The start of April means that you can earn 5% rewards in the new cash back categories on the Discover it Cash Back Credit Card. This quarter, Discover It cards offer 5% cash back in several useful categories including: Gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, home improvement stores, and public transit.
Because Discover offers new cardmembers a cash back match on every purchase at the end of their first cardmember year, you can earn up to 10% on $1,500 of spending at the card’s bonus categories next quarter if you are a new cardmember.
Quick link: Activate your Discover 5% categories at Discover.com.
If you’re a cardmember, you will have received an email inviting you to activate your cash back categories. Use the link in your email to activate your cash back categories with one click. Alternatively, you can activate your categories online at Discover’s website.
To earn 5% on up to $1,500 in spending in bonus categories, you must activate your cash back categories each quarter.
5% cash back rewards are limited to your first $1,500 in purchases across all cash back categories. Purchases beyond $1,500 will earn the card’s standard 1% cash back.
Discover It Cash Back welcome bonus:
Get a $100 statement credit when you’re approved and use the card within the first three months. Plus, get all of your cash back doubled in your first year of having the card.
Click here to learn more and apply.
Our take on the welcome bonus: Getting double cash back for a year on a card with 5% rotating categories is a great deal. You’ll only get the $100 statement credit if you apply through a referral link. We know of no higher offer available on this card.
The link above is a referral link. Someone on our team may earn points if you apply and are approved to the link above. We always show you the best offer, and this is the best offer we know about on this card.
Discover It Cash Back highlights:
Annual fee: $0
Rewards: 5% on quarterly cash back categories when you activate. 1% on all other purchases. Plus, get a dollar-for-dollar cashback match in your first year.
2024 Discover it cash back category overview
| Q1 2024 January – March | Q2 2024 April – June | Q3 2024 July – September | Q4 2024 October – December |
|---|---|---|---|
| Not yet announced | Not yet announced | ||
| Drugstores and Restaurants | Gas stations, electric vehicle charging stations, home improvement stores, and public transit | Not yet announced | Not yet announced |
Second quarter, 2024 category bonus details
Here are some additional details on the bonus categories offered in Q2 2024:
Gas Station & EV Charging Station purchases include those made at merchants classified as places that sell automotive gasoline that can be bought at the pump or inside the station, and public electric vehicle charging stations. Gas Stations and EV Charging Stations affiliated with supermarkets, supercenters, and wholesale clubs may not be eligible. Certain parking garages where public electric vehicle charging is offered or included may not be eligible.
Home Improvement Store purchases include online and in store purchases at home improvement retail stores, building supply stores (e.g. lumber, paint, and hardware stores), lawn, nursery, and garden supply stores. Purchases made through third parties such as contractors may not qualify. Purchases from home furnishing, home appliance, plumbing, heating supply, and floor covering stores are not included.
Public Transit purchases include local commuter passenger bus, rail, and ferry services. Taxi, rideshare services, long-range passenger land, rail, and water transportation services are not included. Purchases must be made with merchants in the U.S.
First quarter, 2024 category bonus details
Here’s some additional detail on the bonuses offered in Q1 2024.
Restaurant purchases include those made at merchants classified as full-service restaurants, cafes, cafeterias, fast-food locations, and restaurant delivery services.
Drugstore purchases include those made at stand-alone drug stores, pharmacies, online pharmacies, and some pharmacies located inside of retail stores.
Purchases must be made with merchants in the U.S.
How to activate Discover cash back categories
If you have a Discover IT cash back card, you must activate your Cashback Bonus categories before you’ll receive 5% on the quarter’s categories. There are two ways to activate your categories: Through the website or through an email you receive.
Activating through the website: Simply log into your account at Discover.com and look toward the left-hand side of the page for the link to active.
Activating through email: You may also receive an email with a one-click link to activate your cash back categories.
When do I need to activate?
The best time to activate your Discover cash back categories is as soon as they are announced. You’ll earn 5% back on bonus category purchases made only after you activate them. If you spend in Discover’s bonus categories after the quarter starts, but before you activate a cash back category, you’ll earn only 1% on purchases until you activate. Discover does not retroactively award bonus cash back to purchases you make before you activate.
Historical cash back categories
Knowing previous bonus categories can help you determine how much value you might get from a card with rotating categories in the future. While there is no guarantee that Discover will offer 5% rewards on any particular spending category until it announces its cash back categories, typically spending categories don’t change much year-to-year.
Here is what the Discover it Cash Back Credit Card has offered 5% rewards on in the past.
Discover cash back calendar for 2023
- January-March: Grocery, Drugstores, Streaming
- April-June: Restaurants and Wholesale Clubs
- July-September: Gas and Digital Wallets
- October-December: Target and Amazon.com
Discover cash back calendar for 2022
- January-March: Grocery stores, fitness clubs and gym memberships
- April-June: Gas stations and Target
- July-September: Restaurants and PayPal
- October-December: Amazon.com and digital wallets
Discover cash back calendar for 2021
- January-March: Grocery stores, Walgreens and CVS
- April-June: Gas stations, wholesale clubs and select streaming services
- July-September: Restaurants and PayPal
- October-December: Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Target.com
Discover cash back calendar for 2020
- January-March: Grocery stores, Walgreens and CVS
- April-June: Gas stations, Uber, Lyft and wholesale clubs
- July-September: Restaurants and PayPal
- October-December: Amazon.com, Walmart.com and Target.com
Frequently asked questions
Discover doubles the cash back that you earn as a new cardmember within the first year of cardmembership. For Discover It cardmembers, this includes the cash back you earn in the card’s 5% bonus categories.
No. Unlike other transferable points currencies, you cannot transfer your Discover Cashback awards to airline and hotel loyalty programs.
You can earn 5% cash back on up to $1,500 of category spending each quarter. This means you can earn a maximum of $75 per quarter or $300 per year from the 5% bonus categories. All purchases in bonus categories beyond $1,500 in a quarter earn 1% cash back.