topic Re: Chase or Discover? in Credit Cards

Chase or Discover?

Skye12329 — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 03:42:16 GMT

Which do you prefer i am thinking about the 2 cards and it feels like they are almost the same with the categories.

Which has better customer service?

Automatic CLI?

Benefits of each?

Maybe just go for both?

Also whats the difference between the student discover and regular one?

Re: Chase or Discover?

Vegas247 — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 04:07:04 GMT

@Skye12329 wrote:
Which do you prefer i am thinking about the 2 cards and it feels like they are almost the same with the categories.

Which has better customer service?
Automatic CLI?
Benefits of each?

Maybe just go for both?
Also whats the difference between the student discover and regular one?

You are right about them being similar. I have both. Both great customer service. Haven't had them long enough to experience CLIs.

Re: Chase or Discover?

Stralem — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 03:52:44 GMT

In my experience, customer service for both has been equally great. But I'd give the edge to Discover because their reps are U.S. based and are understandable.

For limit increases, Discover is the clear winner. All are soft pulls with hard pulls as a fall back. Chase, on the other hand, will hard pull you at the drop of a hat. Anecdotally speaking, Chase is also stingy with the auto CLIs when compared with other lenders.

Benefits? Well... They're remarkably similar products. What you'll get with one, you'll probably get with the other.

The student version of the Discover card comes with a smaller growth potential, I believe. There's no difference in rewards programs or cosmetic design.

I say just get both.

Re: Chase or Discover?

Skye12329 — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 03:59:07 GMT

Alright because i am a student and when i applied for student card last year it got declined for my student loans being too high (20k) i am still in school so they are on deferment which i am confused why that would be a decline reason...i should have reconned at least i think it was the student version XD

Re: Chase or Discover?

bada_bing — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 04:37:45 GMT

Sallie Mae > Chase Freedom, Discover iT

Re: Chase or Discover?

MoreRewards — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 05:11:41 GMT

Customer service is good on both.
Rewards are about the same.
I've been given several auto CLI from Discover.
Never received auto CLI from Chase. That's just my experience though.

Re: Chase or Discover?

MoreRewards — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 05:13:03 GMT

I will say for online shopping i almost always use shop discover as 99% of the time it's higher % cash back vs UR mall.

Re: Chase or Discover?

mongstradamus — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 06:47:57 GMT

@MoreRewards wrote:
Customer service is good on both.
Rewards are about the same.
I've been given several auto CLI from Discover.
Never received auto CLI from Chase. That's just my experience though.

thats funny i have had the reverese , chase auto cli me in jan , and still haven't and cant get an sp cli from discover. I got both cards at the same time last september.

Re: Chase or Discover?

lg8302ch — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 09:31:32 GMT

@bada_bing wrote:
Sallie Mae > Chase Freedom, Discover iT

for me slightly different sequence Sallie Mae - Discover - Freedom....not a SM holder yet but hopefully soon

Re: Chase or Discover?

B335is — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 14:18:24 GMT

@bada_bing wrote:
Sallie Mae > Chase Freedom, Discover iT

Re: Chase or Discover?

Open123 — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 14:51:13 GMT

I'd go for both.

The 5% rotating categories often compliment each other and both are limited to $1,500 per quarter on the bonus, which can be quite limiting. Having both will give you more leeway, should you need it. Moreover, while shopdiscover is better most of the time, there are times when UR will have a better bonus Merchant. Again, diversifying will yield better long term results, if only giving you more options.

Finally, neither card should ever be used for non-bonus spending. If you have a Chase checking, then use the Freedom for everyday spending, if you don't have a better options, such as Fid Amex or Quicksilver.

This is all assuming you value cash over points for travel.

Re: Chase or Discover?

Anonymous — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 15:01:12 GMT

@Open123 wrote:
I'd go for both.

The 5% rotating categories often compliment each other and both are limited to $1,500 per quarter on the bonus, which can be quite limiting. Having both will give you more leeway, should you need it. Moreover, while shopdiscover is better most of the time, there are times when UR will have a better bonus Merchant. Again, diversifying will yield better long term results, if only giving you more options.

Finally, neither card should ever be used for non-bonus spending. If you have a Chase checking, then use the Freedom for everyday spending, if you don't have a better options, such as Fid Amex or Quicksilver.

