Discover it® Student Chrome Review

Update – This offer is now EXPIRED.

The Discover it® Student chrome is easily one of the top credit cards available to students. It has low credit eligibility, great rates, and excellent rewards.

The Discover it® Student chrome is a different take on the already familiar Discover it® Student Cash Back.

Geared specifically towards college students, the Discover it® Student chrome is a fabulous choice for students who are just starting out on their journey towards strong credit ratings.

With good APRs, easy rewards structure, and excellent fees and rates, the Discover it® Student chrome clearly stands out above the competition.

You may already be familiar with Discover’s other student-friendly credit card, the Discover it® Student Cash Back. While these two cards share many of the same positive attributes, the Discover it® Student chrome is even more appealing to some people for its simplicity and ease of use, as you’ll see in our comparison section below.

In the meantime, the Discover it® Student chrome has a lot of appeal with $0 annual fee, introductory APR on new purchases, and a rich rewards program that could earn you 2% back on many of your purchases.

Wondering if the Discover it® Student chrome is the best student card for you? Take a look at the specifics of this Discover card so you can make your choice.

• $0 annual fee
• Cash back match at the end of the first year
• 2% cash back on gas and restaurant purchases
• Introductory APR
• Fair credit holders can qualify

The Discover it® Student chrome starts out strong by offering a $0 annual fee. That’s a lucrative offer, and something even some of the best rewards credit cards on the market don’t offer. Next, the Discover it® Student chrome has a solid rewards program that students can really take advantage of.

Discover offers 2% cash back on all gas station purchases and restaurants (up to $1,000 spent per quarter) and 1% unlimited on all other purchases.

This is on par with some of the more exclusive cards like the Capital One QuicksilverOne Cash Rewards Credit Card that only offers 1.5% across categories.

What’s really amazing about the Discover it® Student chrome is that, like the Visa card just mentioned, it caters to applicants with fair credit, but it has a rewards structure like more selective cards.

Rewarding people more cash back for gas station and restaurant purchases is also a generous offer for students considering the fact that most college enrollees are eating out more frequently and many spend a lot on gas during their commute. 1% unlimited cash back on all purchases is really the icing on the cake.

The Discover it® Student chrome doesn’t quit there, though. At the culmination of the first year, Discover will give active cardholders a 100% cash back match bonus. This means that whatever cash back rewards you’ve accrued over the course of the year via your Discover it® Student chrome will match, earning you twice as much as usual. This is a very generous offer that you would be hard-pressed to find elsewhere.

One thing we really appreciate about the Discover it® Student chrome is its flexible redemption policy.

To start with, cardholders can redeem their cash back in any amount at any time.

Additionally, your cash back rewards never expire, so you can use them as long as your account is active.

Finally, the cash back can be redeemed in a number of ways such as a statement credit, charitable donation (to selected charities), direct deposit into your bank account, gift cards or eCertificates from participating partners, or via Amazon.com. Unlike airline miles credit cards or other cards that severely limit your rewards usage, the Discover it® Student chrome is incredibly accommodating.

To round things off nicely, the Discover it® Student chrome offers an introductory offer. This is helpful for students who need to buy textbooks and supplies at the beginning of the year or semester, new clothing for the next season, or other purchases.

There are other cards that offers longer introductory periods with intro APRs, but those cards generally require a higher credit rating than the Discover it® Student chrome.

The Discover it® Student chrome is one of the best all-around credit cards for racking up cash back, getting strong benefits, and catering to the widest range of credit scores.

In addition to having great benefits, the Discover it® Student chrome earned top marks for its reasonable fees and rates structures, making it one of the most economically-sound cards to own. Here’s a breakdown of the Discover it® Student chrome rates and fees:

Annual Fee

The Discover it® Student chrome charges $0 in annual fees. That means it won’t cost you a thing to have the card even if you don’t end up using it for some reason.

Late Payment Fees

The Discover it® Student chrome will not charge you a late payment fee the first time you miss a payment. This is a policy that shows understanding and compassion, a nice touch for a financial institution. It is also something that works well with students and others who are just starting to build credit and learning how the whole system works. After the initial transgression though, you will pay up to a $40 late payment fee, so be sure not to skip again.

Penalty APR

Even if you do manage to miss a few payments, the Discover it® Student chrome will not penalize you by raising your APR, a common practice in this industry. Regardless of your payment history, your APR will remain the same (subject to variable rates).

Overlimit Fee

Additionally, the Discover it® Student chrome charges no over limit fees. Again, this is good for people who are still new to the whole credit card system.

Foreign Transaction Fee

Finally, the Discover it® Student chrome charges no foreign transaction fees. If you’re planning a trip abroad or shop online regularly, this is a major advantage considering most credit cards will charge you anywhere between three and 5% of each transaction made in a foreign currency.

