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Discover is well known for its competitive credit cards, whether you’re trying to maximize your cash back or earn a generous starting APR on new purchases or balance transfers. If you’re considering getting a Discover credit card, you can check out pre-approved offers.
When Discover pre-approves you, it usually means they have identified you as a strong candidate for one or more of their credit cards. They have probably done a soft check on your credit report that does not affect your creditworthiness and would like to invite you to formally apply for the card.
Pre-Approved Offers let you get an idea of which Discover cards you’re most likely to be approved for, saving you the hassle of applying for a card, having trouble with your credit history, and getting rejected. By reviewing the cards that Discover has already matched to your credit profile, you can better decide which product is best for you. Read on to find out more about how to get one of these offers.
How to get pre-approved for a Discover credit card
It’s pretty easy to get pre-approved for a Discover credit card. You can check Discover Card pre-approval offers right here at CreditCards.com, on the issuer’s website, or even by email.
Check out pre-qualified offers on CardMatch
CardMatch™ is a free tool that makes it easy to check your eligibility for the best credit cards from Discover and other card issuers. Since CardMatch only uses soft credit, using this tool will not affect your credit. You will need to enter some information on the CardMatch form, including your name, home address, email address, and the last four digits of your social security number. After you submit the form, CardMatch will display a list of credit cards that are likely to be approved.
Prequalify on the Discover site
Another place where potential cardholders can check Discover’s pre-approval is on the Discover website.
The Discover Prequalified Offers tool asks for a bit more information than similar products from other issuers. You will need to enter information such as your annual income, whether you own or rent a home, whether you are a student, and any other open bank accounts. You will also enter basic identifying information such as your name, address, and social security number.
Don’t worry, these additional questions are all designed to help Discover better match you with maps that fit your lifestyle. You will still only have soft pull in your asset and this will not affect your account.
Other Ways to Prequalify for Discover Cards
In addition to pre-selected online offers, Discover may target you with a pre-screened offer by mail. The next time you receive an email from Discover, check for a good card before you toss it. Depending on how you apply for a card, Discover will offer different terms and conditions from time to time. This means that you can get a better introductory offer if you are targeted. Before applying, please review the information about your prequalified card offers carefully.
Boost Your Chances
If you check the Discover site only to find that you didn’t prequalify for the card you wanted, don’t worry. You can work to improve your credit score and improve your chances of getting a better deal.
The best way to do this is to make regular and timely payments to your other accounts. In addition, you must keep your credit usage low. If you don’t have enough credit history, consider becoming an authorized family member card user. Just remember that the primary cardholder will still be responsible for making payments on time, so you must be responsible for using the card.
Top Discover cards for pre-selected offers
| Cash back Discover® Cash Back |
April Introduction Discover it® chrome |
Travel Discover It® Miles |
|---|---|---|
| 5% cashback on rotating categories that you activate each quarter, on purchases up to $1,500 per quarter
1% cashback for all other purchases 0% per annum for 15 months on new purchases and balance transfers then 11.99%-22.99% (variable) |
2% cashback when shopping at restaurants and gas stations (up to $1,000 in total per quarter)
1% cashback for all other purchases 0% per annum for 15 months on new purchases and balance transfers then 11.99%-22.99% (variable) |
1.5 miles per dollar for all purchases
0% initial APR for 14 months on new purchases then 11.99%-22.99% (variable) |
Why you should pre-qualify with Discover before you apply
The main reason to prequalify with Discover is to help protect your credit score from unnecessary blows. Remember, when you formally apply for a credit card, the card issuer does a thorough credit check. Complicated requests remain on your credit report for up to two years, although they only affect your score for one year.
Pre-qualification gives you a chance to find out if you can be approved. While credit card approval is never guaranteed, it will be easier for you to apply if you know that Discover has already pre-approved you. On the other hand, if prequalification is not positive for Discover cards based on soft retrieval of your credit, this may be a sign that the card issuer’s review of your credit report has identified a problem.
In this case, you can wait and build up your credit before formally applying for a credit card. Consider obtaining copies of your credit reports from AnnualCreditReport.com so you can identify potential problems. Go through your credit reports, looking for any errors or fraudulent information. If you find errors, file a claim with the three main credit reference agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.
bottom line
Your credit score plays an important role in whether you’re approved for credit cards and loans, and in the interest rates you receive, so it’s worth protecting your score from unnecessary risk. If you’re thinking about getting a Discover card, consider taking the extra step of getting pre-approved first. At least then you’ll have a better idea of your chances of getting approved, which can help you decide whether to proceed or not.
Editorial disclaimer
The editorial content on this page is based solely on the objective judgment of our contributors and is not based on advertising. It was not provided or ordered by credit card issuers. However, we may receive compensation when you click on links to our partners’ products.
