Discover it® Student Cash Back vs PayPal Cashback Mastercard
Side-by-side comparison
| Discover it® Student Cash Back | PayPal Cashback Mastercard | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | Cashback Match in year 1 | No current offer |
| Dining | 1x | 1.5x |
| Groceries | 1x | 1.5x |
| Gas | 1x | 1.5x |
| Travel | 1x | 1.5x |
| Streaming | 1x | 1.5x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1.5x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $292 | $437 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Cash back only |
| Network | Discover | Mastercard |
*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 Discover it® Student Cash Back earns about $292 a year in rewards and the PayPal Cashback Mastercard about $437, 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 PayPal Cashback Mastercard has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the PayPal Cashback Mastercard delivers more total value, about $146 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 PayPal Cashback Mastercard if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas.