Discover it Chrome Payoff Calculator (2026)

Card data, May 13, 2026

• Issuer: Discover
• Network: Discover
• APR: 18.24% to 28.24% variable
• Annual fee: $0
• Rewards: 2% cashback on the first $1,000 per quarter in combined gas station and restaurant spending, 1% on all other purchases
• Sign-up bonus: Discover Cashback Match doubles every dollar of cashback earned in the first year
• Intro APR on balance transfers: 0% for 15 months on transfers made within the first 3 months (3% intro transfer fee; 5% after)
• Intro APR on purchases: 0% for 6 months on new purchases
• Foreign transaction fee: 0%
• Late fee: up to $41
• Penalty APR: up to 29.99%
• Minimum payment: 1% of balance plus interest and fees, with a $35 floor
• Typical FICO floor for approval: 670

Source: Discover it Chrome terms, verified 2026-05-13.

TL;DR

Discover it Chrome is the simpler sibling of Discover it Cash Back. Where the Cash Back card rotates 5% categories quarterly and requires activation, Chrome locks in 2% on gas stations and restaurants permanently with no activation step. The tradeoff is the bonus rate: 2% versus 5%, and a tighter $1,000 per quarter combined cap versus the Cash Back card’s $1,500 per quarter cap per category.

For users who hate the activation game and primarily spend on gas and dining, Chrome is a cleaner fit. For users willing to manage rotating categories and aim for the higher rate, Cash Back outearns Chrome by 2 to 3 times.

The carry-balance reality is identical between the two cards because the APR range is the same. Rewards do not pay for interest at 22%+ APR.

Math worked example

$3,000 balance at 22% APR, $150 per month payment:

• 25 months to payoff
• $695 in interest
• Total cost: $3,695 (no annual fee)

Same balance transferred to the intro 0% APR for 15 months (3% fee = $90), paid down at $206 per month:

• 15 months to payoff
• $0 interest accrual during promo
• Total cost: $3,090
• Savings vs status quo: $605

Same balance, paid down faster at $250 per month at 22% APR (no transfer):

• 14 months to payoff
• $397 in interest
• Total cost: $3,397
• Savings vs status quo: $298

The transfer math wins, but only if you make the $206 minimum payoff-pace payment for the full 15 months. Miss a month and the residual hits 22% APR variable on cycle 16.

How the quarterly cap actually limits the math

The $1,000 combined quarterly cap means the 2% bonus tops out at $20 per quarter, or $80 per year, before the year-one Cashback Match. With the year-one match, the maximum cap-restricted bonus is $160 in year one. For a household that spends $400 a month on gas and dining, the cap binds; for one that spends $200 a month, it does not.

Run your specific Chrome numbers

The pillar tool accepts the Discover it Chrome APR. Find your exact rate on the most recent statement; the published 18.24% to 28.24% range is the band Discover assigns within, not your specific rate.

How the Cashback Match year-one bonus works

Discover automatically matches all cashback earned in the first 12 months from account opening, paid as a lump sum bonus at the end of month 13. The match has no cap. On the Chrome card, that means:

• Year-one bonus rate effective: 4% on gas and dining (up to the cap), 2% on everything else
• Year-two onward: 2% capped, 1% everywhere

This is unique to Discover among major issuers. Capital One, Citi, Chase, and Bank of America offer flat one-time bonuses of $200 to $500; Discover’s percentage match scales with how much you actually spend.

Chrome vs Cash Back vs Miles inside Discover

Three Discover cards, three different shapes:

• Chrome: 2% gas/dining permanent, 1% elsewhere, year-one match
• Cash Back: 5% rotating quarterly categories, 1% elsewhere, year-one match
• Miles: 1.5x flat, year-one match

For a household with predictable gas and dining spend and no patience for activating rotating categories, Chrome wins on simplicity. For a household willing to track quarters and shift spend, Cash Back outearns. For an international traveler, Miles wins on the zero foreign transaction fee with flat earning.

Avalanche priority

The Discover it Chrome APR range starts at 18.24%, which is on the low end among major rewards cards. If your assigned APR is in the 18.24% to 19.5% slice, it is probably not your highest-APR card if you also hold a premium travel card or a store card. Pull every card’s APR and target the highest first.

If your Chrome APR is in the 26% to 28% range, it is almost certainly the top of your avalanche queue.

Balance transfer specifics

Discover it Chrome’s current intro 0% APR for 15 months on qualifying balance transfers with a 3% intro fee (5% after the first 3 months) is competitive but shorter than dedicated balance transfer cards. The Discover it Balance Transfer typically runs 18 months. Wells Fargo Reflect runs 21 months. BankAmericard runs 18 months.

The question for a balance transfer is which combination of promo length, fee, and post-promo APR fits your payoff timeline. Run both our balance transfer calculator and the payoff calculator at your assigned Chrome APR to see the difference.

Should you keep Chrome after payoff?

Yes. No annual fee, no foreign transaction fee, and continued use at gas and restaurants earns the 2% rate. The available credit also helps your credit utilization ratio. Keeping the card open is essentially free.

When Chrome is not the right card

If you spend more than $500 a month on gas and dining combined, you hit the $1,000 quarterly cap inside the first two months of each quarter, and the rest of your spend earns 1%. At that point, Capital One Savor (3% dining, no cap, $0 annual fee on the SavorOne variant) or Citi Custom Cash (5% on your top spending category up to $500 per month) typically outearns Chrome.

Other Discover cards

• Discover it Cash Back payoff calculator
• Discover it Miles payoff calculator
• Discover it Student Cash Back payoff calculator

Other category bonus cards

• Bank of America Customized Cash payoff calculator
• U.S. Bank Altitude Go payoff calculator
• Wells Fargo Autograph payoff calculator

Related

• Credit card payoff calculator (home), pillar tool
• Credit card payoff by card type, full hub
• Balance transfer calculator

Frequently asked questions

What is the APR on Discover it Chrome?

18.24% to 28.24% variable as of May 13, 2026, per Discover Chrome pricing. Your assigned APR was set at the time of application based on the credit profile Discover pulled, and is printed on every monthly statement. Pull that exact rate when running payoff scenarios, not the published range, which is just the band Discover sets across all new approvals.

Does Chrome have a spending cap on the 2% rate?

Yes. The combined cap is $1,000 per calendar quarter across gas station and restaurant purchases. Spending above the cap earns 1%. At maximum cap use, the 2% bonus pays $20 per quarter or $80 per year, doubled to $160 in year one via the Cashback Match.

Is there a 0% intro APR on Discover it Chrome?

Yes, for new applicants. The current offer is 0% for 15 months on qualifying balance transfers made in the first 3 months from account opening with a 3% intro transfer fee, and 0% for 6 months on new purchases. After both promo windows, the standard variable APR of 18.24% to 28.24% applies. The transfer fee rises to 5% after the first 3 months.

Are there foreign transaction fees on Discover it Chrome?

No. The Chrome card charges 0% on foreign transactions. Discover acceptance is the practical limit; coverage is strong in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Japan, and most of Western Europe but is patchy in smaller economies. A backup Visa or Mastercard is recommended for international trips.

Should I get Chrome or Discover it Cash Back?

Chrome is the simpler card: 2% on gas and dining permanently, no activation. Cash Back is the higher-earning card if you manage it: 5% on quarterly rotating categories activated each quarter, capped at $1,500 per quarter per category. Households that hate activations and primarily spend on gas and food pick Chrome. Households that will track quarters and shift spend pick Cash Back. Both run identical APR ranges, so the carry-balance math is the same.