PenFed Credit Card Reviews

3,427 Reviews

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PenFed credit cards are credit cards issued by Pentagon Federal Credit Union. PenFed credit card offers are known for low annual fees (usually $0), 0% foreign transaction fees and attractive rewards. You don’t need to be affiliated with the military to get a credit card from PenFed, either, as anyone can apply for membership. PenFed credit cards do require good or excellent credit for approval, however.

If you have questions about an existing credit card account with Pentagon Federal Credit Union (a WalletHub partner), the PenFed credit card customer service number is 1 (800) 247-5626. If you’re interested in applying for a card, you can compare the latest PenFed credit card offers, read customer reviews and more below.

PenFed Credit Cards with Great Reviews

PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card – 4.5/5 editor’s rating
PenFed Gold Visa® Card – 3.3/5 editor’s rating
PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card – 4.4/5 editor’s rating
PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card – 4/5 editor’s rating

PenFed Credit Cards

PenFed Gold Visa® Card

pentagon federal credit union gold credit card

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7.4WalletHub Rating

WalletHub Rating

7.4

This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Finance New Purchases." A score of 10 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs.

fees

10.0

cost

6.8

Interest Rates

8.0

User Reviews

6.0

Purchase Intro APR0% for 15 months

Transfer Intro APR0% for 15 months|Transfer Fee: 3%

Regular APR17.99% (V)

Purchase Intro APR

0% for 15 months

Transfer Intro APR

0% for 15 months|Transfer Fee: 3%

Regular APR

17.99% (V)

annual fee

rewards rate

None

minimum credit

Good

WalletHub's Take: The PenFed Gold Visa® Card is a $0 annual fee credit card for people with good-to-excellent credit scores (700+). Aside from its $0 membership fee, the PenFed Gold Visa Card’s best features are its intro purchase APR of 0% for 15 months after account opening and its intro APR of 0% for 15 months on balance transfers made in the first 90 days. The downside is the PenFed Gold Visa’s balance transfer fee of 3%.

Pros

No annual card fee
Intro APR on purchases
Intro APR on balance transfers
No foreign fee

Cons

No rewards
No initial rewards bonus
Balance transfer fee
High regular APR

Additional Info

Nothing beats zero
Benefits of this gold card include low APR and low promotional balance transfer APR. Go for the gold today!
LOW APR on all purchases
0% Introductory APR on purchases made the first 15 months after account opening. After that, the APR for any unpaid purchase balance and any new purchases will be 17.99% based on your creditworthiness and will vary with the market based on the prime rate.
0% introductory APR for 15 months on balance transfers made in the first 90 days after account opening. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. A 3% balance transfer fee applies to each transfer. This transaction is 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.
Annual Fee: $0
Purchase Variable APR: 17.99%
Refer to PenFed.org for Terms/Conditions

Pros, Cons, & Details

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PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card

penfed credit union power cash rewards credit card

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7.0WalletHub Rating

WalletHub Rating

7.0

This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Earn Rewards." A score of 10 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs.

fees

10.0

rewards

6.3

cost

7.3

User Reviews

6.0

Other Features

0.0

Purchase Intro APRNot Offered

Transfer Intro APR0% for 12 months|Transfer Fee: 3%

Regular APR17.99% (V)

Purchase Intro APR

Not Offered

Transfer Intro APR

0% for 12 months|Transfer Fee: 3%

Regular APR

17.99% (V)

annual fee

rewards rate

1.5 - 2% Cash Back

Bonus Offer

$100

Bonus Offer

$100

minimum credit

Good

WalletHub's Take: The PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature Card is the best PenFed credit card for everyday cash back rewards, giving at least 1.5% on all purchases, in addition to PenFed’s customary initial rewards bonus: $100 for spending $1,500 in the first 90 days. This card is especially good for PenFed Honors Advantage members, who earn a full 2% cash back on all purchases. Plus, the PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa has a $0 annual fee and a promotional balance transfer offer.

Pros

No annual card fee
Intro APR on balance transfers
High rewards rate
$100 initial rewards bonus

Cons

No intro APR on purchases
Balance transfer fee
Requires good/excellent credit

Rewards Details

Earn Cash Back for Everyday Purchases
No Caps. No Limits. No Gimmicks.
2% Cash Back on all purchases for PenFed Honors Advantage Members
1.5% Cash Back on all purchases made with your card
$100 Bonus Offer Statement Credit When you spend $1,500 in the first 90 days

Additional Info

0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers made in the first 90 days after account opening. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. A 3% balance transfer fee applies to each transfer. This transaction is 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.
Annual Fee: $0
Purchase Variable APR: 17.99%
Refer to PenFed.org for Terms/Conditions

Pros, Cons, & Details

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PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card

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8.5WalletHub Rating

WalletHub Rating

8.5

This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Earn Gas Rewards." A score of 10 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs.

fees

10.0

rewards

8.9

cost

9.0

User Reviews

6.0

Other Features

0.0

Purchase Intro APRNot Offered

Transfer Intro APR0% for 12 months|Transfer Fee: 3%

Regular APR17.99% (V)

Purchase Intro APR

Not Offered

Transfer Intro APR

0% for 12 months|Transfer Fee: 3%

Regular APR

17.99% (V)

annual fee

rewards rate

1 - 5 points / $1

Bonus Offer

15,000 points

Bonus Offer

15,000 points

minimum credit

Good

WalletHub's Take: The PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card is the best credit card for gas rewards on the market right now, giving cardholders 5 points for every $1 in fuel paid for at the pump. That’s in addition to 3 points per $1 spent at supermarkets and restaurants, 3 points per $1 spent on cable and streaming services, and 1 point per $1 on everything else – all with a $0 annual fee. New PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa cardholders who spend $1,500 within 3 months of opening an account also get a 15,000 points initial bonus.

Pros

No annual card fee
Intro APR on balance transfers
High rewards rate
15,000 points initial rewards bonus

Cons

No intro APR on purchases
Balance transfer fee
Requires good/excellent credit

Rewards Details

Get Rewarded on Everyday Purchases
5x Points on gas paid at the pump and EV charging stations
3x Points at the supermarket (including most Target and Walmart locations), restaurants, and TV, radio, cable, streaming services
1x Points on all other purchases
15,000 Bonus Points when you spend $1,500 in first 90 days

Additional Info

0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers made in the first 90 days after account opening. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. A 3% balance transfer fee applies to each transfer. This transaction is 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.
Annual Fee: $0
Purchase Variable APR: 17.99%
Refer to PenFed.org for Terms/Conditions

Pros, Cons, & Details

Compare

PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card

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7.8WalletHub Rating

WalletHub Rating

7.8

This card has been scored using WalletHub’s proprietary credit card rating system. We evaluated this card for various cardholder needs and picked the rating for the need with the highest score, which is "Earn Rewards." A score of 10 is the best a card can receive, and the rating for the card may vary on different pages where it is compared to other cards for different needs.

fees

5.8

rewards

7.6

cost

9.1

User Reviews

6.0

Other Features

0.0

Purchase Intro APRNot Offered

Transfer Intro APR0% for 12 months|Transfer Fee: 3%

Regular APR17.99% (V)

Purchase Intro APR

Not Offered

Transfer Intro APR

0% for 12 months|Transfer Fee: 3%

Regular APR

17.99% (V)

annual fee

$95

rewards rate

1.5 - 4 points / $1

Bonus Offer

50,000 points

Bonus Offer

50,000 points

minimum credit

Good

WalletHub's Take: The PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card is a good credit card for travel, offering generous rewards and luxury perks such as free airport lounge access. The PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card is easily worth its $95 annual fee for frequent travelers, especially those who earn the card’s initial bonus and take advantage of its statement-credit offers.

Pros

Intro APR on balance transfers
High rewards rate
50,000 points initial rewards bonus
No foreign fee

Cons

Membership fees
No intro APR on purchases
Balance transfer fee
Requires good/excellent credit

Rewards Details

Earn more everywhere you go!
50,000 Bonus Points when you spend $3000 in the first 90 days
Up to $799 total Travel value
4X Points on all Travel categories for PenFed Honors Advantage Members
3X Points on all Travel categories
1.5X Points on all other purchases

Additional Info

0% introductory APR for 12 months on balance transfers made in the first 90 days after account opening. After that, the APR for the unpaid balance and any new balance transfers will be a non-variable rate of 17.99%. A 3% balance transfer fee applies to each transfer. This transaction is 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.
Annual Fee: $95 (waived for existing PenFed Honors Advantage Members)
Purchase Variable APR: 17.99%
Refer to PenFed.org for Terms/Conditions

Pros, Cons, & Details

Compare

PenFed Credit Union Credit Card Reviews

3.6

What's Your Rating?

Allison
September 26, 2023 • @allymae81

Verified Customer

Love love love love this card! We only put our gas purchases on it as it’s 5% cash back and auto applies monthly so we don’t even have to request it. Also allows me to track how much gas we purchase monthly.

Product: PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

Comment

STANLEY
September 17, 2023 • @stanleyalake

Verified Customer

THESE PEOPLE HAVE THE FUNDS AND THESE PEOPLE WILL WORK W YOU IN EVERY WAY !
THEY GAVE ME MAXIMUM LIMIT AMOUNT THAT WAS MORE THAN GENEROUS !

Product: PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

Comment

Glenda
September 15, 2023 • @cancerian51

Verified Customer

This card has been a good resource for me and is one of my lower interest rate cards. It has helped me to pay off some of my higher interest rate cards and some other expenses in the past.

Product: PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

Comment

David
August 22, 2023 • @bigfitzclass15

They give you a pre qualify approval and also tells you the amount if you were approved and they give you very high limits and has multiple credit cards along with a secured card

Product: PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

Comment

hihulalane
August 21, 2023 • @hihulalane

very deceiving company my grandma which has high net worth got pre-Approved with excellent credit got declined to pre-approved letter, be careful they run hard inquiry , Bad company

Product: PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

Comment

exivoy
August 17, 2023 • @exivoy

I have a 835 FICO score and 500K worth of personal credit lines and over $2 million in business credit line, luxury car loans, real estate. These fools offered me a card, made me send them my Drivers License, Social Security Card, 2 Utility Statement, Passport, Birth Certificate. They came back with nonsense that I make under 20K a year to also send them by Tax returns and another ID. I told them to never contact me EVER Again. What a Joke of a credit card and bank.

Product: PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

Comment

Dennis
August 16, 2023 • @deglrck74

Verified Customer

This was a low credit amount that didn’t allow me to transfer a larger balance. So, it wasn’t profitable for me to keep it lying dormant.

Product: PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

Comment

philipm10
August 16, 2023 • @philipm10

Verified Customer

Great customer service! And everytime I call the CU the employees are very knowledgeable on answers my questions . Iike I said very friendly staff.

Product: PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

Comment

Blaine
August 10, 2023 • @bshaw1183

DECEPTIVE ADVERTISING/FALSELY ADVERTISED PRE-APPROVAL
BEWARE!
Don't believe any "pre-approval" advertisements you receive from this card company. I was deceived and tricked by a "pre-approval" letter that I got in the mail from PEN FED for their Platinum Rewards Credit Card. I wasn't really looking for a new card, but considering that I was supposedly "pre-approved", I figured another card would be good to add to my accounts and credit history. I didn't really want to have another hard inquiry on my credit reports though. However, considering that I was "pre-approved", I figured it would be worth it since there was apparently no risk of a denial and a wasted inquiry...so I thought. I applied and I was NOT immediately APPROVED like I was expecting since I was supposedly "pre-approved. The letter I received even said "20 second decision". Instead, I got an e mail asking for all sorts of information that none of my other credit cards had ever asked for. I've applied for cards that I was not pre-approved for and I was immediately approved without delay and without being asked for any of this information. I found this very surprising for a supposedly "pre-approved" card. PEN FED requested that I :
"Please provide color copy of Social Security card or IRS ITIN notice.
Provide color copies of unexpired Government issued ID and current utility bill showing address.
Please provide color copy of unexpired Government issued picture ID.
Please provide a copy of your two most recent tax returns with all supporting schedules."
I found this to be ridiculous, especially for an allegedly "pre-approved" card. At this point they had already ran hard inquiries with the credit bureaus, so there was no turning back. Otherwise I'd have not wasted my time any further and backed out. I went ahead and submitted everything except the tax returns, which I do not have. I'm self-employed (UBER Driver) and did the next closest thing, which was provide bank statements showing all my deposits over the last 2 years. After waiting for nearly a week to hear back from them, I decided to call and check the status of my application. So much for their bogus "20 second decision" advertised in the letter I received. When I finally reached a customer service representative, I learned that I WAS NOT APPROVED FOR THEIR ADVERTISED "PRE-APPROVED" CARD. This was nothing short of a dirty trick and deception. It was a complete waste of time and resulted in an unnecessary and wasted hard inquiry on my credit reports that will remain for 2 years. My advice is don't waste your time with this card. They request way more information than any other credit card companies I've applied with and their "pre-approvals" are a flat out lie. It's deceptive and a dirty trick to get people to apply believing they will get this card. My credit score is around 750. There are plenty of other no annual fee cards out there with rewards that are just as good or better than this one without all the delays, requests for information, and overall hassel. Don't fall for their "pre-approval" scam unless you really want this particular card and are willing to risk a denial and wasted hard inquiries on your credit.
BEWARE!

