it Cash Back vs Double Cash: Which Is Actually Worth It?
Discover front-loads value in year one; Double Cash is the steady earner for the long haul.
it Cash Back
The most generous first-year card - if you can remember to activate the categories.
Double Cash
Two percent on everything. No categories, no calendar, no annual fee.
Side-by-side specs
| it Cash Back | Double Cash | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Cashback Match - Discover doubles all cashback earned in your first year | $200 cash back after $1,500 in 6 months |
| APR range | 18.24–27.24% Variable | 19.24-29.24% Variable |
| Foreign tx fee | None | 3% |
| Credit target | fair to good | good to excellent |
it Cash Back earn rates
Double Cash earn rates
The verdict
You're a new cardholder and want to maximize that first-year cashback match - the 5% categories can be worth 10% with the match.
Apply at Discover →You want consistent simplicity: 2% on every purchase, every day, with no categories to activate.
Apply at Citi →Track what both cards actually earn you, WalletHub Premium syncs all your cards and monitors your credit daily.
it Cash Back annual fee $0, APR 18.24–27.24% Variable, signup offer Cashback Match - Discover doubles all cashback earned in your first year, terms as of 2026-05-03. Double Cash annual fee $0, APR 19.24-29.24% Variable, signup offer $200 cash back after $1,500 in 6 months, terms as of 2026-05-03. Verify current terms on the issuer's site before applying. We earn a referral fee on approved applications referred via Apply links, at no cost to you.