Review
Updated
By: Brittney Myers
![Brittney Myers]()
Brittney started her writing career in the world of science, putting her physics degree to good use. Her journey into finance started with building her personal credit, but soon grew into a borderline obsession with credit cards and travel rewards. For the last 7 years, she has enjoyed the ability to share her expertise with readers, as well as the opportunity to interview companies and individuals making an impact on our financial lives. She wholly believe most problems can be solved with the right research -- and a good spreadsheet -- and she specializes in translating complex financial topics into actionable advice to help educate and empower readers.
Some of the best credit cards are those that reward you for everyday purchases. Things like gas, dining, and groceries often make up big portions of our budgets. The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card earns up to 4% back in popular categories, making it a solid everyday card. While it has only a modest sign-up bonus, it charges no annual fee. See what else the card can offer in our full PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card review.
Credit card comparison
We recommend comparing options to ensure the card you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout credit cards.
| Offer | Our Rating | Welcome Offer | Rewards Program | APR | Learn More |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Discover will match all the cash back you've earned at the end of your first year. N/A | 1% - 5% Cashback Earn 5% cash back on everyday purchases at different places you shop each quarter like grocery stores, restaurants, gas stations, and more, up to the quarterly maximum when you activate. Plus, earn unlimited 1% cash back on all other purchases—automatically. |
Intro: Purchases: 0%, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0%, 15 months Regular: 18.24% - 28.24% Variable APR |
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|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
Up to $300 cash back Earn an extra 1.5% on everything you buy (on up to $20,000 spent in the first year) — worth up to $300 cash back. That's 6.5% on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, 4.5% on dining and drugstores, and 3% on all other purchases. | 1.5% - 5% cash back Enjoy 5% cash back on travel purchased through Chase Travel℠, our premier rewards program that lets you redeem rewards for cash back, travel, gift cards and more; 3% cash back on drugstore purchases and dining at restaurants, including takeout and eligible delivery service, and 1.5% on all other purchases |
Intro: 0% Intro APR on Purchases and Balance Transfers for 15 months Purchases: 0% Intro APR on Purchases, 15 months Balance Transfers: 0% Intro APR on Balance Transfers, 15 months Regular: 20.49% - 29.24% Variable |
Apply Now for Chase Freedom Unlimited®
On Chase's Secure Website. |
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|
Rating image, 5.00 out of 5 stars.
5.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
75,000 Miles 75,000 Miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within 3 months from account opening | 2X-5X miles Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day. Earn 5X miles on hotels and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel, where you'll get Capital One's best prices on thousands of trip options. |
Intro: Purchases: N/A Balance Transfers: N/A Regular: 19.99% - 29.99% (Variable) |
Full PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card review
This credit card is a good fit for: People looking for a single cash back card for everyday spending on gas and dining.
Pros
- Cash back rewards
- Sign-up bonus
- No annual fee
- 0% intro APR on balance transfers
- Co-applicants allowed
Cons
- No 0% intro APR on purchases
- Foreign transaction fee
- Limited footprint
Top perks
This card comes with a few notable perks, including one that isn't very common.
Earn up to 4% cash back rewards
Cardholders can earn up to 4% cash back with the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card.
The bonus categories include popular everyday categories, including:
- 4% cash back on gas station purchases
- 3% cash back on dining purchases
- 2% cash back on grocery store purchases
- 1% cash back on other purchases
While the 1% rate is unlimited, the bonus categories do have a cap. Specifically, you'll earn bonus cash back on up to $8,000 in combined category purchases each year.
You can redeem your rewards for statement credit or as a deposit into a qualifying PNC Bank account. You'll need a minimum of $25 in cash back rewards to redeem.
Read more: Best Cash Back Credit Cards
New cardholders can earn a $200 sign-up bonus
One of the best perks offered by many rewards credit cards is the sign-up bonus. These are lump sum bonuses you can earn by meeting a set spending requirement. In this case, the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card has a $200 sign-up bonus for spending $1,000 or more on your new card within the first three billing cycles.
