Fifth Third 1.67% Cash/Back Card Review – What’s the Deal Here? – Money Crashers

If you’ve ever looked at a credit card rewards rate and thought, “That seems… oddly specific,” welcome to the Fifth Third 1.67% Cash/Back Card. It’s not 1.5%. It’s not 2%. It’s 1.67%a number that feels like it should come with a calculator, a lab coat, and a permission slip.

So what’s the deal? Is this card secretly brilliant, or is it just a clever branding flex? (Spoiler: it can be both.) In this review, we’ll break down what you actually getrewards, fees, perks, and the kind of fine print that makes your eyes crossso you can decide whether this card deserves a spot in your wallet or a polite “no thanks.”

Quick snapshot: what you’re really signing up for

• Rewards rate: Unlimited 1.67% cash back on purchases (earned as points worth $0.01 each).
• Annual fee: $0.
• Foreign transaction fee: None (a big deal for a no-annual-fee cash-back card).
• Intro APR: 0% intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers (not purchases).
• Best fit: People who already bank with Fifth Third (or don’t mind starting).
• Big drawback: A lot of competitors offer 2% flat cash back, often with fewer hoops.

Okay, but… why 1.67%? (And why it’s not random)

Here’s the part that makes math teachers everywhere nod approvingly: 5 ÷ 3 = 1.666… which rounds to 1.67. Fifth Third. Five. Third. Boom. Branding achieved.

To be fair, it’s also a practical middle ground. Plenty of “starter” cards hang around 1%–1.5%. Plenty of “best flat-rate” cards sit at 2%. This card tries to be a simple, everyday workhorse that’s a little better than 1.5%without promising the moon.

The rewards: simple, steady, and a tiny bit quirky

How you earn

You earn 1.67 rewards points per $1 spent on qualified purchases. Each point is worth $0.01, making this a straight 1.67% cash back equivalent.

No rotating categories. No spending caps. No “activate your bonus this quarter by performing a ceremonial dance under a full moon.” Just swipe, tap, earn.

How you redeem

Fifth Third keeps redemption pretty flexible. Depending on how you’re set up, you can typically redeem your rewards as:

• A statement credit (reduce what you owe)
• A deposit into a Fifth Third checking or savings account
• A mailed check

You can also choose to redeem anytime with no minimum and even set up automatic redemption, which is perfect if you like your rewards on autopilot.

The “rounding” detail that can slightly change your math

Here’s the quirky part: rewards are calculated in points, and if the total results in a fractional amount, it’s rounded to the nearest whole point. In real life, that rounding usually amounts to pennies over timenot a dealbreaker, but worth knowing if you’re the type who tracks rewards like a hawk tracks a field mouse.

Fees and rates: the stuff that matters when life happens

Annual fee and common fees

The good news: no annual fee. The “standard credit card reality” news: there are still typical fees you should expect to see, including (but not limited to) balance transfer fees and cash advance fees. This card’s published pricing includes:

• Balance transfer fee: typically $5 or 4% of the amount of each transfer (whichever is greater).
• Cash advance fee: typically $10 or 5% (whichever is greater).
• Late payment fee: up to $41.

APR (aka the “please pay in full” reminder)

This card’s variable purchase APR range has been published around 18.99%–28.99% (creditworthiness-dependent). Translation: if you carry a balance long-term, rewards won’t save you. Paying in full each month is where cash-back cards shine; carrying a balance is where they bite.

0% intro APR on balance transfers: the standout “practical” feature

If you’re hunting a simple cash-back card and you have an existing balance elsewhere, the 0% intro APR for 12 months on balance transfers is legitimately useful. Just remember: balance transfers almost always come with a fee, and you’ll want a payoff plan so you’re not staring down interest when the intro window ends.

Travel-friendly perk: no foreign transaction fees

Most no-annual-fee cash-back cards tack on a foreign transaction fee (often around 3%). This one doesn’t. If you travel, shop internationally online, or just like the idea of not paying extra for the privilege of buying gelato in Rome, no foreign transaction fee is a real advantage.

Perks you’ll actually notice

Cell phone protection

Yes, really. If you pay your eligible monthly cell phone bill with the card, you may get cell phone protection that can reimburse covered damage or thefttypically with a per-claim cap and a deductible. This isn’t a reason to get the card by itself, but it’s a surprisingly valuable “nice to have” if you’re already paying a big wireless bill every month.

Mastercard benefits + safety basics

As a Mastercard, you also get the usual ecosystem perks and protections, including things like Zero Liability for unauthorized purchases and identity-related tools (exact benefits can vary, so always check the current guide for your specific card version).

Digital wallets, contactless, and app controls

The card supports contactless tap-to-pay, can be added to popular digital wallets, and includes handy account controls like the ability to lock/unlock the card through the bank’s mobile experience. In other words: it behaves like a modern credit card, not a museum exhibit.

The hidden “gotcha”: eligibility and the Fifth Third ecosystem

This is the moment where a lot of people decide whether they’re in or out. While details can vary by channel and location, the 1.67% Cash/Back Card is commonly positioned as a product for Fifth Third customers. If you already have a Fifth Third checking or savings account, greatthis may feel seamless. If you don’t, you might have to open an account or apply through a branch or phone process instead of a simple online application.

Also, availability can vary by state. If you’re not in Fifth Third’s footprint, you may find application options limited. Translation: this isn’t the easiest “anyone, anywhere” card.

How it compares to the flat-rate cash-back universe

Let’s address the elephant in the room (and yes, it’s holding a 2% cash-back card): 2% flat-rate cash-back cards exist. Many of them come with $0 annual fees, easy redemptions, and sometimes welcome bonuses. So why pick 1.67%?

The math: how much you “lose” vs 2%

On $10,000 of annual spending:

• 1.67% earns: about $167
• 2% earns: $200
• Difference: about $33/year

On $20,000 of annual spending, that gap becomes about $66. Not life-changing, but also not nothingespecially if you’re a high spender or you want one “default” card for everything.

Where the Fifth Third card fights back

It makes its case with:

• No foreign transaction fees (not guaranteed on every competing 2% card)
• Easy redemption into a Fifth Third account (nice if that’s your primary bank)
• Balance transfer intro APR (useful if debt payoff is part of the plan)
• Simple rewards with no category games

Who this card is perfect for

• You’re already a Fifth Third customer and want a simple “catch-all” card with easy redemption.
• You travel internationally and want a no-annual-fee card that won’t charge foreign transaction fees.
• You want a balance transfer runway (0% intro APR on transfers can be a real tool if you have a payoff plan).
• You value simplicity and don’t want to juggle categories, portals, and quarterly activations.

Who should probably pass

• You want the best flat-rate return and don’t care about banking relationships2% cards are hard to beat.
• You’re chasing a welcome bonus (this card is often described as having no sign-up bonus).
• You don’t want to open a new bank account just to access a credit card.
• You routinely carry a balancein that case, a lower-rate card or a longer 0% purchase APR offer may matter more than rewards.

How to maximize the Fifth Third 1.67% Cash/Back Card

1) Use it as your “everything else” card

If you already have category cards (like 3%–5% on groceries, gas, or dining), this can be your clean backup for everything that doesn’t fit a bonus category: insurance, utilities, random online purchases, and the “I have no idea what category this merchant codes as” moments.

2) Turn on auto-redemption

If you like frictionless rewards, set your cash back to redeem automaticallyeither as statement credit or into your Fifth Third account. This keeps your rewards from turning into “free money I totally forgot existed.”

3) If you’re using the balance transfer offer, build a payoff calendar

Take the amount you’re transferring, divide it by the number of months in the 0% period, and set that as your target payment. Make it boring. Make it automatic. Make it work.

4) If eligible, pay your cell phone bill with it

If you can qualify for the card’s cell phone protection by paying your wireless bill with it, do itespecially if your current phone replacement strategy is “hope.”

Verdict: what’s the deal?

The Fifth Third 1.67% Cash/Back Card is a simple, decent, relationship-friendly cash-back card with a couple of genuinely strong traitsmost notably no foreign transaction fees and a 0% intro APR balance transfer window. It’s also a card that makes the most sense when you’re already living in the Fifth Third ecosystem.

If you’re not a Fifth Third customer and you’re purely optimizing for rewards, you’ll probably end up asking the obvious question: “Why not just get 2%?” And that’s fair. But if you value simplicity, travel friendliness, and easy cash redemption into a bank you already use, this quirky little 1.67% card can absolutely pull its weight.

Real-world experience : what using this card feels like

Let’s talk about the part most reviews dance around: the day-to-day experience. Not the brochure version where everyone is smiling in a kitchen full of sunbeams. The real versionwhere you’re buying paper towels, booking flights, and wondering why your streaming subscription went up two dollars again.

Scenario 1: The “I already bank here” person

If you already have a Fifth Third checking or savings account, this card tends to feel refreshingly low-maintenance. You swipe (or tap), rewards quietly accumulate, and redemption can be as simple as moving money into the same place your paycheck already lands. That’s the underrated magic: you don’t have to learn a new app ecosystem, juggle an external rewards portal, or remember to redeem “the right way.” You can even set auto-redemption and treat cash back like a tiny rebate that shows up regularlyalmost like the card is tipping you for being a responsible adult.

In practice, this is where 1.67% makes emotional sense. You’re not trying to win the Cash Back Olympics. You’re trying to make sure your everyday spending gives you something back without requiring a second job in “points strategy.” For a lot of people, that’s the real value proposition: a low-friction, “set it and forget it” card that behaves predictably.

Scenario 2: The traveler who hates surprise fees

Using a card with no foreign transaction fee is one of those experiences you only truly appreciate after you’ve been burned. You buy something abroad (or from an international website), and the amount that posts is basically what you expected. No extra 3% “international processing” sting. If you travel even a little, that can create a strong sense of trust with the cardespecially if your travel spending includes hotels, tours, rideshares, and those little purchases that add up fast.

And because it’s a Mastercard, acceptance is usually solid. The experience is less “Will this work?” and more “Okay cool, it worked.” That’s not glamorous, but it’s exactly what you want from a travel-friendly backup or default card.

Scenario 3: The balance-transfer planner

If you’re using the 0% intro APR on balance transfers, the experience becomes more like a structured debt payoff project. The card feels less like a rewards tool and more like a temporary financial bridge. You transfer a balance, set a payoff schedule, and then the card’s main job is to be boringquietly holding your transferred balance at 0% while you attack it with consistent payments.

The big “real life” lesson here is psychological: a 0% offer can be a huge relief, but it’s not a free pass. The most successful users treat it like a countdown timer. They build the payments into their routine and avoid adding new debt to the card while paying down the transferred balance. Done right, that intro period can feel like someone finally turned down the volume on your interest charges.

Scenario 4: The optimizer who can’t stop comparing

For the hardcore optimizer, this card can create a small but persistent itch. You’ll do the math. You’ll notice that 2% is higher. You’ll calculate the annual difference and wonder whether convenience is worth $33–$66 (or more) per year. That’s not a flawjust the natural result of a card that’s “pretty good” rather than “category-leading.”

But here’s the twist: some optimizers still keep it because it’s clean. No category tracking. No hoops. No minimum redemption. And if you already bank with Fifth Third, the simplicity can feel like its own kind of rewardone you don’t have to micromanage.

Bottom line: the daily experience is mostly defined by how much you value ease over maximization. If you want the simplest path to steady cash backespecially inside the Fifth Third ecosystemthis card is comfortable. If you want the highest flat rate and broadest availability, you’ll probably keep shopping.

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