Updated June 7, 2024

Discover Bank Review

By Lee M, Editing by Anna G
Read more about Discover Bank
Editorial Note: This content is not provided by the companies mentioned. Opinions expressed here are author's alone, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by the companies.
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Discover® Bank offers high interest rates on its online savings and CD accounts. But there are downsides. Here's what you need to know before you open an account.

5-point scale (the higher, the better)

Pros and Cons

  • High yield
  • No fees
  • 24/7 customer service
  • No interest checking

Bottom Line

Solid online bank with high APY rates and good customer service

Traditional savings accounts pay very little interest. If you want to earn a more impactful return on your savings, online banks often offer higher rates.

In this article, we will look at how you can use Discover's Online Savings Accounts and CDs to help grow your savings.

What is Discover® Bank

Based in Greenwood, Delaware, Discover® Bank is an online bank owned by Discover Financial, the company behind the Discover credit card.

It offers traditional banking products like checking, savings and CD accounts, plus a variety of loans including home-equity.

Customers can manage their finances through the bank's website or mobile app. They can also withdraw funds for free using the nationwide AllPoint ATM network. Additionally, Discover also operates one full-service location in Delaware.

Discover Bank has 24-7 customer support, including a dedicated line for fraud prevention.

Is Discover Safe? Discover is FDIC insured (FDIC Cert #5649). This means that if Discover defaults, the federal government guarantees the balance in your savings account, up to $250,000.

How It Works

Discover offers different deposit account types. They all work in different ways.

  • Discover® Online Savings
    Offers a high yield savings rate of 3.75% APY. You are limited to the number of transfers and withdrawals a month. No fees and no minimum deposit.

  • Discover® Money Market Account:
    Gives you more flexibility such as ATM withdrawals and check writing. No fees and no minimum deposit.[1]

  • Discover® CDs:
    Gives you guaranteed returns when you deposit money for a set period of time. Some CDs offer a higher APY than savings accounts.

  • Discover® Cashback Debit:
    Gives you cash back when you use your debit card. See website for details. No fees and no minimum deposit.

Online SavingsCashback CheckingCDs
Get StartedGet StartedGet Started
High yield savings account1% cashback on up to $3,000 in purchases each month. See website for detailsSome CDs can earn a higher APY than saving accounts
No minimum depositNo minimum depositNo minimum deposit

Now that we've covered the basics, let's get into the specifics.

Discover Bank Rates

Is Discover Bank a real bank?
Yes, Discover is an online banking division of Discover Financial Services. It offers a range of banking products and services, including checking and savings accounts, credit cards, personal loans, and student loans. And it's insured by FDIC for up to $250,000.

Online Investor Savings

Discover is an online bank, so they don't have many of the overhead costs that brick-and-mortar banks do. This allows Discover to offer no minimum deposit and a high APY on its Online Savings Account. Here are some additional details:

  • 3.75% APY
  • Daily compounding interest
  • Free online and mobile banking
  • FDIC insured

As with any savings account, you'll be limited to 6 withdrawals per month. This is a federally-imposed limitation.

If you need to withdraw money from your Discover® savings account, you have a few options: internal Discover transfers, external transfers to another bank, wire transfers (a charge applies), and mailed checks.

Compare Savings Account Promotions

Certificate of Deposit (CD)

For CDs, you must deposit a fixed amount of money for a fixed amount of time.

There are a few key factors to consider when deciding on a CD: the term length, the minimum deposit, and the APY.

Here are your options:

  • Term CDs: 2.00% to 4.00% APY depending on terms

  • IRA CDs: This option lets you save for retirement in Roth and Traditional IRA CDs and get tax benefits. Terms and APYs are similar to Discover's Term CDs.

    You can roll over money from an existing retirement account (like a 401k) or transfer an IRA to Discover.

Remember that withdrawing funds from a CD before the term has ended will incur a penalty. So make sure you really don't need your money for that period of time.

The penalty depends on your CD term. Here's how it breaks down:

TermPenalty
<1 year3 months' interest on the amount withdrawn
1 to<4 years6 months' interest on the amount withdrawn
4 to <5 years9 months' interest on the amount withdrawn
5 to <7 years18 months' interest on the amount withdrawn
7 years and more24 months' interest on the amount withdrawn

Withdrawals from IRA CDs have a 10% tax penalty if you're under 59-1/2.

Cashback Checking

Cashback Debit Account: 1% cash back on up to $3,000 in debit card purchases each month. See website for details

Discover's checking account doesn't offer interest, but it does give cash back when you use its debit card. This is a unique perk not offered by most other checking accounts.

This checking account is as free as it can get. It has no monthly fee, no minimum balance requirement, and no overdraft fees.

