Dedicated comparison page

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Discover it Cash Back

Chase Sapphire Reserve vs Discover it Cash Back on Luminxo. Compare annual fees, rewards, welcome offers, credit requirements, and who each card is best for.

Lowest annual feeDiscover it Cash BackNo annual fee
Highest reward rateChase Sapphire Reserve5.0%
Lowest starting credit rangeDiscover it Cash Back670+

Quick Take

Chase Sapphire Reserve

by Chase

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Chase Sapphire Reserve is a travel card from Chase with a $795 annual fee, 150,000 bonus points after ,000 in 3 months, and good to excellent credit.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $795 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

  • 5% on Travel (portal)
  • 150,000 bonus points after ,000 in 3 months
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Discover it Cash Back

by Discover

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Discover it Cash Back is a cashback card from Discover with no annual fee, cashback match - all cash back earned in first year is doubled, and fair to good credit.

Best for: People focused on cashback rewards who want to avoid an annual fee and who typically have fair to good credit.

  • 5% on Dining
  • Cashback Match - all cash back earned in first year is doubled
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Side-by-Side Facts

MetricChase Sapphire ReserveDiscover it Cash Back
Annual Fee$795None
Reward Rate5.0%5.0%
Signup Bonus150,000 bonus points after ,000 in 3 monthsCashback Match - all cash back earned in first year is doubled
Foreign Transaction FeeNoneNone
Recommended CreditGood to excellent creditFair to good credit
Rewards SummaryEarn elevated rewards with 5% on Travel (portal), 3% on Dining and 3% on Travel, plus 1% on other purchases.Earn elevated rewards with 5% on Dining (up to $1500/quarter) (rotating quarterly), 5% on Gas (up to $1500/quarter) (rotating quarterly) and 5% on Groceries (up to $1500/quarter) (rotating quarterly), plus 1% on other purchases.

Who Should Pick Which Card?

Chase Sapphire Reserve

Its strongest earning category is Travel (portal) at 5%, backed by 1% on general spending. It also avoids foreign transaction fees.

Best for: People focused on travel rewards who can justify a $795 annual fee and who typically have good to excellent credit.

Pros

  • 150,000 bonus points after ,000 in 3 months
  • Potentially worthwhile if you use the card enough to cover the $795 annual fee
  • Earns 5% on Travel (portal)
  • Earns 3% on Travel

Tradeoffs

  • Annual fee of $795 means you need ongoing value from the card
  • Typically requires good to excellent credit
  • Signup bonus requires $6000 in spending within 3 months
  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Discover it Cash Back

Its strongest earning category is Dining at 5%, backed by 1% on general spending. It also avoids foreign transaction fees.

Best for: People focused on cashback rewards who want to avoid an annual fee and who typically have fair to good credit.

Pros

  • Cashback Match - all cash back earned in first year is doubled
  • No annual fee to offset rewards
  • Earns 5% on Dining
  • Earns 5% on Gas

Tradeoffs

  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Chase Sapphire Reserve and Discover it Cash Back?

The biggest tradeoffs are annual fee, reward concentration, and the level of credit usually needed to qualify. This page compares those inputs directly so you can choose the card that fits your spending and tolerance for annual fees.

Which card is easier to qualify for?

Discover it Cash Back has the lowest published starting credit range in this comparison at 670.

Which card has the lowest annual fee?

Discover it Cash Back has the lowest annual fee in this comparison at no annual fee.