No annual card fee
Many cards with lots of bonus categories charge annual fees, but the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card isn't one of them. This card has no annual fee. This is a nice feature, as it means you don't need to earn tons of rewards just to offset an annual fee. It also helps those who like to maximize their rewards, as you won't need to worry if you only use the card for one or two of the bonus categories.
0% intro APR on balance transfers
In addition to a sign-up bonus, new cardholders for the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card also enjoy a 0% intro APR offer for balance transfers. You'll get 12 months 0% APR on balances transferred within the first 90 days of account opening. There is also a reduced balance transfer fee of 3% ($5 min.) for the first 90 days. Any transfers made after the first 90 days will be charged the standard balance transfer APR and fee.
Co-applicants allowed
PNC is unusual in that it allows you to apply with a co-applicant. Browsing credit card reviews, you'll see that most issuers don't allow co-applicants. Basically, a co-applicant is someone who applies for the credit card account with you jointly. You are both legally responsible for the account -- and for any debts incurred. Co-applicants can be useful if one of the applicants has no or poor credit and the co-applicant has good credit.
A co-applicant is different from the authorized users most card issuers allow. Authorized users can make purchases with the account, but they aren't legally responsible for the account or balances.
What could be improved
The drawbacks to this card aren't uncommon, but still impact its competitiveness.
No 0% intro APR offer for purchases
The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card comes with a 0% intro APR deal for balance transfers, but that offer doesn't extend to new purchases. The typical cash back card -- even those without annual fees -- tends to offer fairly long 0% intro APR deals on purchases, so this lack is a notable con to the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card. If you need to make a large purchase and want to save on interest, you'll want to look elsewhere.
3% foreign transaction fee
Although this card is handy for everyday purchases, that utility stops at the border. The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card charges a 3% foreign transaction fee. This is an extra fee tacked onto any purchases you make with your card that are charged in a foreign currency. It also applies to purchases that route through foreign banks. So, you want to avoid using your PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card while traveling abroad or making purchases online from foreign retailers.
PNC only has branches in 28 states
If you're someone who likes to have a brick-and-mortar branch nearby if something goes wrong, be sure to check for local PNC locations. This small bank has a limited footprint, operating branches in just 28 states. Most of the highly populated states have at least a few branches, including New York and Texas. But smaller states in the Northeast are limited to partner ATMs, as are most of the Western states. The Midwest also only has a few locations.
Read more: Best Credit Cards
Suggested credit score
Although PNC doesn't specify a minimum credit score, most rewards cards require good to excellent credit. This usually coincides with a FICO® Score above 670. However, many small bank credit cards have more relaxed credit requirements than those of big banks, so you may get approved with a lower credit score.
The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card is right for you if:
The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card is a good option for cash back rewards on gas, with a 4% rate that's higher than many alternatives. The dining and grocery categories are nice touches.
The overall bonus category purchase cap of $8,000 a year may limit some folks, however, and the sign-up bonus is modest at best. It's a poor choice for people who travel, thanks to a 3% foreign transaction fee. And the limited PNC locations may make it hard to get in-person service.
Our credit card methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we rate credit cards on a five-star scale (1 = poor, 5 = best). Our rating criteria includes rewards rates, welcome bonuses, fees, and perks like travel credits and 0% intro APR offers to evaluate our ratings.
We combine these factors with an evaluation of brand reputation and customer satisfaction to ensure you're getting the best card recommendations. Learn more about how The Ascent rates credit cards.
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We're firm believers in the Golden Rule, which is why editorial opinions are ours alone and have not been previously reviewed, approved, or endorsed by included advertisers. The Ascent, a Motley Fool service, does not cover all offers on the market. The Ascent has a dedicated team of editors and analysts focused on personal finance, and they follow the same set of publishing standards and editorial integrity while maintaining professional separation from the analysts and editors on other Motley Fool brands.
American Express is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. JPMorgan Chase is an advertising partner of The Ascent, a Motley Fool company. Brittney Myers has positions in American Express. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends JPMorgan Chase, PNC Financial Services, Target, and Visa. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.