Bilt Card Optimizer
Bilt's 2026 lineup — Blue, Obsidian, and Palladium — runs on a hybrid Bilt Cash + Bilt Points engine that few cardholders fully understand. Pay rent without a processing fee, then convert Bilt Cash into points at 1X (or up to 1.25X via the tiered system that requires you to match your housing payment with non‑housing spend).
The free calculators below run the actual math: which card pays back the annual fee for your spending mix, what your rent points are worth versus a 2% cashback card plus processing fees, and all 24 transfer partners ranked.
How Bilt Actually Works in 2026
Every affiliate site lists the Bilt cards and earns when you click apply. None of them explain the hybrid Bilt Cash + Bilt Points engine clearly. Here's the part that matters before you choose a card.
Two currencies in one wallet — Bilt Cash and Bilt Points
Every Bilt card now earns into two currencies simultaneously. Bilt Cash is straight cashback (worth 1¢ per dollar of credit). Bilt Points transfer 1:1 to 24 airline and hotel partners and are worth roughly 1.3¢ on average when redeemed for travel. Most everyday purchases earn 4% Bilt Cash plus a smaller multiplier of points — which means you're stacking both at once.
All three Bilt cards earn on rent and mortgage payments without a processing fee. The default rate is 1X point per dollar of housing. To unlock the bonus 0.25X (taking you to 1.25X), you must hit a tiered non‑housing spend threshold. To earn the full 1.25X, your non‑housing spend in that cycle must equal at least 100% of your housing payment. Spend less than that and you earn a partial bonus on a sliding scale.
Example: $2,000 rent + $2,000 in groceries, dining, gas, and other charges in the same cycle = the full 1.25X = 2,500 Bilt Points on rent. $2,000 rent + only $500 of other spend = a much smaller bonus tier.
The three Bilt cards — and who each one is for
Bilt Palladium ($495/yr): 2X points on everyday + 4% Bilt Cash on everyday spend (excluding housing). Up to 1.25X on housing. Includes $200 annual Bilt Cash, $400 Bilt Travel hotel credit, Priority Pass, and Gold status. The signup bonus alone (50,000 points + $300 Bilt Cash + Gold status through current and following calendar year) is worth roughly $1,000.
Bilt Obsidian ($95/yr): Choose 3X on dining OR grocery (grocery capped at $25K/year), 2X travel, 1X everyday, plus 4% Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Up to 1.25X housing. Includes a $100 Bilt Travel hotel credit and a $200 Bilt Cash signup bonus.
Bilt Blue ($0/yr): 1X points on all purchases plus 4% Bilt Cash on everyday spend. Up to 1.25X housing. $100 Bilt Cash signup bonus. The free entry point — ideal as a supplemental rent card.
Is the Bilt Card Worth It? The Quick Verdict
Worth it for renters paying $1,500+/month who would otherwise earn nothing on housing. Less compelling as your only card, or if you redeem only for statement credit.
- You pay $1,500+/mo rent and earn $0 on it now
- You want Hyatt or AA-flavored Avios redemptions
- You can route $1,500+/mo of non‑housing spend to hit 1.25X
- You already have a Chase or Amex card for daily spend
- You'll actually transfer points to airline/hotel partners
- You only redeem for statement credit (1¢/pt — weak)
- You can't reliably hit the non‑housing spend tier
- You carry it as your only card (1X non‑bonus is mediocre)
- You want Chase UR or Amex MR (Bilt doesn't transfer to those)
- Your landlord doesn't accept Bilt's network
Bilt vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred — Head to Head
Best combination: Bilt Blue + CSP
CSP for the signup bonus and 3X dining/travel. Bilt Blue (free) as a supplemental rent card. They share Hyatt and United transfer programs from different angles. $95 total annual fee for both. See the Chase Sapphire Preferred vs. Reserve comparison →
Which Bilt Card Wins for You?
Enter your monthly spending and we'll calculate which Bilt card — Blue, Obsidian, or Palladium — produces the highest annual value net of the annual fee. Honest math, no upsells.
Estimates only. Assumes you hit the 1.25X housing tier (non‑housing spend = housing payment). Excludes signup bonuses, credits, and Bilt Cash. Actual earn depends on card terms.
How the math works
Blue: 1X everywhere × CPP, plus 4% Bilt Cash on everyday spend, plus housing at up to 1.25X.
