Review: Discover it® Student chrome

Kat Tretina

March 26, 2019  •  3 Minute Read

Credit Cards

As a student, it’s especially important to start building good credit habits now. The earlier you get started, the better off you’ll be once you graduate. However, getting started can be difficult; student credit cards can be hard to find.

One of the best options for college students is the Discover it® Student chrome card. Below, find out how the card works.

Rewards

Most student credit cards don’t offer very good rewards, if they offer any at all. The Discover it® Student chrome card is different. It allows you to earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. That means you could earn $80 a year just by using your card to fill up your tank or when eating out.

You’ll also earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases. If you use your card to pay for essentials like textbooks and supplies, you can quickly rack up rewards.

As an added bonus, Discover offers a Cashback Match. That means they’ll match all the cash back you earned at the end of your first year automatically. So if you earned $80 in cash back, Discover will double it, putting $160 back in your pocket. That’s an exceptional perk for a student credit card.

Benefits

Like most student credit cards, the Discover it® Student chrome card doesn’t offer many benefits. One exception is the Good Grade Reward Program. Each school year that you earn a 3.0 GPA or higher, Discover will give you a $20 statement credit for up to five years.

Terms & Fees

As a student, it’s important to establish good habits when it comes to managing credit cards. That means using your card strategically and paying off your balance in full each month.

The Discover it® Student chrome card gives you 0% APR for six months for new purchases, helping you pay off big purchases like a new computer without worrying about interest. However, once that promotional period is over, the interest rate jumps to 15.24% to 24.24%. Such a high rate can cause your balance to balloon out of control, so make sure you pay off your balance every statement period.

Alternatives to the Discover it® Student Cash Back card: Secured cards

The Discover it® Chrome Student Cash Back card offers significant rewards and value for a student credit card. However, not everyone will qualify for it, and you may need a Visa or MasterCard as a backup if you plan on traveling internationally.

If you need another credit card, you might want to look into secured credit cards. Unlike traditional credit cards, secured credit cards require a security deposit that acts as your credit line. For example, if you deposit $500 onto the account, you can spend up to $500 using the card. After that, you won’t be able to use it until you make a payment.

Secured credit cards can help you establish good credit habits and can boost your credit history so you can qualify for another card later on.

Some secured cards even offer rewards. The Discover it® Secured card allows you to earn 2% cash back at gas stations and restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases every quarter, automatically. You’ll earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases.

If this approach sounds like a option for you, check out our favorite secured credit cards.

The bottom line

The Discover it® Chrome Student Cash Back card offers strong rewards and perks for a student credit card, making it a great choice for college students.

While looking for a new credit card can be overwhelming, using our resources can help streamline the process. If you’re looking for a credit card, check out our favorite options for students.