PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card Review 2022

Commitment to Our Readers

GOBankingRates' editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and information. We use data-driven methodologies to evaluate financial products and services - our reviews and ratings are not influenced by advertisers. You can read more about our editorial guidelines and our products and services review methodology.

20 Years
Helping You Live Richer

Reviewed
by Experts

Trusted by
Millions of Readers

Overview

The PNC Cash Rewards Visa credit card is a good choice if you’re looking for a card to use for everyday purchases like gas, groceries and dining out. If you have balances on other cards that have a high interest rate, you can transfer them to the PNC Cash Rewards Visa and pay 0% APR for 12 months, after which the APR for balance transfers is APR, the same as for purchases.

Key Features

The PNC Cash Rewards Visa earned a score of 4.5 out of 5 from GOBankingRates. Here are four of the features that factored into that score.

Rewards

The PNC Cash Rewards Visa credit card gives you 4% cash back at gas stations, 3% back at restaurants and 2% cash back at grocery stores, for the first $8,000 combined you spend in these categories each year. You get 1% cash back on everything else. At the end of the first year, you get a one-time cash back reward equal to all the cash back you earned in the first year.

APR

The PNC Cash Rewards Visa credit card has an interest rate of APR, depending on your creditworthiness — that’s a great rate if you fall on the low end, but less so if you end up with the maximum. If you transfer a balance within the first 90 days of opening your account, you’ll pay 0% APR for the first 12 billing cycles on that balance.

Fees

The PNC Cash Rewards Visa credit card has no annual fee.

There is a 3% fee for balance transfers in the first 90 days and 4% after that. The minimum is $5, regardless of when you initiate the balance transfer. You’ll also pay a fee of up to $38 if your payment is late or is returned by your bank.

Sign-Up Bonus

When you transfer a balance from another credit card within 90 days of opening your PNC Cash Rewards Visa credit card, you get an introductory 0% APR for the first 12 billing cycles, followed by APR. That may give you enough time to pay off the balance and avoid all that interest you would have paid to your old card.

Additionally, PNC will match the cash back you earn in your first year as a cardholder, effectively doubling your cash back for a year. That means you end up earning an incredible 8% cash back at gas stations, 6% at restaurants and 4% at grocery stores on that first $8,000 combined spent in those categories, with a minimum of 2% cash back on everything else.

How the PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card Stands Out

As the name implies, the cash back is the big advantage of this card. Using the card for everyday purchases like gas, groceries and dining out will bump up your cash back. And you can’t beat the cash-back match after the first year.

Comparable Cash Back Credit Card Options

The PNC Cash Rewards Visa is a solid choice of credit card, but that doesn’t mean it’s right for everyone. Here are a couple of options you can compare it to if you’re not sure.

Chase Freedom Flex Credit Card

The credit card offers 5% cash back on gas station purchases, up to a max of $6,000 in purchases in the first year. You can also earn up 5% cash back on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter in categories you select, but you have to activate this feature each quarter.

Capital One Quicksilver Rewards

The Capital One Quicksilver Rewards cash-back credit card gives you 1.5% cash back on every purchase. There’s also a $200 cash bonus when you spend $500 on purchases within the first three months. And there’s an introductory interest rate of 0% APR on purchases for the first 15 months, after which there is a APR.

How To Apply

You can apply for the PNC Cash Rewards Visa credit card on the PNC website. To apply, you’ll need to provide your first and last name, date of birth, address, Social Security number, total annual income and monthly housing payment.

Who the PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card Is Best For

The PNC Cash Rewards Visa credit card is best for people who will use the card for everyday purchases and pay off the balance at the end of the month.

By using this card for gas, groceries, dining out at restaurants and other everyday purchases, you maximize your cash-back rewards — and by paying off the balance every month, you prevent the interest charges that will negate your cash back. It’s also a good choice if you have a balance on a high-interest-rate card that you can pay off in 12 months.

Final Take

You can get significant cash back from the PNC Cash Rewards Visa credit card if you use it primarily for gas, grocery and restaurant purchases. The cash-back match at the end of the first year is a nice boost to your cash back, too.

Rates are subject to change; unless otherwise noted, rates are updated periodically. All other information on accounts is accurate as of Oct. 6, 2022.

Editorial Note: This content is not provided by any entity covered in this article. Any opinions, analyses, reviews, ratings or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any entity named in this article.

The information related to the Chase Freedom Flex card was collected by GOBankingRates and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this product/card. Product details may vary. Please see the issuer’s website for current information. GOBankingRates does not receive commission for this product.

Share This Article: