Pros
- Good earning rates
- Cash back won't expire while your account is open and in good standing
- Bonus rewards in popular spending categories
Cons
- No transfer partners
- Can only redeem for cash back
- Only one credit card
PNC Cash Back Rewards Review Summary
PNC Cash Back Rewards is the 17th best credit card rewards program, according to WalletHub's latest comparison, receiving 80 points out of a possible 100. The PNC Cash Back Rewards program features only one credit card, the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card.
PNC Cash Back Rewards Review Scorecard
#26 for Earning Policies
#17 for Redemption Policies
#1 for Rewards Value per $1 Spent
#1 for Eligibility & Transparency
PNC Cash Back Rewards Credit Card
PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card
Transfer Fee: 3% (min $5)
- Earn 2% on grocery store purchases, 3% on dining purchases at restaurants including fast food and 4% on gas station purchases for the first $8,000 in combined purchases in these categories annually.
- You’ll earn at least 1% cash back on purchases everywhere, every time.
Rewards Details
- Receive $200 Bonus after you make $1,000 or more in purchases during the first 3 billing cycles
- Earn 2% on grocery store purchases, 3% on dining purchases at restaurants including fast food and 4% on gas station purchases for the first $8,000 in combined purchases in these categories annually.
- You’ll earn at least 1% cash back on purchases everywhere, every time.
- Redeem any time you have at least $25 in your PNC Cash Rewards account.
- Your cash back never expires as long as your account is open.
- Get your cash back as a statement credit or deposited into a qualifying PNC account.
Additional Info
- 0% Introductory APR and 3% intro fee (4% after) on balance transfers that post to your account within 90 days of account opening.
- Online Account Tools to manage transactions, rewards, balances or payments.
- PNC Security & Privacy Protection from credit or identity fraud.
- $0 Fraud Liability so you won't be responsible for fraudulent charges on your account.
- Cell phone protection.
- More Details & Reviews About PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card
Summary: PNC Cash Back Rewards Scores by Review Category
Category | Score |
---|---|
Earning Policies | 21/30 |
Redemption Policies | 9/20 |
Rewards Value per $1 Spent | 30/30 |
Eligibility & Transparency | 20/20 |
OVERALL | 80/100 |
How to Earn PNC Cash Back Rewards
Category Rating: 70% (21/30)
You will earn 1 - 4% cash back with the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card. There’s no limit on how much cash back you can earn.
Noteworthy Features:
- Cash back doesn’t expire: Your cash back will never expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing.
Earning Restrictions to Watch Out For: On the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card, the amount of bonus cash back you can get in certain purchase categories has a yearly limit. Purchases in those categories after meeting the threshold still earn 1% cash back.
How to Redeem PNC Cash Back Rewards
Category Rating: 45% (9/20)
You can redeem your cash back for a statement credit to help pay your PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card bill. Or, you can redeem it for a deposit or monetary credit to a PNC checking/savings account or PNC Investments LLC account. The way it works is simple: $1 in cash back = $1 in the form of a statement credit or deposit.
PNC Cash Back Rewards Transfer Partners
PNC Cash Back Rewards does not offer the ability to transfer cash back to other companies’ loyalty programs.
Redemption Restrictions to Watch Out For:
- Cash back cannot be transferred between accounts: You cannot transfer cash back from one credit card account to another, even if both are in your name.
- Limited redemption options: Unlike with many rewards programs, you can’t redeem for travel, merchandise or gift cards.
PNC Cash Back Rewards Value Per $1 Spent
Category Rating: 100% (30/30)
The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card offers 1 - 4% cash back on purchases, and $1 in rewards = $1 in cash back via statement credit or deposit. Therefore, you can get 1 to 4 cents back for every $1 you spend, depending on the purchase category.
PNC Cash Back Rewards Eligibility & Transparency
Category Rating: 100% (20/20)
Only one PNC card currently participates in the PNC Cash Back Rewards program, the PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card. PNC also has points and miles rewards programs with different credit cards.
4 Tips for Getting the Most Out of PNC Cash Back Rewards
- Redeem regularly
The whole point of earning credit card rewards is to enjoy the savings they provide. If you just leave your PNC cash back sitting in your account unused, it won’t do you much good.
- Pay your bill on time every month
Your cash back won’t expire as long as your account remains open and in good standing. In other words, you have nothing to worry about if you pay your monthly bills on time.
- Pay your bill in full every month
Paying interest at a credit card’s regular APR will end up costing you more than rewards save you. Paying in full monthly allows you to avoid interest charges.
- Redeem before closing your account
You will lose any PNC cash back left unredeemed when you close your account.
PNC Cash Back Rewards vs. Bank of America Cash Back Rewards vs. Amex Blue Cash Reward Dollars
Category | PNC Cash Back Rewards | Bank of America Cash Back Rewards | American Express Blue Cash Reward Dollars |
WalletHub Rank | 17 | 6 | 16 |
Average Rewards Value | $1 in rewards = $1 | $1 in rewards = $1 | 1 Reward Dollar = $1 |
Redemption Options Rank | 17 | 4 | 9 |
Notable Rewards Card | PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card | Bank of America® Unlimited Cash Rewards credit card | Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express |
PNC Cash Back Rewards Review Methodology
This review of PNC Cash Back Rewards is based on the same methodology as WalletHub’s annual study on the Best Credit Card Rewards Programs. Editor’s ratings reflect the sum of each program’s scores across the study’s four major categories, adjusted to a 5-point scale to create a representative distribution of ratings. The four major categories considered were: Earning Policies, Redemption Policies, Rewards Value per $1 Spent and Eligibility & Transparency.
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