Discover’s Q4 bonus categories are Amazon.com and drugstores
The Discover it® Cash Back (and its student card) have announced bonus categories for Q4 2025, and they should be easy for most cardholders to fully maximize. Once you activate the bonus categories, you’ll earn 5 percent cash back on purchases on Amazon.com and at drugstores from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2025 (up to $1,500 in spending, then 1 percent). That’s worth up to $75 in cash back.
This should be another easy quarter for most cardholders — you need only spend about $125 per week to max out the bonus.
Stiff competition from other issuers means comparing your options is essential for maximizing your value. Here’s how Discover stacks up.
Comparing this quarter to other cards
Very few of the top rewards cards offer bonuses at Amazon, making this card (at least this quarter) a prime choice for holiday shopping and practically any need you might have. And although you can find drugstore bonuses on other cards, Discover’s bonus is the highest you’ll find for this quarter.
Having drugstores as another option can be helpful to stock up on medicines and other household products as well. Here’s a look at the rewards rates other top cards for drugstores offer in comparison:
| Card | Drugstore reward rate |
| Chase Freedom Unlimited® | 3 percent cash back on drugstore purchases |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card | 3 percent cash back in your chosen category, which includes drugstores (can be as high as 5.25 percent with Preferred Rewards status) |
| Bilt Mastercard® | 2X Bilt points on Walgreens products |
| Citi Custom Cash® Card* | 5 percent cash back on up to $500 each billing cycle (then 1 percent) on your top eligible spending category, which includes drugstores |
Ryan's insider insights
Amazon has been one of Discover’s consistent Q4 categories — and it makes sense why. Amazon is an easy one-stop shop that allows you to ship almost anything to yourself or others easily. Not many cards offer ongoing bonuses for Amazon, so the Discover it Cash Back card is an option this quarter for your holiday and everyday needs. Here’s how it stacks up with our best cards for online shopping.
| Card | Online shopping reward rate |
| Prime Visa | Unlimited 5 percent cash back at Amazon.com with eligible Prime membership (bonus of 10 percent cash back or more on select items) |
| U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card* | 6 percent cash back on your first $1,500 in eligible purchases on your choice of two categories, which includes Amazon.com |
| Bank of America® Customized Cash Rewards credit card | 3 percent cash back in your chosen category, which includes online shopping (can be as high as 5.25 percent with Preferred Rewards status) |
| Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express | 3 percent cash back for U.S. online retail purchases (up to $6,000 annually, 1 percent after) |
Watch those exclusions
Every merchant is assigned a merchant category code. This code determines what a merchant is counted as in the eyes of your issuer when you make purchases with your rewards card.
This is something of a hidden pitfall on category reward cards: Certain categories are explicitly excluded from a quarter’s bonus earnings, so you’ll want to make sure your purchases are in the correct category. Otherwise, you’ll only earn 1 percent on your purchases. Here’s how Discover categorizes what will qualify for their Q4 2025 categories:
- Amazon.com purchases include those made through the Amazon.com checkout, like digital downloads, Amazon Fresh orders, Amazon Local Deals, Amazon Prime subscriptions and items sold by third-party merchants through Amazon.com’s marketplace. This also includes purchases in-store at Amazon Go and Amazon Fresh. Purchases made online and in-store with Whole Foods Market are not included.
-
Drugstore purchases include those made at stand-alone drugstores, pharmacies and online pharmacies. Pharmacies inside of other retail stores may not qualify.
You’ll only earn 5 percent on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter in the included categories (activation required). Make sure not to spend more than that, because you’ll only get the subpar value of one percent cash back on any amount after $1,500.
Ryan's insider insights
Here’s how to lock in your savings
Depending on your spending needs, you might not be able to spend enough to maximize the category in three months. However, you can always go the extra mile to secure that value.
One option is to buy gift cards for other merchants. Amazon and drugstores sell gift cards to a variety of merchants. You could lock in the 5 percent discount — or higher if you take advantage of regular Amazon promotions — at those merchants and take care of holiday gift-giving or personal shopping needs.
Another option would be to stock up on household goods and medication. You might find it worthwhile to buy some extra toilet paper or other costly necessities to finish off the category.
The bottom line
The rotating quarterly bonus categories on the Discover it Cash Back have made it a long-lasting mainstay in my wallet. Discover offers plenty of time to evaluate and plan upcoming expenses, which makes it easy to take advantage of the high cash back earning rate. Amazon is a versatile category without many other solid rewards options, so this quarter is an especially good time to pick up some easy earnings.
*Information about the Citi Custom Cash® Card and the U.S. Bank Shopper Cash Rewards® Visa Signature® Card has been collected independently by Bankrate.com. The card details have not been reviewed or approved by the card issuer.
Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.
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