What Is PNC Bank, and Are Its Credit Cards Right for You? - NerdWallet (2024)

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PNC Bank, a subsidiary of PNC Financial Services Group, is a full-service bank headquartered in Pittsburgh. The bank has physical locations in nearly 30 states and Washington, D.C. You’ll need to live in one of those locations or have an existing banking relationship with PNC to apply online for one of the bank’s multiple credit cards.

» MORE: 8 under-the-radar credit cards with hard-to-find perks

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Are PNC Bank credit cards good?

Some of PNC Bank's credit cards are better than others. For example, the issuer offers a credit card that earns 2% back on all eligible purchases, a rewards rate that automatically places it among some of the best flat-rate cards on the market.

But generally, credit card offerings from PNC Bank lag competitors. The bank doesn’t issue a true travel rewards card, at least not in the traditional sense. And other PNC cards feature drawbacks like reward caps, low point values or high security deposits.

Whether you’re looking for a sign-up bonus, rich ongoing rewards, or a reprieve from interest on purchases or balance transfers, you can probably do better with a card from a different issuer — most of which won't require you to have an existing account with that issuer.

Here's a closer look at PNC Bank's credit card offerings.

PNC Cash Unlimited Visa Signature Credit Card

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The PNC Cash Unlimited Visa Signature has a $0 annual fee and earns an unlimited 2% cash back on all qualifying purchases. Cash back can be redeemed for a statement credit, gift card, travel or deposit to a PNC checking or investment account. The card also has a sweet sign-up bonus that's one of the best among flat-rate cash-back cards. New Cash Unlimited cardholders can get $250 after spending at least $1,000 within the first three months of account opening.

Other highlights include no foreign transaction fees, a 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers and cell phone insurance up to $800 per claim. The sum of these features make the Cash Unlimited a standout product.

If you need a break from interest on purchases, too, consider instead the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card. It earns an unlimited 2% cash back on all qualifying purchases and has the following no-interest period: 0% intro APR on Purchases for 15 months and 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers 15 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 20.24%, 25.24%, or 29.99% Variable APR.

» MORE: The 3 levels of Visa credit card benefits

PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card

The $0-annual-fee PNC Cash Rewards Visa is a tiered cash-back card that earns 4% back at gas stations, 3% back at restaurants, 2% back at grocery stores and 1% back on all other purchases. Those are good reward rates across a wide swath of household spending — but there's a catch.

The card imposes an $8,000 annual cap on purchases across all of those bonus categories, which resets on your cardmember anniversary date. After that spending cap is hit, you'll earn only 1% back on all purchases until the cap resets. Since it's a combined cap (covering gas, dining and groceries), you're likely to reach it earlier than you think.

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As of this writing, the card offers a sign-up bonus equal to $200 cash back after spending $1,000 in the first three months, but there are better options that offer uncapped bonus rewards in select categories (with a sign-up bonus to boot).

For example, the Capital One SavorOne Cash Rewards Credit Card has a $0 annual fee and earns an unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, streaming and grocery store purchases. New cardholders can also grab a sign-up bonus: Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus after you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best cash-back credit cards

PNC Core Visa Credit Card

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The PNC Core Visa has a $0 annual fee, doesn’t earn rewards and offers new cardholders a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 months. A variable APR will apply after the introductory period ends (depending on your creditworthiness).

Fifteen months is a solid 0% APR period, but if you’re looking for a longer introductory period, a better choice might be the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card. New cardholders can grab the following offer: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 18.24%, 24.74%, or 29.99% Variable APR.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best 0% APR credit cards

PNC points® Visa® Credit Card

The PNC points® Visa® Credit Card has a $0 annual fee and earns a baseline of 4 points per $1 spent. (You can increase that rate to up to 7 points per $1 spent through PNC's relationship bonuses, but it depends on what kind of account you have with the bank, as well as your average monthly balance within that account.)

As of this writing, new cardholders can qualify for a sign-up bonus of 100,000 points after spending $1,000 in the first three months.

A bonus of that size, on top of a flat rewards rate ranging between 4x and 7x, seems eye-popping indeed. But the catch is that points are worth a paltry 0.2 cent each — far, far below the industry-standard valuation of a full penny per point. A bonus of 100,000 points, then, is redeemable in this case for $200 in cash back, merchandise, travel or gift cards.

It's also worth noting that PNC Points expire 48 months after they were added to your account.

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By comparison, other rewards cards issue points that are more valuable and that never expire. The Chase Freedom Unlimited®, for example, earns cash back issued in the form of Chase Ultimate Rewards® that are worth 1 cent each. You can earn 5% cash back on travel booked through Chase's travel portal, 3% cash back at restaurants and drugstores, and 1.5% cash back on other qualifying purchases. You’ll earn fewer points per purchase, but those points are significantly more valuable, making that card a better deal for ongoing spending.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best rewards credit cards

PNC Secured Visa credit card

The PNC Secured Visa is a credit-builder that can help establish or strengthen your credit. Your credit line can be secured with a cash deposit between $300 and $2,500. This is the only card issued by PNC Bank that requires an in-branch application — you can’t apply online.

