The Bilt Card Pays You Back for Rent Payments
The Bilt Rewards Credit Card is a credit card issued by Bilt Rewards that lets you earn points when you pay rent. Most credit cards do not accept rent as a purchase category — landlords and property management companies typically do not take Visa or Mastercard. Bilt works around this by letting you pay your rent through their platform and charging it to the card, so you accumulate rewards on a payment that would otherwise earn nothing.
The card also earns points on other everyday purchases like groceries, dining, and travel. The rewards structure is built around rent as the primary benefit, which is why the card appeals to renters who want to convert a large monthly expense into points or cash back.
Key Takeaways
- Bilt lets you charge rent payments to a credit card and earn points, which most cards do not allow.
- You earn 3 points per dollar on rent, 1 point per dollar on other purchases, with no annual fee.
- The card reports your on-time rent payments to credit bureaus, which can help build credit history if you have limited credit.
- You pay a processing fee (usually 1% to 2.5%) when you use Bilt to pay rent, which reduces the value of the points you earn.
- Bilt points can be redeemed for cash back, travel, or transferred to airline and hotel partners.
How the Rent Payment Process Works
When you use the Bilt card to pay rent, you do not pay your landlord directly with the card. Instead, you log into the Bilt app or website, enter your rent amount and landlord details, and authorize a payment. Bilt then processes the payment to your landlord on your behalf, and the charge appears on your credit card bill.
Your landlord receives the funds through Bilt's payment network, which typically takes 1 to 3 business days. You are charged a processing fee at the time of payment — this fee varies but is usually between 1% and 2.5% of your rent amount. That fee comes out of your pocket; it is not covered by the points you earn. For example, if your rent is $1,500 and the fee is 2%, you pay $30 to use the service, even though you earn $45 in points (3 points per dollar × $1,500 = 4,500 points, which may convert to $45 in value depending on redemption).
Rewards Rates and How Points Convert to Value
The Bilt card earns 3 points per dollar on rent payments, 1 point per dollar on all other purchases, and 3 points per dollar on dining and travel. There is no annual fee, which means you can hold the card without paying to keep it open.
Points can be redeemed in several ways. You can convert them to cash back at a rate of 1 point = 1 cent (so 4,500 points = $45). You can also transfer points to airline partners like United, American, Delta, and Southwest, or to hotel partners like Hyatt and Marriott. The value of transferred points varies by partner — sometimes you get more value per point when transferring to travel partners than when taking cash back, but this depends on which partner and which redemption you choose.
The processing fee you pay to use Bilt to pay rent reduces your net gain. If you pay $1,500 in rent with a 2% fee ($30) and earn 4,500 points worth $45 in cash back, your actual benefit is $15 ($45 minus $30). This is still a gain, but it is smaller than the points alone suggest.
Credit Reporting and Building Credit History
Bilt reports your on-time rent payments to Experian, one of the three major credit bureaus. This means that if you pay rent on time through Bilt every month, those payments show up on your credit report as positive payment history. For renters who have limited credit history or are rebuilding credit, this can be a meaningful way to add to your credit file.
Traditional credit cards and loans report to all three bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion), but Bilt reports only to Experian. If you are trying to build credit across all three bureaus, Bilt alone will not do that — you would also need other credit products. However, if you have no rental history on your credit report, Bilt can fill that gap.
Late or missed rent payments through Bilt are also reported to Experian, so the credit-building benefit works both ways. Paying on time helps; paying late hurts.
Who the Bilt Card Makes Sense For
The Bilt card is most useful if you rent, pay a substantial monthly rent amount, and want to earn rewards on that payment. If your rent is $800 per month, the processing fee may outweigh the points benefit. If your rent is $2,000 or more per month, the points accumulate faster and the fee becomes a smaller percentage of your benefit.
The card also appeals to renters who are building credit or have a thin credit file. The ability to add rent payment history to your credit report can matter more than the points themselves if you are working toward a mortgage or other loan down the road.
If you already have a rewards credit card that earns 2% or more cash back on all purchases, the Bilt card may not add much value — you would earn the same or more by putting rent on a flat-rate cash back card and paying the processing fee separately. The advantage of Bilt is that it lets you earn rewards on rent at all, which most cards do not allow.
Comparing Bilt to Other Rent Payment Options
Some landlords accept credit card payments directly through their own portal or a third-party service like Plastiq. If your landlord does, you can use any rewards credit card to pay rent without signing up for Bilt. However, many landlords do not accept credit cards at all, or they charge a processing fee that is higher than Bilt's.
Paying rent by check or bank transfer earns no rewards but also costs nothing. If you want to earn rewards on rent and your landlord does not accept credit cards, Bilt is one of the few ways to do it. If your landlord already accepts credit cards with a reasonable fee, you might not need Bilt — you could use a card with a higher overall rewards rate.
The trade-off is always the processing fee versus the points earned. Calculate whether the points are worth the fee for your specific rent amount before opening the card.
Annual Fee and Other Costs
The Bilt card has no annual fee. The only ongoing cost is the processing fee you pay each time you use Bilt to pay rent. This fee is charged by Bilt, not by your credit card issuer, and it appears as a separate charge when you authorize a rent payment.
If you use the card only for non-rent purchases (groceries, dining, travel), you pay nothing beyond the normal credit card bill. You earn 1 point per dollar on those purchases, which is lower than many other cash back cards, so Bilt is not a strong choice if rent is not part of your plan.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Bilt if my landlord does not accept it?
No. Your landlord must be enrolled in or willing to accept payments through Bilt's network. You can check whether your landlord is already set up by entering their name or address in the Bilt app. If they are not, you can invite them to join, but they have to agree. Bilt cannot force a landlord to accept payments.
What happens if I pay my rent late through Bilt?
Late payments are reported to Experian, which will hurt your credit score. Bilt does not penalize you directly, but the credit bureau reporting means a late rent payment has the same impact as a late credit card payment. Your landlord may also charge late fees according to your lease.
Do I earn points if I pay a processing fee?
Yes. You earn 3 points per dollar on the full rent amount, including the processing fee. However, the fee itself does not earn points — only the rent portion does. So on a $1,500 rent payment with a $30 fee, you earn points on $1,500, not on $1,530.
Can I use Bilt to pay utilities or other housing costs?
No. Bilt is designed specifically for rent payments to a landlord or property management company. You cannot use it to pay utilities, insurance, or other housing-related bills. Those purchases would earn 1 point per dollar if you put them on the card directly, but not through Bilt's rent payment system.
What if I move and no longer rent?
You can keep the card open and use it for other purchases, earning 1 point per dollar on everyday spending and 3 points per dollar on dining and travel. There is no annual fee, so there is no cost to keeping it. If you buy a home and no longer have rent to pay, the card becomes a standard rewards card with a lower earning rate than many competitors.