Find it Chrome Overview
The Discover it® Chrome Card is a cash-back offer from Discover that earns 2% cashback on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter (1% thereafter) at gas stations and restaurants. You’ll earn 1% cash back on everything else. It’s a decent option with no annual fee, but there are better options out there for earning cash-back on everyday purchases. Card Rating*: ⭐⭐
*Card rating Based on the opinion of TPG’s editors and not influenced by the card issuer.
Discover it Chrome differs from the Discover it® Cash Back Credit Card, another cash-back option from the issuer, as it does not feature rotating bonus categories and has a lower quarterly threshold for elevated cash-back earnings.
The card has no annual fee and a recommended credit score of at least 670. Keep reading to learn more about Discover It Chrome and whether it’s worth adding to your wallet.
Information for Discover It Chrome Card and Discover It Cash Back Credit Card has been independently collected by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Related: Best Discover Cards
Find out about Chrome Pros and Cons
pros | opposition |
---|---|
|
|
Find that Chrome welcome offer
Discover It Chrome doesn’t offer the usual welcome offer, but you’ll get a cash-back match at the end of your first year.
There’s no limit to how much you can earn with a cash-back match at the end of your first year, meaning your earnings effectively double after 12 months. It’s the same cash-back match offered by the Discover It Cash Back credit card.
This can be a solid offer if you plan Spend frequently with the card in your first year.
Daily newsletter
Reward your inbox with the TPG Daily Newsletter
Join over 700,000 readers for the latest news, in-depth guides and exclusive deals from TPG’s experts
Related: Best Credit Card Welcome Bonuses Currently Available
Discover those Chrome benefits
Discover It Chrome’s set of benefits is standard and not flashy, but worth it Beginners
Here’s a list of what you can expect with the card:
- There are no foreign transaction fees
- Free access to your FICO credit score with Credit Scorecard
- Ability to freeze your account on Discover’s website or mobile app if you misplace your card
- $0 fraud liability if you see unauthorized purchases on your card
- Online privacy protections, including removing personal information from select people-search sites
Again, these benefits are not at the level of more premium offerings, but I believe they are good for newcomers to credit cards.
RELATED: 6 of our favorite under-the-radar credit card benefits
Get cash back with Discover It Chrome
With Discover It Chrome, you’ll get 2% cash back on purchases made here Gas stations and restaurants up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. After that threshold is met, you’ll earn 1% cash back in this category.
You will earn 1% back on all other purchases.
These two popular categories have fine cash-back rates for no-annual-fee cards. However, the $1,000 quarterly limit on earning 2% back can be limiting for high spenders. Apart from the first-year cash-back match, Discover It Chrome doesn’t offer the strongest earning options.
Let’s say you spend $1,000 in the 2% category each quarter, that’s only $20 cash back.
Also, there are other, arguably better options available to get elevated cash back with no annual fee (more on this later).
Related: The Best Rewards Credit Cards for Every Bonus Category
Redeeming cash back with Discover it Chrome
Redeeming the cash-back rewards you earn with Discover It Chrome is easy.
You can deposit your cash back into a bank account or apply it for a statement credit. You can also get gift cards starting at $5; Redeem your rewards at Amazon Checkout, Apple Pay or PayPal; or create Charitable donation.
A nice benefit is that you have the flexibility to redeem any amount of your cash-back rewards at any time.
I think Discover It Chrome is a solid option for beginners, as it makes redeeming cash back easy.
Related: How to redeem cash-back rewards from your credit card
Which cards compete with Discover It Chrome?
There are many cash-back cards that earn more than 1% in popular bonus categories, including gas stations and restaurants.
- If you want to earn more on gas purchases: The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Offers 3% cash back at US gas stations, a higher rate than what Discover It Chrome offers. The card charges a $0 introductory annual fee for the first year, then $95 (see rates and fees), so you’ll need to weigh whether the annual fee is worth it to you. To learn more, check out our full review of Amex Blue Cash Preferred.
- If you choose to rotate the bonus categories: The Discover It Cash Back Credit Card is another card in the Discover ecosystem that offers 5% cash back in quarterly bonus categories (activation required) that occasionally include gas stations and restaurants, among other options. You’ll get elevated cashback on the first $1,500 in combined purchases across bonus categories each quarter, a higher threshold than Discover It Chrome. To learn more, see our full review of Discover It Cash Back.
- If you want no limit on 2% cash-back earnings: The Citi Double Cash® Card (See Rates and Fees) There’s an easy way to earn 2% cash back on every purchase (1% when you make a purchase and 1% when you pay for that purchase). You’ll get 2% cash back on everything, and the card charges no annual fee. To learn more, read our full review of Citi Double Cash.
For additional options, check out our list of the best cash-back cards.
Related: Why Citi Double Cash will always have a place in my wallet
Is Discover It Chrome Worth It?
In my opinion, Discover It Chrome isn’t the best option for maximizing cash-back rewards, as the quarterly limit of $1,000 on 2% bonus earnings for gas station and restaurant purchases reduces its potential. However, those who can make the most of the first-year cash-back match offer or newcomers looking for easy redemption options may find this no-annual-fee card suitable.
The bottom line
There are better options for getting more cash back on your gas station and restaurant purchases than Discover It Chrome, even if you don’t want to pay the annual fee. If you’re comfortable managing rotating bonus categories, you’ll find more value in Discover’s other cash-back offering, the Discover It Cash Back Credit Card.
Those willing to spend a decent amount on Discover It Chrome are likely to get the most value out of it within the first 12 months of holding. For most people, I’d say there are better options.
Related: How to Choose the Best Credit Card for You
For Blue Cash Preferred Card rates and fees, click here.