Discover it® Student Cash Back vs Capital One Spark Cash Plus
Side-by-side comparison
| Discover it® Student Cash Back | Capital One Spark Cash Plus | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | $150 |
| Welcome offer | Cashback Match in year 1 | $2,000 cash back |
| Advertising | 1% | 2% |
| Shipping | 1% | 2% |
| Office supplies | 1% | 2% |
| Phone & internet | 1% | 2% |
| Travel | 1% | 2% |
| Everything else | 1% | 2% |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $450 | $900 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Pools with Capital One → transferable |
| 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 business spending, the Discover it® Student Cash Back earns about $450 a year in rewards and the Capital One Spark Cash Plus about $900, 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 Capital One Spark Cash Plus charges $150, which you clear through its rewards and perks. Counting rewards, fees, and any credits, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus delivers more total value, about $300 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on everything else and advertising. The bigger difference is the ceiling: the Capital One Spark Cash Plus earns points you can move to travel partners for outsized value, while the Discover it® Student Cash Back pays plain cash back. Favor the Capital One Spark Cash Plus if you will use travel transfers, the Discover it® Student Cash Back if you want simplicity. On the sign-up bonus, the Capital One Spark Cash Plus currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the Capital One Spark Cash Plus if your spending leans toward advertising, shipping, office supplies.