it Student Cash Back vs Apple Card: Which Is Actually Worth It?
Both are student-friendly; Discover has better earn mechanics for year one, Apple Card is simpler forever.
it Student Cash Back
Average earners get double their cash back in year one with no annual fee tacked on.
Apple Card
Earns triple cashback on Apple purchases, but at a hefty APR cost.
Side-by-side specs
| it Student Cash Back | Apple Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $0 | $0 |
| Signup bonus | Cashback Match - doubles all cash back earned in year one | None |
| APR range | 17.24–26.24% Variable | 19.24–29.49% Variable |
| Foreign tx fee | None | None |
| Credit target | limited or fair | fair to good |
it Student Cash Back earn rates
Apple Card earn rates
The verdict
You want the best first credit card in the market - Discover's cashback match in year one and student approval odds are unmatched.
Apply at Discover →You're in the Apple ecosystem, want zero fees, and prefer Daily Cash over the Discover cashback system.
Apply at Apple / Goldman Sachs →Track what both cards actually earn you, WalletHub Premium syncs all your cards and monitors your credit daily.
it Student Cash Back annual fee $0, APR 17.24–26.24% Variable, signup offer Cashback Match - doubles all cash back earned in year one, terms as of 2026-05-06. Apple Card annual fee $0, APR 19.24–29.49% Variable, signup offer None, terms as of 2026-05-06. 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.