PNC

PNC Cash Rewards®

PNC and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of PNC. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.

PNC Cash Rewards®4%
Gas at 4%No annual feeWelcome bonus
Top 92% for Gas
Highest earn rate in Gas at 4% effective value

The PNC Cash Rewards® from PNC earns up to 4% effective value on gas in Madeen's catalog snapshot. It has no annual fee. New applicants may see: Earn a $250 bonus after you make $1,000 or more in purchases[2] during the first 3 billing cycles following account opening of a PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card..

Top category
Gas
Effective value
4%
Annual fee
$0
PNC Cash Rewards® card art

Best for gas-heavy spend when you want to avoid an annual fee; confirm issuer terms before applying. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in gas and can earn 4% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.

Madeen analysis

What does the PNC Cash Rewards earn in each category?

Gas is the strongest category at 4% effective value (4% back). That gas rate ranks higher than about 92% of the 2,854 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how PNC Cash Rewards compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend. Catalog spend signals highlight gas at 4x among the top bonus.

Gas is the strongest category at 4% effective value (4% back). That gas rate ranks higher than about 92% of the 2,854 cards we track in that category. The five-category effective-rate table on this page shows how PNC Cash Rewards compares across dining, grocery, gas, travel, and other spend.

Category Earn rate Effective value
Dining
Restaurants, cafes, takeout
3% back 3%
Grocery
Supermarkets and grocery stores
2% back 2%
Gas
Gas stations and fuel
4% back 4% Top category
Travel
Flights, hotels, transit
1% back 1%
Other
General everyday spend
1% back 1%

Madeen values cash back at about 1 cents each. Madeen compares every card using this cash-equivalent estimate while still showing the raw earn rate for context.

Reward rules

What are the PNC Cash Rewards reward caps and conditions?

The PNC Cash Rewards has 3 notable cap or condition rule(s) in Madeen's catalog, including activation windows, spend limits, and category exclusions. Review each bullet below before assuming unlimited earn rates.

  • 3% cash back on dining purchases at restaurants Capped at $8000 per year.
  • 4% cash back on gas station purchases Capped at $8000 per year.
  • 2% cash back on grocery store purchases Capped at $8000 per year.
Madeen take

Who should get the PNC Cash Rewards?

The PNC Cash Rewards fits spenders who put meaningful volume in gas and can earn 4% back. Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in gas and can earn 4% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.

PNC Cash Rewards fits spenders who put meaningful volume in gas and can earn 4% back. Madeen ranks its gas effective rate higher than about 92% of the catalog in that category. Compare it against cards you already carry with Madeen — no bank login required.

Best for spenders who put meaningful volume in gas and can earn 4% back. The welcome bonus can help if you can meet the spend requirement.

Foreign transaction fees make it weaker for international spend.

Best for gas-heavy spend when you want to avoid an annual fee; confirm issuer terms before applying.

Pros

  • Strongest Madeen category is gas at about 4% effective (4% back).
  • That gas rate ranks higher than about 92% of cards we track in the category.
  • No annual fee in our catalog snapshot.
  • Welcome bonus may add value if you can meet spend requirements.

Cons

  • Charges $3 foreign transaction fees.
  • Multiple caps, activations, or exclusions may limit headline earn rates.
Welcome bonus

What is the PNC Cash Rewards welcome bonus?

In Madeen's catalog snapshot, the PNC Cash Rewards welcome offer is Earn a $250 bonus after you make $1,000 or more in purchases[2] during the first 3 billing cycles following account opening of a PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card.. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change — confirm on the issuer application.

Offer
$250
Terms (catalog snapshot)
Earn a $250 bonus after you make $1,000 or more in purchases[2] during the first 3 billing cycles following account opening of a PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card.
Minimum spend
$1,000
Window
3Months
Fees

Does the PNC Cash Rewards have an annual fee?

The PNC Cash Rewards has an annual fee of $0 and a foreign transaction fee of $3. Confirm current fees on the issuer page before applying.

Annual fee
$0
Foreign transaction fee
$3
Benefits

What benefits come with the PNC Cash Rewards?

The PNC Cash Rewards includes Booking.com, Cell Phone Protection, Dovly Uplift™ in our snapshot. Perks and benefits can change; verify coverage on the issuer site before you rely on them.

Madeen estimated annual value~$8,560
4 of 6 benefits valued
  • Cell Phone Protection

    $7,200/yr

    When you use your eligible PNC Visa credit card to pay your monthly wireless bill, you can get reimbursed up to $800 if your cell phone is stolen or damaged.

    How we value this

    Statement credit face value from issuer terms — $600/month × 12 = $7200/yr. Card-specific overrides recommended where amounts differ.

