will match. The welcome bonus basically encourages you to spend on your Discover card, and that gets in the way of paying off debt.

Find the best credit card for your needs
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What to know before applying

Discover it® Chrome credit score

A FICO® Score of 670 or higher is recommended to apply for the Discover it® Chrome. It's a credit card for consumers with good to excellent credit. Keep in mind that Discover considers more than just your credit score when you apply, so that alone doesn't guarantee your application will be approved or denied.

Pre-approval process

On the Discover website, open the "All Products" menu, expand the "Credit Cards" menu, and then click "See if You're Pre-Approved." Fill out the form with the required information to instantly check if you're pre-approved for any Discover credit cards. If you're interested in a Discover balance transfer card, like the Discover it® Chrome, select "Balance Transfer" in the "Card Benefit" field.

Intro APR

The Discover it® Chrome has a 0% intro APR for 18 months on balance transfers and for 6 months on purchases. The balance transfer offer is excellent and makes this card a good fit for consumers trying to get out of debt.

Fees

Here are the fees for the Discover it® Chrome:

  • Annual fee: $0
  • Foreign transaction fees: None
  • Balance transfer fees: 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*

Credit limit

The Discover it® Chrome has a minimum starting credit limit of $500, according to the terms and conditions. Discover bases your credit limit on your income and overall creditworthiness. Many approved applicants receive much higher limits, and there are reports online of limits over $5,000.

Our credit card methodology

At Motley Fool Money, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.

We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how Motley Fool Money rates credit cards.

FAQs

  • The minimum starting credit limit for the Discover it® Chrome card is $500. Depending on your creditworthiness, you may qualify for a higher credit limit. Some cardholders have reported limits of $5,000 or more.

  • No, the Discover it® Chrome card isn't metal. It's made of plastic.

  • Yes, you can use the Discover it® Chrome card internationally wherever Discover is accepted, and it doesn't charge a foreign transaction fee.