Comparing Bilt Credit Cards: Rewards, Fees, and Features

Toni Perkins-Southam

Bilt has moved on from its original single-card setup and now offers a tiered credit card lineup. With Bilt 2.0 in place, cardholders now have more choices—and more tradeoffs.

Here’s how the three Bilt credit cards compare.

 

How Bilt’s Credit Card Lineup Is Structured

Bilt now follows a familiar tiered credit card approach that many major issuers use. Cardholders can choose between a no-annual-fee card, a mid-tier option with category bonuses and a premium card with a higher upfront cost and bundled credits.

All three cards earn rewards within the Bilt ecosystem and work with Bilt’s broader membership program, which centers on housing-related expenses and neighborhood-based benefits. While the cards differ in how much they cost and how rewards are earned, they all tie back to the same points currency and redemption options.

 

What All Bilt Credit Cards Have in Common

Despite their differences, the three Bilt credit cards share several core features:

  • Earning on housing payments. You can pay rent or a mortgage with any Bilt card without a transaction fee. Cardholders don’t automatically earn points on those payments but can use Bilt Cash to unlock them.
  • Bilt Cash on everyday spending. In addition to points, the cards earn Bilt Cash on non-housing purchases, which can be redeemed within Bilt’s ecosystem. 
  • No foreign transaction fees. All cards waive foreign transaction fees, making them usable for international spending.
  • Access to Bilt Neighborhood Benefits and Rent Day promotions. Cardholders receive access to monthly Rent Day offers and merchant perks tied to local businesses.
  • Shared rewards ecosystem. Cardholders can transfer points earned across all cards to travel partners or redeem them for options such as rent, mortgage payments, or statement credits.

 

Bilt Blue Card: $0 Annual Fee

The Bilt Blue Card is the entry-level option and carries no annual fee. It offers the following:

  • Welcome offer: $100 of Bilt Cash when you apply and are approved
  • 1x Bilt Points on rent and mortgage payments
  • 1x Bilt Points plus 4% Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
  • No rotating or bonus categories

Who This Card Is Best For

The Bilt Blue Card works best for cardholders wanting to earn rewards on housing payments without committing to an annual fee. It may appeal to renters or homeowners who primarily value access to Bilt Points and transfer partners but don’t spend heavily enough to justify a paid card.

Its earning structure is straightforward and does not require category tracking or optimization. Compared with the higher-tier cards, the Blue Card focuses on simplicity rather than maximizing returns.

 

Bilt Obsidian Card: $95 Annual Fee

The Bilt Obsidian Card sits in the middle of the lineup and introduces category-based earning at a moderate annual fee. It includes:

  • Welcome offer: $200 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved
  • 1x Bilt Points on rent and mortgage payments
  • 1x Bilt Points plus 4% Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
  • 3x Bilt Points plus 4% Bilt Cash on a chosen category—either dining or grocery spending (up to $25,000 per year). The card defaults to dining, with the option to switch to grocery within the first 30 days after approval and once per year thereafter.
  • 2x Bilt Points plus 4% Bilt Cash on travel purchases
  • $100 Bilt Travel portal hotel credit, split semiannually

Who This Card Is Best For

The Obsidian Card targets cardholders who want higher earning rates than the no-fee option but don’t need premium travel perks. It may make sense for households with predictable grocery or dining spend who can consistently earn bonus points without managing multiple cards.

Compared with the Blue Card, the Obsidian Card adds complexity but also accelerates rewards earning for those who fit its category structure.

 

Bilt Palladium Card: $495 Annual Fee

The Bilt Palladium Card is the premium option in the lineup and carries the highest annual fee.

  • Welcome offer: 50,000-point bonus after minimum $4,000 of non-housing spend in the first 3
    months + Gold elite status. And, $300 Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved.
  • 1x Bilt Points on rent and mortgage payments
  • 2x Bilt Points plus 4% Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
  • No category selection required for everyday earning
  • $400 annual Bilt Travel portal hotel credit, split semiannually
  • $200 in Bilt Cash annually
  • Priority Pass membership

Who This Card Is Best For

The Palladium Card is positioned for high spenders or cardholders who prefer a single-card setup with built-in perks. It may appeal to users who value simplicity over category optimization and who can reliably use the included credits.

However, the high annual fee means this card only makes sense if the credits and rewards meaningfully offset the cost.

 

What Are Bilt Points and Bilt Cash

Bilt uses two related but distinct rewards currencies: Bilt Points and Bilt Cash.

Bilt Points function as a traditional transferable points currency. They can be transferred 1:1 to airline and hotel partners or redeemed for other options such as rent, mortgage payments, rideshare credits, or statement credits.

