Discover IT vs. Chase Freedom

[Anonymous]

I was recently approved for both. I see more Disco love on these forums and was curious as to why? They seem very similar regarding rewards. It is customer service? Growth? Perks? I am hoping they do not have too many cross-over rewards rotations, but when they do, I would like to know which is better to use. (or does it matter?)

[Anonymous]

I have both cards why is simple double cashback 1st year with discover and massive cli on soft pulls it seems every 91 days. My freedom went from 4K to 5k after 5 months that's it. I am now in my second month with discover and hoping the gravy train is still going after I get my 3rd statement because I'll be requesting a cli where as the freedom would be a hardpull

[takeshi74]

No idea.  Popular is just popular and doesn't necessarily mean much.  It's what works for you that really matters.

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@Anonymous wrote:

They seem very similar regarding rewards.

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They can be similar but there are frequenlty differences that could matter to individuals.

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@Anonymous wrote:

It is customer service?

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Some find that Discover's CS is better.  I don't use CS enough with any company to use it as a priority.

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@Anonymous wrote:

Growth?

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A number of people seem to find that Discover grows better but that really depends on one's credit profile and income and not just Discover.  If one has a credit profile that doesn't qualify for a CLI then the growth potential really won't matter until that credit profile improves.

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@Anonymous wrote:

but when they do, I would like to know which is better to use. (or does it matter?)

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Better is always highly subjective.  It's up to you to determine that based on your situation, preferences, priorities, etc.  I have a CSP and can generally transfer UR points for higher redemption value so all else being equal I'll lean toward my Freedom.  However, I'm currently signed up for double cash back with Discover so I have to take that into account as well.  I can't beat 10% cash back with UR points.  Again, details of similar quarters may have differences that could be worth considering.

[Anonymous]

2 words for ya.....

Discover deals

[Discover2016]

I have both and love both, that being said, Discover has some distinct advantages. The main one being that you can grow the Discover with SP CLI's and no foreign transaction fee.

[Anonymous]

I got the Disco for the rewards and the freedom for the intro APR. (the Disco was approved at an adjusted intro of 10.94%, not zero) I plan to transfer a balance to it and only se it when the specific rewards catagory is worth it. I expect the Disco to get more use, but was curious as to others opinions and if I was missing something.

Edit: Also, why do you have to "sign up" for the rewards? Is it just a ploy so some people forget and don't get them? It would seem having the card would be enough.

[Callandra]

Discover is more popular with those who want pure cashback. The categories tend to be broader (read: better) and people seem to love Discover CS (I don't have Discover so I can't judge). Plus coupled with a supposedly very good shopping portal and the recent double cashback, it seems like a great choice for cashback.

Freedom is better if you are interested in UR points and have a CSP (or another card that allows transfers to partners). Some may also prefer Freedom because it's a Visa. It's really up to you which one will work for you. 

[Sharingan]

I would imagine that some are quite partial to Discover because they will give them what Chase won't, likely due to that ever so notorious and stringent new accounts rule. Personally, I prefer the Chase Freedom Visa Signature to the Discover IT; however, I view them more as complements rather than competitors. My overall experience with Chase as a customer is by far better than that with Discover, and it is definitely a factor in this comparison as well. Otherwise, I really like the flexibility of UR points. My Discover has had extremely limited growth in the 4 years that I have had it compared to just about every other card in my possession, so I definitely cannot give them an edge there. 

[Anonymous]

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@Discover2016 wrote:

I have both and love both, that being said, Discover has some distinct advantages. The main one being that you can grow the Discover with SP CLI's and no foreign transaction fee.

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Yes, but merchant acceptance is limited internationally.

I have both and plan to keep and use both.

[Discover2016]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@Discover2016 wrote:

I have both and love both, that being said, Discover has some distinct advantages. The main one being that you can grow the Discover with SP CLI's and no foreign transaction fee.

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Yes, but merchant acceptance is limited internationally.

I have both and plan to keep and use both.

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Yep, that is where the Freedom has an edge.