Issuer & programme guide

Bilt Rewards credit cards — 2026 guide

The only major card that earns transferable points on rent without a 3% fee. Best for renters and mortgage-payers.

Quick Answer

Bilt Rewards is the only US credit card that lets you pay rent (or mortgage) with a credit card without the typical 2.5–3% processing fee, AND earns transferable points on that payment. Points transfer 1:1 to 5+ airlines and 5+ hotels including Hyatt — making rent-paying earn at ~3.5 cpp realised value for skilled redeemers. The card is no-annual-fee, requires 5 transactions per statement period to earn points on rent, and is issued by Wells Fargo (so it carries WF's standard underwriting).

All Bilt Rewards cards (3)

Ranked by estimated welcome-bonus value (highest first). Tap any card for the full review and live offer.

Bilt Palladium Card

Bilt

Bilt Palladium

Welcome value

~$1,100

Annual fee

$495

Bilt Obsidian Card

Bilt

Bilt Obsidian

Welcome value

~$200

Annual fee

$95

Bilt Blue Card

Bilt

Bilt Blue

Welcome value

~$100

Annual fee

$0

What Bilt Rewards wins on

  • Only US credit card that earns transferable points on rent without a 3% fee.
  • Points transfer 1:1 to Hyatt, American AAdvantage, Air France/KLM, Alaska, Virgin Atlantic, Hilton, Marriott, IHG, and more.
  • No annual fee — rare for a card with this points-transfer roster.
  • Bilt Day (1st of each month) doubles category multipliers — 6× dining, 4× travel.

The trade-offs

  • Need 5 transactions per statement period to earn ANY points (including rent) — easy to hit but a watchout.
  • Wells Fargo underwriting — approvals can be choppy if you're thin-file or have recent inquiries.
  • Base earn (1× / 2× / 3×) modest outside Bilt Day; the rent earn is the real lever.
  • No premium-tier card yet (Bilt Reserve was rumored 2025 → still unreleased as of mid-2026).

Popular Bilt Rewards comparisons

The matchups our readers actually search for, ranked by query volume.

Frequently asked questions about Bilt Rewards

How does Bilt let me pay rent without a 3% fee?

Bilt has direct partnerships with major property managers (Greystar, AvalonBay, etc.) for in-network ACH. For out-of-network landlords, Bilt generates a paper check or ACH on your behalf — the cost is absorbed by Bilt as a customer acquisition cost. You earn 1× points (3× on Bilt Day) on the rent amount.

Do I need 5 transactions per month to earn rent points?

Yes — 5 transactions per statement period are required to earn ANY points that month, including the rent earn. Small transactions count (coffee, parking) so it's easy to clear if you actively use the card. If you don't hit 5, the rent payment still goes through but earns 0 points.

Bilt vs Chase Sapphire Preferred — which one?

See /compare/bilt-rewards-vs-chase-sapphire-preferred for the full breakdown. Short version: if you rent, Bilt earns ~$15–$50/month MORE in points than CSP (depending on your rent), no annual fee, and transfers to most of the same partners (including Hyatt). CSP wins on welcome bonus value, broader merchant categories (3× dining always, not just Bilt Day), and the Sapphire ecosystem benefits.

Can I pay mortgage with Bilt?

Yes — Bilt added mortgage payments in 2024 (capped at $100k/year, $200k/year cap on the Bilt Card). Earn rate matches rent (1× / 3× on Bilt Day). For mortgage-payers this is a quiet but huge lever.

Does Bilt have a welcome bonus?

Bilt is famously SUB-light — historically 2.5k–5k Bilt points (~$50–$100 value) compared to $750–$1,200 from competing transfer cards. The card's value is ongoing rent-earn, not the welcome bonus.

Are Bilt points worth chasing as a non-renter?

Probably not. If you don't rent and don't carry a mortgage, the only way to earn Bilt points is 1× / 2× / 3× on dining, travel, groceries — comparable rates to CSP / Amex Gold, with worse welcome bonuses. The value lever is rent / mortgage.

Run the math for your situation

These calculators use the same data this guide runs on.

Related guides

Long-form explainers that go deeper into Bilt Rewards strategy.

Other ecosystems to consider

Most points-game stacks combine 2-3 of these programmes.

Last reviewed

2026-05-30

Data sources

Issuer pages, public award charts, TPG monthly valuations.

Editorial note: CreditPoints may earn a commission when you apply through some of the links on this page, but the directory ordering, pros/cons, and Quick Answer are algorithmic and identical for all readers. We never accept payment to change ordering.