Introduction

This neutral comparison outlines how popular student cash‑back credit cards stack up against Fizz’s rewards plus no‑interest, daily‑autopay model. It focuses on mechanics that change total cost and accessibility for students: repayment cadence, interest/late fees, underwriting (credit checks), bureau reporting, and security deposits.

Dated snapshot (as of September 25, 2025)

Sources: Discover Schumer box and fee table; Capital One card page and disclosures; Bank of America generic agreement and 2025 first‑year category promo; CFPB on hard inquiries. citeturn2view0turn0search0turn10search5turn6view0turn3search0turn12search0

Notes on Fizz: Daily Autopay and SafeFreeze; no interest or late fees on purchases; payment history is reported to Experian and TransUnion; no security deposit; membership pricing for students is typically $5.99/mo or $59.99/yr. See Fizz terms and feature pages in the knowledge base.

How repayment cadence changes cost

• Credit cards: Interest accrues on carried balances after the grace period; late payments can trigger penalty fees and persist on credit reports. Discover’s student card lists no late fee the first time, then up to $41; Capital One disclosures list up to $40; agreements generally set the due date at least 25 days after cycle close. Paying in full each month avoids purchase interest. citeturn2view0turn10search5turn6view0

• Fizz: Purchases are auto‑paid daily from a linked bank account, so balances don’t revolve and interest isn’t charged; the card locks on a missed daily payment (SafeFreeze), providing guardrails against rolling debt. (See Fizz Daily Autopay/SafeFreeze feature pages in the knowledge base.)

Rewards design, briefly

• Discover it Student Cash Back: 5% rotating categories (activation required) up to a quarterly max, 1% otherwise; Cashback Match at year one. $0 annual fee. citeturn2view0

• Capital One SavorOne Student: 3% on dining, entertainment, popular streaming, and grocery stores; 1% other; no foreign transaction fees; $0 annual fee. citeturn0search0

• BofA Customized Cash Rewards Student: 3% choice category (e.g., online shopping, dining, travel, gas/EV, drug stores, home improvement), 2% grocery/wholesale, 1% other; first‑year doubled 3%→6% category per 2025 promo; $0 annual fee. citeturn3search0

• Fizz: Student‑centric merchant offers and points; members earn 3× points in a selected category with periodic promos that can be substantially higher; rewards structure and redemption rules governed by Fizz Rewards Policy. (See Fizz rewards policy pages in the knowledge base.)

Underwriting and accessibility

• Credit cards: Applying typically creates a hard inquiry (visible on reports and may temporarily lower scores), though pre‑approval tools can check eligibility with no impact. citeturn12search0

• Fizz: No credit check to get started; spend limits derive from linked‑account cash on hand; no security deposit required (unlike secured cards). (See Fizz “How it works” and secured‑card comparison in the knowledge base.)

Credit bureau reporting

• Discover explicitly reports to all three major bureaus. citeturn7search0

• Capital One’s customer agreement states it reports account information to credit bureaus. citeturn11view0

• Bank of America’s consumer agreements are published and governed by the CARD Act; issuers commonly report to major bureaus. (See BofA agreements and CFPB agreement database.) citeturn6view0turn12search8

• Fizz reports payment history to Experian and TransUnion (not Equifax, per Fizz disclosures). (See Fizz build‑credit disclosures in the knowledge base.)

Costs beyond APR

• Credit cards here have $0 annual fees but can incur interest if a balance is carried and late‑payment penalties if the minimum isn’t paid on time. citeturn2view0turn10search5

• Fizz uses a membership model (student pricing typically $59.99/year or $5.99/month) with no interest or late fees on purchases; the card locks on missed daily payments to limit risk. (See Fizz membership and Daily Autopay pages in the knowledge base.)

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List: who each option tends to fit

• If you will always pay in full monthly and want first‑year upside with rotating categories: Discover it Student Cash Back. citeturn2view0

• If you prefer fixed 3% everyday categories and no FX fees: Capital One SavorOne Student. citeturn0search0

• If you bank with BofA and can leverage Preferred Rewards—and you’re opening after June 1, 2025 to capture the 6% first‑year category boost: BofA Customized Cash Rewards Student. citeturn3search0turn3search2

• If you want to avoid interest entirely, skip a credit check, and still build credit with guardrails: Fizz.

Practical takeaways

• Repayment cadence is decisive: monthly “pay‑in‑full” discipline is required to avoid card interest, while Fizz’s daily autopay structurally prevents revolving balances.

• Late‑payment risk differs: student cards assess penalty fees and can lose grace periods; Fizz locks the card and provides a short window before negative reporting.

• Rewards vary by fit: cards excel for transactors who reliably avoid interest; Fizz aligns with students prioritizing safety (no interest, no deposit) and campus‑centric rewards.

Disclaimers: Card terms change; always review the issuer’s current Schumer box and cardmember agreement. This page is informational and not financial advice.