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Discover it® Student Chrome Review: A Beginner Card That Packs on the Perks

Review Updated
Lyle Daly
Author: Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
Lyle Daly
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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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Eric McWhinnie
Fact Checked: Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie
Eric McWhinnie

Eric McWhinnie has been writing and editing digital content since 2010. He specializes in personal finance and investing. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in Finance.

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Many or all of the products here are from our partners that compensate us. It’s how we make money. But our editorial integrity ensures that our product ratings are not influenced by compensation. Terms may apply to offers listed on this page.

The Discover it® Student Chrome is a beginner-friendly card with quality customer service and easy-to-use benefits. It earns bonus cash back on gas and restaurant spending, so it's ideal if those are big expense categories for you. Check out our full Discover it® Student Chrome review to see if it's right for you.

Ratings Methodology

Discover it® Student Chrome

Apply Now for Discover it® Student Chrome

On Discover's Secure Website.

Rates & Fees External Link Icon

Discover it® Student Chrome
Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5 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
Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5 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
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: Fair/New to Credit Under(669)
Apply Now for Discover it® Student 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.

Fair/New to Credit Under(669)

Intro APR

Purchases: 0%, 6 months

Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months

Regular APR

17.49% - 26.49% 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.

  • Has all the important perks for a student credit card. It's light on fees and doesn't charge an annual fee, plus it has a solid cash back program and a potentially big sign-up bonus.

    • Great sign-up bonus offer
    • Gas and restaurant rewards
    • No annual fee
    • Credit score monitoring
    • No foreign transaction fee
    • Low cash back rate
    • 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! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200. 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.
    • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
    • No credit score required to apply.
    • 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 and build your credit with responsible use.
    • 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 17.49% - 26.49% applies. Rates as of December 12, 2024.
    • 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
= Good
= Fair
= Poor
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.

Full Discover it® Student Chrome review

This credit card is a good fit for: Students who do a lot of driving or dining out, as they can make the most of bonus cash back on gas and restaurant spending.

Top perks

The Discover it® Student Chrome has plenty of perks, especially for a student credit card.

Unlimited Cashback Match sign-up bonus

A huge selling point for the Discover it® Student Chrome is that Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year. This sign-up bonus is only available during the first year and for new cardholders. The fact that it's unlimited is what makes it so impressive. If you earn $300 in cash back, Discover will match it with another $300.

Up to 2% cash back

This Discover student card earns a 2% Cashback Bonus® at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. It earns unlimited 1% cash back on other purchases. It's not the highest rate we've seen, especially compared to the best cash back credit cards, but you can at least earn extra in popular spending categories.

No annual fee

When you're on the typical student-sized budget, keeping extra expenses to a minimum is important. You can do that with the Discover it® Student Chrome, which doesn't charge an annual fee.

0% intro APR on purchases

The Discover it® Student Chrome offers a 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months. After the intro APR expires, the go-to 17.49% - 26.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024. (depending on your creditworthiness) will apply going forward.

That means you'll have 6 months to pay off expenses, such as books or tuition, without interest charges. Just keep in mind that the APR will go up quite a bit after the intro period. For that reason, it's best to pay off your entire balance during the intro period.

FICO® Score for free

When you have a Discover card, you get access to Discover Credit Scorecard, a tool that provides your FICO® Score. This is the most widely used type of credit score by lenders. Many free credit score tools provide other types of credit scores that aren't nearly as popular.

Discover Credit Scorecard also provides information on the factors affecting your credit. You can access it through your online account or the Discover app, and it will also be available in every account statement. This is a great way to learn about credit scores and how to build credit.

RELATED: How to Establish Credit for the First Time

No foreign transaction fee

Many credit cards charge an extra fee, often 3%, for transactions outside the United States. The Discover it® Student Chrome has no foreign transaction fee. That makes it a good choice if you ever travel internationally or plan to do a study abroad program.

MORE OPTIONS: Best Credit Cards for International Students

What could be improved

There's one area where this student credit card from Discover could get better.

Low cash back rate

The cash back rate on the Discover it® Student Chrome is nothing special. There are cards, including top student credit cards, that earn 3% to 5% back in bonus categories. A rate of 2% at gas stations and restaurants is on the low side, and there's also the spending cap of $1,000 per quarter that can limit your bonus rewards. If cash back is important to you, then you might want to read other credit card reviews to compare more options.

Find the best credit card for your needs
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Compare credit card rewards, fees, APRs, and more using our side-by-side comparison tool.

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Suggested credit score

As a student card, the Discover it® Student Chrome doesn't have a minimum credit score requirement. You can potentially get approved for it even if you don't have a credit history yet. You must be over 18 and enrolled in a college or university to apply.

The Discover it® Student Chrome is right for you if:

You're a college student and you spend a lot on gas, at restaurants, or both. With all its features and no unnecessary fees, the Discover it® Student Chrome is one of the best credit cards for students. It's a secure payment method that allows you to build credit for the first time.

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® Student Chrome card is $500, but you may get a higher limit depending on your creditworthiness. Some cardholders have gotten credit limits of $2,000 to $3,000 or more with this credit card.

  • No, you can't have both these cards at the same time. Discover doesn't let cardholders open more than one student credit card.

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