2021 Review: PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card — Solid Rewards and Good Benefits
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PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
Our Rating: 4 Out of 5 Stars
We give the PenFed Power Cash Rewards card four out of five Stars. It provides an uncomplicated experience, rewarding you cash back for every purchase and featuring some helpful benefits.
Why We Like It
- Unlimited rewards
- No annual fee, no foreign transaction fee
- Introductory balance transfer APR
- Visa Signature benefits
Why It Could Be Better
- Balance transfer fee: 3% per transaction
- Must be a PenFed member to apply
- $1 fee for each paper statement received (you can opt for electronic statements instead)
PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
Details
securely on the issuer's website
- $100 statement credit after spending $1,500 in purchase transactions within the first 90 days of account opening
- 2% cash back on all purchases through the PenFed Honors Advantage program
- 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases
- Flexible cash redemption options (Power Cash statement credit or cash-out to a checking or savings account)
- No caps, limits or category restrictions on cash rewards
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- No cash advance fee
- Chip and Contactless ‘Tap to Pay’ enabled for added security, ease and convenience at the point of sale
- Click and Pay eligible, via Secure Remote Commerce, so you can enjoy easy and secure online buying checkout
- Digital wallet capable
- Purchase variable rate as low as 14.99% APR
- 0% promotional rate for 12 months on balance transfers made between now and September 30, 2021. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. 3% balance transfer fee per transaction. Subject to credit approval. If you take advantage of this balance transfer, you will immediately be charged interest on all purchases made with your credit card unless you pay the entire account balance, including balance transfers, in full each month by the payment due date.
- Cash Advance APR 17.99%
- Rate and offers current as of April 1, 2021 and subject to change.
The PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card is a simple cash back credit card that earns 1.5% cash back on every purchase you make. If you’re a PenFed Honors Advantage member, you can earn 2% back.
There’s also a welcome bonus of a $100 statement credit after spending $1,500 in the first 90 days.
That’s really the purpose of this card: To earn rewards on everything you buy. It’s important to note, however, that you’ll have to be a PenFed member before you can apply for it.
And while the main goal of the PenFed Power Cash is to earn cash back, there’s an introductory balance transfer APR of 0% for 12 months, after which it’ll be 11.74% to 17.99% Variable. That might not prove overly useful to you, for reasons we’ll explain, but it’s good to know every facet of your card.
Read on to find out if this is the cash back card for you.
Insider Advice: Getting the Most Out of Your Card
- Use it for all of your spending: No need to worry about bonus categories here — this card gives the same flat-rate reward for every purchase you make, so you can be confident you’re getting a decent rate no matter what you’re buying.
- Become an Honors Advantage member: In order to get 2% cash back you’ll need to become an Honors Advantage member. To do so, you’ll need to be either currently serving in the military or a veteran, or you’ll need to open a qualifying PenFed bank account.
- Combine this card with other cards: While having a flat-rate cash back card is handy, it’s also good to have different rewards cards that earn more in specific bonus categories to get even more back from your spending.
- Get the welcome bonus: Spend enough in the first few months to earn a statement credit, which will reduce your account balance.
- Take advantage of the intro balance transfer offer (if you won’t use the card for rewards): You can transfer over a balance and get some time to pay down the debt while it accrues 0% interest. But this will cause you to lose your grace period, which means your purchases will begin accruing interest as soon as you make them. So, if you use the balance transfer offer, you probably shouldn’t use this card for regular purchases until the balance is paid off.
Rewards
Earning
| Spending Rewards |
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| Introductory Bonus Offer |
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So no matter where you shop, you’ll be able to earn cash back at a decent rate. The welcome bonus gives a nice opportunity to earn a little more, so you should try and obtain it.
To get the extra .5% cash back, you’ll need to become a PenFed Honors Advantage program member. You have two options in order to do so: either have an eligible PenFed account, or have a military record.
As long as you’re the primary credit card holder and owner of an open checking account for any new or existing PenFed product (excluding PenCheck Limited accounts), you can enroll in the Honors Advantage program.
Or, you must be currently serving in the military, a member of the Reserves or National Guard, an honorably discharged veteran, or retired from the service.
Insider tip
Once you reach the welcome bonus, consider choosing a dedicated gas credit card or grocery card for those purchases to increase your return on spend.
Redeeming
You can redeem your cash back rewards in a few different ways:
- Receive a statement credit
- Deposit into a PenFed checking or share account
- Transfer to another financial institution (not available to non-military Honors Advantage participants)
The first two options, getting a statement credit or depositing into a PenFed credit union account, are probably your easiest bets.
The Benefits
The PenFed Power Cash Rewards comes as either a basic Visa card or a Visa Signature card, depending on your creditworthiness. If you’re approved for the latter version, that means it comes along with some pretty good benefits which we’ve outlined below. Otherwise, you can expect to receive reduced benefits.
Check the Guide to Benefits that came with your card to see the specific benefits available to you.
- Free FICO credit score: Cardholders can see their FICO NextGen Scores, from their Equifax credit reports.
- Fine Wine and Food: Access special food-related events and savings at more than 50 Sonoma Country wineries.
- Visa Signature Entertainment: Receive upgrades and savings on eligible events through Visa.
- Visa Signature Concierge: Need assistance with travel arrangements, finding tickets for concerts, or sporting events? How about where to grab dinner? Call 800-953-7392 and they’ll help with that and more.
- Emergency Card Replacement/Emergency Cash Disbursement: PenFed will replace your card and provide emergency cash to a location that is convenient for you.
- Extended Warranty: Get an additional year of manufacturer’s warranty on eligible products (if the warranty is three years or less).
- Purchase Security: PenFed will cover eligible purchases of up to $500 for 90 days after you make the purchase.
- Travel and Emergency Assistance Services: Get help coordinating medical, legal, and travel services while you’re away from home.
- Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver: Provides coverage for collision damage and theft of eligible rented vehicles, when you decline the rental company’s own insurance
- Roadside Dispatch: Pay-per-use roadside assistance should you ever need it
- Travel Accident Insurance: You’ll be covered for accidental death or dismemberment while traveling for no additional cost, up to $100,000.
The Terms & Fees
| Purchase APR | Balance Transfer APR | Cash Advance APR |
|---|---|---|
| 11.74% to 17.99% Variable | 0% for 12 months, then 11.74% to 17.99% Variable | 11.74% to 17.99% Variable |
| Annual Fee | Foreign Transaction Fee |
|---|---|
| $0 | None |
| Balance Transfer Fee | Cash Advance Fee |
|---|---|
| 3% per transaction | None |
| Penalty APR | Late Fee | Returned Payment Fee |
|---|---|---|
| 17.99% | Up to $28 | Up to $25 |
There’s no annual fee or foreign transaction fee, and you get a 0% intro balance transfer APR. There is, however, a balance transfer fee, so you’ll still have to pay to make use of the offer.
It’s important to note that if you don’t pay off your balance in full by the due date, you’ll lose your grace period for new purchases. That means they’ll begin accruing interest as soon as they’re made, rather than giving you some time to pay them off first.
So if you plan on taking advantage of the introductory balance transfer offer, and carrying a balance from month to month, you’ll lose that grace period and your purchases will begin accruing interest.
You could either use this card for purchases or use it for the balance transfer offer, but you’d likely cost yourself some money if you used it for both at the same time. You’ll have to decide which route is best to take, depending on your current financial needs.
The Bottom Line
The PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card provides up to a flat 2% cash back rate (as long as you become an Honors Advantage member, which is fairly easy to do). That’s about as good as it gets for a no annual fee flat-rate cash back card, so if that’s what you’re looking for, you could do worse.
However, if you’re looking for a balance transfer, you may be better off with a card that’s focused on that purpose. While this one does feature a solid offer for quite a while, there’s also a transfer fee.
There are dedicated balance transfer cards on the market that have longer 0% APR periods coupled with no transfer fees, and one of them would likely work better for paying off debt.
You’ll find some value in the Visa Signature benefits package, particularly from the concierge and shopping/travel protections. They may end up saving you more time and money than you’d expect.
So if you’re seeking a simple cash back card with pretty good rewards and perks, the PenFed Power Cash Rewards should make you happy. If you’re looking for anything else, you might want to continue your search.
Learn all about PenFed and its credit cards PenFed Credit CardsHow to Apply for the PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card
Simply click the “Apply Now” button below and you’ll be directed to the card issuer’s site. Follow its instructions and provide all the necessary info and you should typically hear back pretty quickly if you’ve been approved or not.
What Credit Scores Do You Need for the PenFed Power Cash Rewards?
Fair or average credit scores are recommended for a decent chance at approval with the PenFed Power Cash card. This means a FICO score of at least 580 or so, and a VantageScore of at least 650.
But keep in mind that credit approval relies on more than just your credit scores; other factors, like income, play a role too. So you may be approved with scores below that range, or even denied with better scores.
It’s worth mentioning that in the card terms, PenFed states the length of your membership is taken into account when determining your creditworthiness. Having been a member for longer will probably help, but it’s hard to say for sure how they’re taking it into account.
Qualifications and Requirements
- Must be 18 to apply
- Must be a PenFed credit union member
- Personal information: Name, date of birth, Social Security number, U.S. citizenship status
- Address and contact information: Home address and how long you’ve lived there, phone number, email address
- Financial information: Total annual income, monthly mortgage or rent payment
PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
Details
securely on the issuer's website
- $100 statement credit after spending $1,500 in purchase transactions within the first 90 days of account opening
- 2% cash back on all purchases through the PenFed Honors Advantage program
- 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases
- Flexible cash redemption options (Power Cash statement credit or cash-out to a checking or savings account)
- No caps, limits or category restrictions on cash rewards
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- No cash advance fee
- Chip and Contactless ‘Tap to Pay’ enabled for added security, ease and convenience at the point of sale
- Click and Pay eligible, via Secure Remote Commerce, so you can enjoy easy and secure online buying checkout
- Digital wallet capable
- Purchase variable rate as low as 14.99% APR
- 0% promotional rate for 12 months on balance transfers made between now and September 30, 2021. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. 3% balance transfer fee per transaction. Subject to credit approval. If you take advantage of this balance transfer, you will immediately be charged interest on all purchases made with your credit card unless you pay the entire account balance, including balance transfers, in full each month by the payment due date.
- Cash Advance APR 17.99%
- Rate and offers current as of April 1, 2021 and subject to change.
Alternatives to the PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card
Citi® Double Cash Card - 18 month BT offer
Details
securely on the issuer's website
The Citi® Double Cash Card – 18 month BT offer (Review) offers a flat 2% cash back with a small twist.
Rather than getting 2% upfront for every purchase, you’ll get 1% when you buy an item and the other 1% when you pay it off. And with no annual fee, that makes it a great option. There are also some different redemption options available that could net you a higher return on spend.
The Citi card features a 0% balance transfer APR for 18 months on Balance Transfers, then it’ll be 13.99% – 23.99% (Variable). The transfer fee will probably be the same, or similar, but you’ll have more time to pay the balance down.
The PenFed Power Cash Rewards will most likely have stronger benefits, as the Double Cash has no shopping or travel protections. With the Citi card, you’ll get the handy feature of checking your FICO Bankcard Score 8 based on your Equifax credit report, but not much else.
| Spending Rewards |
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There are a few redemption options available to you with the Double Cash. You’re able to convert your rewards into ThankYou points, and then transfer them to Citi’s airline partners (if you also have the Citi Prestige® Card or Citi Premier® Card, you’ll have access to more partners).
If you find a good airline redemption deal, you could get a higher value than 1 cent per point. If you were to get 2 cents per point for example, that would give you a 4% cash back equivalent, doubling what you’d normally receive.
- Free FICO credit score: See your Equifax-based FICO Bankcard Score 8 on statements, online, and by mobile app.
- Citi Concierge: Get restaurant suggestions, reservations, travel arrangements, shopping research, and more.
- Citi Entertainment: Get preferred access and pre-sale tickets to events and experiences, from music to movies.
- Purchase APR: 13.99% – 23.99% (Variable)
- Balance Transfer APR: 0% for 18 months on Balance Transfers, then 13.99% – 23.99% (Variable)
- Annual fee: $0
- Earn 2% on every purchase with unlimited 1% cash back when you buy, plus an additional 1% as you pay for those purchases.
- To earn cash back, pay at least the minimum due on time.
- Balance Transfer Offer: 0% intro APR on Balance Transfers for 18 months. After that, the variable APR will be 13.99% – 23.99%, based on your creditworthiness.
- Balance Transfers do not earn cash back.
- If you transfer a balance, interest will be charged on your purchases unless you pay your entire balance (including balance transfers) by the due date each month.
- There is a balance transfer fee of either $5 or 3% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater.
- The standard variable APR for Citi Flex Plan is 13.99% – 23.99% based on your creditworthiness. Citi Flex Plan offers are made available at Citi’s discretion.
Citi is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Chase Freedom Unlimited®
Details
The Chase Freedom Unlimited® (Review) is another simple cash rewards credit card.
It’s pretty similar to the PenFed Power Cash, except you’ll get 5% for Lyft rides (through March 2022) and for travel purchased through Chase Ultimate Rewards. You’ll get 3% back at restaurants and drugstores and a flat 1.5% for everything else. You’ll also get a long 0% interest intro period for purchases.
This card comes as either a Visa Signature or Visa Platinum card, so, much like the PenFed card, your benefits depend on the Visa tier you’re approved for.
If you ride with Lyft often, this could be a far more rewarding option. And accumulating no interest on new purchases is a handy feature on top of that. Certainly something to think about.
| Spending Rewards |
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- Three-month DoorDash membership: Subscribe for a free DashPass for three months, which provides free shipping and reduced service fees on orders over $12. You’ll be automatically enrolled in DashPass for 50% off for the next nine months.
- $100 referral bonus: You’ll get $100 cash back for every friend you refer who successfully applies for the Freedom Unlimited, up to $500 per year.
- Shop through Chase: Earn extra cash back at select retailers via the Shop through Chase shopping portal.
- Chase Offers: Take advantage of discounts on certain products or with select retailers. Deals must be activated first through either Chase.com or the Chase mobile app.
- Credit Journey: Monitor your credit with this useful tool by viewing your VantageScore 3.0 based on your TransUnion credit report.
- Shopping protections: Including Purchase Protection and Extended Warranties
- Travel protections: Such as Travel and Emergency Assistance Services and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waivers
- Purchase APR: 0% for 15 months, then 14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- Balance Transfer APR: 14.99% - 23.74% Variable
- Annual fee: $0
securely on the issuer's website
The Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express (Review) provides cash back for things you might need every day, like gas and groceries.
You’ll get 3% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000 spent annually), 2% at U.S. gas stations and select U.S. department stores, and 1% for all other purchases. So you’ll earn a bit more at select locations than you would with the PenFed Power Cash.
The Blue Cash Everyday from American Express also features a 0% intro purchase period as well, so you’ll have some extra time to pay down some larger purchases.
This card comes with the useful benefit of Amex Offers, which provides more rewards and occasional discounts at a wide selection of vendors. But the Everyday has fewer shopping and travel protections, which could save you plenty of money and hassle in an unfortunate situation.
| Spending Rewards |
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| Introductory Bonus Offer |
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Although you have bonus categories here, there’s a way to make purchases outside of the categories and still earn rewards above 1%. If you’re at a U.S. supermarket and you use the Blue Cash Everyday to purchase a store gift card for a different merchant, you’ll typically be able to earn that 3% cash back. Then, you can use the gift card as you would normally. This strategy may not include prepaid debit card purchases, however, which might be counted as cash advances.
Any reward card that earns at grocery stores or other merchants that sell gift cards can do this, including the Discover it® Cash Back mentioned below.
- Amex Offers: A changing selection of merchants where you can get discounts or more cash back.
- Entertainment Access: Provides pre-sale tickets to a variety of sports, music, and cultural events in big cities around the world
- Complimentary ShopRunner membership: Enroll in ShopRunner, which provides free two-day shipping and returns at select online retailers.
