NHL Discover it Review: 5% Cash Back, Plus Puck Perks
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Our Take
4.9
If you don't mind keeping track of bonus categories that change every three months, this card is a winner either as an everyday card or as part of a multicard rewards-maximizing strategy.
Quick Facts
Pros & Cons
Pros
No annual fee or foreign transaction fees
Intro APR period on Purchases and Balance Transfers
Sign-up bonus
Bonus offer and rewards program
Cons
Complicated rewards program with rotating categories for 5% cash back
No luxury perks
Requires good/ excellent credit
Unlike the NHL® Discover it®, which picks bonus categories for you, this card earns 5% cash back in two categories you choose, on up to $2,000 in combined purchases each quarter; unlimited 2% cash back in another category you pick; and 1% elsewhere. There's a solid sign-up bonus and no annual fee.
Compare to Other Cards
Annual fee$0 | Annual fee$0 | Annual fee$0 |
Regular APR18.49%-28.49% Variable APR | Regular APR19.49%-28.24% Variable APR | |
Intro APR0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months | Intro APR0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers | Intro APR0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers |
Recommended Credit Score |
Recommended Credit Score |
Recommended Credit Score |
Full Review
The NHL® Discover it® is a superb credit card for any hockey fan. Heck, it's a superb card even if you're not a hockey fan, since it's basically the same product as the standard Discover it® Cash Back card, with a few extra goodies thrown in for NHL enthusiasts.
As with the regular version, you earn 5% cash back in rotating categories that you activate, on up to $1,500 in spending per quarter, and 1% on all other spending. The NHL® Discover it® offers the same new-cardholder bonus, the same 0% introductory APR period and the same $0 annual fee.
NHL® Discover it®: Basics
Card type: Cash back.
Annual fee: $0.
Sign-up bonus: Discover will match ALL the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year, automatically. There's no signing up. And no limit to how much is matched.
Rewards:
5% back in rotating quarterly categories on up to $1,500 in purchases each quarter (requires activation); 1% after that.
1% back on all other purchases.
Rewards redemption: You can redeem cash back in any amount, except in the case of gift certificates and eCertificates, which start at $5. Redemption options include:
Direct deposits into any account.
Statement credits on your credit card.
Donations to select charities.
Shopping at Amazon. (You can do this by signing in to your Amazon account, linking that account to your eligible Discover card, paying with that card and applying your cash back at checkout.)
Purchases made via PayPal. (You can do this by signing in to your PayPal account and linking it to your eligible Discover card. You can then use your cash-back earnings to make PayPal purchases.)
Gift cards and eCertificates.
Foreign transaction fees: None.
Balance transfer fee: 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms)*.
Other benefits:
Free access to FICO score.
Access to Discover's free Social Security number monitoring service.
The card's current quarterly bonus categories are listed below:
Discover bonus rewards categories for 2023 | |
|---|---|
Q1 (Jan. 1–March 31) | • Grocery stores*. • Drugstores. • Select streaming services. |
Q2 (April 1–June 30) | • Restaurants. • Wholesale clubs. |
Q3 (July 1–Sept. 30) | TBD (In 2022: Restaurants; PayPal). |
Q4 (Oct. 1–Dec. 31) | TBD (In 2022: Amazon.com; digital wallets). |
*The grocery stores category does not include grocery purchases at Walmart or Target or at other superstores or wholesale clubs. | |
Why you might want the NHL® Discover it®
Live the puck life
The hockey-related benefits aren't the most noteworthy feature of the NHL® Discover it®, but since the card is called the "NHL® Discover it®," we might as well start here. Custom card designs are available for all 32 teams in the NHL.
5% cash back in rotating categories
You would be hard-pressed to find a card with no annual fee that earns more than 5% cash back in bonus categories, which for Discover's cards have recently included things like gas stations, grocery stores, restaurants, Amazon.com and more.
If you maxed out the 5% rotating quarterly category rewards every year on this card — that is, if you activated and spent up to $1,500 in those categories each quarter all year — you would earn $300 in bonus cash back, plus 1% back on every other purchase. For many shoppers, those lucrative ongoing rewards make this card a keeper.
A potentially valuable sign-up offer
The NHL® Discover it® comes with an uncommon bonus for new card members: 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. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
For example, if you earned $500 in rewards, Discover would give you another $500 in cash back at the end of your first consecutive 12 months of being a cardholder. For folks who plan to do a lot of spending on the card during that time, this unusual offer could prove incredibly valuable.
Introductory 0% APR period
The NHL® Discover it® offers plenty of breathing room for paying off balances after opening the account. It comes with a generous offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 12.24%-23.24% Variable APR. The balance transfer fee is a 3% intro balance transfer fee, up to a 5% fee on future balance transfers (see terms) of the amount being transferred, which is on par with other balance transfer cards.
NHL® Discover it® vs. Chase Freedom Flex℠
Looking at cards that offer 5% cash-back rewards on rotating quarterly categories? Chances are the Chase Freedom Flex℠ has been on your radar, too. At first glance, this card seems like a near-clone of the NHL® Discover it®. But if you look a bit closer, a few important differences stand out (besides, of course, the hockey-related benefits of the NHL® Discover it®).
What these cards have in common
5% cash back in rotating quarterly bonus categories on the first $1,500 in purchases each quarter. All other purchases earn 1% back.
A variety of bonus categories. Historically, they’ve ranged from broad options like restaurants and gas stations to specific retailers like Walgreens or Amazon.com. Past bonus categories can help you see what types of categories to expect in the future.
Requirement to activate quarterly categories.
No annual fee.
What's different about the Chase Freedom Flex℠
Sign-up bonus can be earned quickly: Earn a $200 Bonus after you spend $500 on purchases in your first 3 months from account opening. (With the NHL® Discover it®, you have to wait until the end of the first year to get your bonus.)
Rewards can be earned retroactively if you activate the categories by the 14th of the third month of the quarter; this is not the case with the NHL® Discover it®.
It charges foreign transaction fees.
Bonus categories aren't announced all at once: Unlike eligible Discover cards, the Chase Freedom Flex℠ doesn't reveal its full slate of quarterly bonus categories for the entire year. Category announcements come only a couple of weeks before the start of a new quarter, which can make it harder to time your purchases.
For more information about how these cards differ, read NerdWallet's article comparing the Discover it® Cash Back and the Chase Freedom Flex℠.
Why you might want a different card
The NHL® Discover it® isn’t the best fit for everyone. Here’s why you might want to look elsewhere.
Other cards offer simplicity
With rotating bonus categories that require quarterly activation, the NHL® Discover it® is a relatively complicated card. If you want something more straightforward, try the Citi® Double Cash Card.
This card offers an impressive 2% cash back on everything — 1% back on purchases and 1% back when you pay them off. With it, you can rake in big rewards for everyday spending without having to mess with bonus categories. Its annual fee is $0.
Choose a bonus category
With the NHL® Discover it®, you don't have a say in which categories earn 5% cash back. With the Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card, it's a different story. You earn 3% cash back in the category of your choice (from a list of six); 2% cash back at grocery stores and wholesale clubs (on up to $2,500 per quarter in combined spending in the 3% and 2% categories, then 1%); and 1% cash back on everything else. For the 3% category, you can choose from gas, online shopping, dining, travel, drugstores or home improvement/furnishings, and you can change the category each month. The annual fee is $0. New cardholders can earn $200 online cash rewards bonus after you make at least $1,000 in purchases in the first 90 days of account opening..
And if you want to see how this card compares with other rewards cards, refer to our list of best credit card offers.
Should you apply?
If you prefer a no-fuss credit card, you might want to pass on the NHL® Discover it®. But if you’re willing to put in some extra effort for top-notch cash-back rewards, it might be the perfect fit for you. And if you want to be able to flaunt your NHL team loyalty with every purchase? The choice is obvious.
