PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card Review

Who is the PNC Cash Rewards Visa Card for?

The PNC Cash Rewards Credit Card is for people who need a cash back card that can earn them purchases on almost anything. You can earn 4% cash back at gas stations, 3% at restaurants, 2% on groceries, and 1% on all other purchases. The catch is that you can only get cash back on the first $8,000 of purchases combined every year. Although this card does offer a strong cash back rate, people who need to spend more than $8,000 a year may be at a disadvantage.

This card also comes with a signup offer of $100 when you spend $1,000 or more within the first three months once you get your card. This card allows you to earn cash back instantly and the signup bonus can help put money towards the next big purchase. Your cash back also never expires as long as your account is open which means you can save up all your cash back to purchase anything. 

The card also comes with many security and online features that keep your information protected while providing an easy way to bank. This makes it easy to pay or keep track of your purchases in case of a fraudulent charge. 

Signup Bonus

One benefit that comes with this cash rewards card is the signup bonus. You earn a $100 bonus after you make $1,000 or more in purchases during the first three months following the account opening. This signup bonus specifically is a good rate because you are getting 10% of your money back on the first $1,000. This can be put towards almost any type of purchase which is useful for everyone. 

Rewards

With the PNC Cash Rewards Card you can earn cash back on almost any purchase. You earn 4% cash back on gas station purchases in-store and at the pump. You also receive 3% cash back on dining purchases at restaurants, including fast food: 2% cash back on grocery store purchases and 1% on other purchases. With this card, you are always earning some cash back on your purchases. However, there is an $8,000 cap on the number of rewards you can receive. Once you total more than $8,000 in purchases you will no longer receive cash back. This may be detrimental to some. If you are someone who needs to spend significantly more than $8,000 a year then this card would not be for you. 

The cash back you can earn is automatic and never expires. There is no need to enroll or track rotating categories and as long as your account is open the cash back will be eligible for use. Also, you must have at least $25 in your PNC Cash Rewards account to redeem the reward. This system is also integrated with PNC online banking which may help keep track of any cash back earned while also assisting your overall financial picture. 

The redemption process for your cash back is easy. All you have to do is visit the rewards center in PNC Online banking or call the number on the back of your card. You can redeem the cash rewards to your PNC account or to other PNC accounts. This process is user-friendly and hassle-free for the customer and they can use their cash rewards on any type of purchase they want. 

Services and Security

This card comes with many services to make the banking process more customer-friendly. PNC offers dedicated customer service seven days a week. If you ever have a question about your credit card, account or rewards there is always someone on standby to answer. This can be helpful when you need immediate customer service for a lost card or an account lock. The PNC card also comes with Online Account tools. This helps you manage transactions, rewards, balances, or payments. PNC online banking provides an easy interface to manage all of your financials. 

PNC also provides you protection from credit or identity fraud. Coupled with that is their $0 Fraud liability. If there is a fraudulent charge to your account you will not be responsible for it as long as it is reported promptly. This service is crucial to your safety because without it you may see yourself paying large amounts to get fraud charges fixed.

Furthermore, PNC has its easy lock service which allows you to lock your card immediately once you have misplaced it. All you have to do is go into your PNC app and lock the card so that nobody else can find and use it. This feature keeps you safe no matter what if your card is stolen or misplaced. Also, this card comes with contactless payment. This feature helps you make purchases faster and with greater convenience while also keeping your information secure. This and their digital wallet feature makes check out effortless while giving you the security you need. 

Rates and Fees

The APR for purchases is between 12.99% and 22.99% (variable) based upon your creditworthiness. Balance transfers have an introductory 0% APR for the first 12 billing cycles following account opening when the balance is transferred within the first 90 days. After that, the balance transfer APR is between 12.99% and 22.99%. The cash advances APR is 22.99%. The APR for this card is better than some other cards in its category. However, there is a penalty APR of 28.99% which means it is important that you do not make any late payments. If your credit score is high then you can have the benefit of significantly lower interest rates on your purchases. 

The intro balance transfer fee is 3% with a minimum of $5 but once the intro period is over the fee increases to 4% with a $5 minimum. The cash advance fee is 5% with a $10 minimum. For late and bounced payments, fees can be as high as $38 per transaction. It is important you keep track of your payments so you do not pay unnecessary fees. There is also a foreign transaction fee of 3% per transaction so it is important you consider the cost of this card when you use it abroad. 

No Annual Fee

Although this card has many services and rewards to earn there is no annual fee associated with the card. That means all the rewards you receive while you use this card will not cost you anything. All the cash back you receive with this PNC card costs the user nothing and is perfect for anyone who needs a solid rewards card that can earn them cash back on any type of purchase. 

Conclusion

The PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card is ideal for anyone who needs a cash back card that can be applied to anything. You get 4% cash back on gas stations, 3% on restaurants, 2% on groceries, and 1% cash back on all other purchases. Although, there is an $8,000 purchase maximum on the rewards so this card may not be for families or people who need to spend more than that a year. This card would be perfect for students or early grads that do not have as much to spend on. The card also has many security features that can keep your information safe. Overall, this is a good cash back card for students or for people who do not need to spend as much per year. 

You can apply for the PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card online here.