Other features include:

  • No fee for online bill pay
  • No fee for check reorders
  • No fee for replacement debit card
  • Free ATM withdrawals at over 60,000 ATMs
  • Get paid up to 2 days early

The only fees you may encounter are for outgoing wire transfers and for using an ATM outside of Discover's network.

Money Market

Discover® Money Market Account offers 3.60% APY under $100,000; 3.65% APY $100,000 or more.

The rate is higher than what many other banks offer. This is a good alternative to the Savings account if you want more flexibility in how you use your money.

The Money Market account allows you to write checks, pay bills, and make debit card purchases. However, federal regulation limits you to only 6 of these types of transactions per month. You can, however, make unlimited ATM withdrawals.

Other features include:

  • Deposit checks through Discover app
  • Online bill pay
  • Free debit card and checks
  • No fee ATM withdrawals at over 60,000 ATMs

Locations

Discover is an online bank, which means you can't just walk into a neighborhood branch to do business and ask questions.

Discover only has 2 physical locations in Delaware:

  • A full service bank at 502 E. Market Street, Greenwood, DE
  • An administration office at 800 Prides Xing, Ste 100, Newark, DE

However, if you need cash, you can withdraw cash surcharge-free at any of the 60,000+ Allpoint® or MoneyPass® ATMs. In the US, Allpoint® ATMs can be found in popular stores like Target, Costco, Speedway, Safeway, and drugstores.

Why We Like Discover

Here are a few things that we like about Discover's online savings accounts and CDs:

  • Low minimum deposits:
    If you have just started saving or want to set aside a small balance, Discover can be a great choice. Their Online Savings have no minimum balance requirements at all. Deposits for CDs are some of the lowest in the industry.

  • High rates:
    Discover's savings accounts offers higher APYs than traditional banks. This is great news for anyone looking to save, but can't pay the high minimum deposits that some other banks require. And if you have more to save, you can earn more on a CD.

  • No fees:
    Discover cuts out many fees that other banks profit from. For example, you will not be charged any account opening or maintenance fees.

  • Retirement options:
    If you're thinking about retirement planning, Discover offers IRA Savings and IRA CDs that can give you tax benefits.

Is Discover Bank a good bank?
Discover Bank offers excellent checking and savings accounts with no monthly fees, no minimum balances, and competitive APYs. It's a great option if you're looking for an online bank with high-yield savings.

Reasons You Might Skip Discover Savings

For all of Discover's advantages, there are some downsides that need to be considered:

  • No branch locations:
    In exchange for the high interest rate on your online savings account, you are required to do your Discover banking online or over the phone.

  • No ATM card:
    Discover Savings does not provide an ATM card for easy withdrawals. This could be a good thing so you're not tempted to spend your money. But if you like that convenience, look into their Money Market account instead. Or there are some other online savings accounts that come with an ATM card.

  • No Relationship Rewards:
    Some banks offer relationship benefits if you do all your banking with them. If you move your savings balance to Discover from your current bank, you could miss out on some of these benefits. See if it's worth it before you move your funds.

Common Questions

If you're still interested, you probably have some questions. We'll clear up some of the basics here:

Should I open a CD or savings account?
If you can commit to not touching your funds for at least 1 year, you may be able to earn a higher interest rate with a CD versus a savings account. But if you need liquidity, a savings account gives you more flexibility to withdraw your savings when needed.

The decision comes down to how much you're looking to set aside, whether you'll need to access your savings, and your investment goals.

Related: Discover Bank

How can I deposit funds with Discover Bank?
For Discover's checking and savings accounts, there are a few ways to deposit funds:

  • Deposit checks on the mobile app
  • Transfer money from another bank account
  • Mail a check
  • Set up direct deposit to your new account

For Discover® CDs, you can transfer from a Discover account or an external account, transfer by phone, or mail a check. For IRAs, you can rollover funds from an existing retirement account or fund it with new money.

Discover Other Services

Discover offers other services, including:

  • Personal loans: Get a personal loan up to $40,000. There are no origination fees. You'll get a fixed monthly payment and there is no pre-payment penalty.

  • Student loans: Cover up to 100% of college or graduate school costs. There are no application, origination, or late fees. Choose from fixed or variable rates.

  • Home equity loans: Borrow from $35,000 up to $300,000, with terms from 10 - 30 years. There are no application or origination fees, and no cash required at closing.

What Experts Say

CreditDonkey assembled a panel of industry experts to answer readers' most pressing questions:

How it Compares

Related: Highest CD Rates

Bottom Line

If you're ready to start building your savings, Discover's Online Savings Accounts or CDs are worth considering.

