Discover it® Student Cash Back vs U.S. Bank Cash+®
Side-by-side comparison
| Discover it® Student Cash Back | U.S. Bank Cash+® | |
|---|---|---|
| Annual fee | No annual fee | No annual fee |
| Welcome offer | Cashback Match in year 1 | $250 rewards bonus |
| Dining | 1x | 2x |
| Groceries | 1x | 2x |
| Gas | 1x | 5x |
| Travel | 1x | 5x |
| Streaming | 1x | 5x |
| Everything else | 1x | 1x |
| Est. yearly rewards* | $292 | $564 |
| Points type | Cash back only | Cash back only |
| 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 household spending, the Discover it® Student Cash Back earns about $292 a year in rewards and the U.S. Bank Cash+® about $564, 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 U.S. Bank Cash+® has no annual fee, so its rewards are all profit. Counting rewards and any credits, the U.S. Bank Cash+® delivers more total value, about $272 a year more for a typical spender, mostly because it earns more where you spend most, on gas 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 U.S. Bank Cash+® currently has the larger welcome offer. A welcome bonus is a one-time event, so weigh it apart from the ongoing rewards.
Pick the U.S. Bank Cash+® if your spending leans toward dining, groceries, gas.