Dedicated comparison page

Discover it Student Cash Back vs Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

Discover it Student Cash Back vs Wells Fargo Active Cash Card on Luminxo. Compare annual fees, rewards, welcome offers, credit requirements, and who each card is best for.

Lowest annual feeDiscover it Student Cash BackNo annual fee
Highest reward rateDiscover it Student Cash Back5.0%
Lowest starting credit rangeDiscover it Student Cash Back580+

Quick Take

Discover it Student Cash Back

by Discover

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Discover it Student Cash Back is a student card from Discover with no annual fee, cashback match - all cash back earned in first year is doubled, plus $20/year good grade reward, and fair credit.

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

  • 5% on Dining
  • Cashback Match - all cash back earned in first year is doubled, plus $20/year good grade reward
  • No foreign transaction fee
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Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

by Wells Fargo

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Wells Fargo Active Cash Card is a cashback card from Wells Fargo with no annual fee, earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months, 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.

  • Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
  • Foreign transaction fee: 3%
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Side-by-Side Facts

MetricDiscover it Student Cash BackWells Fargo Active Cash Card
Annual FeeNoneNone
Reward Rate5.0%2.0%
Signup BonusCashback Match - all cash back earned in first year is doubled, plus $20/year good grade rewardEarn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
Foreign Transaction FeeNone3.0%
Recommended CreditFair creditFair to good credit
Rewards SummaryEarn 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.Earn 2% on general spending.

Who Should Pick Which Card?

Discover it Student 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 student rewards who want to avoid an annual fee and who typically have fair credit.

Pros

  • Cashback Match - all cash back earned in first year is doubled, plus $20/year good grade reward
  • No annual fee to offset rewards
  • Earns 5% on Dining
  • Earns 5% on Gas

Tradeoffs

  • Base rewards on non-bonus spending are relatively modest

Wells Fargo Active Cash Card

It keeps the value proposition simple with 2% on everyday purchases.

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

Pros

  • Earn a $200 cash rewards bonus when you spend $500 in purchases in the first 3 months
  • No annual fee to offset rewards

Tradeoffs

  • Foreign transaction fee of 3% can hurt value abroad

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the main difference between Discover it Student Cash Back and Wells Fargo Active Cash Card?

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 Student Cash Back has the lowest published starting credit range in this comparison at 580.

Which card has the lowest annual fee?

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