Discover Credit Cards
In the mid-1980s, TV viewers witnessed advertisements for a radical new type of credit card. Not only would users be able to use the card to make purchases at thousands of businesses worldwide, but the card would actually pay them back for its use.
The commercial titled "Dawn of Discover" showcased consumers going about their typical American days, with the message, "Very few things cost you nothing to get and pay you back every day. But now the Discover card does."
Thus was born the Discover card, which when launched in 1986 brought the popular notion of credit card rewards into existence.
In the decades since that introduction, the soundness of the Discover card philosophy has been proven. Today, cash back rewards credit cards are a staple of the industry.
- Limited Time Offer - $0 Balance Transfer Fee!*
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 12 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 19.99%*
- 5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like gas, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
- Up to 20% Cashback Bonus at popular retailers when you shop online through Discover.com
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- 24/7 access to a U.S.-based Account Manager within 60 seconds
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Reg APR
10.99-19.99%
Variable
0%
12 months
Excellent
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then the variable purchase APR of 10.99% - 20.99%*
- 5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like gas, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
- Up to 20% Cashback Bonus at popular retailers when you shop online through Discover.com
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- 24/7 access to a U.S.-based Account Manager within 60 seconds
- $0 Fraud Liability plus mobile and email fraud alert options
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Reg APR
10.99% - 20.99%*
Variable
0%
15 months
Excellent
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 20.99%*
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers for 18 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 20.99%*
- 5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like gas, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- 24/7 access to a U.S. based Account Manager within 60 seconds
- $0 Fraud Liability plus automatic mobile and email fraud alerts
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Reg APR
10.99% - 20.99%
Variable
0%
6 months
Excellent
- Earn up to $250 in travel rewards--1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first 25 months
- Double Miles on every $1 you spend
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months then the variable purchase APR of 10.99% - 16.99%*
- No restrictions on travel--fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates
- Flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash
- Travel Insurance benefits, including primary car rental, lost or damaged luggage, travel delay, and trip cancellation when you book with your Escape by Discover card
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Reg APR
10.99% - 16.99%
Variable
0%
6 months
Excellent
Annual Fee$60
- Earn up to $120 in travel rewards--1,000 Bonus miles every month you make a purchase for the first year
- 1 Mile on every $1 you spend - Plus flexible redemption options like travel credits, merchandise, gift cards or cash
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 6 months, then the variable purchase APR of 10.99% - 16.99%*
- No restrictions on travel--fly on any airline, book any hotel or car, with no blackout dates
- Travel benefits include secondary collision damage insurance when you rent a car with your Miles by Discover card
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Reg APR
10.99% -16.99%
Variable
0%
6 months
Excellent
- Earn Cashback Bonus for your good credit management
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then the variable purchase APR of 10.99% - 20.99%*
- Up to 20% Cashback Bonus at popular online retailers when you shop through Discover.com
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- 24/7 access to a U.S. based Account Manager within 60 seconds
- $0 Fraud Liability plus mobile and email fraud alert options
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Reg APR
10.99% - 20.99%*
Variable
0%
15 months*
Excellent
- 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 10.99% - 19.99%*
- 2% automatically at gas stations and restaurants all year long*
- Plus, up to 20% Cashback Bonus at popular online retailers when you shop through Discover.com
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- 24/7 access to a U.S.-based Account Manager within 60 seconds
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Reg APR
10.99% - 19.99%
Variable
0%
15 months
Excellent
- 0% intro APR on purchases for 9 months, then the variable standard purchase APR of 13.99% - 20.99%*
- 5% Cashback Bonus®* in categories that change like gas, restaurants, department stores and more. Limitations apply*
- Up to 20% Cashback Bonus at popular retailers when you shop online through ShopDiscover.com
- Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else you buy
- $0 Fraud Liability plus mobile and email fraud alert options
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- *Click apply to view rates, fees, rewards, limitations and other important information
★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Reg APR
13.99-20.99%
Variable
0%
9 months
Fair
These quotes are from credit card issuers which have paid for a link to their website. Offers are subject to change without notice and may not be the same for all consumers.
The Discover differences
Discover differentiated itself in other areas as well. At the time of its introduction, annual fees were the norm in the credit card industry. But Discover card offered its cash-back promise while charging no annual fee, a platform that also has been widely copied throughout the credit card industry.
In addition, Discover card distinguished itself by offering a higher credit limit than most other cards offered at the time. It was also widely accepted by merchants based on merchant fees that were substantially lower than other cards.
These benefits have all contributed to helping make the Discover card a winner with consumers right from its introduction, and Discover has remained a pioneer and agent of change in the credit card industry ever since.
Industry firsts
The cash back offer, originally 2 percent of the amount spent using the card, has grown to a 5 percent cash back on some of its cards, based on the amount of use.
Discover was one of the first card issuers to provide customer service around the clock seven days a week, as well as secure account numbers for online purchases. Discover card has also striven to increase and grow its network linking millions of cash access locations and merchants.
The lineup of Discover cards has grown to include a spectrum of consumer and business cards that help users gain better control of their credit.
The current array of Discover cards includes cards that reward card members for good credit management, provide flexible travel without restrictions, and offer small business owners greater financial control and flexibility.
Discover Card was originally offered by Chicago-based Sears, then the nation's largest retailer. It was part of Dean Witter and subsequently Morgan Stanley in later years. In 2007, Discover Financial Services became an independently-owned company.
Today, Discover card is one of the leading credit cards in the U.S., and is held by more U.S. households than any other cash rewards card. It turns out that radical notion of a credit card that pays you back wasn't so radical after all.