The Ultimate Guide to Credit Cards
Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Discover Card Pre-Approval: 4 Best Offers to Prequalify (March 2024)

Discover Card Pre Approval
Brittney Mayer

Written by: Brittney Mayer

Brittney Mayer
Brittney Mayer

Brittney is a Credit Strategist and Finance Expert who has spent years honing her knowledge of the credit industry both personally and professionally. Brittney applies her more than a decade of research experience to crafting in-depth consumer guides designed to help CardRates readers make better, more informed financial decisions.

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Edited by: Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro
Lillian Guevara-Castro

Lillian Guevara-Castro brings more than 30 years of editing and journalism experience to the CardRates team. She has written and edited for major news organizations, including The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and the New York Times, and she previously served as an adjunct journalism instructor at the University of Florida. Today, Lillian edits all CardRates content for clarity, accuracy, and reader engagement.

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Advertiser Disclosure

The modern era is a lovely place, full of technology and convenience. Vacuums run themselves, the sofa plugs in, and there are televisions in the refrigerators. With all this digitization, it’s hardly shocking that just about everything hits our inboxes instead of our mailboxes.

So what’s the surprising part? Anytime I check the mail, there always seems to be at least one letter from a credit card company. These pre-approval offers and pre-qualification notices are forever showing up, enticing me to apply for a shiny new credit card.

Whether you’ve received your first Discover card pre-approval offer or your 50th, you may not know what pre-approval actually is — or what to do about it. Use the navigation to learn more about pre-approval, how to know before you apply, and what to do after you pre-qualify.

Apply Online | What it Means | How to Check | Denial Options | Opt Out

From Pre-Qualified to Approved: Start with the Right Card

In many ways, which Discover card you choose to apply for will be the deciding factor when it comes to getting approved. If you are a student with a limited credit history, you should know ahead of time that you are unlikely to qualify for a prime rewards card aimed at people with good to excellent, established, credit histories. Check to see which of Discover’s top cards fit you — and your credit.

Best Discover Card for Cash Back Rewards

One of the best reasons to have a credit card these days is to cash in on the cash back (and other rewards). Discover’s best bonus rewards card offers big rewards in a new category every quarter, including gas and groceries, as well as a flat-rate bonus on everything else. Your cash back never expires, and you can redeem your rewards at any time.

Discover it® Cash Back Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

EXPERT'S RATING

★★★★★

4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Get a 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% to 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR applies, based on credit worthiness.
  • No annual fee.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 months
0% Intro APR for 15 months
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Excellent/Good

+See More Cash Back Rewards Cards

Best Discover Card for Airline Rewards

When you know that you’re going to be using your credit card rewards for your next big flight, you should opt for the airline rewards card. You’ll usually get more bang for your bonus buck if you use miles to purchase your next ticket instead of redeeming for cash and buying one. Learn more about Discover’s top airline rewards card below.

Discover it® Miles Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

EXPERT'S RATING

★★★★★

4.8

OVERALL RATING

  • UNLIMITED BONUS: Unlimited Mile-for-Mile match for all new cardmembers - only from Discover. Discover gives you an unlimited match of all the Miles you’ve earned at the end of your first year. For example, if you earn 35,000 Miles, you get 70,000 Miles. There’s no signing up, no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a Miles-for-Miles match.
  • Automatically earn unlimited 1.5x Miles on every dollar of every purchase
  • No annual fee
  • Turn Miles into cash. Or redeem as a statement credit for your travel purchases like airfare, hotels, rideshares, gas stations, restaurants and more.
  • 0% intro APR for 15 months on purchases. Then 17.24% - 28.24% Standard Variable Purchase APR will apply.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • Discover is accepted nationwide by 99% of the places that take credit cards.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 15 months
0% Intro APR for 15 months
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Excellent/Good

+See More Airline Rewards Cards

Best Discover Card for Balance Transfers

The interest rates on a credit card can really add up after a while if you carry a balance on your card. In that case, you should look into a good balance transfer card, like our pick from Discover. New cardholders enjoy an introductory APR on your transferred balance as well as new purchases, though lengths vary. You also get great cash-back rewards, including quarterly bonus categories.

Discover it® Balance Transfer Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

EXPERT'S RATING

★★★★★

4.9

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. You could turn $150 cash back into $300.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • Your account may not always be eligible for balance transfers. Balance transfer eligibility is determined at Discover’s discretion.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • No annual fee.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 6 months
0% Intro APR for 18 months
17.24% - 28.24% Variable APR
$0
Excellent/Good

+See More Balance Transfer Cards

Best Discover Card for Students

As a student, it can be hard to get started in the credit world, but Discover has a card just for you. The student card offers the same perks as any other Discover card, such as reporting to the credit bureaus and cash back rewards. It also has the benefit of giving you your FICO score on each statement, letting you track you growing credit.

Discover it® Student Cash Back Review

at Discover Card'ssecure website

EXPERT'S RATING

★★★★★

4.5

OVERALL RATING

  • INTRO OFFER: Unlimited Cashback Match for all new cardmembers – only from Discover. Discover will automatically match all the cash back you’ve earned at the end of your first year! So you could turn $50 cash back into $100. Or turn $100 cash back into $200. There’s no minimum spending or maximum rewards. Just a dollar-for-dollar match.
  • Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically.
  • Redeem your rewards for cash at any time.
  • No credit score required to apply.
  • Discover could help you reduce exposure of your personal information online by helping you remove it from select people-search sites that could sell your data. It’s free, activate with the mobile app.
  • No annual fee and build your credit with responsible use.
  • 0% intro APR on purchases for 6 months, then the standard variable purchase APR of 18.24% - 27.24% applies.
  • Terms and conditions apply.
Intro (Purchases)
Intro (Transfers)
Regular APR
Annual Fee
Credit Needed
0% Intro APR for 6 months
10.99% Intro APR for 6 months
18.24% - 27.24% Variable APR
$0
Fair/New to Credit

+See More Student Cards

What it Means to Pre-Qualify

The Fair Credit Reporting Act allows credit bureaus to give the information of its consumers (namely, anyone with credit) to the various credit card companies, like Discover. The people at Discover then filter the information by various factors — such as the length of credit history, or general credit score range.

If they determine you fit the filter criteria, indicating you may be a good candidate for one of their cards, you’re considered to be pre-approved, or pre-qualified. You can likely expect to see a letter in the mail. Really, that’s it.

The thing to keep in mind about pre-qualification is that it’s a form of direct advertising, one that signifies you fit the general credit demographic for a certain card. It is not a guarantee of approval — or rejection — for that card. You still need to apply for the card, and meet other qualifications (like income), before you’ll actually receive any credit.

How to Check Your Pre-Approval Status

If you have been watching your mailbox for a pre-qualification offer and been coming up empty, you can take it online to the Discover “Find My Offer” tool. The only information you need to input is your name and Social Security number, indicate if you’re a student, then click “Find My Option.” Discover will display all of the cards for which you’re considered to be pre-approved.

Use the Find My Offers Tool to Check For Pre-Qualification Offers From Discover

Checking for pre-approval offers through Discover’s website is nearly instantaneous, and you don’t need to worry about the impact to your credit score because there’s no hard pull to check your pre-qualification status, so there is no effect on your credit.

Don’t Be Discouraged By Denial

Don’t be discouraged if you don’t qualify — or pre-qualify — for an offer from Discover; you still have a few options to try. The first is the reconsideration line, a designated telephone number for customers who believe there may have been a mistake on their application, or otherwise wish to appeal their denial. To appeal your Discover rejection, contact:

888-676-3695

An appeal that is denied due to your credit may mean you need to try applying for a credit card designed specifically for those with poor credit. These cards have more forgiving standards, though they may have lower limits or higher interest rates. Responsibly using a credit card can increase your credit score over time and may help you become eligible for a Discover card in the future.

If Pre-Qualification Offers Aren’t For You

If you’re tired of seeing pre-approval offers in your otherwise pristine mailbox, or already have the Discover card you’ve always wanted, you can choose to stop receiving them. Do not just throw out these letters — they’ll just keep coming, like a science fiction monster. Instead, you need to officially opt out of the offer program. Opting out is a simple process, and you can opt-out online or call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT (1-888-567-8688).

Remember that pre-qualification offers can be a good way to gauge your ability to get approved for a credit card, without impacting your credit. You may wish to stay in the program or at least check for your offers online, so you can know all of your credit card options. After all, those robot vacuums and refrigerators with televisions in them don’t come cheap — you may need to put those types of purchases on a credit card.

Advertiser Disclosure

CardRates.com is a free online resource that offers valuable content and comparison services to users. To keep this resource 100% free, we receive compensation for referrals for many of the offers listed on the site. Along with key review factors, this compensation may impact how and where products appear across CardRates.com (including, for example, the order in which they appear). CardRates.com does not include the entire universe of available offers. Editorial opinions expressed on the site are strictly our own and are not provided, endorsed, or approved by advertisers.