Head-to-head · 🇺🇸 United States
Discover it Cash Back vs Apple Card
Side-by-side comparison across fees, rewards, welcome bonuses, and eligibility.
US
Discover
Discover it Cash Back
Discover
Wins 2 of 10
US
Goldman Sachs / Apple
Apple Card
Wins 2 of 10
Verdict
It's a true tie — neither dominates. Pick the one whose boost categories match where you actually spend.
Side-by-side
| Criterion | Discover it Cash Back | Apple Card |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | = No annual fee | = No annual fee |
| Joining fee | = None | = None |
| Top reward rate | 5% (shopping) | · 3% (shopping) |
| Base reward rate | = 1% | = 1% |
| Forex markup | · 1% | No FX fee |
| Welcome bonus | = Cashback Match — Discover doubles your first-year cashback automatically | = No welcome bonus — daily cashback model |
| Fee waiver threshold | = N/A (no fee) | = N/A (no fee) |
| Min income | = — | = — |
| Min credit score | · 670 | 660 |
| Editorial rating | 4.5/5 | · 4.4/5 |
Benefits compared
Discover it Cash Back
- 5% cashback on rotating quarterly categories (Amazon, gas, restaurants, grocery)
- 1% cashback on everything else
- Cashback Match: Discover matches all cash back earned in your first year
- No annual fee
- Free FICO score on every statement
- No foreign transaction fees
Apple Card
- 3% Daily Cash on Apple purchases + select merchants (Uber, Walgreens, T-Mobile)
- 2% Daily Cash on all Apple Pay transactions
- 1% Daily Cash on physical-card purchases
- No annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, no late fees
- High-yield savings account at 4.4% APY
- Privacy-first: no purchase data sold
FAQ
›Discover it Cash Back vs Apple Card: which is better?
It's a true tie — pick the one whose boost categories match your spend. Discover it Cash Back wins on 2 criteria, Apple Card on 2.
›Can I get both?
Yes — if your credit profile supports it, holding both is the optimal play. Use Discover it Cash Back for its best categories, Apple Card for its best categories. Just watch the combined annual fees against your spend.
›Which one has the better welcome bonus?
Discover it Cash Back: Cashback Match — Discover doubles your first-year cashback automatically. Apple Card: No welcome bonus — daily cashback model.