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Discover it® Secured Credit Card Review: Build Credit & Earn Rewards

Finding a bank or other financial institution that will issue you a credit card can be particularly challenging if you have a poor credit rating. Nobody wants to risk their money on someone with a poor credit history, after all. But Discover it Secured Credit Card is for you that will take you out of this. Even with a low credit score, they nevertheless give you a credit card.

We’re going to provide you a thorough evaluation of the Discover it secured credit card in this post. We will go over their costs, incentives, advantages, application procedure, and other things. Let’s start.

Discover it Secured Credit Card Description

Our Rating: 4.8/5

Discover it Secured card is the best card for those who have poor credit points & also have no credit past. It also provides “rewards, and benefits, a welcome bonus, and zero annual fees”.

Discover Card

Important Points

  • Deposit: $200–$2,500
  • Credit Score: 300 – 669
  • Purchase APR: 25.99% (variable)
  • Annual Fees: $0

Pros

  • 1% to 2% cashback benefit.
  • “Dollar-for-dollar” Cashback Match.
  • Zero annual fees.
  • No foreign transaction fees.
  • Get credit scores for free.

Cons

  • It requires a Security deposit.
  • Reasonably high APR.

Discover it Credit Card Review

Discover it secured card is one of the best credit cards if you have a low credit score and if you are new to credit. Below are the points that can prove it is the best:

1. No Annual Fee

You may have seen that if you have bad credit points then credit companies charge a high annual fee to you because they know you are in need of a credit card. But, a Discover it secured credit card is not like that as they are not charging any fee to you.

2. Rewards

You have seen that if you don’t have a good credit score then you won’t get any rewards or benefits. But, the Discover card provides you with 2% off on gas & dining.  It means that you are earning 2% to 4% cashback on your purchases when the year ends.

3. Card Graduation

This card is made to help you in building credit so that you can get good options for borrowing. If it is proved that you are a good borrower then Discover will grant you an unsecured credit card & refund your security. 

Rewards

Our Rating: 4.4/5

We have given it a good rating because it offers rewards to those also who have a very bad credit score. They give 1% to 2% cash back on regular purchases and even you can increase your income. Here is the distribution of rewards:

  • 2% cash back on Discover it chrome gas and restaurant credit card
  • 1% cash back on different purchases.

Fees

Our Rating: 4.9/5

It has been rated so good because there is no annual fee and also ignores “foreign transaction fees”. Still, you can get a “standard balance & cash advance fees”.

Interest Rates

Our Rating: 2.7/5

The reason behind the low rating is that it has low APR points because of more purchase APR. Though it is not a good option to carry a balance it has one positive point also it offers a very low APR for those who want to merge credit debt. 

Features

There are various features that you can see which give several benefits to you for using a Discover it secured credit card:

1. Card Graduation

This is the best feature of a Discover card as it provides you an opportunity to graduate with an “unsecured credit card” and get your security back. In order to get a card for graduation you need to use the card with sincerity and make payment on time.

2. Credit Limit

The credit limit for the Discover card ranges from $200 to $2,000. For the same amount, you have to keep a security deposit then only it will match your credit limit. 

3. Free Credit Scores

With the help of the Discovery app, you can see your FICO point absolutely free and it will hurt your score. 

4. Cash Advances

Cash Advance means you can withdraw the amount from the ATM. They will charge $10 to 5% of the advance money. These are very costly, so always use this in case of urgency. 

5. Authorized Users

If you want to add an authorized user then you can submit the application virtually, but you must be 15 years old. They will not charge any fee to you.

6. Balance Transfers

If you want to merge “credit card debt” then do it with a balance transfer. As it gives less APR (10.99%) on a balance transfer for six months. When this period is over, then it charges the same APR which is 25.99%.

How to Get a Discover it Secured Credit Card?

For getting a Discover secured credit card you need to have a credit score between 300 to 669. They will advertise the Discover it secured card for users who are new to it and who want to increase their scores. This indicates that those with “weak credit scores or short credit histories” may still be eligible. You can apply virtually for getting the card. 

Let’s see what other requirements are needed:

  • You should be 18 years old.
  • Must have a Social Security number.
  • Have a US address and bank account.

How to Build Credit with a Discover it Secured Card?

You can easily get a credit card if you have a bad credit score as it only requires you to give a minimal security deposit. But, it got only 4 out of 5 because it has $200 which is high for users who don’t have a better income, and also a top limit of $2500 which is very less for those who have good income. A greater limit is not only more practical, but it also keeps your “credit utilization” low, which raises your credit score. 

At the time of bad credit, you should take a credit card that reports to all bureaus if not all at least 2. So, if you choose the Discover card then we gave it 5 out of 5 because it resorts to all 3 agencies. 