Obsidian: 3X on dining OR grocery (whichever is higher), 2X travel, 1X everyday, 4% Bilt Cash on everyday, up to 1.25X housing — minus the $95 fee.
Palladium: 2X everyday + 4% Bilt Cash + 1.25X housing — minus the $495 fee, but offset by ~$600+ of recurring credits ($200 Bilt Cash + $400 Bilt Travel hotel credit).
Rent Points ROI Calculator
Is earning points on rent actually worth it compared to paying with a 2% cashback card plus a processing fee? This shows the honest comparison including the fee math most people ignore.
Why the comparison matters
Most rent payment processors charge 2.5–3% to accept a credit card. A 2% cashback card earns $40/month on $2,000 rent — but the processing fee costs $50–60. That's a net loss of $10–20/month, or $120–240/year. Bilt charges no processing fee. This is the actual value proposition and it's genuinely strong for renters.
Processing fee comparison assumes 2.7% average processor rate.
Bilt's 24 Transfer Partners
All transfers at 1:1 unless noted. Bilt has one of the largest transfer partner lists of any US card — including Hyatt, American Airlines (via Avios), and Air Canada Aeroplan, which Chase and Amex don't all share.
Cheat Sheet
Card picker logic, 1.25X tier guide, and transfer partner timing calendar. Sent to your inbox.
- Card picker logic: Spend thresholds where Obsidian beats Blue, and where Palladium pays back its $495
- 1.25X tier guide: How to route enough non‑housing spend to unlock the full housing bonus
- Transfer partner timing: Which partners run the best bonuses and when to move points
- Two-currency tracker: Bilt Points and Bilt Cash logged monthly side by side
- Card comparison: All 3 Bilt cards against your spend mix side by side
- Bilt vs. the market: Chase Sapphire Preferred, Amex Gold, and Venture X compared for renters
- Transfer partner optimizer: Match your balance to a specific trip goal with CPP estimates
- 1.25X tier tracker: Logs your non‑housing spend each cycle so you don't miss the bonus
Bilt Card FAQ
What's the 1.25X housing bonus — and how do I actually earn it?
All Bilt cards earn a baseline 1X point per dollar on rent and mortgage. To earn the bonus 0.25X (taking you to the full 1.25X), your non‑housing spend in the same cycle must equal at least 100% of your housing payment. Spend less and you earn a partial bonus on a sliding scale. Pay $2,000 rent and put $2,000+ of groceries, dining, and recurring charges on the same card — that's the full 1.25X.
What's the difference between Bilt Cash and Bilt Points?
Bilt Cash is straight cashback worth 1¢ per unit, redeemable as statement credit or for travel. Bilt Points transfer 1:1 to 24 airline and hotel partners. Bilt Cash is what most everyday purchases earn at 4% on top of the points multiplier — you're earning into both currencies at once on most spend.
Is Bilt Blue worth it if I already have a no-fee card?
For renters paying $1,500+/month, Bilt Blue ($0 fee) is almost always worth adding. No other card earns transferable points on rent without a processing fee. Even at 1X on rent, the annual value typically exceeds what a cashback card earns net of processing fees.
Which transfer partners are the most valuable?
World of Hyatt consistently delivers the highest hotel redemption value at 1.7–2.2¢/pt. For airlines: United MileagePlus for domestic routes, Air Canada Aeroplan for Star Alliance international without fuel surcharges, Flying Blue for European business class, and Turkish Miles&Smiles for sweet‑spot redemptions on Star Alliance partners.
Can I pay any landlord with Bilt?
Bilt works through the Bilt Rent platform. Your landlord doesn't need to accept credit cards directly — Bilt handles the payment via ACH, check, or via the partner property network on their end. You pay Bilt with your Bilt card, Bilt pays your landlord. The no-processing-fee earning is specific to this setup.
Is the Bilt Palladium worth the $495 annual fee?
The Palladium signup bonus alone (50,000 points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status through the current and following calendar year) is worth roughly $1,000. Beyond year one, you get $200 in annual Bilt Cash plus a $400 Bilt Travel hotel credit (issued as two $200 statement credits), plus Priority Pass. That's $600+ of recurring value against the $495 fee — before any earning. The card picker above runs the specific math for your numbers.