Discover it® Secured Credit Card
- Annual Fee
- $0
- Top Rate
- 5%
Terms checked against the issuer on October 10, 2026
At a Glance
- Annual Fee
- $0
- Foreign Transaction Fee
- $0
- Network
- —
- Rewards Currency
- Cash
- Point Valuation
- 1¢ (cash back)
- Credit Required
- Poor to Good
Earning Rates
- 5%
Rotating Quarterly
5% cash back on rotating bonus categories each quarter (up to $1,500 in combined purchases, then 1%)
Cap: $1,500/quarterly
- 5%
Capital One Entertainment
5% cash back on tickets bought on the Capital One Entertainment ticketing platform with this card; excludes cardholder-exclusive pre-sales, Capital One Hall/Arena direct ticketing and Capital One Dining
- 5%
Hotels Capital One
5% cash back on hotels and vacation rentals booked through Capital One Travel; purchases outside Capital One Travel earn the standard rate
- 5%
Car Rentals Capital One
5% cash back on rental cars booked through Capital One Travel; purchases outside Capital One Travel earn the standard rate
- 1%
All Other
1% cash back on all other purchases
Benefits & Perks
Insurance & Protections
3 protectionsFree FICO Score through CreditWise
Check your FICO Score 8 for free through CreditWise; checking it does not hurt your credit.
$0 fraud liability on unauthorized purchases
Never responsible for unauthorized purchases. Discover monitors every transaction and alerts you of suspicious activity.
Instant account freeze and unfreeze
Freeze your account instantly to block new purchases if your card is lost. Unfreeze just as quickly when found.
Details & Terms
Payment Terms
| Purchase APR | 29.24% (Variable) |
| Cash Advance APR | 29.24% (Variable) |
| Foreign Transaction Fee | $0 |
Card Family
Discover family
| Card | Tier | Annual Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discover It Cashback | entry | $0 | |
| Discover It Student Cashback | entry | $0 | |
| Discover It Chrome | entry | $0 |
Product changes available between family members without a new credit inquiry.
Reviews & Analysis
Pros and Cons
Pros
- +No annual fee for a secured card with rewards
- +5% cash back on rotating categories after activation
- +First-year cash back match doubles all rewards
- +No foreign transaction fees
- +Can graduate to the unsecured Discover it Cash Back card once you establish a positive track record
- +Fully refundable security deposit
- +Discover acceptance growing internationally
Cons
- -Requires a refundable security deposit (minimum $49, $99 or $200)
- -Must activate 5% categories each quarter
- -$1,500 quarterly cap on 5% categories
- -Secured credit limit tied to deposit amount
- -Discover network less accepted than Visa/Mastercard
- -No welcome bonus beyond cash back match
Who It's Best For
Best For
- Building or rebuilding credit with a secured card that earns rewards
- Those with limited or damaged credit history
- First-time credit card users who want cash back
- People who can activate rotating 5% categories quarterly
Not Ideal For
- Those with good credit who qualify for unsecured cards
- People who cannot afford a security deposit
- Those seeking travel rewards or points
- People who forget to activate quarterly categories
Media & Resources
Card Design
Evidence Sources
| Source | Verified | Citation |
|---|---|---|
| Discover Official | — | Discover Official |
| RewardsCC API | — | RewardsCC API |
| Issuer Page | Issuer Page | |
| Issuer Page | Issuer Page | |
| Issuer Page | Issuer Page | |
| Discover Official | Discover Official |
Top brands for this card
Brands where this card's earn-rate structure makes it a strong choice. Open a brand for the full ranked list.