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., so while its footprint is considerable, it's not everywhere.
That could be important when it comes to PNC's credit card portfolio. Eligibility for its cards isn't based on your location, and you don't need to be an existing PNC customer to apply or qualify for them. But if you're not already a customer, you may need to apply for a PNC credit card in a physical PNC Bank branch.
And again, many states don't have one.
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.
Additionally, some of PNC's credit cards are eligible for a cash-back boost through the bank’s relationship rewards program, PNC TotalRewards. Customers with balances of $25,000 or more across eligible PNC accounts can qualify for boost of 5% to 35% — based on how much they have in assets with the bank:
Program tier | Required balance | Relationship bonus |
|---|---|---|
Silver | $25,000 to $99,999. | 5%. |
Gold | $100,000 to $499,999. | 25%. |
Platinum | $500,000 or more. | 35%. |
An increase in credit card rewards can be lucrative for customers with significant amounts saved with the bank. 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 and 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 will be easily gettable in all 50 U.S. states.
Here's a closer look at PNC Bank's credit card offerings.
PNC Cash Unlimited Visa Signature credit card
The PNC Cash Unlimited Visa Signature has a $0 annual fee and earns an unlimited 2% cash back on all qualifying purchases. Cash back, which never expires, can be redeemed for a statement credit, gift card, travel or deposit to a PNC checking or investment account.
Other highlights include no foreign transaction fees, a 0% intro APR offer on balance transfers for 15 months, and cell phone insurance up to $800 per claim. The sum of these features make the Cash Unlimited a standout product. It's primary weakness: no welcome offer.
If you like the sound of the PNC Cash Unlimited but also want a welcome bonus, the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card is a solid alternative. The Active Cash offers an unlimited 2% cash back on all purchases, a 0% promotional period, cell phone insurance — and the following welcome bonus: Earn a $100 cash rewards bonus after spending $500 in purchases in the first 3 months..
PNC Spend Wise Visa credit card
PNC’s Spend Wise credit card has an unusual headlining feature: the ability for cardholders to reduce their interest rate. Through the card’s Purchase APR Reduction Program, you can lower your interest rate by two percentage points every 12 billing cycles. To qualify for an APR reduction, cardholders must spend at least $3,000 on the Spend Wise card over 12 billing cycles and submit at least the minimum payment by the due date.
The $0-annual-fee Spend Wise card also offers cell phone insurance; a 0% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 18 months; and an annual $25 subscription credit for eligible streaming services.
Of course, the Spend Wise card’s promise of lower interest rates only matters if you carry a balance on your credit card. You’ll never owe any interest if you pay off your credit card in full every month. And if you do tend to carry a balance, you’ll likely save more with a card that doesn’t charge any interest, at least for a while, such as the Wells Fargo Reflect® Card. It has one of the longest no-interest promotional periods on the market: 0% intro APR for 21 months from account opening on purchases and qualifying balance transfers, and then the ongoing APR of 17.74%, 24.24%, or 28.49% Variable APR.
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.
As of October 2026, the Cash Rewards card also offers a sign-up bonus of $250 after spending $1,000 in the first three months.
If you're looking for a credit card with uncapped bonus rewards, consider the Capital One Savor Cash Rewards Credit Card. This $0-annual-fee card earns an unlimited 3% cash back on dining, entertainment, streaming and grocery store purchases. New cardholders can also grab a welcome offer:Earn a one-time $200 cash bonus once you spend $500 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening.
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. Even if you're an existing PNC Bank customer, you can’t apply online.
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.
Is a PNC Bank credit card right for you?
The PNC Cash Unlimited and PNC Cash Rewards cards are solid cards that stand up against the best cash-back cards from national issuers. But beyond that, you can probably do better with a different bank.