Some Points for Building Credit

If you want to build credit by taking help from a Discover it secured credit card then you need to look at the steps:

1. Put Down a Healthy Deposit

Discover card that provides an easy-going security deposit which is between $200 to $2500. You know your credit limit so you should spend that much only. If you spend more then they charge extra and you have to pay them.

2. Use Your Card Responsibly

Always try to draw under the credit limit otherwise you have to pay extra. This will not help in building your credit but it will create a negative impact and also it will increase the rate. 

3. Pay on Time

It is good if you pay your bills on time or if you pay it before as it will automatically increase your credit score. It shows well on your credit report if you have a low balance on the statement closing date.

For Whom is Discover it Secured Credit Card Intended?

Here are the users for whom this card is meant:

1. New Borrower not in School

This card is best suited for new users as they don’t have any credit records.  New students should go for a student credit card as it doesn’t require a security deposit and also they don’t have any financing record.

2. Credit Builders

In case when you don’t have any credit record or have less credit score then you can go for the Destiny card as it will improve your history. Only a feasible amount of security deposit & a credit report is needed and it will make your score improve easily.

3. Casual Commuters

Although the quarterly cap for the 2% petrol & restaurant rewards rate is $1,000, you can earn $80 back at that rate every year, and even more. If you drive regularly, these benefits can quickly mount up and help you save money on petrol.

Few Alternative Options

Have a look at a few other alternatives to the Destiny card:

1. Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

Our Rating: 4.2/5

Due to its feasible security deposit, the Capital One Platinum Secured card can be used otherwise it doesn’t provide any rewards.

Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card

Important Points

  • Required Credit Score: 300 – 669
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Purchase APR: 26.49% (variable)
  • Deposit: $49–$200

Pros

  • Zero annual fees.
  • You will get a security deposit back.
  • Easy-going credit limit.
  • High consent.

Cons

  • Cashback rewards are provided to chosen merchants. 
  • Less interest rate. 

2.  Citi Secured Mastercard

Our Rating: 3.8/5

It is another alternative if you are a new user and you want to get a credit card. But, Citi Secured Card is not a very admirable card as it doesn’t have rewards. 

Citi Secured Mastercard

Important Points

  • Required Credit Score: 300 – 669
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Purchase APR: 26.24% (variable)
  • Deposit: $200–$2,500

Pros

  • Accessible to limited credit users.
  • No need for an annual fee.
  • It reports to all 3 credit agencies.

Cons

  • Reasonably high APR.
  • Need security deposit.
  • Zero rewards.

3. Discover it Student Chrome Card

Our Rating: 4.4/5

This card is for students who are in college and want to have a credit card. The Discover it Student Chrome Credit Card provides 1% to 2% cash back & six months at 0% APR. 

Discover It Student Chrome Card

Important Points

  • Required Credit Score: 580–739
  • Annual Fee: $0
  • Purchase APR: 15.99%–24.99% (variable)
  • 0% APR Period: 6 Months

Pros

  • No credit score is needed.
  • No annual fee & no foreign transaction.
  • 0% APR for six months.
  • 1% to 2% cashback.

Cons

  • You should be a student to qualify.
  • No option for choosing the rewards category.
  • Balance transfers do not have an intro APR.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What are the first four digits of all Discover card numbers?

So, the cards issued by Discover card have this format 6011 40XX XXXX XXXX.

Q2. Why is the Discover card a joke?

It is cheap and you can easily get it. So, maybe because of this reason people make fun of it. But, in reality, this card is very good for users with bad credit.

Q3. How to cancel a Discover card?

Call the number given on the back of your card to get in touch with the customer support team.

Q4. What credit score do you need for a Discover card?

You need a Credit Score between 300 to 669.

Q5. How long does it take to get a Discover it Secured credit card?

To get a Discover it Secured credit card, it will take 7 to 10 working days.

Q6. How to get a cash advance from a Discover card?

There are 3 ways to get cash in advance from a Discover card:

  1. Banks & credit unions.
  2. ATMs.
  3. Cash advance into checking.

Conclusion

We believe you are fully informed about Discover it Secured credit card at this point. You can use this information to decide whether or not to select this card. We also offered additional options if you feel that this card is not a good choice. Decide thoughtfully, and if you have any questions, get in touch with us.

Author Profile

Elizabeth Jones
Elizabeth Jones is one of our editorial team’s leading authors on credit card offers, services & more. With over two decades of experience in the consumer credit industry and as a nationally recognized credit expert, Elizabeth provides in-depth analysis of both traditional & alternative forms of credit. Elizabeth regularly appears on many major media outlets including NBC Nightly News, Fox Business Network, CNBC & Yahoo! Finance. She is also a frequent contributor to Forbes Magazine. As a highly appreciated author for our exclusive Editorial Team, Elizabeth strives to provide readers with a trustworthy advice on how to manage their credit accounts while staying informed on the latest offers in the marketplace.

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