Chase Freedom Rise® vs Discover it® Student Cash Back
Side-by-side comparison
| Chase Freedom Rise® | Discover it® Student Cash Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | $25 statement credit | Cashback Match in year 1 |
| Dining | 1.5x | 1x |
| Groceries | 1.5x | 1x |
| Gas | 1.5x | 1x |
| Travel | 1.5x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1.5x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1.5x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $437 | $292 |
| Points type | Pools with Chase → transferable | Cash back only |
| Network | Visa | Discover |
*Estimated yearly rewards on typical household spending, every point valued at a flat 1 cent. Verified July 2026. See your own numbers in the calculator.
Welcome bonus and value over time
| Over time | Chase Freedom Rise® | Discover it® Student Cash Back |
|---|---|---|
| Welcome bonus | $25 statement credit | Cashback Match in year 1 |
| To earn it | Set up autopay in first 3 months | No minimum |
| Est. first-year value* | $462 | $292 |
| Est. ongoing value / yr* | $437 | $292 |
The Chase Freedom Rise® wins on both fronts: it comes out ahead in year one on the welcome offer and stays ahead every year after. Short term or long, it is the stronger pick on the numbers.
*First-year value counts the welcome bonus, estimated rewards, and annual credits, minus the annual fee; ongoing value is a typical year after. Every point at a flat 1 cent.
Perks, credits, and redemptions
| Perks | Chase Freedom Rise® | Discover it® Student Cash Back |
|---|---|---|
| Lounge access | None | None |
| Annual credits | None | None |
| Points & redemptions | Transferable (paired with a premium card) | Cash back only |
On perks and redemptions, the Chase Freedom Rise® earns transferable points with a higher redemption ceiling, while the other is capped nearer a flat cent. Weigh those against the fee, since credits and lounge access only count if you will actually use them.
Transfer partners and point value
Only the Chase Freedom Rise® earns transferable points. Its Chase Ultimate Rewards move to World of Hyatt, United, Air Canada, Southwest, and British Airways Avios, where a point can be worth several cents on a premium-cabin redemption, far above its cash value. The Discover it® Student Cash Back pays flat cash back, worth about a cent, so its ceiling is nearer a penny per point no matter how you redeem.
Both are designed for people new to credit, with no annual fee and no deposit, so the choice is about how you want to earn while you build history.
The Freedom Rise keeps it simple: a flat 1.5% and Chase points you can grow into. The Discover it Student rewards a bit more effort with 5% rotating categories, and its Cashback Match, doubling everything you earn in year one, is a genuine standout for a first card.
Pros and cons
- Flat 1.5% on every purchase, nothing to activate
- Earns Chase points that pool into transferable value with a future Sapphire
- A foot in the door of the Chase ecosystem
- Simple and beginner-friendly
- No first-year Cashback Match
- 1.5% trails Discover’s doubled first-year rate
- Points are cash-only until you add a Sapphire
- Small welcome offer
- 5% on rotating quarterly categories
- Cashback Match doubles ALL cash back in year one
- No annual fee and strong customer service
- Great for a first card if you’ll activate categories
- Only 1% outside the rotating 5%
- Cash back only, no transferable-points path
- Discover acceptance trails Visa, especially abroad
- Must activate the 5% each quarter
Where each one wins
| Category | Winner | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-year value | Discover it Student | Cashback Match doubles everything. |
| Simplicity | Freedom Rise | Flat 1.5%, nothing to activate. |
| Future upgrade path | Freedom Rise | Points can become transferable in the Chase ecosystem. |
| Acceptance | Freedom Rise | Visa is more widely accepted than Discover. |
| Annual fee | Tie | Both $0. |
The verdict
For a first card focused on earning the most while you build credit, the Discover it Student is hard to beat, its Cashback Match doubles your rewards for a full year, effectively 10% in rotating categories and 2% on everything, and Discover reports to all three bureaus to help your score grow. If you’ll activate the categories, it’s the higher-value starter.
The Freedom Rise is the better long-term play if you plan to build a Chase setup. Its flat 1.5% is simple, and because it earns Ultimate Rewards, those points can later transfer to airlines and hotels once you graduate to a Sapphire, something Discover’s cash can’t do. Both are excellent no-fee, no-deposit starters, so choose Discover for the doubled first year, or the Freedom Rise to start building toward Chase’s ecosystem.