Fifth Third Bank Review: Checking, Savings and CDs
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Many or all of the products on this page are from partners who compensate us when you click to or take an action on their website, but this does not influence our evaluations or ratings. Our opinions are our own.
Overview
Fifth Third Bank is based in Ohio and has a strong branch network across 11 states in the Midwest, South and Southeast. Several checking accounts have no monthly fees. But fees on overdrafts are expensive and can add up quickly.
No monthly fees on some checking accounts.
Large branch network.
Large, free, nationwide ATM network.
No minimum opening deposits.
Extended phone customer service hours.
Expensive overdraft fee.
Low rates.
Product reviews
Savings
With its bare-bones savings rate, the basic Fifth Third Momentum Savings account won’t earn much, but there’s no required minimum deposit to open an account.
There is a $5 monthly fee, though it can be waived if you have an average monthly balance of at least $500, have a Fifth Third checking or Military Banking account or are under age 18.
Other banks pay higher interest rates and have fewer restrictions.
» COMPARE: See our list of the best high-yield savings accounts
Fifth Third Bank Momentum® Savings
Checking
Fifth Third’s Momentum Checking account comes with access to a nationwide network of ATMs. There’s no minimum deposit required to open an account. Direct deposits are available up to two days early. Momentum Checking does not earn interest.
» Want to compare? Take a look at NerdWallet’s best checking accounts
Fifth Third Bank Momentum® Checking
Certificates of deposit
Fifth Third offers CDs with a fair minimum opening deposit requirement, but its low rates mean low returns for customers. If you deposit at least $5,000, you can qualify for promotional CDs with higher interest rates. But online competitors offer higher returns with no minimum opening deposit.
» COMPARE: Best CD rates
Full List of CD Rates
| Term | APY | Min Deposit |
|---|---|---|
| 6 months | 0.01% | $10,000 |
| 1 year | 0.01% | $50,000 |
| 1 year | 0.01% | $5,000 |
| 1 year | 0.01% | $10,000 |
| 1 year | 0.01% | $25,000 |
| 1 year | 0.01% | $500 |
| 1.5 years | 0.01% | $10,000 |
| 2 years | 0.01% | $10,000 |
| 3 years | 0.01% | $5,000 |
| 4 years | 0.01% | $10,000 |
| 5 years | 0.01% | $5,000 |
Fifth Third Bank CD
Customer experience & overdraft fees
Customer experience
The bank has more branches (over 1,000 branches in 11 states) than other regional banks, which is good news if access options are important to you. It does not have 24/7 customer service, but representatives are available from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern on weekdays and from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays. Support is also available via chat message when you’re logged in to your account, and the bank’s mobile app gets favorable ratings.
2024 CFPB settlement. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered Fifth Third to pay penalties of up to $20 million for bank practices that harmed consumers. The bank was required to pay a $5 million penalty for forcing car insurance onto auto loan borrowers who already had coverage, and pay roughly 35,000 consumers back for charging them more than $12.7 million in unnecessary fees. The cars of nearly 1,000 of those borrowers were repossessed. A second penalty of $15 million was announced to resolve a 2020 lawsuit against the bank for opening fake bank accounts in customers’ names to boost sales goals since at least 2010. This settlement no longer factors into our ratings.
Overdraft fees
It’s not unusual for brick-and-mortar banks to charge hefty overdraft fees, but Fifth Third is higher than most: $37 per transaction, up to three times a day. Overdraft protection from a linked account is available, and Fifth Third doesn’t charge for the transfer for Momentum Checking, Enhanced Checking or Preferred Checking accounts.
» Find out what other banks change. See our roundup of overdraft fees at different banks
Rating methodology
How we rate banks and credit unions
Banking writers and editors use an objective methodology to rate banks, credit unions, and other providers, and to recommend the best products.
100+
Financial institutions reviewed
100+
Financial institutions reviewed
We took a close look at around 100 financial institutions and financial service providers, including the largest U.S. banks based on assets, internet search traffic and other factors; the nation’s largest credit unions, based on assets and membership; and other notable players in the industry. We rated them on criteria including annual percentage yields, minimum balances, fees, digital experience and more.
30+
Categories assessed
30+
Categories assessed
Each provider is evaluated across five weighted categories and 30 subcategories, including checking and savings accounts, certificates of deposit, customer experience, and overdraft services. For banks or credit unions without one or more types of accounts, the overall rating is modified to include only applicable categories. Institutions are not penalized if they don't offer every type of account.
60+
Data points analyzed
60+
Data points analyzed
We considered more than 60 data points for each provider. Depending on the category, these included account fees and rates (such as annual percentage yields), ATM and branch access, account features, account bonuses, customer service access and user-facing technology, such as innovative tools and mobile apps. We gathered this information for each financial institution from its website, a media representative or both.
Star rating categories
The review team is made up of seasoned writers and editors who cover personal banking deposit accounts, such as checking, savings and certificates of deposit, as well as related banking services, such as overdraft programs and ATM networks. For providers without one or more types of accounts, the overall rating is modified to include only applicable categories. Institutions are not penalized if they don't offer every type of account.
Financial institutions and providers surveyed are: Affirm, All America Bank, Alliant Credit Union, Ally Bank, Alto, Amalgamated Bank, American Express National Bank, Andrews Federal Credit Union, Associated Bank, Axos Bank, Bank of America, Bank5 Connect, Barclays, Bask Bank, BMO, Boeing Employees Credit Union, Bread Savings®, BrioDirect, Capital One, Cash App, CFG Bank, Charles Schwab Bank, Chase, Chime, CIBC U.S., CIT Bank, Citibank, Citizens Access, Citizens Bank, Climate First Bank, ConnectOne Bank, Connexus Credit Union, Consumers Credit Union, Current, Customers Bank, Discover® Bank, E*TRADE, EverBank, Fifth Third Bank, First Foundation, First Internet Bank, First Tech Federal Credit Union, FNBO Direct, Forbright Bank, FourLeaf Federal Credit Union, GO2bank, Golden 1 Credit Union, Hope Credit Union, HSBC Bank, Huntington Bank, Ivy Bank, KeyBank, Lake Michigan Credit Union, LendingClub Bank, Live Oak Bank, M&T Bank, Marcus by Goldman Sachs, My Banking Direct, NASA Federal Credit Union, Navy Federal Credit Union, NBKC, Newtek Bank, OMB Bank, OnePay, Openbank, PayPal, Peak Bank, Pentagon Federal Credit Union, PNC, Poppy Bank, Popular Direct, Quontic Bank, Regions Bank, Revolut, Salem Five Direct, Sallie Mae Bank, Santander Bank, SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, Security Service Federal Credit Union, Securityplus Federal Credit Union, Self-Help Credit Union, Service Credit Union, SoFi, State Employees’ Credit Union of North Carolina, Synchrony Bank, TAB Bank, TD Bank, Truist Bank, U.S. Bank, UFB Direct, Upgrade, USAA Bank, Valley Bank, Varo, Venmo, Vio Bank, Wells Fargo, Western Alliance Bank, Zolve and Zynlo Bank.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for our star ratings. Read more about our ratings methodologies for banks and credit unions and our editorial guidelines.