Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex or Discover it Student Cash Back?

The Chase Freedom Flex has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

Should I get the Chase Freedom Flex or the Discover it Student Cash Back?

Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex or Discover it Student Cash Back?

The Chase Freedom Flex has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

Should I get the Chase Freedom Flex or the Discover it Student Cash Back?

Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex or Discover it Student Cash Back?

The Chase Freedom Flex has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.

Should I get the Chase Freedom Flex or the Discover it Student Cash Back?

Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

CardRewards

Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Our analysis is based on publicly available card data and is reviewed regularly by our editorial team. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content. Last updated: May 2026.

CardRewards

Chase Freedom Flex vs Discover it Student Cash Back

Both cards cost $0/yr. The Chase Freedom Flex is better for rotating quarterly, while the Discover it Student Cash Back wins on rotating quarterly. Here's how they compare.

Chase Freedom Flex

Chase

Discover it Student Cash Back

Discover

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

Welcome Bonus

200 Cash

50 cash

Earn Rates

Category	Chase Freedom Flex	Discover it Student Cash Back
Rotating Quarterly	5X	5X
Drugstores	3X	1X
Everything Else	1X	1X

Benefits & Features

Network

MASTERCARD

DISCOVER

Key Benefits

✓Travel insurance

✓Purchase protection

None

Pros & Cons

Pros

+5% on rotating categories up to $1,500/quarter when activated
+3% on dining and drugstores with no annual cap
+5X on Chase Travel portal purchases
+$0 annual fee with Mastercard World Elite benefits
+Transfer points 1:1 to travel partners with Sapphire card

+Cashback Match doubles all cash back earned in year one automatically
+$20 statement credit annually for 3.0+ GPA (up to 5 years)
+5% on rotating quarterly categories (when activated)
+No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
+No credit score required to apply

Cons

−Must activate quarterly categories or miss 5% bonus
−$1,500 quarterly cap on 5% categories ($300 max bonus/quarter)

Category-by-Category Winner

The Chase Freedom Flex wins in 1 of 1 categories. The Discover it Student Cash Back leads in 0.

Drugstores

Chase Freedom Flex earns 3X vs 1X

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing Discover it Student Cash Back means losing:

-Purchase protection
-Travel insurance

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex or Discover it Student Cash Back?: The Chase Freedom Flex has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
Should I get the Chase Freedom Flex or the Discover it Student Cash Back?: Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Explore More

Chase Freedom Flex — Full Review All Chase Cards

Discover it Student Cash Back — Full Review All Discover Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Chase cards · Discover cards

Editorial disclosure: The analysis on this page is based on publicly available card data and is updated regularly. CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or editorial content. Last updated: May 2026.

Chase Freedom Flex vs Discover it Student Cash Back

Both cards cost $0/yr. The Chase Freedom Flex is better for rotating quarterly, while the Discover it Student Cash Back wins on rotating quarterly. Here's how they compare.

Chase Freedom Flex

Chase

Discover it Student Cash Back

Discover

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

Welcome Bonus

200 Cash

50 cash

Earn Rates

Category	Chase Freedom Flex	Discover it Student Cash Back
Rotating Quarterly	5X	5X
Drugstores	3X	1X
Everything Else	1X	1X

Benefits & Features

Network

MASTERCARD

DISCOVER

Key Benefits

✓Travel insurance

✓Purchase protection

None

Pros & Cons

Pros

+5% on rotating categories up to $1,500/quarter when activated
+3% on dining and drugstores with no annual cap
+5X on Chase Travel portal purchases
+$0 annual fee with Mastercard World Elite benefits
+Transfer points 1:1 to travel partners with Sapphire card

+Cashback Match doubles all cash back earned in year one automatically
+$20 statement credit annually for 3.0+ GPA (up to 5 years)
+5% on rotating quarterly categories (when activated)
+No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
+No credit score required to apply

Cons

−Must activate quarterly categories or miss 5% bonus
−$1,500 quarterly cap on 5% categories ($300 max bonus/quarter)

Category-by-Category Winner

The Chase Freedom Flex wins in 1 of 1 categories. The Discover it Student Cash Back leads in 0.

Drugstores

Chase Freedom Flex earns 3X vs 1X

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing Discover it Student Cash Back means losing:

-Purchase protection
-Travel insurance

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex or Discover it Student Cash Back?: The Chase Freedom Flex has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
Should I get the Chase Freedom Flex or the Discover it Student Cash Back?: Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Explore More

Chase Freedom Flex — Full Review All Chase Cards

Discover it Student Cash Back — Full Review All Discover Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Chase cards · Discover cards

Chase Freedom Flex vs Discover it Student Cash Back

Both cards cost $0/yr. The Chase Freedom Flex is better for rotating quarterly, while the Discover it Student Cash Back wins on rotating quarterly. Here's how they compare.

Chase Freedom Flex

Chase

Discover it Student Cash Back

Discover

Fees & Welcome Offer

Annual Fee

Welcome Bonus

200 Cash

50 cash

Earn Rates

Category	Chase Freedom Flex	Discover it Student Cash Back
Rotating Quarterly	5X	5X
Drugstores	3X	1X
Everything Else	1X	1X

Benefits & Features

Network

MASTERCARD

DISCOVER

Key Benefits

✓Travel insurance

✓Purchase protection

None

Pros & Cons

Pros

+5% on rotating categories up to $1,500/quarter when activated
+3% on dining and drugstores with no annual cap
+5X on Chase Travel portal purchases
+$0 annual fee with Mastercard World Elite benefits
+Transfer points 1:1 to travel partners with Sapphire card

+Cashback Match doubles all cash back earned in year one automatically
+$20 statement credit annually for 3.0+ GPA (up to 5 years)
+5% on rotating quarterly categories (when activated)
+No annual fee or foreign transaction fee
+No credit score required to apply

Cons

−Must activate quarterly categories or miss 5% bonus
−$1,500 quarterly cap on 5% categories ($300 max bonus/quarter)

Category-by-Category Winner

The Chase Freedom Flex wins in 1 of 1 categories. The Discover it Student Cash Back leads in 0.

Drugstores

Chase Freedom Flex earns 3X vs 1X

What You Give Up

Choosing one card means missing out on these benefits from the other.

Choosing Discover it Student Cash Back means losing:

-Purchase protection
-Travel insurance

Frequently Asked Questions

Which card earns more rewards, the Chase Freedom Flex or Discover it Student Cash Back?: The Chase Freedom Flex has a higher base earn rate (1X vs 0X), but both cards have different bonus categories where they excel.
Should I get the Chase Freedom Flex or the Discover it Student Cash Back?: Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.

Explore More

Chase Freedom Flex — Full Review All Chase Cards

Discover it Student Cash Back — Full Review All Discover Cards

Browse all comparisons →Browse all card categories →

Official issuer pages: Chase cards · Discover cards