Review
Updated
Fact Checked
Ashley Maready
Money market accounts offer several key advantages, such as ATM access, and they can be superior to traditional savings accounts. The PNC Premiere Money Market account is designed specifically for the bank's checking account customers, who get higher relationship interest rates. Read our full review of the PNC Premiere Money Market account to see if it might be a good fit for you.
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Ratings Methodology
Rates as
of Apr 26, 2024
PNC Premiere Money Market
Member FDIC.
Monthly Fee
$12, waived if avg. monthly balance of $5,000 is kept, or account is linked to a select PNC checking account
Min. Balance
$0
APY
up to 4.00%
Rate info
4.00% promotional APY earned on balances of $10,000 and above
Min. To Earn APY
$1
- Strong introductory APY
- ATM access
- Easy to waive monthly fee
- No check-writing ability
- $12 monthly fee if requirements aren't met
- Permanent interest rates are low
The PNC Premiere Money Market account has an excellent introductory interest rate and is a solid branch-based savings product for customers with checking accounts at PNC. However, it doesn't measure up to some of its online-based competitors, so it isn't right for everyone.
High-yield savings account comparison
We recommend comparing high-yield savings account options to ensure the account you're selecting is the best fit for you. To make your search easier, here's a short list of standout accounts.
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| Account | APY | Promotion | Next Steps |
|---|---|---|---|
Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
up to 4.60%
Rate info
You can earn the maximum APY by having Direct Deposit (no minimum amount required) or by making $5,000 or more in Qualifying Deposits every 30 days. See SoFi Checking and Savings rate sheet at: https://www.sofi.com/legal/banking-rate-sheet.
Min. to earn: $0
|
New customers can earn up to a $300 bonus with qualifying direct deposits!
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|
Rating image, 4.75 out of 5 stars.
4.75/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
5.05% APY for balances of $5,000 or more
Rate info
5.05% APY for balances of $5,000 or more; otherwise, 0.25% APY
Min. to earn: $100 to open account, $5,000 for max APY
|
N/A
|
|
Rating image, 4.00 out of 5 stars.
4.00/5
Our ratings are based on a 5 star scale.
5 stars equals Best.
4 stars equals Excellent.
3 stars equals Good.
2 stars equals Fair.
1 star equals Poor.
We want your money to work harder for you. Which is why our ratings are biased toward offers that deliver versatility while cutting out-of-pocket costs.
= Best
= Excellent
= Good
= Fair = Poor |
4.35%
Min. to earn: $0
|
New customers can earn a $200 bonus with a minimum $25,000 qualifying deposit. Terms apply.
|
PNC Premiere Money Market interest rate
| Account | APY | Minimum Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| PNC Premiere Money Market | Up to 4.00% | $0 |
Data source: PNC.
The PNC Premiere Money Market account offers a promotional interest rate for the first 12 months for balances of $10,000 or more, and this is extremely competitive -- especially for a branch-based bank money market account. However, to earn the top rates on an ongoing basis, you'll need to also have a PNC Performance Select Checking account and over $100,000 in your account.
If you don't meet these requirements, the money market interest rates are extremely low, and even if you do, the rates don't quite measure up to online competition. Having said that, for high-balance money market accounts, the PNC Premiere Money Market account offers a solid combination of yield and brick-and-mortar banking convenience.
Full PNC Premiere Money Market review
Like most financial products, the PNC Premiere Money Market account has advantages and drawbacks, and it's important to be aware of them before considering the account.
Top perks
High introductory APY: The PNC Premiere Money Market account offers a promotional interest rate for the first 12 months for customers who maintain a minimum daily balance of $10,000 and have a PNC Bank consumer checking account. The rate can change over time, but it is competitive with the annual percentage yields (APYs) offered by online money market accounts.
Easy to avoid fees: The PNC Premiere Money Market account has a $12 monthly fee, but it's reasonably easy to avoid. The fee can be waived with either a $5,000 balance or by linking the account to certain types of PNC Bank checking accounts.
ATM and branch access: PNC Bank money market customers get a PNC Bank banking card that allows for free ATM access at about 60,000 PNC Bank ATMs. (Note that customers can't make debit card purchases from money market accounts.) But PNC Bank has about 2,300 U.S. branches, and is well-known for its top-notch convenience and customer service.
What could be improved
Low ongoing APY: While the introductory APY is competitive, the ongoing APYs paid by the account aren't great. The yield is decent for a branch-based bank if you have more than $100,000 in the account and a PNC Bank checking account, but if you don't, the APY isn't competitive.
High balance for decent APY: As mentioned, even if you have a checking account with PNC Bank, you'll need to maintain a high balance ($100,000 or more) to get a decent APY, and even that isn't competitive with what some online banks are offering, and with much lower balance requirements.
No check-writing ability: The PNC Premiere Money Market account is designed as a savings complement to the bank's checking accounts, and therefore doesn't offer check-writing abilities.
How to access your money
Convenience and accessibility are where the PNC Premiere Money Market account shines. There are several options available to access and deposit money.
Deposit options
The PNC Premiere Money Market account has unlimited deposits, which you can make via transfers from a linked PNC Bank checking account, through one of the bank's ATMs, or in person at any of its 2,300 branches.
Withdrawal options
Like most money market and savings accounts, the PNC Premiere Money Market account restricts withdrawals to six per month. However, the bank operates (or partners with) about 60,000 ATMs and has 2,300 branch locations throughout the country, so it's rather convenient to get your money if you need it. You can also transfer money to a linked PNC Bank checking account.
PNC Premiere Money Market is right for you if:
The PNC Premiere Money Market account could be a good fit if you have enough money to take advantage of its introductory APR and you are (or are willing to become) a PNC Bank checking customer.
Keep reading about PNC Bank:
Our money market account methodology
At The Motley Fool Ascent, we evaluate money market accounts based on four main criteria: annual percentage yield (APY), brand and reputation, fees and minimum balance requirements, and perks.
Our scores are weighted as:
- APY: 60%
- Brand and Reputation: 15%
- Fees and Minimums: 15%
- Perks: 10%
Learn more about how The Motley Fool Ascent rates bank accounts.
FAQs
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The interest rate on the PNC Premiere Money Market account depends on your account balance, how long it's been open, and whether you have a checking account relationship with PNC Bank. Generally speaking, the best rates go to customers who have high balances as well as a checking relationship, while lower-balance money market accounts don't pay competitive interest rates.
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It depends. While PNC Bank's money market account has an excellent introductory interest rate, its ongoing interest rates are significantly lower than many competitors. However, the bank offers several promotional CD rates, some of which have interest rates significantly higher than the bank offers for its money market account, and with a significantly lower deposit requirement. Of course, the trade-off with CDs is that you won't have access to your money during the term, unless you pay a penalty.
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The PNC Premiere Money Market account is designed to be paired with one of the bank's checking accounts, so it doesn't have check-writing capabilities (like some money market accounts do). However, it offers ATM access to money, and permits seamless transfers to and from a linked PNC Bank checking account.
Our Banking Experts
Matt is a Certified Financial Planner™ and investment advisor based in Columbia, South Carolina. He writes personal finance and investment advice for The Ascent and its parent company The Motley Fool, with more than 4,500 published articles and a 2017 SABEW Best in Business award. Matt writes a weekly investment column ("Ask a Fool") that is syndicated in USA Today, and his work has been regularly featured on CNBC, Fox Business, MSN Money, and many other major outlets. He’s a graduate of the University of South Carolina and Nova Southeastern University, and holds a graduate certificate in financial planning from Florida State University.
Fact Checked
Ashley Maready
Ashley Maready is a former history museum professional who made the leap to digital content writing and editing in 2021. She has a BA in History and Philosophy from Hood College and an MA in Applied History from Shippensburg University. Ashley loves creating content for the public and learning new things so she can teach others, whether it's information about salt mining, canal mules, or personal finance.
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