Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® vs Discover it® Student Cash Back
Side-by-side comparison
| Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® | Discover it® Student Cash Back | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | $95 | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | 60,000 points | Cashback Match in year 1 |
| Dining | 1x | 1x |
| Groceries | 5x | 1x |
| Gas | 5x | 1x |
| Travel | 1x | 1x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $618 | $292 |
| Points type | Locked to Choice Privileges | 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 Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® earns about $618 a year in rewards and the Discover it® Student Cash Back about $292, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® charges $95, which you clear through its rewards and perks. The Discover it® Student Cash Back has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® delivers more total value, about $231 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on groceries and gas. 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 Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Choice Privileges® Select Mastercard® if your spending leans toward groceries, gas.