Even if you only have $1 in savings, you can start earning interest in a high yield savings account. Or, if you aren't concerned about liquidity, you can earn an even greater return with a CD.

However, Discover may not have the absolute highest rates. So if you're looking for the best APY possible, make sure you compare to other online savings accounts.

References

  1. ^ Discover. What is the minimum deposit amount to open my account?, Retrieved 06/08/24
Discover Bank
Member FDIC

Discover® Online Savings - $200 Cash Bonus

Get Deal
Expires 3/13/2025

To qualify for Bonus: Apply for your first Discover Online Savings Account, enter Offer Code CY924 at application, deposit into your Account a total of at least $15,000 to earn a $150 Bonus or deposit a total of at least $25,000 to earn a $200 Bonus. Qualifying deposit(s) may consist of multiple deposits and must post to Account within 45 days of account open date. Maximum bonus eligibility is $200.

What to know: Offer not valid for existing or prior Discover savings customers, including co-branded, or affinity accounts. Eligibility is based on primary account owner. Account must be open when bonus is credited. Bonus will be credited to the account within 60 days of the account qualifying for the bonus. Bonus is subject to tax reporting. Offer ends 03/13/2025, 11:59 PM ET. Offer may be modified or withdrawn without notice. Due to new customer funding limits, you may wish to initiate fund transfers at your other institution. For information on funding your Account, see FAQs on Discover.com/Bank. See advertiser website for full details.

Chase
Member FDIC

Chase Total Checking® - $300 Bonus

Open an Account
Expires 1/22/2025
  • New Chase checking customers enjoy a $300 bonus when you open a Chase Total Checking® account with qualifying activities
  • With over 4,700 branches, Chase has the largest branch network in the U.S. plus access to more than 15,000 ATMs.
  • Chase Mobile® app - Manage your accounts, deposit checks, transfer money and more -- all from your device.
  • JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Member FDIC
  • Open your account online now
  • Available online nationwide except in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico. For branch locations, visit locator.chase.com.
  • Chase Overdraft Assist℠ - no overdraft fees if you're overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day or if you're overdrawn by more than $50 and bring your account balance to overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the next business day*
Bank of America
Member FDIC

Bank of America Advantage Banking - $300 Bonus Offer

Learn More
Expires 1/31/2025
  • The $300 bonus offer is an online only offer and must be opened through the Bank of America promotional page.
  • The offer is for new checking customers only.
  • Offer expires 01/31/2025.
  • To qualify, open a new eligible Bank of America Advantage Banking account through the promotional page and set up and receive Qualifying Direct Deposits* totaling $2,000 or more into that new eligible account within 90 days of account opening. Bank of America Advantage SafeBalance Banking® for Family Banking accounts are not eligible for this offer.
  • Once all requirements are met, Bank of America will attempt to pay bonus within 60 days.
  • Additional terms and conditions apply. See offer page for more details.
  • *A Qualifying Direct Deposit is a direct deposit of regular monthly income – such as your salary, pension or Social Security benefits, which are made by your employer or other payer – using account and routing numbers that you provide to them.
  • Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC.
US Bank
Member FDIC

U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking - Up to $450 Bonus

Learn More
Expires 12/30/2024
Earn up to $450 when you open a new U.S. Bank Smartly® Checking account and complete qualifying activities. Subject to certain terms and limitations. Offer valid through December 30, 2024. Member FDIC.

Earn up to $450 with a new Bank Smartly Checking account. Complete the following within 90 days of account opening:

  • Enroll in online banking or the U.S. Bank Mobile App
  • Make two or more direct deposits(s) totaling $2,000 to $4,999.99 to earn $250, $5,000 to $7,999.99 to earn $350 or $8,000 or more to earn $450.

Fund your new account within 30 days to start qualifying activities. Offer may not be available if you are an existing U.S. Bank customer or live outside of the U.S. Bank footprint.

CIT Bank
Member FDIC

CIT Bank Platinum Savings - 4.35% APY

Learn More
  • 4.35% APY with a balance of $5,000 or more
  • 0.25% APY with a balance of less than $5,000
  • $100 minimum opening deposit
  • No monthly maintenance fee
  • Member FDIC

Write to Lee M at feedback@creditdonkey.com. Follow us on Twitter and Facebook for our latest posts.

Note: This website is made possible through financial relationships with some of the products and services mentioned on this site. We may receive compensation if you shop through links in our content. You do not have to use our links, but you help support CreditDonkey if you do.

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About Discover Bank

Discover® Bank offers some of the highest interest rates for its savings account. In addition, Discover offers cashback checking. There are no fees for checking and savings accounts.

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