# Discover: refer a friend

Canonical: https://dealaka.com/referrals/discover-refer-a-friend

This is what an EXISTING customer earns for referring someone. For what a new customer gets for opening the account, see the offer entry linked below.

- Status: live
- Referrer earns: Not published per approved referral (targeted, not a fixed rate: Shown only after you sign in)
- Referred person earns: A statement credit
- Cap: Capped per account, amount not published
- Cap scope: per account
- Requirement: Apply online through the link and make a purchase
- Tax form: None published
- Link sharing: Public sharing permitted
- Institution: Discover
- Verified: Jul 21, 2026 against discover.com
- Note: Dealaka links only the issuer's own program page and takes no share of any referral reward.

## Summary
Discover is the only card issuer we have checked that tells you outright to share your referral link on social media. It is far less forthcoming about money: neither the referral amount nor the annual cap appears anywhere public, and both are shown only once you sign in. The figures quoted on comparison sites are not Discover's own, so we do not repeat them.

## How the referrer gets their link
Sign in to Discover to get your personal referral link.

- Text
- Email
- Social media

## Tax treatment
Discover says statement credits may be taxable and to contact your tax advisor, without naming a form. The 1099-MISC language people cite belongs to its student loan referral, a different product.

## When it pays
One to three billing periods after each referral is approved.

## Fine print that matters
- Discover states the maximum annual referral amount is given in individual referral offers on login, so no public figure exists.
- The restriction is on how your friend applies, not on how you share. They must apply online through the digital link, and Discover states phone, mail-in, and other digital applications are not eligible.
- The referred party must be approved by 11:59pm ET on December 31, 2026, so this runs as a dated promotion rather than an evergreen program.
- The referred person earns their credit after making a purchase that posts within three months of opening the account.
- Whether the cap counts per card or per person is not stated. We record it as per account because that is as far as the terms go.

## Sources
- discover.com Share Discover referral page <https://www.discover.com/credit-cards/exclusives/sharediscover/> (checked Jul 21, 2026)

_This entry is reference information, not financial or tax advice. Referral terms change without notice and the figure shown to you may differ from the one shown to someone else. Confirm on the issuer's own page._