Discover it Chrome card review: Earn up to 2% back and get all your rewards matched after the first year

Review: Is the Discover it Chrome the best credit card for you?

If you're looking for a simple, no-hassle cash-back credit card, the Discover it® chrome might be a decent option for you. Discover cards don't charge an annual fee, though you may end up paying in other ways, namely in the form of a lower return on your spending. 

Read more: The best Discover credit cards in 2021

The Discover it® chrome offers 2% cash back on your first $1,000 in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each quarter (then 1%), meaning you could end up with an extra $20 in your wallet if you max out that category. Other than that you'll earn a fixed 1% cash back on all purchases, with no other caps or bonus categories to worry about. 

Cashback Match: A unique welcome offer

While many credit cards will throw tens of thousands of bonus miles or hundreds of dollars in cash at new applicants (after meeting certain spending thresholds), Discover offers a welcome bonus that's much better tailored to those who can't meet a high spending requirement in a short time frame.

Most Discover cards, including the Discover it® chrome, offer Discover Cashback Match. As the name would suggest, at the end of your first year of card membership Discover will match all the cash back you earned. This includes the 2% cash back earned at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000) and the 1% earned on all other purchases. 

Read more: Discover Cashback Match is a unique program that matches your credit card rewards after your first year, and it couldn't be easier to use

Ultimately you'll need to take a look at your own spending patterns and decide how much this offer is worth to you. That's sort of a theme with Discover cards as a whole, as they require careful analysis to determine whether this is the best offer for you. For some, you may be better off paying an annual fee for a more rewarding cash-back card or focusing your earning efforts elsewhere. 

Who should and shouldn't consider the Discover it® chrome

The Discover it® chrome is best for someone who doesn't spend a ton on their credit cards and is looking for a simple option to earn rewards. If you're just making the switch from debit to credit or are still in the process of building your credit history, Discover can be a good option.

Read more: The best cash-back credit cards in 2021

However, if you're a big spender, frequently spend in popular bonus categories (like dining, gas, groceries, etc.), or are looking for the option to earn flexible and valuable travel rewards, you're likely better off with a different card. After your first-year Cashback Match ends, you'll be earning a flat 1% on most purchases with the Discover it® chrome card. And even if you don't want to pay an annual fee, there are a couple of no-annual-fee cards worth considering — such as the Chase Freedom Unlimited® or Citi® Double Cash Card— that offer higher rewards at no extra cost.

Comparison: Discover it Chrome vs other Discover cards

Comparison: Discover it Chrome vs other cash-back credit cards

How to use rewards from the Discover it Chrome card

Discover makes it easy to redeem your cash back, either as a statement credit or at checkout when shopping with Amazon or Paypal. One side note — even if you plan to use your rewards to cover a purchase made with Amazon or PayPal, you should charge that to your card and then redeem your points as a statement credit so you earn cash back on the purchase.

Unlike some cards, there's no minimum amount required before you can redeem your cash back, and rewards never expire. If you close your account or don't use your card for 18 months, Discover will automatically redeem your rewards as a statement credit for you.

You can also use your rewards (starting at $5) for gift cards or eCertificates from partner merchants. In addition, you can donate your rewards to select charities, with a minimum donation of 1 cent:

Discover it Chrome card benefits and features

In the world of credit card rewards the mantra "you get what you pay for" is pretty applicable, so don't expect too many benefits from a card that doesn't charge an annual fee.

Two of the biggest selling points of the Discover it® chrome are the introductory 0% APR for 14 months on purchases and balance transfers (then a Discover it® chrome APR) and the fact that it doesn't charge any foreign transaction fees. If you're actively trying to pay down your credit card debt, a 0% APR offer like this can help give you some room to breathe while you make a plan.

Read more: The best rewards credit cards in 2021

Meanwhile, it's fairly common for no-annual-fee cards to charge a ~3% fee on foreign transactions, but the lack of any such fee makes the Discover it® chrome a good option to take with you when you travel.

Cardholders also get:

• Unique designs: You can choose between more than two dozen different designs, so you have a credit card that suits your style
  
• Security features: If you misplace your card or are worried about fraud, you can freeze your account— and Discover can also search the web for security breaches where your Social Security number was disclosed
  
• FICO credit score: Discover offers a real, free FICO credit score that it uses to approve accounts, set interest rates, and choose account limits

What cards compete with the Discover It Chrome Card?

Cards that don't charge an annual fee tend to be lighter on both perks and bonus categories, but there are two that come to mind that give the Discover it® chrome a real run for its money. 

The first is the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, one of the first cards I ever got and to this day one of my personal favorites. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® offers a welcome bonus of Chase Freedom Unlimited® and earns 5% back on travel purchases through Chase, 3% on dining and drug stores, and 1.5% cash back on all other purchases. While it's billed as a cash-back card, it earns rewards in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards points. 

You'd need to spend a whopping $20,000 in your first year with the Discover it® chrome to earn $200 in bonus cash back (on top of what you'd earn from regular spending) via the Cashback Match.

Read more: Chase Freedom Unlimited card review

If you also have a Chase travel credit card, like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or Chase Sapphire Reserve®, you can move points from the Chase Freedom Unlimited® to one of these cards and unlock the ability to transfer them to Chase's impressive collection of airline and hotel partners. The Chase Freedom Unlimited® also offers an introductory 0% APR for the first 15 months on purchases (then a 14.99%–23.74% variable APR).

The next contender is the Citi® Double Cash Card, which has long been used as a litmus test to judge other no-annual-fee cash-back cards. As the name suggests, the card offers 2% cash back on all purchases (1% at the time of purchase and another 1% when you pay your bill). Citi now lets you convert these rewards to Citi ThankYou Points which you can redeem for travel, meaning that, like the Chase Freedom Unlimited®, you can decide whether to pocket your cash-back rewards or use the points to help jumpstart your next great adventure.

Read more: Citi Double Cash card review

The Citi® Double Cash Card currently doesn't have a welcome bonus, but it does offer an introductory 0% APR for the first 18 months on balance transfers (then a Citi® Double Cash Card).

Discover it Chrome card fees and costs

The Discover it® chrome doesn't charge an annual fee or foreign transaction fees, and you won't pay a late fee on the first occurrence (after that, you'll pay up to $40).

New cardholders get a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 14 months, then a Discover it® chrome APR. There's an intro 3% balance transfer fee (after that, 5% (see rates)).

Read more: The best low-interest and 0% APR credit cards of 2021

There are also fees for returned payments (up to $40) and cash advances ($10 or 5% of the amount of each cash advance, whichever is greater), similar to other credit cards.

Ethan Steinberg is an award-travel expert who loves helping readers leverage their credit card rewards for luxurious international travel on a budget.

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