Amazon Visa vs Discover it® Student Cash Back
Side-by-side comparison
| Amazon Visa | Discover it® Student Cash Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $50 Amazon Gift Card upon approval | Cashback Match in year 1 |
| Dining | 2x | 1x |
| Groceries | 3x | 1x |
| Gas | 2x | 1x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $470 | $292 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Cash back only |
| Network | Visa | Discover |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified June 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
The verdict
On a typical year of household spending, the Amazon Visa earns about $470 a year in rewards and the Discover it® Student Cash Back about $292, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Amazon Visa has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Discover it® Student Cash Back has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Amazon Visa delivers more total value, about $209 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and dining. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use. On the sign-up bonus, the Amazon Visa currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Amazon Visa if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas.