PNC Bank Bonus: Earn $600 or More by Stacking New Account Offers

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Any long-time Slickdeals reader knows you usually don't want to open a bank account without a bonus. If you’re on the hunt for a new checking account, consider PNC Bank. Depending on the accounts you pick, which include savings accounts and credit cards, you could earn $600 (or more, if you also have a business account) from PNC Bank bonuses. Here’s a closer look at PNC Bank and what you need to know to get started.

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PNC Bank Bonuses and Promos

Not all PNC Bank products come with a bonus, and bonuses can change anytime. Here’s a look at the flagship banking products from PNC Bank and how you can earn a bonus when signing up.

Virtual Wallet Offers: $100-$400 Bonus

Virtual Wallet® is a checking and savings account combo with a sign-up bonus worth up to $400 for new customers. The Virtual Wallet includes the main PNC Bank checking and savings accounts described below.

• Spend: The primary checking account used for income and expenses
• Reserve: A secondary checking account intended for short-term planning
• Growth: The long-term savings account in the Virtual Wallet

Virtual Wallet at a glance:

• Bonus offer: $100 bonus
• Monthly fee: $7
• To waive fee: Make $500 in monthly direct deposits to the Spend account, have an average minimum deposit balance of $500 combined balance in Spend and Reserve accounts, or be at least 62 years old.

Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend at a glance:

• Bonus offer: $200 bonus
• Monthly fee: $15
• To waive fee: Make at least $2,000 in monthly direct deposits to the Spend account, a $2,000 or higher balance in Spend and Reserve accounts or at least $10,000 across all PNC consumer accounts.
• ATM fee reimbursement: Up to $5 in reimbursements for other banks’ ATMs.

Virtual Wallet with Performance Select at a glance:

• Bonus offer: $400 bonus
• Monthly fee: $25
• To waive fee: Bring in $5,000 or more in monthly direct deposits to the Spend Account, keep at least $5,000 in Spend and Reserve accounts or hold at least $25,000 across PNC accounts.
• ATM fee reimbursement: Up to $10 in monthly ATM fee reimbursements.

Regardless of the account tier, customers of Virtual Wallet have access to useful features like overdraft protection, spending tracking and automated savings tools. The checking and savings account features are available individually or through the Virtual Wallet account bundle.

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PNC Virtual Wallet Pros and Cons

Features of the Virtual Wallet checking accounts (Spend and Reserve) include:

• Zelle offers instant transfers to others at PNC and other participating banks with no fees
• Unlimited fee-free withdrawals at PNC ATMs
• Varying limits for free withdrawals and reimbursements when using an ATM out of the PNC network, including international ATMs

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A unique, standout feature of the Spend account is Low Cash Mode®. This includes no non-sufficient funds fees, a maximum of one $36 overdraft fee per day, custom account alerts and 24 hours to bring your account balance back to zero to avoid overdraft fees. It’s a one-day period to make up for the overdraft fee free.

A big drawback with these accounts, however, is the interest rates. Many of the accounts in the Virtual Wallet earn interest, but the APYs are very low. They're even lower than the October 2023 average rates reported by the Federal Reserve (0.07% for interest checking). Note that the Spend account in the basic Virtual Wallet does not earn interest.

PNC Bank Small Business Bonuses: Up to $500

If you own a small business, it should have its own dedicated bank account. PNC currently offers a $200 bonus on a new Business Checking or Business Checking Plus account. To qualify, businesses must maintain an average $5,000 minimum ledger balance and make at least 20 debit card transactions within the first three statement cycles.

Larger businesses can earn a $500 bonus with a new Treasury Enterprise Plan or Analysis Business Checking account. To qualify, these require a significant $30,000 average ledger balance for the first three statement cycles. This offer expires on December 31, 2023.