- Shopping and travel protections: Purchase Protection, Car Rental Loss and Damage Insurance, Global Assist Hotline
- Purchase APR: 0% on purchases for 15 months, then 13.99% - 23.99% Variable
- Annual fee: $0
- Earn $200 back after you spend $1,000 in purchases on your new Card within the first 3 months.
- 3% Cash Back at U.S. supermarkets (on up to $6,000 per year in purchases, then 1%).
- 2% Cash Back at U.S. gas stations and at select U.S. department stores.
- 1% Cash Back on other purchases.
- Low intro APR: 0% for 15 months on purchases from the date of account opening, then a variable rate, 13.99% to 23.99%.
- Plan It® gives the option to select purchases of $100 or more to split up into monthly payments with a fixed fee.
- Cash back is received in the form of Reward Dollars that can be easily redeemed for statement credits.
- No annual fee.
- Terms Apply.
American Express is a Credit Card Insider advertiser.
Discover it® Cash Back
Details
The Discover it® Cash Back (Review) offers 5% cash back in categories that change quarterly, or every three months (up to $1,500 spent per quarter; activation required).
This Discover card provides more cash back than the PenFed Power Cash, but at the loss of some flexibility. You’ll earn cash back at different rates depending on where and when you shop. And as a nice bonus, Discover has the excellent feature of doubling your rewards for the first year.
That means you’ll be earning the equivalent of 10% cash back in those select categories, far more rewarding than the Power Cash’s max of 2%.
The benefits you’ll receive aren’t as impressive, as you’ll get fewer protections and nothing similar to the Visa Signature Concierge perk. But you could always consider combining the two cards. Just be sure you use the Discover it Cash Back for a year to get double the rewards before getting the PenFed Power Cash. Then use the Discover it Cash Back for the 5% categories and the PenFed card for everything else.
| Spending Rewards |
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Here’s the 5% cash back calendar for 2021, including what was offered in 2020.
| Quarter | 2020 Categories | 2021 Categories |
|---|---|---|
| January – March |
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| April – June |
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| July – September |
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| October – December |
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- Free FICO credit score: See your TransUnion-based FICO Score 8 on statements, online, and by mobile app.
- Cash at Checkout: When you shop at participating locations, you can get immediate cash by charging an additional amount over your purchase for no extra fee.
- Refer a Friend: Receive statement credits if you refer people you know to apply for a Discover card and they’re approved. They’ll receive statement credits, too.
- Security features: Social Security number, credit inquiry, and new account alerts, and quick card freeze
- Purchase and Balance Transfer APR: See Terms for See Terms, then See Terms
- No foreign transaction fee
- Annual fee: $0
PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card
Details
securely on the issuer's website
- $100 statement credit after spending $1,500 in purchase transactions within the first 90 days of account opening
- 2% cash back on all purchases through the PenFed Honors Advantage program
- 1.5% unlimited cash back on all purchases
- Flexible cash redemption options (Power Cash statement credit or cash-out to a checking or savings account)
- No caps, limits or category restrictions on cash rewards
- No annual fee
- No foreign transaction fees
- No cash advance fee
- Chip and Contactless ‘Tap to Pay’ enabled for added security, ease and convenience at the point of sale
- Click and Pay eligible, via Secure Remote Commerce, so you can enjoy easy and secure online buying checkout
- Digital wallet capable
- Purchase variable rate as low as 14.99% APR
- 0% promotional rate for 12 months on balance transfers made between now and September 30, 2021. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. 3% balance transfer fee per transaction. Subject to credit approval. If you take advantage of this balance transfer, you will immediately be charged interest on all purchases made with your credit card unless you pay the entire account balance, including balance transfers, in full each month by the payment due date.
- Cash Advance APR 17.99%
- Rate and offers current as of April 1, 2021 and subject to change.
Do you use the PenFed Power Cash Rewards Card, or another card in the PenFed family? How do you like it? Let us know in the comments, we’d love to know!
For rates and fees of the Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express, please click here.
The PenFed Power Cash Rewards card offers 1.5% cash back on every purchase, with the chance to earn 2% if you’re a PenFed Honors Advantage member. You’ll get an introductory balance transfer APR and Visa Signature benefits, but you’ll need to be a PenFed member to apply.
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