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What is the Discover Cashback Bonus?
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What is the Discover Cashback Bonus?

Last Updated: November 15, 2022
3 min read

You use your credit card all the time. Wouldn’t it be nice to be rewarded for your everyday purchases?

Discover it® Cash Back is a credit card that gives you cash back rewards on every purchase, allowing you to earn rewards that you can redeem at select merchants or for cash. Your Discover Cashback Bonus® never expires, and you can redeem it in any amount, at any time.1

By understanding how the Discover Cashback Bonus® program works, you can earn cash back on the things you buy. Consider these guidelines to help you take advantage of Discover’s Cashback Bonus:

1. How does the Discover Cashback Bonus card maximize your earnings?

With a Discover it Cash Back card, you can earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter like Amazon.com, grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations and when you pay using PayPal, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate.2 Use the 5 percent Cashback Bonus® calendar to see the categories for each quarter.

The earning potential doesn’t stop there. You automatically earn an unlimited 1 percent cash back on all purchases you make with your Discover it® card.

Further, Discover® Cashback Match automatically matches all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year.3 There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.

2. Redeem Cashback rewards in any amount, any time

Now that you’ve earned all that cash back, what can you do with it? Discover offers many ways to redeem what you’ve earned.

From Cashback Bonus to cash in the bank

You can choose to deposit your Cashback Bonus directly in your bank account, or you can apply it as a statement credit to your next Discover credit card bill, reducing the amount you owe. Either way, you’ll have extra cash to spend!

Does your Cashback Bonus work for gift cards?

Your Cashback Bonus lets you stock up on gift cards. You can redeem your cash back on gift cards starting at just $5 per card. Plus, get an added bonus on every card!

Shop with your Cashback Bonus

You also have the option to pay with your Cashback Bonus® to check out at Amazon.com4 and with PayPal.5

Discover ways to redeem cash back infographic

3. Make your purchases work for a bigger Cashback Bonus

The Discover Cashback Bonus® program makes your purchases more valuable because you earn cash back rewards. But remember, it’s still a good idea to try and pay your balance on time and in full each month. To help keep track of when you can pay off your balance, you may be able to calculate the interest and payoff time of any credit card with online tools, like the Credit Card Interest Calculator from Discover. The program is easy to use and accessible from the Discover website and mobile app. It’s one of the many benefits of card membership that makes the money you spend work harder for you.

*See details below for more information.

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Redeem Any Amount Any Time: Rewards never expire. We reserve the right to determine the method to disburse your rewards balance. We will credit your Account or send you a check with your rewards balance if your Account is closed or if you have not used it within 18 months.

5%: Certain digital wallet transactions qualify for 5%, for more information see Discover.com/digitalwallets. Purchases made through third-party payment accounts, mobile or wireless card readers, virtual wallets or similar technology will not be eligible if the technology does not provide sufficient transaction details for rewards qualification. 5% Cashback Categories: In accordance with standard industry practices, merchants are assigned a merchant category code (MCC) typically based on their line of business, or the type of products and/or services they primarily sell or provide. Discover Card does not assign MCCs to merchants. Even if you make purchases at a merchant of items that appear to fit in a rewards category, the merchant m ay not have an assigned MCC in that rewards category. Only purchases made from merchants located in the United States are eligible for 5% Cashback Bonus. Rewards are added to your Cashback Bonus account within two billing periods.  See Cashback Bonus Program Terms and Conditions for more information about your rewards.

Cashback Match: We’ll match all the cash back rewards you’ve earned on your credit card from the day your new account is approved through your first 12 consecutive billing periods or 365 days, whichever is longer, and add it to your rewards account within two billing periods. You’ve earned cash back rewards only when they’re processed, which may be after the transaction date. We will not match: rewards that are processed after your match period ends; statement credits; rewards transfers from Discover checking or other deposit accounts; or rewards for accounts that are closed. This promotional offer may not be available in the future and is exclusively for new cardmembers. No purchase minimums.

Amazon is not a sponsor of this promotion. Amazon, the Amazon.com logo and the smile logo are trademarks of Amazon or its affiliates.

Use Rewards at Amazon.com: For complete details on how to Pay with Rewards at Amazon.com see Amazon.com/DiscoverRewards. Amazon is not a sponsor of this promotion. Amazon, the Amazon.com logo, the smile logo and all related marks are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates.

PayPal, the PayPal logo are trademarks of PayPal or its Affiliates. Listed merchants are in no way sponsoring or affiliated with this program.

Use Rewards at PayPal: For complete details on how to Pay with Rewards with PayPal see PayPal.com/Discover. Pay with Rewards will be available for eligible credit cards on eligible purchases or can be donated to support a charitable cause with PayPal Giving Fund. To learn more about Pay with Rewards, see terms and conditions. All reward redemptions are subject to Discover’s reward program terms.

Legal Disclaimer: This site is for educational purposes and is not a substitute for professional advice. The material on this site is not intended to provide legal, investment, or financial advice and does not indicate the availability of any Discover product or service. It does not guarantee that Discover offers or endorses a product or service. For specific advice about your unique circumstances, you may wish to consult a qualified professional.

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