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Compare Chase Ink Business Credit Cards

Credit Card	Intro Bonus	Annual Fee	Rewards Rate	Learn More
Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card Apply Now	$900Cash Bonus More Info Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	$0	1.5%Cashback More Info The advertised rewards type is cash back, but it’s important to note that you’re technically earning Chase Ultimate Rewards points (which can then be converted to cash back).	Apply
Ink Business Cash® Credit Card Apply Now	$900Cash Bonus More Info Earn $900 bonus cash back after you spend $6,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening	$0	1% - 5%Cashback More Info Earn 5% cash back on your first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at office supply stores and on internet, cable and phone services each account anniversary year. It also offers you 2% cash back on your first $25,000 spent in combined purchases at gas stations and restaurants each account anniversary year.	Apply
Ink Business Preferred® Credit Card Apply Now	100,000Chase Ultimate Rewards Points More Info Earn 100,000 bonus points after you spend $8,000 in the first three months Dollar Equivalent: $2,300 (100,000 Chase Ultimate Rewards Points * 0.023 base)	$95	1x - 3xPoints More Info Earn 3x points on the first $150,000 of combined spending in a number of key business categories	Apply
Ink Business Premier℠ Credit Card Apply Now	$1,000Cash Bonus More Info Earn $1,000 bonus cash back after you spend $10,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening.	$195	Up to 2.5%Cashback More Info Earn unlimited 2.5% total cash back on purchases of $5,000 or more and unlimited 2% cash back on all other business purchases.	Apply

Small Business Credit Card Offers: Up to $750 Value

PNC is also offering a couple of bonuses for their business credit cards.

To qualify for the PNC Cash Rewards^® Visa Signature^® Business Credit Card $400 statement credit bonus:

• Make at least $3,000 in qualifying net purchases with the card during the first three billing cycles following account opening.
• Once you've met requirements, the bank will put the $400 statement credit on your account within 90 days.

The second offer is a bit harder to attain, but could be a good fit for those with bigger business expenses.

To qualify for the PNC BusinessOptions^® Visa Signature^® Credit Card $750 statement credit bonus:

• Make at least $25,000 in qualifying purchases with your new card during the first three billing cycles following account opening.

Credit Cards Offers: Up to $300 Value

PNC Bank credit cards come with varying features. Some cards currently offer a sign-up bonus for a new account.

PNC Cash Rewards Visa Credit Card

The PNC Cash Rewards® Visa® Credit Card currently features a $200 cash back bonus after spending at least $1,000 in the first three billing statement periods. That’s an easily achievable bonus for most households, even if the card is only used for groceries, gas and other common expenses you would incur anyway.

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The card offers 1% to 4% cash back:

• 4% back on gas station purchases
• 3% at restaurants
• 2% at grocery stores

These bonus rates are valid for up to $8,000 in combined annual purchases. Once you hit that level, you’ll earn the standard 1% cash back rate on all further purchases.

PNC Bank PNC points Visa

A Visa credit card, the PNC points® Visa® Credit Card comes with 50,000 bonus points after $750 or more in purchases in the first three billing cycles. Points are redeemable for cash back, gift cards, travel and merchandise. This program is PNC’s version of a general points rewards card.

It includes 4x points per dollar for all purchases. It’s possible to earn a 25%, 50% or 75% bonus when meeting certain minimum activity and hold a qualifying Virtual Wallet account. PNC points are worth about a quarter of a cent each, so 10,000 points are worth about $25. The 50,000-point sign-up bonus is worth about $125 in redemptions.

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Points have an expiration date, so you want to use them within the time limit before they vanish from your account.

PNC Bank Core Visa

The PNC Core® Visa® Credit Card is a low-rate credit card that offers no additional cash back, points or travel rewards. Unfortunately, there is no bonus right now, but the $0 annual fee is nice for someone who wants a simple credit card or is looking to take advantage of the lengthy 15-month 0% APR introductory period.

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Mix and Match to Maximize Your PNC Bonus

If you want to go all-in on PNC Bank, savvy spenders with enough direct deposit income and savings can maximize cash rewards with this setup:

• Virtual Wallet with Performance Select: $400
• PNC Cash Rewards Visa Card: $200

This includes a new checking account, savings account and credit card. If you own a business, you may be able to increase your take if you’re interested in bringing that business to PNC as well.

