PenFed Gold Visa® Card Reviews: Is It Worth It? (2026)Reviews, rates, fees, and customer service info for The PenFed Gold Visa® Card. Compare to other cards and apply online in secondsJohn KiernanWalletHubNo annual card feeIntro APR on purchasesIntro APR on balance transfersNo foreign feeNo rewardsNo initial rewards bonusBalance transfer feeHigh regular APR
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 5 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.
The PenFed Gold Visa® Card is a good credit card to consider if you have a credit score of 700 or higher and you want a long 0% APR offer so you can pay off a big purchase or a balance transfer without interest. The PenFed Gold Visa Card’s best features are its intro APR of 0% for 15 months and its $0 annual fee. Info about the PenFed Gold Visa® Card has been collected by WalletHub to help consumers better compare cards. The financial institution did not provide the details.
WalletHub Rating Breakdown
User Reviews
3.8/5
65 reviewsRead and write reviews
Editor’s Review
3.3/5
John Kiernan, Credit Card EditorRead full review
Market Comparison
Market Comparison
3.7
The Market Comparison is a key component of the WalletHub Rating, as it measures how appealing the terms of a card are compared to a pool of over 1,500 credit card offers monitored by WalletHub. To ensure cards are evaluated for their most relevant purpose, we score each card across various cardholder needs and select the rating for the need with the highest score, which is “Finance New Purchases” for this card.
Fees
5.0
Rewards
0.0
Cost
3.4
APR
4.0
3.7/5
Compared against 1,500+ credit cards
KEY TERMS
Credit Score
Credit Score
Excellent Credit, Good Credit
PenFed Gold Visa Annual Fee
$0
PenFed Gold Visa APR on Purchases
0% intro APR for 15 months, 17.99% (V) APR after that
PenFed Gold Visa Balance Transfer
0% intro APR for 15 months, 17.99% APR after that
Balance Transfer Fee:3%
PenFed Gold Visa's 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 60 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.
The PenFed Gold Visa® Card is a good credit card to consider if you have a credit score of 700 or higher and you want a long 0% APR offer so you can pay off a big purchase or a balance transfer without interest. The PenFed Gold Visa Card’s best features are its intro APR of 0% for 15 months and its $0 annual fee.
One downside to this offer is that it comes with a balance transfer fee of 3%. The PenFed Gold Card also lacks rewards, and its regular APR is not very low.
Below, you can find more information to help you decide whether it’s a good idea to apply for the PenFed Gold Visa Card. And if you’re not sure your credit is good enough to qualify, you can check your latest credit score for free right here on WalletHub.
Key Things to Know About the PenFed Gold Visa Card
Annual Fee: $0
Intro Balance Transfer APR:0% for 15 months on balances transferred in the first 90 days after account opening. Followed by a 17.99% balance transfer APR
Intro Purchase APR:0% for 15 months after account opening
Balance Transfer Fee: 3%
Rewards Rate: No rewards
Credit Score Requirement: Good credit (700+ credit score recommended)
Purchase APR: 17.99% (V)
Penalty APR: 17.99%
Cash Advance APR:17.99%
Cash Advance Fee: $0
The PenFed Gold Visa has better interest rates than most credit card offers, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s best not to pay any interest charges on your credit card if you can avoid it. You should therefore plan to pay your balance in full every month after the initial financing promotions. In addition, even though the PenFed Gold Card is one of the best credit cards for cash advances, it’s still in your wallet’s best interest not to do that type of transaction except in emergency situations.
Finally, it’s worth noting that you no longer need to be a member of the military to qualify for PenFed membership for free. Membership is open to everyone now.
Note: This review is not provided, commissioned or endorsed by any issuer. Opinions and ratings are our own.
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 5 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.
Editor’s Rating
3.3
User Reviews
3.8
Market Comparison
3.7
fees: 5.0
rewards: 0.0
cost: 3.4
APR: 4.0
4.7WalletHub Rating
WalletHub Rating
4.7
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 "Lower Cost of Existing Debt." A score of 5 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.
Editor’s Rating
3.6
User Reviews
3.6
Market Comparison
5.0
fees: 5.0
cost: 5.0
APR: 5.0
4.2WalletHub Rating
WalletHub Rating
4.2
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 5 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.
Editor’s Rating
4.8
User Reviews
3.3
Market Comparison
4.2
fees: 4.0
rewards: 0.0
cost: 4.0
APR: 5.0
(65)
(1,580)
(208)
annual fee$0
annual fee$0
annual fee$0
Purchase Intro APR0% for 15 months
Purchase Intro APR0% for 12 months
Purchase Intro APR0% for 21 months from account opening
transfer intro apr0% for 15 months|Transfer Fee:3%
transfer intro apr0% for 21 months|Transfer Fee:3% intro fee ($5 min) for each transfer in first 4 months, after that 5% ($5 min) for each transfer
transfer intro apr0% for 21 months from account opening on qualifying balance transfers|Transfer Fee:5% (min $5)
Can't find what you are looking for? Submit your question about PenFed Gold Visa® Card to our community. Editorial and user-generated content is not provided, reviewed or endorsed by the issuer of this offer. Please keep in mind that it is not a financial institution’s responsibility to ensure all posts and questions are answered. In addition, WalletHub independently collected information for some of the cards on this page.
You cannot check for PenFed Gold Visa pre-approval. PenFed doesn't have a tool that lets you check for pre-approval online like some issuers do, although it's possible you could receive an offer for the card by mail if PenFed decides to send one to you. In that case, all you have to do is visit the website listed in your pre-approval letter and enter the invitation code included with your offer.
Instead of waiting around for a mailed offer that may never come, though, you can use WalletHub's CardAdvisor tool. Just answer a few general questions, and CardAdvisor will recommend some credit card offers based on your responses. You can also join WalletHub for free to get personalized recommendations for cards you're likely to be approved for.
Your PenFed Gold Visa approval odds are good if you have a credit score of 700+, which is considered good credit. Approval odds for the PenFed Gold Visa will also be influenced by your annual income and existing debts. Applicants will need to be 18+ years old with a U.S. mailing address and an SSN or ITIN, as well.
What You Need for Good PenFed Gold Visa Approval Odds
To log in to your PenFed Gold Visa® Card account, go to PenFed's website or mobile app, enter your username and password in the appropriate fields, and click the button to sign in. If you don't already have an online account with PenFed, you'll need to enroll first and set up a username and password.
How to Log in to Your PenFed Gold Visa Account
Visit PenFed's website or app. Navigate to the login box at the top...
The PenFed Gold Visa® Card credit score requirement is 700 or higher. That means people with good credit may have a decent shot at getting approved for the PenFed Gold Visa. You can check your credit score for free here on WalletHub to see if you qualify.
Note that while your credit score is an important factor, there are plenty of other things that will impact your chances of being approved for the PenFed Gold Visa. Some other key criteria include your income, existing debt load,...
The best PenFed Gold Visa benefits are travel accident insurance and roadside dispatch. The PenFed Gold Visa® Card also has zero liability protection and lost/stolen card reporting, which are more common perks across PenFed credit cards.
PenFed Gold Visa Benefits
Travel accident insurance
Roadside dispatch
Zero liability protection
Lost/stolen card reporting
Emergency card replacement
In addition to these benefits, the PenFed Gold Visa comes with a $0 annual fee. If you have good credit, the...
Pentagon Federal Credit Union PO Box 143 Alexandria, VA 22313-2032
By adding an authorized user, you can earn rewards faster and teach financial responsibility, also helping them improve their credit score. But you are also the one responsible for any purchases made by your authorized user.
No, the PenFed Gold Visa® Card is not a good first-time credit card because it is only available to people with good credit. People who've never owned a credit card are unlikely to get approved unless they've built good credit through other means. There are plenty of good first-time credit cards on the market, though.
Yes, the PenFed Gold Visa reports to the credit bureaus every month, typically within days after the cardholder's billing period closes. PenFed reports your card's credit limit, account balance, and payment history to all three of the major credit bureaus: Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax.
Once the PenFed Gold Visa reports your account information to a credit bureau, it may take a few days from when the bureau receives the info before the updates appear on your credit report....
There is no disclosed starting credit limit for the PenFed Gold Visa. For the most part, PenFed Gold Visa credit limits depend on each applicant's overall creditworthiness. People with the most income and the best credit scores are generally offered the highest starting credit limits.
That said, the PenFed Gold Visa credit limit that you receive upon approval isn't necessarily your credit line forever. PenFed will also evaluate your account periodically to determine whether you are eligible for a credit...
The best PenFed Gold Visa® Card promotion is an introductory APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases (17.99% (V) regular APR after that). There are a few other noteworthy PenFed Gold Visa promotions to take advantage of as well.
PenFed Gold Visa Promotions for August 2026
An introductory APR of 0% for 15 months on purchases (17.99% (V) regular APR after that).
An introductory APR of 0% for 15 months on balance transfers, with a 3% balance transfer fee.
Share your insights and review for the PenFed Gold Visa® Card
5
15%
4
69%
3
5%
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5%
1
6%
3.8
65 reviews
65 reviews
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aja collins @ajacollins
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1 Star Rating
They had a glitch in their system for auto pay and then hit me on a late payment dropping my credit card score over 100 points. Despite their account rep admitting it was their fault on a recorded line they have done nothing to amend the situation. This is my only negative remark in 20+ years of credit history. Horrible customer service, liars and frauds.
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LYNN @lynnc_57
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2 Star Rating
Verified Customer
Not good. No perks. Never paid late, but the company is so unprofessional that every time I make a payment, they reduce my credit line each month, constantly lowering my available credit. Do not get this card. No matter how well your payment history is, this company will make your score suffer.
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1
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Anonymous @Anonymous
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5 Star Rating
Verified Customer
Best card I had in years! Bar none. Better than CHASE. Better than USAA. Only American Express comes close. Do your research and then wisely choose.
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0
MIster Caleb @user979797
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5 Star Rating
Verified Customer
The PenFed Gold card is a terrific example of the type of credit card credit unions should offer their customers. This card comes with no annual fee and no cash advance fees (more so when redeemed into a PenFed account) and the card always has a 0% balance transfer offer available anytime just by asking customer service. This card does have a maximum credit limit of 15,000 but with the great low rate that is always available for all transactions put on the card, it's a worthy choice worth 5 stars. If rewards are your thing, PenFed offers Reward card options with the same great listed option the Gold card offers just FYI.
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0
johnboytyler905 @johnboytyler905
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5 Star Rating
Verified Customer
I love the PenFed Gold card. Amazing company, I was approved the same day I applied, and was given a generous credit line. I appreciate that the card is under 18 percent apr, they offer 15 months 0 apr on BTs as well as the 15 month 0 April on charges. Have been associated with PenFed several years now, but mostly appreciate the excellent customer service I am given, Every time. Thank you PenFed, keep up the great work. John T
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davidc_604 @davidc_604
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4 Star Rating
Verified Customer
Just useful for balance transfers when available.
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0
0
delrayartist @delrayartist
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1 Star Rating
Verified Customer
Beware! I was approved for this card Jan 2, 2023 with a balance transfer of $3600.00. They didn’t deliver the card until Feb 7 due to a plastic shortage by their vendor and wouldn’t initiate the transfer until I validated the card. I contacted customer service on Feb 7 and they said the transfer was initiated and should process in 2 weeks to 30 days. March 6 I contacted customer service and they said balance transfer had not been initiated because it had been 30 days after I was approved when activated card and the offer was no longer valid. In the meantime I accrued $156.00 in interest from amount being transferred from other bank. Supervisor of customer service said they would waive balance transfer fee of $108.00 but PenFed charged me for it when balance transfer was completed. Apparently this happened to everyone who did a balance transfer. They stated “The balance transfers didn’t happen because PenFed didn’t know who was doing them.” That “They didn’t have a backup plan.” Yet when I did do the transfer they already knew that I had requested the $3600.00 transfer and what bank card it was from. They use Deceptive and Unfair business practices without any Accountability.
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4
0
Troy A Niehus @troyn1
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5 Star Rating
Verified Customer
Love them they are great, I have somewhat iffy credit because I have a chapter 13 open and they approved me with 5000 limit. I was shocked but I did a balance transfer and I’ve been paying 100 month will have it paid off before 15 months is up.
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Charles @charlesg_245
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1 Star Rating
I have a 783 Equifax. 779 Experian 773 TransUnion and a. 7% utilization 4 hard inquiries and was declined I called the reconsideration and they were no help
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6
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Lee @vacop3892
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4 Star Rating
Verified Customer
I joined PenFed as a military veteran and applied for the Gold Card the same day. I was conditionally approved for the PenFed Gold Card after submitting my application. Approximately 6 days later, I received an email indicating the I was approved for the Gold Card with a $7,500 credit limit with a 734 FICO score. I like all of PenFed products and the only complaint I have is the long approval process.
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PenFed Credit Union @PenFed
Hi Lee, welcome to PenFed! We hope you enjoy the card!
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+ 55 WalletHub users submitted a rating without writing a full review
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