Review Insights · Google Play
Direct Express® Mobile
Fifth Third Bank · 181,774 ratings · ★ 4.6
4.6
★★★★★
181,774 ratings
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Top complaints - extracted from 48 negative reviews
Recurring phrases mined from 1-2★ reviews. The bigger the percentage, the more users have the same problem. Fix the top 2-3 in your version and you have product-market fit on day one.
1
"card"
13 negative reviews mention this · 27% of all complaints
★★★★★ "the absolute worst card company ever I just wanted a replacement card and they have now held my money for over a month refusing to send a card that I can actually activate 101 excuses even social security disability is ending their contract…" - RAYMOND JAGT
2
"call"
8 negative reviews mention this · 17% of all complaints
★★★★★ "horrible customer service and poor system maintenance constantly have issues with simple transactions that either fail to process or automatically decline embarrassing to pay bills late because card isn't working and hold time to speak with…" - Billie Key
3
"money"
7 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "the absolute worst card company ever I just wanted a replacement card and they have now held my money for over a month refusing to send a card that I can actually activate 101 excuses even social security disability is ending their contract…" - RAYMOND JAGT
4
"direct"
7 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "the absolute worst card company ever I just wanted a replacement card and they have now held my money for over a month refusing to send a card that I can actually activate 101 excuses even social security disability is ending their contract…" - RAYMOND JAGT
5
"customer"
7 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "horrible customer service and poor system maintenance constantly have issues with simple transactions that either fail to process or automatically decline embarrassing to pay bills late because card isn't working and hold time to speak with…" - Billie Key
6
"service"
7 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "horrible customer service and poor system maintenance constantly have issues with simple transactions that either fail to process or automatically decline embarrassing to pay bills late because card isn't working and hold time to speak with…" - Billie Key
7
"customer service"
7 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "horrible customer service and poor system maintenance constantly have issues with simple transactions that either fail to process or automatically decline embarrassing to pay bills late because card isn't working and hold time to speak with…" - Billie Key
8
"account"
7 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "need to fix a way so you can speak to a person at all times to help with account problems and stop saying saying call back during non peak hours" - Samantha Dunlap
9
"work"
7 negative reviews mention this · 15% of all complaints
★★★★★ "horrible customer service and poor system maintenance constantly have issues with simple transactions that either fail to process or automatically decline embarrassing to pay bills late because card isn't working and hold time to speak with…" - Billie Key
10
"express"
6 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "the absolute worst card company ever I just wanted a replacement card and they have now held my money for over a month refusing to send a card that I can actually activate 101 excuses even social security disability is ending their contract…" - RAYMOND JAGT
11
"direct express"
6 negative reviews mention this · 13% of all complaints
★★★★★ "the absolute worst card company ever I just wanted a replacement card and they have now held my money for over a month refusing to send a card that I can actually activate 101 excuses even social security disability is ending their contract…" - RAYMOND JAGT
12
"online"
5 negative reviews mention this · 10% of all complaints
★★★★★ "Direct Express is what Social Security set up as my Direct Deposit institution when I was first given disability last year, but since that time I can not use my debit card for online purchases because they have been declined no matter who I…" - John Mark Evans
📋 All 48 negative reviews
Every 1-2★ review we fetched. Use the copy button to grab them all for your own analysis (paste into ChatGPT/Claude with a prompt like "summarize core user problems, group by theme, ignore bugs, focus on missing features").
I updated app and can't get it to open so I can enter my information
old app sucks
the absolute worst card company ever I just wanted a replacement card and they have now held my money for over a month refusing to send a card that I can actually activate 101 excuses even social security disability is ending their contract with them..... stay as far away from direct Express as possible unless you want regrets because with this company that's what you get attitude grief and regrets if I can give them less than one star I would...
horrible customer service and poor system maintenance constantly have issues with simple transactions that either fail to process or automatically decline embarrassing to pay bills late because card isn't working and hold time to speak with customer service representative is way too long
Direct Express is what Social Security set up as my Direct Deposit institution when I was first given disability last year, but since that time I can not use my debit card for online purchases because they have been declined no matter who I'm trading with or what I am buying! It makes it very difficult to take care of the things I need when every online purchase is declined since I am stuck in a wheelchair now and most everything I buy now is online ..
no fraud help
this used to be good for direct deposit, but now it's almost impossible to use this card for like 80% of the things I need it for. add money to PayPal? sometimes, if you spam it, and you might get to add $200 1 or 2 times per week. Amazon or eBay? usually, but sometimes it will just be like, not this week. pay for gas at the pump? absolutely not! you get to sit at this sketchy gas station in the middle of nowhere, dodging methheads until morning, because paying at the pump is too risky 🤷♂️
can't get help
need to fix a way so you can speak to a person at all times to help with account problems and stop saying saying call back during non peak hours
not helpful In making or recovering any information at all
would be great if the app actually worked or Direct express picked up the phone.
