Compare Discover credit cards with no annual fee

The average Discover annual fee is $0

Discover is probably the most generous card issuer in the US as it doesn’t charge an annual fee for any of its cards, and instead of offering a flat signup bonus, Discover matches any cash back you earn during your first year.

You won’t find a large variety of cards, such as hotel cards, airline cards or store cards, but you can find decent cash back and travel options that could help you earn rewards on your purchases or save money on interest with an intro APR period.

Discover cards with no annual fees

• Discover it® Cash Back
• Discover it® Miles Travel Credit Card
• Discover it® Chrome Gas & Restaurant Card
• Discover it® Chrome for Students
• Discover it® Student Cash Back
• Discover it® Secured
• Discover it® Business Card
• NHL Discover it® Card

Discover card pros and cons

Learn the perks and drawbacks Discover’s card lineup.

Pros

• All cards are without annual fees. Discover is the only provider on the market to offer cards with no annual fees.
• Most cards earn cash back. Aside from the Discover it® Miles Travel Credit Card, all other Discover cards earn cash back.
• Most cards offer cashback match. Discover offers something special — a cashback match. This means Discover will double the cash back or miles you earn during your first year, without limits. For example, if you earn $1,000 cash back on your own, Discover will give you another $1,000 for a total of $2,000 cash back.

Cons

• Few travel options. Discover’s main rewards strength is in cash back and you won’t find quite so many travel cards as with other providers.
• Rewards aren’t the strongest on market. Though all of Discover’s no-annual-fee rewards offerings are excellent, they’re out-classed by other providers as of August 2021.

Discover card fees to watch out for

While Discover cards lack annual fees, they do have several other fees you’ll commonly find on other cards.

• Balance transfer fee. If you’re moving your balance to save money on interest, expect to pay a balance transfer fee. If this is 3% of the amount you transfer, a $5,000 balance transfer will cost you $150 in balance transfer fees.
• Cash advance fee. Cash advances are among the most expensive transactions you can make. Aside from accruing interest the moment you make the transaction, you also pay a cash advance fee of 5% but not less than $10. This makes a $500 cash advance cost you $25 right off the bat.
• Late payment fee. Discover won’t impose any fees the first time you’re late on your payment. But every time you miss payment after that, expect to pay up to a $40 fee.

How to compare Discover no annual fee credit cards

Since all of Discover’s cards lack an annual fee, you’ll want to compare Discover cards based largely on your financial needs.

• Rewards. Many of Discover’s cards offer some form of cash back or rewards on eligible purchases.
• Intro APR. Though many Discover cards come with an intro APR on purchases and balance transfers, the length of time for each intro period ranges across cards.
• Credit-building capabilities. If you need a Discover card to build credit, there are two options available: a secured card and a student card.
• Ongoing APR. If you plan on carrying a balance, you’ll want to choose the Discover card with the lowest possible ongoing APR.

Bottom line

Most Discover cards with no annual fee let you earn cash back, while only one card earns miles. If you’re looking to use a 0% intro APR period on balance transfers or purchases, you’ll find most of the cards suitable. However, if you’re looking to earn higher rewards by paying an annual fee, you’ll be disappointed as there is no such Discover card.

If none of the cards fit your needs, check out other credit cards to compare your options.