Product: PenFed Platinum Rewards Visa Signature® Card

Comment

exivoy
August 17, 2023 • @exivoy

They are outright liars and deceitful. I NEVER WHAT TO HEAR FROM THEM AGAIN!

Comment

Shahabuddin
August 2, 2023 • @bhojani1936_1

Verified Customer

It's really fantastic ones having given very best amazing credit line by Pen-Fed as no other credit card issuers allowed such credit line similar ones.

Product: PenFed Credit Union Credit Cards

Comment

Review PenFed Credit Card Reviews

Questions & Answers

Get answers to your questions about PenFed Credit Card Reviews below. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by the issuer of this card. In addition, WalletHub independently collected information for some of the cards on this page.

Can anyone join PenFed Credit Union?

Upvotes

WalletHub

Yes. Anyone can join PenFed. PenFed membership is free for everyone now, but PenFed was originally created to serve U.S. military members and veterans of all branches, as well as federal employees and retirees. PenFed formerly required non-government and non-military applicants to donate to a military charity to be eligible for membership, but they no longer require this. As long as you're a U.S. citizen or permanent resident of the United States, you can join...

View more answers

Is Penfed a good credit card company?

Upvotes

Rodney Bennett, WalletHub Analyst

Yes, PenFed is a good credit card company that offers unsecured credit cards for people with good credit. PenFed credit cards come with $0 annual fees, 0% foreign transaction fees, rewards of up to 5 points / $1 spent on purchases, and introductory APRs.

Here's why PenFed is a good credit card company:

Many credit card promotions and benefits: All PenFed credit cards come with a 0% foreign transaction fee, and almost all of them have no...

What business credit cards does PenFed offer?

Upvotes

Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator

Unfortunately, PenFed doesn't offer any business credit cards at the moment. PenFed credit cards are consumer cards that typically come with low annual fees, 0% foreign transaction fees and attractive rewards.

Having said that, there are several good business credit cards available on the market to choose from. The best among them offer big initial rewards bonuses, generous ongoing rewards, 0% introductory APRs, or $0 fees.

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You can also check...

Does PenFed have a secured credit card?

Upvotes

Maria Adams, Credit Cards Moderator

No, PenFed doesn't have any secured credit cards. Pentagon Federal Credit Union has offered secured credit cards in the past, but they stopped taking new secured card applications a while back.

PenFed only offers unsecured credit cards for members with above-average credit. There's no security deposit required, but potential customers with credit scores below 700 may find it difficult to get approved. Although PenFed does not have a secured credit card, there are plenty of good...

How does the PenFed Honors Advantage program work?

Upvotes

Bogdan Roberts, Credit Cards Moderator

The PenFed Honors Advantage program offers higher earning rates to eligible PenFed Power Cash Rewards Visa Signature® Card and PenFed Pathfinder® Rewards Visa Signature® Card cardholders. More specifically, PenFed Power Cash Rewards cardholders get 2% cash back on all purchases and PenFed Pathfinder cardholders get 4 points / $1 spent on travel if they are eligible for this program.

Here's how the PenFed Honors Advantage program works:

Eligibility based either on having and maintaining a PenFed Access America Checking Account or being/having been in military service (active duty, reserve, honorably...

View more answers

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We work hard to show you up-to-date product terms, however, this information does not originate from us and thus, we do not guarantee its accuracy. Actual terms may vary. Before submitting an application, always verify all terms and conditions with the offering institution. Please let us know if you notice any differences.

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