  • Roadside Dispatch®

    $1,000/yr

    This is a pay-per-use roadside assistance program available 24x7. Roadside Dispatch will ask for your location, find out what the problem is, and will remain on the phone with you while arranging a dispatch to a reliable tow operator or locksmith. You pay a set price per service call.

    Visa Traditional
    How we value this

    Statement credit face value from issuer terms — $1000 face value (annualized from issuer terms).

  • Sofar Sounds

    $240/yr

    Enjoy a free ticket per show with the purchase of one or more tickets, plus you can access 7-day Visa Exclusive Presale opportunities.

    Visa Traditional
    How we value this

    Editorial review of "Sofar Sounds" — annual value verified from issuer terms (legacy auto-derived basis replaced during full catalog audit).

  • OpenTable

    $120/yr

    Eligible Visa cardholders can enjoy special events access to the hottest dining events on OpenTable. Restrictions apply.

    Visa Traditional
    How we value this

    Editorial review of "OpenTable" — annual value verified from issuer terms (legacy auto-derived basis replaced during full catalog audit).

  • Booking.com

    Purchase qualifying stays with your eligible Visa Credit or Debit card and get up to 8% in Travel Credits to use on future flights, stays, car rentals, attractions, car rentals, taxis and more.

    Visa Traditional
    How we value this

    No verifiable annual monetary value for "Booking.com" at shared title level.

  • Dovly Uplift™

    Get free access to Dovly Uplift. Dovly helps you raise your credit score and get more for your money. While Dovly's platform is designed to remove inaccuracies from your credit report, every case is different, and not everyone will achieve the same results.

    Visa Traditional
    How we value this

    No verifiable annual monetary value for "Dovly Uplift™" at shared title level.

Common questions about the PNC Cash Rewards

Where do cardholders spend most with the PNC Cash Rewards?

Madeen's RewardsCC catalog snapshot shows the strongest bonus categories on gas (4x), coffee (3x), fast food (3x) for the PNC Cash Rewards. These are anonymized issuer category signals, not individual cardholder transactions. Route everyday spend through categories that match your habits, then compare effective rates with Madeen at checkout.

Does the PNC Cash Rewards have an annual fee?

The PNC Cash Rewards carries an annual fee of $0 in Madeen's catalog snapshot. Issuer terms can change, so confirm the current fee on the issuer's site before you apply. Madeen does not predict approval or prequalification.

What category earns the most with the PNC Cash Rewards?

Gas is the strongest Madeen category for the PNC Cash Rewards at about 4% effective value, based on our catalog snapshot and standard point valuations. Other categories are listed in the effective-rate table on this page.

Does the PNC Cash Rewards charge foreign transaction fees?

The PNC Cash Rewards charges a foreign transaction fee of $3 in our catalog snapshot. Check issuer terms before international spend because rates and fee waivers can change.

What is the PNC Cash Rewards welcome bonus?

The PNC Cash Rewards welcome offer in our snapshot: Earn a $250 bonus after you make $1,000 or more in purchases[2] during the first 3 billing cycles following account opening of a PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card.. Minimum spend, eligibility, and offer windows are set by the issuer and can change.

What credit score do you need for the PNC Cash Rewards?

Madeen's catalog lists a typical credit range of Good to Excellent for the PNC Cash Rewards. Issuers decide approval using their own criteria; Madeen does not predict approval odds or prequalification.

Compare

How does the PNC Cash Rewards compare to similar cards?

Compare the PNC Cash Rewards against PNC Cash Unlimited (2% on Dining, $0 fee); PNC Cash Rewards Visa Signature Business Credit Card (1.5% on Dining, $0 fee); PNC CashBuilder Visa (1.3% on Dining, $0 fee). Madeen ranks effective value by category and annual fee using the same catalog snapshot dated 2026-05-01.

CardTop categoryEffective valueAnnual fee
PNC Cash Rewards
This card
Gas4%$0
Dining2%$0
Dining1.5%$0
Dining1.3%$0
Dining1%$0
Merchants

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Madeen publishes merchant guides that rank cards for specific stores and services. Browse guides for gas spend to see which cards win at checkout.

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Reviewed by Madeen editorial review
Catalog snapshot 2026-05-01
Updated 2026-06-25
Data source Madeen catalog analysis

PNC and related product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Madeen is not affiliated with, sponsored by, endorsed by, or acting on behalf of PNC. Madeen is an independent credit-card comparison and education service. Issuer websites control current terms, fees, and eligibility.

Madeen compares cards you add to your wallet using published catalog rules — no bank login required. Issuer pages control current fees, caps, exclusions, and eligibility; Madeen does not issue cards, make approval decisions, or provide financial advice. Apply links are temporarily hidden on madeen.app. Affiliate disclosure

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