Apple Card vs Discover it® Cash Back
Side-by-side comparison
| Apple Card | Discover it® Cash Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | No current offer | Cashback Match, all cash back earned in year 1 doubled |
| Dining | 2x | 1x |
| Groceries | 2x | 1x |
| Gas | 2x | 1x |
| Travel | 2x | 1x |
| Streaming | 2x | 1x |
| Everything else | 2x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $583 | $292 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Cash back only |
| Network | Mastercard | 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 Apple Card earns about $583 a year in rewards and the Discover it® Cash Back about $292, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Apple Card has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Discover it® Cash Back has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the Apple Card delivers more total value, about $292 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and groceries. Neither leans on transferable points, so the deciding factors are the welcome offer, the card network, and which everyday perks you will actually use.
Pick the Apple Card if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas.