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Discover it Cash Back vs Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express

Discover it Cash Back leads 3 to 1 on the 4 rankable specs. Most of the 10 attributes tracked here are descriptive rather than numeric.

Catalog as of September 1, 2026

Why, in numbers

  • Rewards rate: Discover it Cash Back lists 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter (up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases with activation), 1% unlimited on all other purchases (Discover sheet, 2026-09-02); Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express lists 3% cash back on US supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 3% on US online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 3% on US gas stations (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 1% on other purchases (American Express sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Regular APR: Discover it Cash Back lists 17.24% – 28.24% Variable APR (Discover sheet, 2026-09-02); Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express lists 19.24% – 29.99% Variable APR (American Express sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Foreign transaction fee: Discover it Cash Back lists None (0%) (Discover sheet, 2026-09-02); Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express lists 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars (American Express sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Late fee: Discover it Cash Back lists None on first late payment, then up to $41 (Discover sheet, 2026-09-02); Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express lists Up to $40 (American Express sheet, 2026-09-02).
  • Sign-up bonus: Discover it Cash Back lists Cashback Match: Discover will automatically match all cash back you earn at the end of your first year with no minimum or limit (Discover sheet, 2026-09-02); Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express lists $200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months (American Express sheet, 2026-09-02).

Not financial advice. Annual fees, APRs, bonuses and credits change. Confirm current terms with the issuer before you apply.

Discover it Cash Back
$0/yr3 spec wins
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Compare a different credit card

Citi Double Cash Card$0/yrChase Freedom Unlimited$0/yrCapital One SavorOne Cash Rewards$0/yrBilt World Elite Mastercard$0/yrChase Freedom Flex$0/yrWells Fargo Active Cash Card$0/yrChase Sapphire Preferred Card$95/yrCapital One Venture Rewards Credit Card$95/yrBlue Cash Preferred Card from American Express$95/yrCiti Strata Premier Card$95/yrAmerican Express Gold Card$325/yrCapital One Venture X Rewards$395/yrChase Sapphire Reserve$550/yrThe Platinum Card from American Express$695/yr
Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express
$0/yr1 spec win
Swap

Compare a different credit card

Citi Double Cash Card$0/yrChase Freedom Unlimited$0/yrCapital One SavorOne Cash Rewards$0/yrBilt World Elite Mastercard$0/yrChase Freedom Flex$0/yrWells Fargo Active Cash Card$0/yrChase Sapphire Preferred Card$95/yrCapital One Venture Rewards Credit Card$95/yrBlue Cash Preferred Card from American Express$95/yrCiti Strata Premier Card$95/yrAmerican Express Gold Card$325/yrCapital One Venture X Rewards$395/yrChase Sapphire Reserve$550/yrThe Platinum Card from American Express$695/yr

Buying for

Every rankable spec counts once. Pick a lens to score only what matters for your credit card.

Straight answer

Overall: 3 to 1

Buy the Discover it Cash Back.

  • Leads 3 of 4 rankable overall specs; Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express takes 1.
  • Rewards rate: 5% cash back on everyday purchases at… vs 3% cash back on US supermarkets
  • Regular APR: 17.24% – 28.24% Variable APR vs 19.24% – 29.99% Variable APR
  • Same annual fee, so the spec lead is the whole story.
3 Discover it Cash Back4 rankable of 10 specsBlue Cash Everyday Card from American Express 1

Deal-breakers

tick what would make you walk away

  • row

    Adds about 3% to every purchase abroad.

    Clear:Discover it Cash Back · None (0%)Trips:Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express · 2.7% of each transaction after conversi…
  • row

    No free lounges; only matters if you fly often.

    Trips:Discover it Cash Back · NoTrips:Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express · No

At a glance

The handful of numbers that decide most purchases in this category.

1 of 2 differ

Annual feesame

Discover

$0

American Express

$0

Rewards rate

Discover

5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter (up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases with activation), 1% unlimited on all other purchases

American Express

3% cash back on US supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 3% on US online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 3% on US gas stations (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 1% on other purchases

The 90-Day Owner Regret Check

Documented ergonomic quirks, hardware annoyances, and maintenance realities reported by real owners.

Post-Purchase Truths

Discover: What to watch for

  • Maintenance

    Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.

    Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

American Express: What to watch for

  • Maintenance

    Requires ongoing care to maintain peak out-of-box performance.

    Regular cleaning, firmware updates, and standard care are recommended to preserve longevity.

Discover it Cash Back$0/yr3 wins
Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express$0/yr1 win

Fees & Rates

leads 2-1
Fees & Rates specifications. Middle column is Discover it Cash Back, right column is Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express.
Annual fee$0$0
Regular APR17.24% – 28.24% Variable APR (wins this row: lower)19.24% – 29.99% Variable APR
Foreign transaction feeNone (0%) (wins this row: lower)2.7% of each transaction after conversion to US dollars
Late feeNone on first late payment, then up to $41Up to $40 (wins this row: lower)

Rewards & Perks

leads 1-0
Rewards & Perks specifications. Middle column is Discover it Cash Back, right column is Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express.
Rewards rate5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places each quarter (up to $1,500 in quarterly purchases with activation), 1% unlimited on all other purchases (wins this row: higher)3% cash back on US supermarkets (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 3% on US online retail purchases (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 3% on US gas stations (up to $6,000 per year, then 1%), 1% on other purchases
Sign-up bonusCashback Match: Discover will automatically match all cash back you earn at the end of your first year with no minimum or limit$200 statement credit after spending $2,000 in purchases in the first 6 months
Intro APR offer0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and balance transfers0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months from account opening
Lounge accessNoNo

Card Details

1 differences
Card Details specifications. Middle column is Discover it Cash Back, right column is Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express.
Credit neededOur summaryGood to Excellent (670–850)Good to Excellent (670–850)
NetworkDiscover NetworkAmerican Express

Credit-card figures are from issuer materials and go stale. This is not an offer to lend, not financial advice, and not a recommendation to apply. Verify every fee, APR, bonus and credit on the issuer's site.

Which one should you buy

Pick this one if

Discover it Cash Back

No-annual-fee rewards card offering 5% cash back in quarterly rotating categories, 1% on all other purchases, and an unlimited dollar-for-dollar Cashback Match in your first year.

  • 5% cash back on quarterly rotating categories (grocery stores, restaurants, gas, Amazon.com) up to $1,500 with activation
  • Unlimited Cashback Match: Discover automatically doubles all cash back earned at the end of your first year
  • No annual fee, no foreign transaction fees, and free FICO Credit Scorecard

What you give up

  • Requires quarterly category activation
  • 5% bonus rate is capped at $1,500 quarterly spend (then 1%)
Full Discover it Cash Back specs →

Pick this one if

Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express

No-annual-fee cash back card with 3% cash back on US supermarkets, 3% on US online retail purchases, 3% on US gas stations, and up to $84 Disney Bundle credit.

  • 3% cash back on U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6k/year)
  • 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets and U.S. gas stations (up to $6k/year each)
  • Up to $84 annual Disney Bundle statement credit ($7/month) with $0 annual fee

What you give up

  • 2.7% foreign transaction fee
  • 3% bonus cash back categories are each capped at $6,000 annual spend (then 1%)
Full Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express specs →

Best for each use

Travel

Flights, hotels and spending abroad: no foreign fees, lounges, a big bonus

For travel, buy the Discover it Cash Back.

  • Leads 2 of 2 rankable travel specs.
  • Rewards rate: 5% cash back on everyday purchases at… vs 3% cash back on US supermarkets
  • Foreign transaction fee: None vs 2.7% of each transaction after conversion to…
  • Same annual fee, so the spec lead is the whole story.

Everyday cash back

Simple rewards on groceries and gas with nothing to pay each year

For everyday cash back, buy the Discover it Cash Back.

  • Leads 2 of 2 rankable everyday cash back specs.
  • Rewards rate: 5% cash back on everyday purchases at… vs 3% cash back on US supermarkets
  • Regular APR: 17.24% – 28.24% Variable APR vs 19.24% – 29.99% Variable APR
  • Same annual fee, so the spec lead is the whole story.

Carrying a balance

Paying over time or newer to credit: APR, intro offers, approval odds

A genuine coin flip on carrying a balance.

  • Same annual fee and an even split on everything we can rank.
  • Intro APR offer: 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases and… vs 0% intro APR on purchases and balance…

Every answer above is scored from published figures. A lens uses only the rows that matter for that use, including marked rows that are not on the official sheet. Switch lenses interactively in the panel above.

Done deciding?

Open the full standalone spec sheet for either device.

Discover it Cash Back spec sheetBlue Cash Everyday Card from American Express spec sheet

Manufacturer pages: Discover it Cash Back ↗ · Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express ↗

Common questions

Which card has the lower annual fee, Discover it Cash Back or Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express?

Both charge the same annual fee.

What is the biggest catch with the Discover it Cash Back or Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express?

Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express has this deal-breaker: foreign transaction fee. Adds about 3% to every purchase abroad.

Which is better for travel, the Discover it Cash Back or the Blue Cash Everyday Card from American Express?

For travel, buy the Discover it Cash Back. Leads 2 of 2 rankable travel specs. Rewards rate: 5% cash back on everyday purchases at… vs 3% cash back on US supermarkets

What cannot be compared from spec sheets?

Of the 10 specs tracked here, 6 are descriptive and cannot be ranked on numbers alone. Spec sheets also cannot measure subjective factors like build quality, real-world performance, or comfort.

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