Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
Both cards cost $0/yr. The Discover it Cash Back leads on rotating quarterly; the Discover it Student Cash Back on rotating quarterly.
Card data as of September 27, 2026.
Annual Fee
Welcome Bonus
| Category | Discover it Cash Back | Discover it Student Cash Back |
|---|---|---|
| Rotating Quarterly | 5X | 5X |
Network
Key Benefits
Pros
Cons
Modeled net value (bonus categories at unconditional rates, caps applied). Spend mix: dining 15%, groceries 15%, gas 10%, travel 10%, everything else 50%. Statement credits use the same recurring usable estimates as each card's detail page; first-year-only credits count in year one only. Welcome offers valued at each card's program rate shown on this page.
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Scenario | Discover it Cash Back | Discover it Student Cash Back | Ongoing winner | Year-one winner |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light spender: $1,000/month | Rewards: $120 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $120 Year one: $120 | Rewards: $120 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $120 Year one: $220 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Discover it Student Cash Back |
| Heavy spender: $4,000/month | Rewards: $480 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $480 Year one: $480 | Rewards: $480 Credits (our usable estimate): $0 − Annual fee ($0) Ongoing: $480 Year one: $580 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
| Discover it Student Cash Back |
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; data as of September 27, 2026. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.
