Fifth Third TRIO Credit Card Review

Who is the Fifth Third TRIO Credit card for?

The Fifth Third Trio card is for people who live near a Fifth Third Bank branch and want to extract benefits out of their daily expenditures. While the credit card can only be applied via a physical branch or a phone call and is available exclusively to Fifth Third Bank checking or savings account holders, it offers very competitive benefits for a card with no annual fee. 

With a zero APR for balance transfers in the first year of account opening, this card has a target audience looking to pay off balances with low-interest rates. The added benefits on top make this a solid balance transfer card. The welcome bonus is a little low in comparison to other cards, but the zero annual fee makes it worth it. 

Fifth Third Bank has branches in these states:

• Florida 
• Georgia 
• Illinois
• Indiana 
• Kentucky 
• Michigan 
• North Carolina 
• Ohio
• Tennessee
• West Virginia

If you live in one of these ten states and do not want to spend money on annual fees, this card can definitely be a good deal for you. Interestingly, this card also has great travel benefits like no foreign transaction fees, discounts at vacation homes, and a plethora of Mastercard services.

Overall, if you have an account with Fifth Third Bank and are looking to streamline your banking services, this credit card is a solid option. It can offer a stable credit line and allow you to transfer balances from high-interest accounts, all while rewarding you with cash back rewards and travel benefits. 

Welcome Offer

The welcome bonus that comes along with this card is pretty average. To qualify for the new account bonus worth $100, you must make purchases totaling $1,000 or more during the first 90 days from account opening. Upon reaching the purchase qualification, you will receive 10,000 Real Life Rewards Points which can be redeemed for $100 cashback.

If you are a member of Fifth Third Bank’s Preferred banking services, you qualify for the new account bonus worth $350 by making purchases totaling $3,000 or more during the first 90 days from account opening. Upon reaching the purchase qualification, you will receive 35,000 Real Life Rewards Points that can be redeemed for $350 cashback. 

Rewards

With this card, you can earn 3 Rewards Points (3% cashback) for each $1 spent on restaurant purchases and earn 2 Rewards Points (2% cash back) for each $1 spent on gas, grocery store, and drugstore purchases (on up to $1,500 in combined purchases per quarter). You earn 1 Rewards Point (1% cash back) for each $1 spent on qualified purchases after $1,500. For all other purchases, you earn 1% cashback. 

Rewards are earned as points that can be redeemed for cash back as a credit card statement credit, a deposit into your Fifth Third checking or savings account, or credit to the principal balance of certain Fifth Third home equity and installment loans and mortgages. You can also redeem for retail and restaurant gift cards, merchandise, and travel. The value of each point is $0.01. While the rewards are standard, the $1,500 cap on purchases is unusual and might limit cash back rewards for people who want to use this card as an everyday card. 

In addition to the rewards program, you are charged 0% introductory APR for balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles after the account is opened. 

This card also gives you access to ShopRunner. ShopRunner gets you free 2-day shipping and returns shipping when you shop at 140+ stores online. You also get Postmates discount codes for $5 off for $25 orders or more.

Finally, the TRIO credit card gives you access to Mastercard’s ‘onefinestay’ service, which gets you a 10% discount at 2,500+ vacation homes worldwide with hotel-like amenities and concierge access. With no foreign transaction fee, this card serves as a solid travel card and can be used on purchases made internationally.

Annual Fee

One of the biggest benefits of this card is the lack of an annual fee. Since this card’s target audience already has accounts at Fifth Third Bank, it makes sense to cancel the annual fee and make it easier to build customer relationships by offering this card for free.

Services and Protections

With this card, you take on zero liability for fraudulent transactions. In addition, you can access Mastercard ID Theft Protection, which guarantees if someone steals your identity, you’ll get resolution service assistance to help restore you to the prior standing you had before the violation.

To assist your travels, this card offers Mastercard Travel Services, which means you can call to connect with a dedicated personal travel advisor 24/7 to help you plan a great travel experience. Other services included in this card are Mastercard Priceless Cities, Mastercard Global Service, MasterRental Insurance, and TPC Private Club Access.

Cautions

Since Fifth Third Bank only has branches in 10 states, we would recommend against getting this card if you live outside these states. Sometimes in-person assistance is crucial and you simply won't get that if you live outside these states. 

There is also a $1.50 minimum interest charge that comes along with this card, which means that even if you owe a few cents in interest, you will be charged $1.50. With a late payment fee of up to $40, this card should be used to make payments on a timely basis. 

Conclusion

The Fifth Third TRIO Credit card is a great choice for those looking for a credit line and benefits to supplement their checking or savings account at the bank. It is a great everyday card which is travel friendly and comes at no cost. If you are a regular customer of Fifth Third, we recommend you make this card your primary credit card. 

You can apply for the Fifth Third TRIO Credit Card online here.