Discover credit cards
Discover it Cash Back is for people who will activate a quarterly category and want an outsized first year. You earn 5% in rotating categories on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter when you activate, and 1% on everything else. At the end of your first year, Discover matches every dollar of cash back you earned. There is no annual fee. The caveat: the 5% requires activation each quarter and stops at the cap.
This card is built for students starting a credit history, not for people who already have strong credit. Discover says no credit score is required to apply, though they may use one if you have it. There is no deposit, this is a real unsecured credit card from day one, not a prepaid or debit card, and not a loan: you borrow and you pay it back every month. You earn 5% cash back in categories that rotate each quarter when you activate, up to the quarterly maximum, and 1% on everything else. As of Sep 4, 2026 the purchase APR is 0% for the first 6 months, then 16.49% to 25.49% variable, and there is no annual fee. The card also carries a $100 statement credit welcome offer and Discover's Cashback Match, which doubles all the cash back you earn in your first 365 days.
Your deposit is $49, $99, or $200 depending on your creditworthiness, and you have 35 days after approval to fund it. Whatever you deposit, your starting credit line is at least $200, and Discover will assign a maximum line between $1,000 and $3,000 based on your creditworthiness, as of Sep 4, 2026. You can deposit more than the minimum before activating your card to raise your starting line. Earning works like Discover's flagship card: 5% back in categories that rotate each quarter, up to a quarterly maximum when you activate, then 1% on everything else. Discover does not publish the exact dollar cap for that quarterly maximum on the card page, so confirm it in your account once approved. The card carries a single published regular APR of 28.24% Variable as of Sep 4, 2026, with no promotional intro rate advertised. Build a track record of on time payments and Discover will refund your deposit and move you to the unsecured Discover it Cash Back Credit Card, same account number, same Cashback Match if you are still inside your first year.