These offers are no longer available on our site: PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card, Chase Freedom Flex℠

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3. PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card review

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90

reviews

2.7

Rating: 2.7 out of 5.

Great for cash back on everyday purchases

Annual Fee: $0

This content is curated by Intuit Credit Karma’s Editorial team using data from members who were approved for this card or similar cards, or who self-matched this card or similar cards. Intuit Credit Karma receives compensation from third-party advertisers, but that doesn’t affect our editors’ opinions. Our third-party advertisers don’t review, approve or endorse this content. Information about financial products not offered on Credit Karma is collected independently. Our content is accurate to the best of our knowledge when posted.

Here’s the average credit limit of members who matched their PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit limit range

The average credit limit for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is $8,443, with $7,500 being the most common.

Here’s the average credit score of members who matched their PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card or similar cards.

% of members by credit score range

The average credit score for members who have matched with this card or similar cards is 725, with 806 being the most common. Note this is just one of the deciding factors when it comes to getting approved.

Member stats

Updated daily

23.9%

Average credit utilization (or what percent of the card’s credit limit is being used) of members who matched with this card or similar cards.

48 years

Average age of members who matched this card or similar cards.

$90,117

Average annual income of members who matched this card or similar cards. Note: Income may be estimated for some members by Credit Karma and may differ from members’ actual incomes.

Pros and cons

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Generous cash back on purchases in popular categories

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$0 annual fee

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Good intro APR on balance transfers

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Annual cap on purchases that are eligible for cash back earnings

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$25 minimum redemption for cash back

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This card isn’t available in every state

What you need to know about the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card

Impressive cash back on gas station, dining and grocery purchases

The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card offers competitive cash back rates — which can be redeemed as statement credits or deposits into a qualifying PNC bank account — on gas station, dining and grocery purchases at 4%, 3% and 2% respectively. All other purchases earn 1% cash back.

But be aware: There is a total $8,000 annual cap on purchases eligible for the 4%, 3% and 2% cash back rates. After you meet that annual cap, all purchases will earn 1% cash back until your next anniversary date.

PNC is also fairly generous with how it categorizes the transactions that can earn cash back.

• Anything purchased in store at a gas station, including food and drink, can earn the hefty 4% cash back rate.
• Dining transactions that are eligible for the 3% cash back rate include purchases made at fast food restaurants and cafes.

Keep in mind that you won’t earn cash back on gas and fuel or food and groceries from superstores, warehouse stores and certain other stores. Other purchases from these types of merchants might earn cash back — you can check with the merchant or your bank to confirm which purchases are eligible.

You could earn cash back with ease and simplicity

Earning and redeeming cash back is simple with the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card.

Unlike some other cards, you don’t need keep track of rotating categories or activate rewards in order to maximize your rewards-earnings potential.

But there are limited redemption options

Some cards allow cardholders to use their cash back to book flights or purchase gift cards on their exclusive rewards portal. Other cards allow cash back to be transferred to travel partners.

But with the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card, cash back can only be redeemed for a statement credit — or for cash, if you have a PNC Bank checking or savings account.

Also, you must have at least $25 in your PNC Cash Rewards account before you can make a redemption request. If you want to be able to redeem your cash back for amounts of $25 or less, you should look for a cash back card with no minimum redemption limit.

Intro APR on balance transfers

New cardholders are eligible for an introductory 0% APR on balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles. The 0% intro APR only applies to balance transfers within the first 90 days from account opening. After the intro period is over, your balance transfer variable APR will be 16.24% - 27.24% (same as the variable rate for purchases) based on your credit.

Be aware that the intro period begins the moment you open your account, not from when you initiate a balance transfer.

The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card charges a balance transfer fee of $5 or 3% of the transfer amount, whichever is greater, for the first 90 days from account opening. After that, the balance transfer fee goes to $5 or 4%, whichever is greater.

One more heads up: Balance transfer amounts do not earn cash back.

While this intro offer for balance transfers is good, you may be able to find even better options for balance transfer cards.

What else you need to know

Here are some other features of the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card that you should know.

• The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card has a $0 annual fee.
• New cardholders can earn a $200 sign-up bonus — which will come in the form of a statement credit — after spending $1,000 in qualifying purchases within the first 3 billing cycles of account opening. There’s a catch though: You have to apply for the card directly through the PNC website to be eligible. To learn more about how to qualify for this sign-up bonus, make sure to read the fine print from PNC for this card.
• This card is only available to residents of the states where PNC Banks are located.

Who this card is good for

This card would could be a good option for people who can take full advantage of the bonus categories without being hampered by the annual cap on cash back rewards.

If your spending is likely to blow through that ceiling, you might still find value in the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card by combining it with other cash back credit cards.

This card is also built for people who are looking for simplicity in their rewards card. If you’ve felt frustrated or intimidated by the complicated rewards programs of other cash back cards, then you may appreciate the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card’s straightforward approach.

Not sure this is the card for you? Consider these alternatives.

• Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express:
  This card could be good for shoppers who are looking for a cash back card that pays a premium on grocery store purchases.
• Chase Freedom Flex℠:
  This card may be great for shoppers who are looking for a lower minimum redemption amount and don’t mind keeping up with rotating bonus categories.
• Citi Double Cash® Card:
  If you want simple, flat-rate cash back rewards, this card could be good for you.