For most retail customers, Huntington beats Fifth Third — $0 monthly fee with no strings, 24-Hour Grace overdraft protection ($15 vs $37/item), and free incoming wires. Fifth Third’s advantages are a higher default ATM limit ($810 vs $400) and ~100 more branded ATMs.

Fifth Third vs Huntington: Head-to-Head

Feature Fifth Third Huntington
Monthly fee $11 $0
Fee waiver $500 DD or $1,000 balance Not needed
Overdraft fee $37 (no grace) $15 (24-Hour Grace)
Max OD fees/day $185 $60
Daily ATM limit $810 $400
Owned ATMs ~2,100 ~1,800
Allpoint access ✅ 50,000+ ✅ 55,000+
OON ATM fee $3.50 $3.50
Outgoing domestic wire $30 $25
Incoming domestic wire $15 $0
Zelle ✅ ~$2,500/day ✅ $2,500/day
Mobile deposit limit $5,000/day $5,000/day
Phone hours Mon–Fri 7AM–8PM ET Mon–Fri 7AM–7PM ET
States 10 15
Routing number 042000314 044000024
FDIC insured

Monthly Fee Analysis

Huntington wins clearly. Asterisk-Free Checking is free with zero conditions. Fifth Third charges $11 unless you have $500/month in direct deposits or maintain $1,000/day.

Annual cost without waiver: Fifth Third = $132 | Huntington = $0

Even with the direct deposit waiver, there’s no reason to prefer Fifth Third’s $11 fee structure over Huntington’s no-fee account.


Overdraft Protection

Huntington wins decisively. 24-Hour Grace lets you fix an overdraft by end of next business day with no fee. If the grace period isn’t met, $15/item (max $60/day). Fifth Third charges $37 immediately with no grace period (max $185/day).

On a bad month with 3 overdrafts: Fifth Third = $111 | Huntington = $0 (if corrected in time) or $45 (if not)


ATM Access

Fifth Third has the edge on ATM limit and count. Daily ATM limit of $810 vs Huntington’s $400 standard. Both have Allpoint network access. Customers who regularly withdraw $500+ per day in cash should consider Fifth Third or request a limit increase at Huntington.


Wire Transfers

Huntington wins on incoming wires. Free incoming wires at Huntington vs $15 at Fifth Third. For outgoing: Huntington $25 vs Fifth Third $30 — Huntington saves $5 per outgoing wire.


Who Should Choose Each Bank

Choose Fifth Third if:

  • You need a high daily ATM cash limit by default ($810)
  • You’re an existing Fifth Third customer with established history
  • You’re in a Fifth Third market with convenient branches
  • You need extended weekday phone support (until 8 PM vs Huntington’s 7 PM)

Choose Huntington if:

  • You want zero monthly fees with no conditions
  • You occasionally overdraft and want the 24-Hour Grace safety net
  • You receive frequent wire transfers (incoming wires are free)
  • You live in one of Huntington’s broader 15-state footprint

WealthVieu
Written by WealthVieu

WealthVieu researches and writes data-driven personal finance guides using primary sources including the IRS, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve, and Census Bureau.

The content on Wealthvieu is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial, tax, or investment advice. Consult a qualified professional before making financial decisions. Full disclaimer · Editorial policy