First-year value
DISCOVER
Discover it Cash Back
The Discover it Cash Back combines 5% rotating quarterly categories (up to $1,500/quarter, activation required) with an unlimited first-year Cashback Match — effectively doubling every dollar you earn in year one.
Updated July 2026Best for: New cardholders who don't mind activating quarterly categories.
Discover
Discover it Cash Back
•••• •••• •••• 2026
Cashback callout
5%
Top cash back rate
Rotating quarterly categories
Cashback Match
Bonus
$0
Annual fee
17.24–28.24% variable
APR
Welcome bonus: Discover matches all cash back earned in your first year. Intro: 0% intro APR on purchases for 15 months.
Every category, every rate.
| Category | Rate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Rotating 5% categories | 5% | Activation required, $1,500/qtr cap |
| All other purchases | 1% | — |
| Year one bonus | 2x match | Every dollar of cash back matched |
Pros
- +Unlimited Cashback Match in year one
- +5% on popular rotating categories
- +No annual fee, no foreign transaction fee
Cons
- −Requires quarterly activation
- −5% capped at $1,500/quarter in spend
- −Discover acceptance narrower than Visa/Mastercard
The fine print.
- Annual fee: $0
- Purchase APR: 17.24%–28.24% variable
- Intro APR: 0% on purchases for 15 months
- Foreign transaction fee: none
Rates, fees and offer terms shown are illustrative and change frequently. Always confirm current terms on the issuer's site before applying.
Effectively a 10%/2% card in year one thanks to the match — one of the strongest first-year values in cash back.