What Is PNC Bank?

PNC is a super-regional bank based in Pennsylvania. Tracing its roots back to 1852, PNC has grown through a series of acquisitions. In 2021, PNC notably acquired BBVA USA.

Quick PNC Bank stats:

• Operates in about 30 states
• More than 2,600 branches
• Around 60,000 ATMs (including PNC and partner ATMs).

According to 2023 Federal Reserve data, PNC ranked as the sixth-largest bank in the United States, with around $554 billion in customer assets.

Personal banking products include:

• Checking accounts
• Savings accounts
• Credit cards
• Mortgage loans
• Auto loans
• Student loans
• PNC investment management
• Small business products

Virtual Wallet Savings: Growth

If you have a Spend Account, you have the option to add on an interest-bearing Virtual Wallet savings account while still qualifying for the Virtual Wallet account bonuses. Most Growth savings accounts earn 0.01% to 0.04% APY depending on your relationship rate tier and account balance.

The highest rates are around 1.25%-1.80% but are reserved for those with six-figure account balances. And, although that's higher than the FDIC's October national savings account APY average of 0.46%, you can easily beat these with much lower account balances at most online banks.)

Premiere Money Market

Premier Money Market is a checking and savings account hybrid. It offers interest like a savings account along with ATM, debit and check writing features like a checking account. PNC Premier Money Market requires an average monthly balance of at least $5,000 or a link to a PNC checking account to avoid a $12 monthly fee.

Premier Money Market offers interest rates ranging from 0.02% to 1.25% depending on your zip code and account balance—and if you have a qualifying checking account linked. However, it's worth noting that rates over 1.00% are reserved for very high balances, with most rates hovering around 0.02% to 0.04%. There is currently no bank bonus for this account, but the linked checking accounts may qualify for a bonus of up to $400. When paired together, you’ll earn a better interest rate than with Virtual Wallet alone.

Certificate of Deposit

Certificate of Deposit (CD) accounts are timed savings accounts that typically offer a higher interest rate in exchange for locking your funds away for a specified period. PNC certificates of deposit require a $1,000 minimum opening balance and come with terms of seven days to 10 years.

CD rates vary by term. As with all other rates here, CD rates can change at any time without notice. However, the rate you earn is locked in for the duration of your CD term.

While it’s not exactly a bonus, some CDs come with promotional rates if you choose specific terms. Be sure to check all the rates if you're considering a CD so you don't miss out on a promotion. If you know you won’t need the money for a while, a PNC Bank promo rate for a CD could make sense.

Pros and Cons of PNC Bank

The big appeal of PNC Bank is the convenience of many banking under one roof. If you live near a PNC location, the added convenience of a branch and no-fee ATMs could have you wanting to stick with the bank for years to come.

The main drawbacks include low interest rates and requirements to avoid monthly recurring fees. Many online-only banks offer much higher interest rates on savings accounts and don’t require any debit card, direct deposit or minimum balance activity to avoid a monthly maintenance fee. However, those don’t offer any branches, which may not work for some people.

Are Bank Bonuses and Promos Worth It?

If you’re looking to open a new bank account or credit card anyway, it’s always worth shopping around to find a bonus for bringing over your cash. In the old days, you might walk away from a new bank account with a toaster, clock, gym bag or other home goods. These days, banks have upgraded their rewards to include cash back bonuses you can use any way you see fit.

PNC Bank comes with a strong offering when going head-to-head with other large, traditional banks. If you’re considering moving over, take advantage of these bonuses when getting started.

FAQs

• Does PNC offer a bonus?

  Yes, PNC offers bank bonuses for opening select accounts with them, giving you the ability to earn up to $600 in new account bonuses when you complete the qualifying activities.

• Are PNC bank bonuses only for new customers?

  Yes, to qualify for a PNC bank bonus, you must be a new customer who does not have an existing account or have not recently closed an account with the bank.

• Can you stack PNC bank bonus offers?

  Yes, if you qualify to open multiple accounts with PNC, you are able to earn a bonus for each new account you open.