This is all assuming you value cash over points for travel.

RIght, a major difference for some if that with another Chase card (e.g CSP, Ink) the points earned on the Freedom can be transferred to that card, and then on to partner programs, potentially earning much more than 1%

If pure cash back is the desire, to me Chase Freedom comes way down the list, as I hate rotating categories and at least ShopDiscover has some good rates. Go for a card with good rewards in categories that either you decide (Cash Plus, Hungtingdon) or fixed categories you know will be useful (e.g. Sallie Mae, PenFed).

That said, Freedom is easier to get than someof those cards, but really of less value.

Re: Chase or Discover?

nathanmac — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 15:13:04 GMT

@Stralem wrote:
In my experience, customer service for both has been equally great. But I'd give the edge to Discover because their reps are U.S. based and are understandable.

For limit increases, Discover is the clear winner. All are soft pulls with hard pulls as a fall back. Chase, on the other hand, will hard pull you at the drop of a hat. Anecdotally speaking, Chase is also stingy with the auto CLIs when compared with other lenders.

Benefits? Well... They're remarkably similar products. What you'll get with one, you'll probably get with the other.

The student version of the Discover card comes with a smaller growth potential, I believe. There's no difference in rewards programs or cosmetic design.

I say just get both.

My experience has been just the opposite. Discover started me at 1k and denied me a hard pull CLI at 4 months. Chase on the other hand started me at 2.5K and gave me an auto increase to 3.5K after only 3 months. Both cards I always PIF but have been treated vastly better (as far as CLI) by chase. As always YMMV.

Re: Chase or Discover?

clocktick — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 17:17:32 GMT

I like the Freedom over the IT.

I think Discover's CS is great, but really, how often does one need to call CS? The last few times I've been out of the country, no one (except one tiny museum) would take Discover. They also tried to CLD me at one point but we worked it out.

I just like Chase all around better - yes their CLIs are HPs but it's accepted everywhere and I like their categories better (6 months gas this year). I'm big into the UR points too so I'm sort of biased.

Re: Chase or Discover?

NikoD — Sun, 30 Mar 2014 17:30:27 GMT

I don't come across places that don't take Discover very often but than I don' travel much or shop at mom & pop type stores so that may be why. If you are like me than as long as you have a Visa or MC as a backup just in case it, acceptance shouldn't factor much into your decision of which card to get.

Re: Chase or Discover?

MoreRewards — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 02:25:41 GMT

That's why I figure just my experience & it varies. I've received regular CLI on my DS most recently in January & again yesterday (just saw the email today).It feels nice to be rewarded.
Can't figure out what will get me an auto CLI with Chase!? What am I doing wrong.

Re: Chase or Discover?

ways2go — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 02:32:30 GMT

Discover hands down. I have a Chase IHG card. A few auto CLI on discover. No CLI on the Chase. Chase gave me the largest initial CL on any of my cards. I like the CHASE though, lowest APR of my cards. Also I like the free night at any IHG hotels per year after the first year...

Re: Chase or Discover?

ficobgtx — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 04:44:05 GMT

@bada_bing wrote:
Sallie Mae > Chase Freedom, Discover iT

CSP + Freedom > Sallie Mae, Discover IT

IMHO

Re: Chase or Discover?

mongstradamus — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 04:51:34 GMT

@ficobgtx wrote:
@bada_bing wrote:
Sallie Mae > Chase Freedom, Discover iT
CSP + Freedom > Sallie Mae, Discover IT

IMHO

Is that the case only if you travel ? I am just wondering for pure cash back if thats still the case?

Re: Chase or Discover?

ACsteel — Mon, 07 Apr 2014 04:57:05 GMT

@Skye12329 wrote:
Which do you prefer i am thinking about the 2 cards and it feels like they are almost the same with the categories.

Which has better customer service?
Automatic CLI?
Benefits of each?

Maybe just go for both?
Also whats the difference between the student discover and regular one?

Between those two banks I say get a Chase card, their cards are accepted more world wide. Discover doesn't get accepted as much especially when you travel, so keep the future in mind. From experience Chase has good customer service, I never got an automatic CLI b/c they started me with very generous limits. My friends who had less than 5K credit limits usually got automatic CLIs up to 5K. Good luck!