Discover it® Chrome vs Discover it® Student Chrome
Both cards cost $0/yr. The Discover it® Chrome leads on gas stations; the Discover it® Student Chrome on gas stations.
Card data as of November 13, 2026.
Discover it® ChromeDiscover · No annual fee
Discover it® Student ChromeDiscover · No annual fee
Overview
- Annual fee
- Discover it® Chrome$0Discover it® Student Chrome$0
- Welcome offerCurrent public offer
- Discover it® Chrome—Discover it® Student Chrome—
- Rewards
- Discover it® ChromeCash backDiscover it® Student ChromeCash back
- Foreign transaction fee
- Discover it® ChromeNoneDiscover it® Student ChromeNone
- Network
- Discover it® ChromeDiscoverDiscover it® Student ChromeDiscover
Earn ratesPer $1 spent
- Dining
- Discover it® Chrome2%Discover it® Student Chrome2%
- Gas Stations
- Discover it® Chrome2%Discover it® Student Chrome2%
- Everything else
- Discover it® Chrome1%Discover it® Student Chrome1%
Perks & access— means none on record
- Other perks
- Discover it® Chrome
- No foreign transaction fees
Discover it® Student Chrome—
Protections & insuranceLimits where published · — means none on record
- Purchase & returns
- Discover it® Chrome—Discover it® Student Chrome
- $0 fraud liability on unauthorized purchases
- Other protections
- Discover it® Chrome
- FICO score monitoring
- Instant card freeze with Freeze It
- Zero fraud liability protection
Discover it® Student Chrome- Free FICO Score through CreditWise
- Instant account freeze and unfreeze
Pros & cons
- Pros
- Discover it® Chrome
- No annual fee
- Consistent 2% cash back at gas stations without category activation
- Cashback Match doubles all rewards earned in the first year
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free FICO credit score access
Discover it® Student Chrome- No annual fee for students
- 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants (up to $1,000/quarter)
- First-year cash back match doubles all rewards
- No foreign transaction fees
- Free FICO score tracking
- Cons
- Discover it® Chrome
- Only 1% back on non-gas purchases
- Discover network has more limited merchant acceptance than Visa/Mastercard
- Lower earning rate than Discover it Cash Back during its 5% gas station quarters
- No sign-up bonus beyond the Cashback Match
- No premium travel or purchase protections
Discover it® Student Chrome- $1,000 quarterly cap on 2% categories
- Lower earning rate than rotating 5% category cards
- Discover network less accepted than Visa/Mastercard
- No welcome bonus beyond cash back match
- Limited to students only
Year One vs Ongoing Value
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® Chrome | Discover it® Student Chrome | 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: $120 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
| 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: $480 | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use | Close — depends on how much of the credits you use |
The Bottom Line
Close — depends on how much of the credits you use
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which card earns more rewards, the Discover it® Chrome or Discover it® Student Chrome?
- Both cards earn 1X on everyday purchases. The difference is in bonus categories — check the earn rate comparison above for a full breakdown.
- Should I get the Discover it® Chrome or the Discover it® Student Chrome?
- Both cards have the same $0/yr fee. Choose based on which bonus categories match your spending — check the earn rate comparison above.
Editorial disclosure: CardRewards.ai is an independent comparison service. Card data comes from issuers' published terms; catalog last published November 13, 2026, and each card page shows when its terms were last checked. Card issuers do not influence our rankings or content.