Does Discover still pay a referral bonus for bank accounts?

No. Discover stopped accepting new deposit-account applications in late January 2026 as accounts migrate to Capital One 360, so there is no longer a checking or savings referral bonus.

What is the only active Discover referral offer in 2026?

The Discover credit-card refer-a-friend program. You can earn a $50 statement credit per approved friend, up to 10 referrals ($500) per calendar year, through December 31, 2026.

Can I refer someone if I only have a Discover credit card?

Yes — the credit-card referral is the active program. Most Discover cards are eligible, but Discover it Secured and Discover it Business cards cannot be used to refer.

Discover Referral Program — Earn $50

$50per referral

Discover's bank-account referral program has ended. The only active Discover refer-a-friend offer is on its credit cards: earn a $50 statement credit for each approved friend.

Payout Type

Credit

Commission Type

One-Time

Difficulty

Hard

Max Referrals

10/year

Max Earnings

$500/year

Rating

4.2(987 reviews)

Start Referring →

What Your Friend Gets

$50–$100for your friend

Your friend earns a statement credit after they are approved for a Discover credit card through your link and make a purchase within three months.

Requirement: Must apply through your personalized Discover credit-card link, be approved, and make a purchase that posts within three months of opening the account.

How to Refer

1From a Discover credit-card account, open the Refer a Friend section at discover.com and share your personalized link. (Discover it Secured and Discover it Business cards are not eligible to refer.)

Pros & Cons

Pros

Credit-card referral still pays a flat $50 statement credit per approval
Friend also earns a statement credit after a qualifying purchase
Strong brand reputation and customer satisfaction

Cons

Bank-account (checking/savings) referral has been discontinued
Deposit accounts are migrating to Capital One 360
Credit-card referral is capped at 10/year ($500) and requires approval

Discover Referral Program: What Changed in 2026

Discover no longer runs a bank-account refer-a-friend program. Following Capital One's acquisition of Discover, Discover stopped accepting new applications for deposit accounts in late January 2026, and existing Discover savings accounts are migrating to Capital One 360 Performance Savings. Because of this transition, there is no $50 checking or savings referral to earn here anymore.

The Only Active Discover Referral: Credit Cards

Discover's surviving refer-a-friend offer is on its credit cards. As a Discover cardmember, you can earn a $50 statement credit for each friend who applies through your personalized link and is approved. The cap is 10 referrals per calendar year — a $500 annual maximum — and the offer runs through December 31, 2026. The friend you refer also earns a statement credit after making a purchase that posts within three months of opening their account.

How the Discover Credit-Card Referral Works

Discover provides eligible cardmembers with a personalized referral link in the "Refer a Friend" section at Discover.com. Share it via email or social media. When a friend applies through your link, is approved, and makes a qualifying purchase, you receive a $50 statement credit. Note that Discover it Secured and Discover it Business cardholders are not eligible to refer.

What Referrers Should Do Now

If you came here for the bank-account bonus, it is no longer available — watch for any future Capital One 360 referral offers instead.
If you hold an eligible Discover credit card, the $50-per-approval credit-card referral is the path that still pays.
Track your referrals against the 10-per-year ($500) cap so you don't lose credit for approvals beyond the limit.

This listing reflects a program in transition. Verify current Discover and Capital One offers on the official websites before sharing any link.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Discover still pay a referral bonus for bank accounts?: No. Discover stopped accepting new deposit-account applications in late January 2026 as accounts migrate to Capital One 360, so there is no longer a checking or savings referral bonus.
What is the only active Discover referral offer in 2026?: The Discover credit-card refer-a-friend program. You can earn a $50 statement credit per approved friend, up to 10 referrals ($500) per calendar year, through December 31, 2026.
Can I refer someone if I only have a Discover credit card?: Yes — the credit-card referral is the active program. Most Discover cards are eligible, but Discover it Secured and Discover it Business cards cannot be used to refer.