Bilt Cash is a newer addition and acts as a flexible rebate currency within Bilt’s ecosystem. It can be redeemed for dollar-for-dollar credits on eligible Bilt-network redemptions, including fitness classes, hotel bookings, home delivery, and rideshare. Bilt Cash can also be used to unlock point earning on rent and mortgage payments, allowing cardholders to earn up to 1x Bilt Points on those payments.

Bilt Cash expires at the end of each calendar year, though up to $100 can roll over to the next year. Palladium cardholders can roll over $100 in addition to their annual $200 Bilt Cash benefit.

Bilt Elite Status

Bilt also offers an elite status program tied to annual spending across its cards. Cardholders can qualify for Silver, Gold or Platinum status determined by total spend, which can unlock additional Rent Day benefits, transfer bonuses and access to select experiences.

New Palladium Cardholders can earn Gold status through the card’s welcome offer after meeting the required spending threshold.

 

Rent and Mortgage Payments Across All Cards

A defining feature of Bilt credit cards is the ability to pay rent or mortgage without a transaction fee, though earning up to 1x Bilt Points on those payments depends on how cardholders use Bilt Cash.

  • Rent and mortgage payments don’t count against preset spending limits, so large housing payments won’t reduce available credit for everyday spending
  • Cardholders can earn across multiple properties
  • There is no cap on housing payments themselves, though point earning is subject to program limits

If cardholders do not have enough Bilt Cash to unlock the full 1x points on a rent or mortgage payment, Bilt says there may be an option to pay a transaction fee on the difference. But paying rent or a mortgage itself never requires a fee; any amount of the payment that is not covered with Bilt Cash (or a transaction fee) just won’t earn 1x Bilt Points, while the amount of the payment that is covered will.

Overall, this feature is most valuable for cardholders who regularly earn and redeem Bilt Cash and actively use Bilt’s broader rewards ecosystem.

 

Key Differences Between Bilt Credit Cards

FeaturesBilt BlueBilt ObsidianBilt Palladium
Annual Fee$0$95$495
Rent and Mortgage1x1x1x
Everyday Spending1x points + 4% Bilt Cash
1x points + 4% Bilt Cash2x points + 4% Bilt Cash
Bonus CategoriesNoneDining or grocery; travelNone
Authorized UsersFree$50 each$95 each, includes Priority Pass
CreditsNone$100 hotel credit$400 hotel credit + $200 Bilt Cash

Bilt has confirmed that existing cardholders are eligible to apply for one of the new Bilt 2.0 cards, even if they previously held the original version of the card. Bilt also says both transitioning cardholders and new applicants are eligible for the sign-up bonus (available for a limited time).

For now, Bilt does not allow cardholders to be the primary account holder on more than one card, though authorized-user access on another account is permitted.

 

How To Choose Between Bilt Credit Cards

When comparing the three options, consider:

  • How much you spend on rent or mortgage payments
  • Whether you prefer simple earning or category-based rewards
  • How likely you are to use travel credits or Bilt Cash
  • Whether premium benefits justify a higher annual fee

For some, the no-annual-fee option will be sufficient. Others may benefit from the mid-tier or premium cards if their spending aligns with the rewards structure.

Additional Travel and Purchase Protections

All three Bilt credit cards include a baseline set of protections through Mastercard, including no foreign transaction fees, cellular wireless phone protection, purchase assurance, rental car coverage, and trip cancellation or delay protections.

The Palladium Card includes a broader set of premium travel protections, such as Priority Pass lounge access, baggage delay insurance, lost or damaged luggage coverage, and price drop protection.

(Exact coverage limits and terms vary by card and are subject to Mastercard’s benefits guide.)

 

Other Card Options To Consider

Bilt’s cards are designed around earning rewards on housing payments and within the Bilt ecosystem, but that structure won’t make sense for everyone. Depending on your goals, other rewards cards may offer higher earning rates, simpler redemptions, or more flexible benefits for everyday spending and travel.

You may want to compare Bilt cards with:

  • General travel rewards cards, which often earn higher rates on dining and travel and offer broader transfer partner options
  • Flat-rate cash-back cards, which can deliver more consistent value on everyday purchases without category tracking
  • Category-focused cash-back cards, especially for groceries, gas, or household spending

As with any rewards card, the best option depends on how you spend, how you redeem rewards and whether the benefits justify any annual fee.

Read more. Best Credit Card Welcome Offers

 

Should You Apply?

Bilt’s expanded credit card lineup offers more choice but also more complexity. While the three cards share a common rewards foundation, their value varies widely by how they’re used.

Rather than assuming the most expensive card is the best option, cardholders should evaluate each card based on fees, earning rates, and how easily they can use the included benefits. For the right user, a Bilt credit card can add value to everyday spending—but only if it aligns with actual habits and priorities.

 

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Bilt's three credit cards

Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities. American Express is a Travel Mom Squad advertiser, but we always show the best public offer even when we don’t earn a commission. Terms Apply. 

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