We already mentioned the major benefits you’ll receive from signing up for a Discover it® Student chrome. To add to that, there are some additional perks you can look forward to including:

Free Credit Score Checks

You’ll receive a free FICO® credit score every month at the bottom of your credit card statement. This is really helpful for people who are trying to build up their credit (most students) as it shows you exactly where you’re holding and what you need to work on. FICO® score is based on your TransUnion credit report.

Zero Liability Insurance

The Discover it® Student chrome offers cardholders zero liability insurance, which means you won’t be liable for fraudulent charges made with your credit card. With identity theft on the rise, this is a valuable feature. See below to learn more about the Discover it® Student chrome security features for protecting you against these issues altogether.

Good Grades Reward Bonus

The Discover it® Student chrome rewards students for putting in the effort to get good grades. Cardholders will get a $20 bonus reward (in the form of a statement credit) each year your GPA is 3.0 or higher, for up to five years of your schooling. $20 isn’t a tremendous amount of money, but it’s free, and money is money.

Online Tools

The Discover it® Student chrome also gives you access to useful online tools like the Spend Analyzer. This tool lets you see where you’ve been spending your money the most and gives you good insight on how to cut back and save money for healthier financial activity.

The Spend Analyzer is particularly valuable for students and those who are new to credit card spending because it can teach them how to spend responsibly while using a credit card and building good credit history. You can also create structured payment plans using this tool.

Mobile App

The Discover it® Student chrome makes banking more convenient than ever. With the app, available at the Apple, Google Play, or Amazon Stores, you can check your balance even while you’re out, access your FICO scores (up to a year old), set up and receive notifications, or make on the go payments. Getting the app is simple; go to the app store, or you can send Discover an SMS to get a direct link to download the app.

The mobile app is compatible with smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices, so all of your devices can be synced. The mobile app is also invaluable for security purposes which we will discuss next.

The Discover it® Student chrome comes with strict security features and policies to ensure your security at all times. To begin with, your account has a four-digit authentication process in order to keep access secure. Additionally, you can set up alerts and be notified of any suspicious activity on your account. This and the social security number monitoring will be discussed in the next section.

One of the most useful security features the Discover it® Student chrome offers is the on/off switch that is accessible online or via the mobile app at any time. This feature allows you to instantly freeze your account with the touch of a button.

If you’re ever nervous that someone has stolen your card or is using it without permission, simply freeze the account, and no purchases, balance transfers, or cash advances will be able to go through. Other activities such as recurring bills will continue for your convenience, but you can stop these by speaking to a customer service rep if need be. Additionally, you’ll receive a free card replacement shipped overnight to anywhere in the United States if your card is ever lost or stolen.

Discover provides free account monitoring for all Discover it® Student chrome cardholders. This is an incalculable benefit because it allows you to keep tabs on your account 24/7 so you never miss anything suspicious. It is the best way to get ahead of identity theft. Discover will monitor your account, which means it will keep tabs on your Experian report and social security number, and alert you if your account information or SS number is mentioned on any risky websites or when a new account is added to your credit report (which can happen when somebody tries to use your credit to open a new card).

We’ve had nothing but the best experience with Discover’s customer service, and that seems to be the consensus across the customer reviews online as well. Representatives are friendly, well-informed, and helpful.

What’s more, Discover offers 24/7 customer support, so you are never left without someone to assist you, and all agents are based in the US. In the event that you misplace or have your Discover it® Student chrome stolen, you’ll have a new replacement card shipped to you overnight.

Phone: 1-800-DISCOVER

Live chat: online portal

If you’re not sure whether the Discover it® Student chrome is the best option for you, take a look at this card comparison. We’ve lined up the featured offers of the Discover it® Student chrome next to the Discover it® Student Cash Back to show you the differences and give you a better understanding of their highlights:

In short, they’re both great cards for students. If you’re not interested in having to keep track of rewards categories (including enrollment and keeping tabs on which category will earn you the 5% each time) and prefer a simpler cash back structure, then opt for the Discover it® Student chrome.

As mentioned above, the two cards are very similar in structure. The main difference between the two is that the Discover it® Student chrome offers high cash back rewards rate on a steady basis, whereas the Discover it® Student Cash Back provides a higher rate in the rotating category of each period.

The Discover it® Student chrome is easily one of the top credit cards available to students.

It has low credit eligibility, great rates, and excellent rewards.

There are credit cards that cater to those with poor credit, but these are usually secured credit cards and won’t offer you the same kind of rewards as the Discover it® Student chrome.

With the Discover it® Student chrome, you’re in the rare position of being able to build credit while getting cash back on your purchases. Take advantage of being a student; we highly recommend this card.