Fifth Third Bank Personal Loan Review August 2026

You bank with Fifth Third, and now you need money for something specific. Fifth Third Bank offers an unsecured personal loan of $2,000 to $50,000. Common uses of personal loans, per CFPB, include making a large purchase, covering unexpected expenses, and consolidating existing debt.

Fifth Third doesn't publish a minimum credit score for the loan. Terms run 12 to 60 months, and rates reach up to 19.74% APR as of writing. The lowest advertised rate is 7.99% APR, and it requires autopay from a Fifth Third checking or savings account.

Fifth Third Bank personal loan top features

Loan amounts. Fifth Third lends $2,000 to $50,000. The online application covers $2,000 to $25,000. For anything larger, you apply at a branch, call, or schedule an appointment with a representative.

Credit needed. Fifth Third doesn't publish a minimum credit score. Every loan is subject to credit approval. The bank sets your terms, amount, and APR after reviewing your credit profile.

Rates, discounts, and terms. The loan carries a fixed rate that doesn't change, with set monthly payments over a scheduled period. Rates reach up to 19.74% APR and start at 7.99% APR. That 7.99% floor already includes a 0.25% autopay discount, which requires automatic payments from a Fifth Third checking or savings account. Terms run 12 to 60 months, and you can set your first payment date up to 45 days after funding. Interest accrues during that no-payment stretch, so a later start date adds cost. 

Fifth Third also publishes a personal loan calculator for estimating a rate and payment by term.

Fees and prepayment. Fifth Third charges no origination fee, so the full approved amount reaches your account. A late fee applies, and the bank doesn't publish the amount. There's no prepayment penalty, so paying the loan off early costs you nothing extra.

Funding speed. Money could be available in your account as soon as the next business day after approval. Fifth Third advertises the fastest funding times for those who complete online applications.

Hardship program. The bank offers hardship assistance for personal loan borrowers who think they can’t make a payment. You can navigate to and select “Hardship Assistance" through a mobile app or your online banking portal instead of calling a representative directly.

Secured loan. Fifth Third offers secured loans as a separate product. APRs range from 10.14% to 13.64% on loan amounts from 2,000 to $500,000. Loans are secured against funds in Fifth Third savings, certificate of deposit (CD), or investment accounts. Approved customers can borrow 50% to 100% of collateral, depending on terms offered. Online applications are unavailable for secured loans.

State availability. The loan is available in 36 states. Fifth Third doesn't offer it in Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Utah, Vermont, Wisconsin, Wyoming, or Washington, D.C.

Prequalification. Fifth Third offers no soft-pull prequalification. You must apply to know your rates, so there's no way to preview your rate first. For a birds-eye view, use the bank’s personal loan calculator to see the general spread of rates available, based on your state and the amount you’d like to borrow.

Where Fifth Third Bank can improve

Fifth Third doesn't let you prequalify before you apply. It offers no soft-pull path to preview loan details, and it publishes no minimum credit score. You have no good way to gauge your fit before submitting an application. The hard inquiry a real application triggers could damage your credit score, regardless of whether you’re approved.

The online application is open only to current Fifth Third checking or savings customers in good standing. Anything above $25,000 takes a branch visit. Through the site, you can schedule a visit or call with a personal representative to discuss your personal loan options.

The loan isn't offered in 14 states plus Washington, D.C. Repayment stops at 60 months, so a 72- or 84-month option to stretch the monthly payment isn't on the table.

Qualifying for a Fifth Third Bank personal loan

Fifth Third sets your terms, loan amount, and APR at credit review, based on its credit criteria at the time you apply. Every loan is subject to credit approval. There’s no minimum credit score published.

You may be eligible to apply online if you're listed as an owner on an eligible Fifth Third checking or savings account in good standing. Availability may be limited based on your account type, the date you opened it, and your state of residence.

The loan is available in 36 states. Fifth Third publishes no co-signer or joint application policy, so you may want to confirm with the bank directly.

Credit score and income requirements

Fifth Third doesn't publish a minimum credit score or an income threshold for its personal loan.

Five factors generally have a large impact on whether you qualify for a good loan offer: your credit score, your credit history, your annual income, your employment status, and your debt-to-income ratio. Your debt-to-income ratio, or DTI, is the share of your monthly income that goes to debt payments. 

