Fifth Third Bank TRIO Credit Card Review: $100 Bonus

Fifth Third recently launched two completely new credit cards to their portfolio: The Truly Simple and without a doubt, we have to put our opinions on the new Fifth Third Bank TRIO MasterCard®. First off, you could earn a 10,000 Real Life Rewards Bonus worthy of $100 when you spend $1,000 within 90 days of account opening.

Fifth Third stresses the importance of convenience and hassling with meeting rotating categories may not be for everyone. If you fall in that category, then I suggest checking out this card as it does offer unlimited cash back, “all day, every day.” You will receive cash back as followed: 3% on restaurants, 2% on gas, groceries and drug stores (up to $1,500 spend per quarter), and 1% on all other purchases with no foreign transaction fees, and an attractive no annual fee.

Editor’s Note: To qualify, you’ll need to live in the qualifying states of OH, KY, GA, FL, NC, IL, MI, WI, IN, WV. This could be the ideal card for consumers looking to expand on rewards, otherwise, the Truly Simple could be a better option for those that prefer lower rates and no fees.

Alternative Credit Cards:

• Chase Freedom Unlimited^SM
• Blue Cash Everyday® Card from American Express
• Amex EveryDay® Credit Card

Fifth Third Bank TRIO Credit Card Summary:

• Apply Now
• Best Feature: 0% introductory APR on purchases and balance transfers for the first 15 billing cycles
• Annual Fee: None
• Expiration Date: None
• Additional Advice: Keep in mind that Fifth Third pulls strictly from Transunion

Fifth Third Bank TRIO Credit Card Features:

• To earn your 10,000 Real Life Rewards^® Bonus Points which can be redeemed for $100 cash back, simply spend $1,000 within 90 days of opening your account
• 0% Introductory APR on balance transfers for the first 12 billing cycles
• 3% cash back at restaurants
• 2% cash back on gas and at grocery and drug stores, up to $1,500 spend per quarter in these combined purchase categories
• 1% cash back on all other purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fee
• Cell Phone Protection (must pay your monthly wireless cellular telephone bills each month)
• Mastercard world benefits
• Zero Liability: protects you against unauthorized purchases.
• Chip Technology: This card is chip-enabled and offers advanced security & better fraud protection for all your in-store purchases.
• Mastercard ID Theft Protection™: If someone steals your identity, you’ll get resolution service assistance to help restore you to the good standing that you had prior to the violation.

Pros:

• 10,000 RL Bonus Points with a $1,000 spend within 90 days of account opening
• No foreign transaction fees
• No annual fees
• MasterCard World Benefits

Cons:

• Card has limited membership to residents of the qualifying states of OH, KY, GA, FL, NC, IL, MI, WI, IN, WV

Conclusion:

Fifth Third Bank TRIO MasterCard® is the card for those of you looking for easy to earn rewards with no hassle, no rotating categories with automatic enrollment in their rewards program. 10,000 RL Bonus Points with a $1,000 Spend is decent.  3% cash back at restaurants could be quite attractive, but there’s not really enough appeal to this card to significantly say it’s necessary to apply for the TRIO except there’s no annual fee and no foreign transaction fees, however, I don’t really see the point of having no foreign transaction fees considering that I find this card to be better off as a daily usage card and nothing more.

Keep in mind that this card pulls from Trans-Union. Accounting for the no annual fee though, the 3% and 2% categories isn’t half bad, so it’s to your decision whether this card is suitable for you or not. A good 2% card could be a better option, such as the Citi Double Cash Card, or Fidelity’s 2% Credit Card. Find more credit cards with our complete list of Credit Card Promotions, for all of your credit necessities!