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Elizabeth is a personal finance writer specializing in credit cards, debt repayment, and small business. Her work has appeared on The Motley Fool, MSN Money, Yahoo! Finance, and Business Insider. She’s an avid credit card points collector and perpetual traveler currently living in Costa Rica.
Jamie Matthews is alumni of Ohio State University and still calls Columbus, Ohio home. She is a finance editor with more than nine years of experience. When she isn't obsessing over grammar and punctuation, she enjoys baking, reading books, and being a proud dog mom.
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What if you could know whether or not you'd be approved before applying for a credit card?
While there's no way to guarantee approval, getting a pre-approved offer before applying for a credit card can help you target the right cards for your credit score and avoid unnecessary inquiries on your credit report. Here's how to get pre-approved for a Discover credit card.
What does pre-approved mean?
Getting pre-approved for a credit card offer simply means that the credit card issuer has determined that you fit certain criteria for that credit card. The card issuer does this by running a soft credit check, which doesn't show up on your credit report or affect your credit score.
Pre-approval checks aren't as extensive as a hard credit check, so receiving Discover pre-approval doesn't necessarily mean you will be approved for the card. On the flip side, not having pre-approval for a Discover card doesn't mean you'll be denied.
Getting pre-approved for Discover credit cards
Some people may automatically receive Discover pre-approval offers in the mail. However, the best way to check for Discover pre-approval is online. The online Discover pre-approval tool will show you exactly what personalized credit card offers you qualify for based on the information you provide.
To access the Discover pre-approval tool, you'll need to navigate to Discover's website (www.discover.com), choose "All Products" from the top navigation menu, click the arrow beside "Credit Cards," then click on the "See if You're Pre-approved" graphic. You'll need to have the following information ready:
Personal information like your name and address
Employment information such as your salary and rent or mortgage payments
Banking information like whether you have any checking, savings, or retirement accounts
Security information like your birthday and Social Security number
You can then select whether you prefer cash back credit cards, travel credit cards, or balance transfer offers. The form takes about five minutes to fill out, and you'll receive a list of cards for which you're pre-approved instantly.
That said, if you aren't pre-approved for any offers, you should receive a reason. After that, Discover recommends waiting at least eight days before submitting another request through the Discover pre-approval tool to see if you have any new offers.
Discover credit card options
If you're wondering which Discover card might be right for you, take a look at a few of our favorites below:
5.00/5
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, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
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, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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, 4.50 out of 5 stars.
4.50/5
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, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
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, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
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 Rating Requirement:
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)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
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)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
Good/Excellent (670-850)
Credit Rating Requirement:
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: New/Rebuilding Under(579)
Poor
Fair
Good
Excellent
300-579
580-669
670-739
740-850
New/Rebuilding Under(579)
Welcome Offer:
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Welcome Offer:
Discover will match all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Welcome Offer:
Discover will match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.
Rewards Program:
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.
1% - 5% Cashback
Rewards Program:
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
1.5X miles
Rewards Program:
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
Intro APR:
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Intro APR:
Purchases: 0%, 15 months
Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months
Intro APR:
Purchases: n/a
Balance Transfers: 10.99%, 6 months
Regular APR:
18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.
Regular APR:
18.49% - 27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.
Regular APR:
27.49% Variable APR *Rates as of December 12, 2024.
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Annual Fee:
$0
Highlights:
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. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
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.
Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
Apply and you could get a decision in as little as 60 seconds. No annual fee.
Start shopping and earning rewards in minutes with our digital card, before your physical card arrives in the mail, if eligible.
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.
Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.49% to 27.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness. Rates as of December 12, 2024.
Terms and conditions apply.
Highlights:
UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers—only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. You could turn 35,000 Miles to 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
No annual fee
Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 18.49% - 27.49% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply. Rates as of December 12, 2024.
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.
Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
Terms and conditions apply.
Highlights:
No credit score required to apply. No Annual Fee.
Your secured credit card requires a refundable security deposit, and your credit line will equal your deposit amount, starting at $200. Bank information must be provided when submitting your deposit.
Raise your credit score by 30+ points.
Automatic reviews starting at 7 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
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.
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.
Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites. Activate for free.
Why you should check your pre-approvals before applying for a credit card
You want to minimize your rejections for credit cards. Every time you submit a credit card application, the issuer will run a hard credit check, which does show up on your credit report and can drag your score down temporarily. If you're denied for the credit card, you've got a hard inquiry on your credit report with nothing to show for it. While the decrease is minimal from one inquiry, racking up six or seven will really take a toll on your credit score, especially if you have a short credit history.
Choosing a credit card
Don't you wish you could take a peek inside a credit card expert's wallet sometimes? Just to see the cards they carry? Well, you can't look in anybody's wallet, but you can check out our experts' favorite credit cards. Get started here:
Pre-approval might not be the guarantee you'd like, but it can help you decide whether or not you actually want to submit an application, or it can help you decide which credit card to apply for.
Checking your pre-approvals may also help you decide between two different Discover credit cards. You may also be able to get a sense of the APR you'll be offered from your pre-approvals, which can help guide your decision. In the end, there's no risk involved in using Discover pre-approval, but there is the potential for lots of rewards.
We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. Motley Fool Money does not cover all offers on the market. Motley Fool Money is 100% owned and operated by The Motley Fool. Our knowledgeable team of personal finance editors and analysts are employed by The Motley Fool and held to the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
Discover Financial Services is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. John Mackey, former CEO of Whole Foods Market, an Amazon subsidiary, is a member of The Motley Fool’s board of directors. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of Motley Fool Money. Elizabeth Aldrich has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Amazon, JPMorgan Chase, and Target. The Motley Fool recommends Discover Financial Services. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
The Motley Fool has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.
Motley Fool Money is a Motley Fool service that rates and reviews essential products for your everyday money matters.