I can't access the app anymore and tried online but can't get in there either. I keep calling customer service to fix it but it just hangs up on me
nothing with direct express works. website is down app says call customer service they don't have anyone answering the phones honestly idk how they are still in business at this point it would have to be the federal government paying for them to pretend to operate because you sure can't get ahold of anyone or login anywhere
I HATE THIS APP AND WILL CHANGING TO BANK
never got it to work
declining online purchases so I call, after going through menu entering info tells me to try back later. I got for ssdi payments, now I gotta go somewhere else. nobody answered try calling later (won't work) I don't recommend it
150 calls and no answer or response 5 hours on hold to just be blown off by the automated system
doesn't work
sucks
still have to call to actually do many of the transactions needed other than change pin or check transactions or order a new card . Also can't update app like it says.
I can't get my money for bill payments. This method will no longer work for me and my family. I'm getting another bank account some other bank.
this is the most negative bank service I have ever dealt with. if I could give five stars negative I would. it's suppose to be 24 hours customer service you can't ever talk to no one no matter the option you make.
I am so tired of this stupid app. The people behind it should be ashamed of themselves. I never know if my card will work! One month I will use it to pay a bill. The next month I will use it to pay my bill to the same company AND IT WONT GO THROUGH. I can't get it to link to my cash app either because you guys keep denying it doing so. Why? Hundreds of other banks don't have these issues. Why don't you go to them and ask how they run their app, take notes, go back to yours AND FIX IT!
Cannot activate the app, I downloaded it twice.
cannot input correct expiration date
Can use funds in my account. Card keeps declining. My card is active and unlocked.
just had awful experience
This is by far the worst benefit card account ever
HORRIBLE, I used to love the simplicity of this app , and relied on it heavily for transaction history to track living expenses, especially gas purchases and I could screenshot and send to DHHS and my financial advisor. I HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO LOG ONTO THE APP FOR MONTHS . IT JUST GIVES A POPUP MESSAGE TO CALL CS . OKAY FINE RIGHT? WELL DOESN'T MATTER WHAT OPTION PICKED OR TIME CALLED , IT WILL TELL YOU HIGH CALL VOLUME TO TRY A NON PEAK TIME AND THEN HANGS UP. MOST COMPANIES WILL C/B , NOT D.E
have been hacked
doesn't work
direct express is the worst company I ever did business with. you can't ever reach them on the phone.you spend 30 to 45 minutes on hold then it says they to busy and to call back during non peak hours.no clue when that is because it's like that all year long.and don't try to spend your money by adding it to another pre paid card because they will freeze your account.
will not load on my tablet
I used to love this app. But now I can't use it on my LG V40 ThinQ. So I can't check how much I have anymore I will have to actually call.. extremely upset with this 😞
LOUSY. HORRIBLE APP!!!
not like chime
It sucks as well as the company itself. Don't bother. These people are unprofessional, rude and do whatever they want and they have control of your money.
customer service sucks they read off a card and if you have a problem getting your information verified they will put you through a loop hole and tell you to resend personal info over and over. if you want something done while talking to the supervisor team they will tell you " I'm not the head supervisor of that department just resend your documents is all I can tell you" so they have a supervisor team who don't do anything but read cards to respond. 6 times sent same results did not receive.
the calancer option never works for me to enter the date
since recent update it does not give expected deposit date or amount
would not let me create account. said card information was wrong. WHAT????
I have had nothing but problems this month trying to get money off my card since I put it on Google wallet. it came on Weds and it's now Weds the 6th of May and I'm yet to see any cash. my social security money was cut in half because of a missed appt 2 yrs ago . still haven't gotten back comp pay I'm trying to live on $492. a month in a state with high living expenses. can't have anything after working almost 50 yrs paying my taxes in Ohio. now in Oregon
Just take your business elsewhere! Save yourself before they destroy you, too!
I can't get anyone on the phone
May 2 2026 tried paying rent online and card kept getting declined. Yes it was unlocked and I have the right app. I am not happy and getting through to customer service is harder than it has ever been.
will not let me login. when you call they will tell you that you have to make a new account
Where are the minor enhancements ? My updated app has nothing new.😆😂
The app itself is easy, but I hate Direct Express now. Most of my purchases are getting blocked, especially online. Direct Express is controlling how we spend our money, and that doesn't work for me. Customer service can't even help anymore. I'm about to switch to an actual bank, and be done with Direct Express.
Sentiment summary
91%
Positive (4-5★)
4%
Neutral (3★)
5%
Negative (1-2★)