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A minimum security deposit of $300 is high for a secured credit card. If you would like to build credit with less out-of-pocket expense, consider the Capital One Platinum Secured Credit Card, which may allow you to get a $200 credit line with an initial deposit of $49, $99 or $200, for those who qualify.You can also be considered for a higher credit line in as little as six months with no additional deposit needed.

» MORE: NerdWallet's best secured credit cards

Is a PNC Bank credit card right for you?

The PNC Cash Unlimited Visa, with its 2% flat rate on purchases, and the PNC Core Visa, with its decent introductory 0% APR offer, are competitive offerings. But beyond that, you can probably do better with a different bank.

What Is PNC Bank, and Are Its Credit Cards Right for You? - NerdWallet (2024)

FAQs

Is it hard to get a credit card with PNC Bank? ›

Yes, it is hard to get a PNC Bank credit card because all PNC Bank credit cards require excellent credit for approval. Unless your credit score is 750 or higher and you have a lot of income, it will be difficult for you to get approved for a PNC Bank credit card.

What credit card is associated with PNC Bank? ›

PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card

Earn at least 1% cash back on purchases everywhere. Earn 2% on grocery store purchases, 3% on dining purchases at restaurants and 4% on gas station purchases for the first $8,000 in combined purchases in these categories annually.

What score do you need for a PNC credit card? ›

You need a credit score of 750+ to qualify for most PNC credit cards. That means excellent credit is usually required for approval. The main exception to the rule is the PNC Bank Secured Credit Card, which is available to people with bad credit.

What is so good about PNC Bank? ›

PNC Bank has several ways to deposit and earn interest on cash. This includes CD, checking, savings and money market accounts. All deposit products are insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) for up to $250,000 per depositor, per account ownership category.

What is PNC highest credit limit? ›

The PNC credit card's limit is as high as $10,000+. Cards that require excellent credit, like PNC's usually have an average credit limit of $8,200. The exact range is not publicly disclosed by the issuer. It will depend on your credit history, income and debts.

What is the easiest PNC credit card to get? ›

The easiest PNC credit card to get is the PNC Bank Visa® Secured Credit Card because it's available to people with limited credit. The minimum deposit to open a PNC Bank Visa® Secured Credit Card is $300, and the annual fee is $36, billed at $3 per month.

What credit score does PNC Bank use? ›

PNC Bank mainly uses Experian for credit card approval. TransUnion is also used as a secondary resource, if needed.

Who issues PNC credit cards? ›

Visa and Visa Signature are registered trademarks of Visa International Service Association and used under license. PNC Bank, National Association is the issuer of the PNC Bank credit cards described herein. Bank deposit products and services provided by PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC.

What bank owns PNC? ›

PNC Bank is a subsidiary of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc., a U.S.-based bank holding company headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and founded in 1845. PNC Bank has been a subsidiary of The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc.

Does PNC do a hard pull for credit card? ›

Just note that regardless of the credit bureau(s) the issuer chooses to use, you will always see a hard pull on your credit report after you apply. If you get approved, the PNC Bank will report your account information monthly to all three major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.

How long does it take to get approved for a PNC credit card? ›

Typically, you'll receive a decision on your PNC Bank credit card application within minutes. And many applicants are approved much sooner than that. If you haven't heard back within a reasonable time frame, you can always call customer service to ask about the delay.

Is PNC Bank better than Wells Fargo? ›

PNC Bank's rating is a B+, better than Wells Fargo or TD Bank, but it too gets low marks for its fees and customer satisfaction. The banks above are worth considering, but they're not your only options. The best banks for you are the ones that offer what you need from a financial services company.

What are the disadvantages of PNC Bank? ›

Cons
  • Higher interest rates reserved for very high account balances, and are lower than other money market account rates.
  • Not available in all states or locations.
  • High minimum balance requirement -- $5,000 -- to maintain an account (or link another PNC account to avoid monthly service fee).
Jan 13, 2023

What is the weakness of PNC? ›

Weaknesses. Dependence on Economic and Market Conditions: Despite PNC's diversified portfolio, its performance is still subject to fluctuations in economic confidence and market conditions.

Is PNC better than Chase? ›

If access to bank branches is important to you, Chase has more than double what PNC Bank has. Chase also offers better CD rates. However, PNC Bank's Virtual Wallet helps you manage your spending, set money aside for short-term goals, and grow your savings.

What credit score is needed for a PNC Bank loan? ›

PNC Bank does not disclose a minimum credit score requirement, but it looks for borrowers with a history of on-time payments on their loans. We recommend a score of at least 670 to increase your chances of approval.

Which bank is the easiest to get credit card? ›

Easiest credit cards to get approved for
  • Best for unsecured card: Capital One Platinum Credit Card.
  • Best for students: Discover it® Student Cash Back.
  • Best for no annual fee: Citi Double Cash® Card.
  • Best student dining card: Capital One SavorOne Student Cash Rewards Credit Card.

How fast can I get a PNC credit card? ›

It should take 4-10 business days to get a PNC Bank credit card after you get approved. If you need the card sooner, you can request expedited shipping at no additional cost. To do that, call customer service at (800) 762-2265 after you're approved. With expedited shipping, your card should arrive in 1-2 business days.

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