Discover it® Student Cash Back vs Hilton Honors American Express Business Card
Side-by-side comparison
| Discover it® Student Cash Back | Hilton Honors American Express Business Card | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $195 |
| Welcome offer | Cashback Match in year 1 | 130,000 points |
| Advertising | 1% | 3% |
| Shipping | 1% | 5% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 3% |
| Phone & internet | 1% | 5% |
| Travel | 1% | 5% |
| Everything else | 1% | 3% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $450 | $1,638 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Locked to Hilton Honors |
| Network | Discover | Amex |
*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 business spending, the Discover it® Student Cash Back earns about $450 a year in rewards and the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card about $1,638, valuing every point at a flat 1 cent. The Discover it® Student Cash Back has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. The Hilton Honors American Express Business Card charges $195, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card delivers more total value, about $993 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and travel. 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 Hilton Honors American Express Business Card currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Hilton Honors American Express Business Card if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies.