Discover it® Secured
on Discover's website, or call (800) 347-0264
Discover it® Secured
Card details
No Annual Fee, earn cash back, and build your credit with responsible use.
It's a real credit card. You can build a credit history with the three major credit bureaus. Generally, debit and prepaid cards can't help you build a credit history.
Establish your credit line with your tax return by providing a refundable security deposit of at least $200 after being approved. Bank information must be provided when submitting your deposit.
Automatic reviews starting at 8 months to see if we can transition you to an unsecured line of credit and return your deposit.
Earn 2% cash back at Gas Stations and Restaurants on up to $1,000 in combined purchases each quarter. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases – automatically.
Get 100% U.S. based customer service & get your free Credit Scorecard with your FICO® Credit Score
INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Get an alert if we find your Social Security number on any of thousands of Dark Web sites.* Activate for free.
Rates, fees & offers
Annual fee
$0
Rewards rate
1%-2%
Bonus offer
INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
Intro APR
10.99% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 6 months
Ongoing APR
APR: 22.99% Variable APR
Cash Advance APR: 24.99%, Variable
Balance transfer fee
3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*
Foreign transaction fee
None
Recommended credit score
Compare to other cards
Annual Fee$0 | Annual Fee$95 | Annual Fee$0 |
Regular APR13.99% - 23.99% Variable APR | ||
Intro APR10.99% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 6 months | Intro APR0% intro APR on Purchases for 12 months | Intro APR0% on Balance Transfers for 18 months |
Recommended Credit Score |
Recommended Credit Score |
Recommended Credit Score |
NerdWallet review
Rating details
5
Editor's overall rating
Pros and cons
Pros
No annual fee
Reports to the three major credit bureaus
Offers rewards and a sign-up bonus
Chance to upgrade to unsecured account after 8 months
Cons
Requires minimum deposit of $200
Discover cards not widely accepted outside the U.S.
Like other secured credit cards, the Discover it® Secured requires cardholders to put down a deposit — $200 minimum, in this case. Discover holds the deposit as collateral against money you borrow on the card.
But unlike most other secured cards, the Discover it® Secured offers rewards. You can earn 2% back on up to $1,000 in combined restaurant and gas station spending per quarter, for as much as $80 a year, and 1% back on all other purchases. The annual fee is $0, and there's a sign-up bonus: INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
One other thing sets this card apart. Eight months after you open the account, Discover will start reviewing your account regularly to see whether you're eligible to transition to an unsecured card with even better rewards. We call that a pretty good deal.
Want to know more? Check out our full review of the Discover it® Secured.
