PNC VS Banesco USA

Which bank is better for you?

  • Financial Rates: 2.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 5.0 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
No Rate Information
Advertiser Disclosure
Star Icon Star Icon Star Icon Star Icon Star Icon

Pros:

  • Virtual Wallet rates are competitive
  • Relationship Rates offer higher rates
  • Student accounts offered
  • Business accounts are available

Cons:

  • Low interest rates for other accounts
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • High required balances to avoid fees
  • Must open CDs at branch locations
  • Financial Rates: 2.5 Star Icon
  • Customer Service: 4.5 Star Icon
  • Website Experience: 4.0 Star Icon
  • Bank Fees: 3.0 Star Icon
1.35%APY
Savings/MMA
Advertiser Disclosure
Star Icon Star Icon Star Icon Star Icon Star Icon

Pros:

  • Low opening amounts for most accounts
  • Good variety of accounts available
  • Competitive interest rates on accounts
  • Options to contact customer service

Cons:

  • Cannot open all accounts online
  • Accounts have monthly fees
  • MMA have high opening amounts
  • Tiered interest rates on some accounts
PNC Review

Opening PNCs Virtual Wallet accounts earn competitive interest rates. This includes three specific accounts: the Spend, Reserve, and Growth accounts. The Spend account is your checking account for everyday spending. The Reserve account is a short-term savings account. It offers overdraft protection for the Spend account. The Growth account is for longer-term goals, like a down payment, car, or vacation. Virtual Wallet accounts offer interest rates that are competitive with other online accounts. You must link these accounts together to earn competitive rates.

Some Growth savings accounts offer slightly higher rates with Relationship Rates. You must qualify to earn the Relationship Rates. To qualify, you must have a set amount directly deposited into the Spend account. Making five debit transactions also qualifies you. The amounts of direct deposits vary from $500 to $5,000 depending on the account. If you qualify, your money will earn even higher interest rates.

PNC offers accounts for college students. With proof you are enrolled in college, the monthly fee is waived. This account offers a debit card and online and mobile banking. The same features of Virtual Wallet are available for the college account. Parents can sign up to receive alert texts when balances are low or overdrawn. Some colleges offer other perks with the account. For example, one college allows you to use your student ID card as a PNC ATM card.

PNC offers small and commercial business accounts. Checking, savings, and money market accounts are available. CDs, credit cards, and online services for your business are available. Bill pay, remote check deposits, and online payroll are services offered.

PNC standard account interest rates are low. To earn the competitive rates on Virtual Wallet accounts, you must meet the set requirement. If you open a standard account or do not meet the requirements, interest rates are low. To earn the competitive rates, be sure you open the right accounts and meet the requirements.

Most PNC accounts have a monthly fee. The fees range from $5 to $25 depending on the account. There are ways to waive the fees. Having a set amount in the account or in qualifying PNC accounts will waive the fees. Direct deposits of a set amount or if you are 62 years or older will waive some fees. As of March 2019, PNC loan and investment balances are not included to waive monthly fees.

The amounts required to have in PNC accounts to waive the monthly fees are high. The money market account requires $5,000 to avoid the monthly fee. Virtual Wallet accounts require $500 to $5,000 to waive the fee or $10,000 to $25,000 across all PNC deposit accounts. After March 2019, loans and investment balances will no longer count toward the total amount to waive fees. Their standard savings account only requires $300 to waive monthly fees.

Customers must open PNC CDs at a branch location. Most PNC CDs required $1,000 to open. The CDs with terms of seven to 89 days require $5,000 to open. PNC has branch locations in 19 states and the District of Columbia.

Read the full PNC review.

Banesco USA Review

Most Banesco USA accounts have low opening required amounts. The personal deposit checking and savings accounts only require $100 to open. The personal deposit CDs require $1,500 to open.

Banesco USA has a good variety of accounts. They offer personal checking, savings, and money market accounts. They offer personal and business CDs with terms from 3-months to 60-months. They offer business checking, savings, and money market accounts. Banesco offers personal and business international banking accounts, along with lending options.

The Banesco USA accounts offer competitive interest rates. The rates are competitive with other online accounts. The rates are much higher than typical bank rates.

There are a variety of ways to contact customer service. You can call during business hours or can have Banesco call you. You send an email, and customer service will call you. You can visit a local branch location or follow Banesco on social media. You can access account information anytime through BanescoVoice or logging in online.

Not all Banesco USA accounts can be opened online. To open their checking accounts, you must contact customer service. Other accounts may not be able to open online. Personal deposit money market and savings accounts can be opened online. Personal deposit CDs are also able to be opened online.

Most Banesco USA accounts have monthly fees. The fees range from $5 to $15 each month. To waive the fees, you must keep a set account balance in the specific account. This balance is not a combination of Banesco USA accounts. Those balances range from $100 to $2,500 depending on the account.

The Banesco USA money market accounts have high opening required amounts. Each of the personal deposit money market accounts require $2,500 to open. You must keep that amount in the accounts to avoid a monthly fee. If the amount falls below $2,500, the fee is between $5 to $15 per month.

Some Banesco USA accounts have tiered interest rates. The BanesFlex money market account requires $2,500 to earn any interest. But, to earn the most competitive rate offered you must have $100,000 in the account. Balances under this amount earn a much lower rate. The BanesGrown savings account only requires $300 to earn the most competitive rate.

Read the full Banesco USA review.

Sponsored Offers
From Our Partners

Advertiser Disclosure
Sponsored Offers
American Express
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 3.80%
Rate 3.73%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.
Next >
Openbank
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.75%
Rate 4.65%
Min to Open $500
Min to Earn APY $500
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.
Next >
Capital One
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 3.80%
Rate 3.80%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.

Promoted offer: It only takes about 5 minutes to open a fee-free account.
Next >
EverBank
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.40%
Rate 4.30%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.

Promoted offer: No monthly maintenance fee, $0 to open, easily grow your money
Next >
Western Alliance Bank
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.46%
Rate 4.46%
Min to Open $500
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.
Next >
Barclays
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.35%
Rate 4.35%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.

Promoted offer: $200 Bonus w/ Tiered Savings Account and Qualifying Activities
Next >
CIT Bank
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.35%
Rate 4.35%
Min to Open $100
Min to Earn APY $5,000
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.

Promoted offer: CIT Bank, a division of First Citizens, 125+ years of experience.
Next >
BMO Alto
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.30%
Rate 4.21%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.
Next >
Sallie Mae
MMA (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.10%
Rate 4.02%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook Yes
Member FDIC.
Next >
Synchrony Bank
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.10%
Rate 4.10%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.
Next >
Poppy Bank
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.75%
Rate 4.64%
Min to Open $1,000
Min to Earn APY $1,000
Monthly Fee $5.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.
Next >
Betterment
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.75%
Rate 4.75%
Min to Open $10
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
FDIC insured at program banks†.

Promoted offer: var. APY a/o 11/8/24. New customers only. Betterment LLC, not a bank
Next >
Sallie Mae
Savings (Rate as of 12/21/2024)
APY 4.10%
Rate 4.02%
Min to Open $0
Min to Earn APY $0
Monthly Fee $0.00
Min to Avoid Fee $0
Checkbook No
Member FDIC.
Next >