Discover it® Student Cash Back vs Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business
Side-by-side comparison
| Discover it® Student Cash Back | Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $299 |
| Welcome offer | Cashback Match in year 1 | 80,000 points |
| Advertising | 1% | 1% |
| Shipping | 1% | 1% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 1% |
| Phone & internet | 1% | 1% |
| Travel | 1% | 4% |
| Everything else | 1% | 1% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $450 | $636 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Locked to Southwest Rapid Rewards |
| Network | Discover | Visa |
*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 Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business about $636, 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business charges $299, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Discover it® Student Cash Back delivers more total value, about $113 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it skips the annual fee the other charges. 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 Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Southwest Rapid Rewards® Performance Business if your spending leans toward travel.