Fifth Third hasn't published its own thresholds for any of these factors.

How to apply for a Fifth Third Bank loan

Fifth Third takes applications through four channels: online, at a branch, by scheduled appointment, and by phone. The online channel covers $2,000 to $25,000 and is open to existing checking or savings customers. For amounts up to $50,000, you'll use another method. You can schedule personal loan appointments online, and the sales advisor line is 866-671-5353.

Fifth Third asks applicants to provide any necessary documents and doesn't itemize them, so gather your income and employment details before you start. The bank doesn't publish how long the application takes to complete.

Fifth Third has no soft-pull prequalification, so a credit review happens before you know your rate. In general, pre-qualification triggers a soft credit inquiry. A soft inquiry doesn't affect your credit score. Pre-qualified terms are an estimate, and final terms depend on full underwriting and may differ.

You can pick a first payment date up to 45 days after funding, letting you delay payments if necessary. Interest accrues during that period, so the delay isn't free.

Loan approval and funding from Fifth Third Bank

After approval, money could be available in your account as soon as the next business day. Funding times vary by lender.

No origination fee comes out of the disbursement, so you receive the full amount approved.

For repayment, you can set up automatic payments from a Fifth Third checking or savings account. That autopay setup is the condition for the 0.25% rate discount. You can also pay through online banking, the mobile app, a branch, or by phone. The bank also accepts checks, money orders, and wire transfers.

Fifth Third offers Hardship Assistance through its mobile app and online banking, covering personal loans, auto loans, and credit cards. If you think you can’t make a payment, it’s worth checking out. A hardship program typically makes it easier to keep up with payments.

Fifth Third Bank: customer service and satisfaction

For questions about an existing loan, call 800-972-3030, Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. ET. The line is closed Sunday. After you log in to the mobile app, you also get 24/7 secure messaging, plus web chat and an in-app virtual assistant called Jeanie. 

As published, the branch network covers 12 states and 1,087 full-service locations.

Fifth Third Bank's licensing and track record

Fifth Third Bank, National Association is a Member FDIC institution.

The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has accredited Fifth Third since January 1, 1928. As of August 15, 2026, BBB lists the bank as Not Rated, stating it lacks sufficient information to issue a rating. Not Rated means the absence of a rating, not a failing grade.

Consumer Finance Protection Bureau (CFPB) brought an enforcement action against Fifth Third on July 9, 2024, totaling $20 million in penalties: $15 million for opening customer accounts without permission of said customers, and $5 million tied to forcing customers to buy car insurance even when they already had it. The action concerned deposit accounts and auto loan servicing, not the personal loan product.

What customers say

Fifth Third holds a 3.28 out of 5 customer score from 1,041 reviews on BBB, as of August 2026. Recent complaints concern communication issues. One customer said he was pre-approved for a mortgage loan that fell through at the last minute. Another complained about lack of outreach, saying a representative called him to check his satisfaction for the first time in five years. Other complaints revolve around dated online infrastructure and an instance of credit card fraud that took too long to sort out.

On Trustpilot, it holds 3.9 out of 5 from 923 reviews as of August 2026. Recent complaints include one man at the grocery store who called the company after his card was declined, but no one answered. A homebuyer was assigned home insurance despite already having it, and the problem hasn’t been worked out after months. Other complaints include more issues with mortgage products and misleading communication between representatives and customers.

Overall, customer satisfaction on both pages is high relative to what you typically see from brick and mortar banks, which often score below 2 out of 5 stars on BBB and Trustpilot. In particular, recent complaints about the personal loan product are few. Still, there is plenty of room for improvement.

When a Fifth Third Bank personal loan might be the best choice

This loan might work for you if one of the following is true:

• You're an existing Fifth Third checking or savings customer, you want the autopay rate discount, and you can use the online channel. 
• You're consolidating debt, you need $25,000 or less, and you'd rather no origination fee came out of the money
• You need up to $50,000, and a branch visit or scheduled phone call works for you.

If you want to compare rates across lenders without submitting an application that could hurt your credit score, a lender offering soft-pull prequalification may suit you better. The best personal loans offer a variety of loan amounts for borrowers with different needs and backgrounds.

Rates and terms accurate as of August 11, 2026. Subject to credit approval. Your actual rate depends on your creditworthiness.