Discover has two credit card rewards programs, Discover Cash Back Rewards and Discover Miles Rewards. These two Discover rewards programs feature different credit cards, reward currencies, earning rates and redemption options. Discover Cash Back Rewards includes multiple credit cards, while Discover Miles Rewards only has one card that participates.
Discover Credit Card Rewards Program Overview
Name | Overall Rating | Type of Rewards | Average Value Per $1 Spent |
Discover Cash Back Rewards | 4.5/5 | Cash Back | 1 cent |
Discover Miles Rewards | 4.5/5 | Miles | 1 cent |
Offers information was collected on May 31, 2023, and is likely to have changed since.
Summary: Discover Credit Card Rewards Program Scores by Review Category
Category | Score |
---|---|
Earning Policies | 23/30 |
Redemption Policies | 13/20 |
Rewards Value per $1 Spent | 30/30 |
Eligibility & Transparency | 20/20 |
OVERALL | 86/100 |
How to Earn Discover Rewards
Category Rating: 77% (23/30)
The credit cards within each Discover rewards program offer different earning rates, though you will receive at least 1.5 mile per $1 spent or 1% cash back on all purchases.
Earning Rates by Program
- Discover Miles Rewards: 1.5 miles per $1 spent
- Discover Cash Back Rewards: 1% to 5% cash back, depending on the card
Earning Restrictions
The Discover credit card rewards programs (and specific cards within those programs) may place restrictions on the rewards you can earn. For example, some Discover Cash Back Rewards cards limit the total dollar value of purchases eligible to earn bonus rewards each quarter. Purchases in those categories beyond the limit will earn 1% cash back.
On the other hand, the Discover Miles Rewards program currently has no notable earning restrictions, other than a limited selection of cards you can earn miles with.
You can learn more by checking out WalletHub’s individual reviews of the rewards programs.
How to Redeem Discover Rewards
Category Rating: 65% (13/20)
All Discover Rewards redemption methods offer the same value. Therefore, the best way for you to redeem depends on your spending preferences and what you want to get in return for the rewards you earn. Below, you can seethe redemption options that are available now.
Cash Back
With both Discover Cash Back Rewards and Discover Miles Rewards, you can redeem your cash back as a statement credit or a deposit to a bank account.
Travel
Discover Miles Rewards allows you to redeem your miles for any travel purchases made in the past 180 days.
Gift Cards
Discover Cash Back Rewards allows you to redeem your rewards for an equivalent value in gift cards from various popular retailers.
Amazon/PayPal Purchases
Both Discover Cash Back Rewards and Discover Miles Rewards allow you to spend your points to make purchases directly through PayPal and Amazon.
Notable Redemption Restrictions:
- Redemption options limited by program: Discover Cash Back Rewards does not provide a travel redemption option, and Discover Miles Rewards won’t allow you to redeem miles for gift cards.
- No transfer partners: The Discover Cash Back Rewards and Discover Miles Rewards programs do not allow you to transfer your rewards to any hotel or airline loyalty programs. Many other top rewards programs do offer this feature.
You can learn more about these restrictions, as well as see a full list of the different ways to redeem, by checking out WalletHub’s individual reviews of the rewards programs.
Discover Rewards Value
Category Rating: 100% (30/30)
- Discover Miles Rewards: 1 cent per mile
- Discover Cash Back Rewards: $1 in rewards = $1 in cash back
Redemption Option | Programs That Offer | Average Rewards Value |
Cash Back | Discover Cash Back Rewards
Discover Miles Rewards
|
Cash Back Rewards: $1 in rewards = $1 cash back
Miles Rewards: 1 cent per mile
|
Travel | Discover Miles Rewards | 1 cent per mile |
Gift Cards | Discover Cash Back Rewards | Cash Back Rewards: $1 in rewards = $1 in gift cards |
Amazon/PayPal Purchases | Discover Cash Back Rewards
Discover Miles Rewards
|
Cash Back Rewards: $1 in rewards = $1 in purchases
Miles Rewards: 1 cent per mile
|
Discover Rewards Eligibility & Transparency
Category Rating: 100% (20/20)
The Discover credit card rewards programs have different cards that participate in them. Choosing any of the cards in a program will subject you to the same basic rules.
Participating Cards by Discover Rewards Program
Discover Cash Back Rewards | Discover Miles Rewards |
Discover it® Cash Back
Discover it® Student Cash Back
Discover it® Secured Credit Card
|
Discover it® Miles
|
Miscellaneous Details
There are a few other key things that you should know about each of the Discover credit card rewards programs. You can find highlights below. For the full details, check out WalletHub’s individual reviews of the programs.
Key Things to Know About Discover Miles Rewards
- Miles never expire as long as your account stays open and in good standing.
- Discover will match all the miles you earn during the first year. You will receive this bonus within two billing periods after your account anniversary.
- You can redeem as little as 1 mile toward your rewards.
Key Things to Know About Discover Cash Back Rewards
- Discover will match all of the cash back you earn during the first year on any card, with no limit. You will get this bonus within two billing periods after your first account anniversary.
- Your cash back never expires as long as the account stays open and in good standing.
- There are good credit card options for students.
Discover Rewards Programs vs. Other Popular Options
Rewards Program | Overall Score |
Discover Miles Rewards | 89/100 |
Discover Cash Back Rewards | 86/100 |
Capital One Cash Back Rewards | 93/100 |
Capital One Miles Rewards | 89/100 |
Chase Ultimate Rewards | 87/100 |
Citi ThankYou Rewards | 86/100 |
Amex Blue Cash Reward Dollars | 81/100 |
Summary: Discover Rewards Program Ratings by Category
Name | Overall Rating | Earning Policies Rating | Redemption Policies Rating | Rewards Value Per $1 Spent Rating | Eligibility & Transparency Rating |
Discover Miles Rewards | 89/100 | 26/30 | 13/20 | 30/30 | 20/20 |
Discover Cash Back Rewards | 86/100 | 23/30 | 13/20 | 30/30 | 20/20 |
Average Score | 87/100 | 24/30 | 13/20 | 30/30 | 20/20 |
Methodology
This review of Discover credit card rewards programs is based on the same methodology as WalletHub’s annual study on the Best Credit Card Rewards Programs.
Editor’s ratings reflect the sum of each program’s scores across the study’s five major categories, adjusted to a 5-point scale to create a representative distribution of ratings. The four major categories considered were: Earning Policies, Redemption Policies, Rewards Value per $1 Spent and Eligibility & Transparency.
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