How To Pay Your Mortgage or Rent With a Credit Card [2026]

It’s possible to pay your mortgage or rent with a credit card to earn rewards, but fees and restrictions can be a roadblock. This guide covers the key pros and cons of paying your mortgage or rent with a credit card and highlights some of the best ways to do it.

Key Considerations

Fees, interest, and your credit score should be top of mind as you consider paying your rent or mortgage with a credit card.

Rewards vs. Fees

Earning rewards is often a major motivation for paying your mortgage or rent with a credit card, potentially turning a large monthly payment into points or miles. But fees can easily outweigh the value of rewards earned on the payment. For example, if you pay rent online on your apartment complex’s portal, you might see an option to pay by credit card with an additional 3.5% fee.

For a 3.5% fee, you’d pay $35 in fees for every $1,000. The points you earn from that transaction might not be worth the fee you pay to earn them.

Mortgage Interest vs. Credit Card Interest

If you pay your mortgage using a credit card, you should not plan to carry a balance on the card. That way, you can avoid paying credit card interest on your mortgage payment. Mortgage interest rates are generally much lower than credit card interest rates.

For example, your credit card might have an interest rate of 20%, but current mortgage rates are around 7%. If you make a mortgage payment on a credit card and carry a balance, you’ll pay more in interest.

Credit Scores

As you make on-time mortgage payments, you will likely see your credit score increase. But when you make mortgage payments with a credit card, it can increase your credit utilization ratio, which is how much of your available credit you’re using.

A high credit utilization ratio can lower your credit score. Putting a large rent or mortgage payment on your card could drag down your score, even if you pay off the balance each month.

For example, if your credit card has a $5,000 credit limit and you make a $1,500 mortgage payment, your credit card utilization ratio would be 30%, which is generally higher than experts recommend.

Hot Tip:

Most business credit cards aren’t reported on your personal credit report, so you can keep your credit utilization ratio lower by making commercial mortgage payments on a business credit card.

When To Pay Your Mortgage or Rent With a Credit Card

It could be worth it to make a mortgage or rent payment with a credit card when the rewards you’d earn outweigh the cost of earning those rewards.

Meeting a minimum spending requirement to earn a welcome offer bonus is one way to get more rewards value than the credit card processing fee. For example, if you have a minimum spending requirement of $15,000 over 3 months but your typical monthly nonhousing expenses are only $4,000, you might want to use a credit card to pay your mortgage or rent to meet that minimum and earn a valuable welcome offer bonus.

It can also make sense to use a card that earns transferable rewards.

The Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card earns 2x miles on everyday purchases. We value Capital One miles at about 1.8 cents per mile, for an approximate 3.6% return on spending. That means you could pay a 3% credit card processing fee and still come out ahead if you use your miles to make valuable redemptions.

Consider the opposite: If your card only earns 1% cash-back and the fee for paying a mortgage or rent is 3%, you’d effectively lose 2% on each payment.

Best Payment Services To Use

Several payment services offer third-party payments that allow you to use your credit card for rent or mortgage payments. Landlords may offer a payment portal that accepts credit cards, but mortgage servicers typically don’t.

Bilt

Bilt is the best way to pay your rent with a credit card, because it doesn’t charge transaction fees and earns transferable rewards with the Bilt Rewards program.

Bilt offers 3 credit cards:

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Bilt Blue Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

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Bilt Blue Card

Welcome Offer

Welcome offer: $100 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved. Each Bilt Cash award expires 12 months after you earn it, on the last day of that month.

$100 Bilt Cash

Annual Fee

$0

Why We Like This Card

The Bilt Blue Card allows cardholders to earn valuable Bilt Rewards Points with a $0 annual fee on rent, mortgage, and everyday purchases, with the option to also earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on nonhousing spend.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 1.25x points on rent and mortgage payments
• Earn 1x points and the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
• No foreign transaction fees
• No authorized user annual fee

Cons

• The math can be confusing to redeem Bilt Cash

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Card Highlights

• Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee.
• 1X points on everyday spend.
• Welcome offer: $100 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved. Each Bilt Cash award expires 12 months after you earn it, on the last day of that month.
• Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.
• Earn additional points through Bilt Neighborhood Benefits™ when you use your card at Bilt’s network of 50,000+ merchant partners.
• Other benefits: No foreign transaction fees, Cellular Wireless Telephone Protection, Purchase Assurance, MasterRental Coverage (See Guide to Benefits).

Financial Snapshot

• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Rewards Center

Bilt Rewards

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Bilt Obsidian Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Apply Now

Bilt Obsidian Card

Welcome Offer

Welcome offer: $200 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved. Each Bilt Cash award expires 12 months after you earn it, on the last day of that month.

$200 Bilt Cash

Annual Fee

$95

Why We Like This Card

The Bilt Obsidian Card is a midtier option for those who want to earn up to 1.25x Bilt Points on rent or mortgage payments, as well as bonus points in key categories such as dining or groceries and travel.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• Up to 1.25x points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee
• 3x points on dining or groceries, on up to $25,000 per year (you can choose which category annually), and the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash
• 2x points and the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on travel purchases

Cons

• $95 annual fee
• You’ll need to redeem Bilt Cash to unlock rewards for rent and mortgage payments

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Card Highlights

• Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee.
• 3X points on your choice of grocery (up to $25K/year) or dining. Your 3X category choice remains in effect for the entire calendar year.
• 2X points on travel
• 1X points on everyday spend
• Welcome offer: $200 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved. Each Bilt Cash award expires 12 months after you earn it, on the last day of that month.
• $100 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $50 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
• Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.
• Earn additional points through Bilt Neighborhood Benefits™ when you use your card at Bilt’s network of 50,000+ merchant partners.

Financial Snapshot

• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

Terms Apply / Rates & Fees

Bilt Palladium Card

U.P. Rating 

The rating for this card has been determined by our own industry experts who know the ins and outs of credit card products. Bonuses, rewards as well as rates and fees are all taken into account. Compensation from the issuer does not affect our rating. We only recommend products we either use ourselves or endorse.

Apply Now

Bilt Palladium Card

Welcome Offer

Subject to approval: 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.

Subject to approval: 50,000 points + $300 Bilt Cash

Annual Fee

$495

Why We Like This Card

The Bilt Palladium Card is a premium card option for those who want to earn up to 1.25x Bilt Points on their rent and mortgage payments, but also want premium perks like airport lounge access.

Pros & Cons

Pros

• 2x points and the option to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
• Up to 1.25x points on rent and mortgage payments
• $400 annual Bilt Travel hotel credit, split into 2 semiannual credits (requires a 2-night stay)

Cons

• Charges a $495 annual fee
• You’ll need to redeem Bilt Cash to unlock rewards for rent and mortgage payments

Read Full Review

Card Highlights

• Earn up to 1.25X points on rent and mortgage payments with no transaction fee.
• 2X points on everyday spend
• $400 Bilt Travel Hotel credit. Applied twice a year, as $200 statement credits, for qualifying Bilt Travel Portal hotel bookings.
• $200 Bilt Cash (awarded annually). Each Bilt Cash award expires 12 months after you earn it, on the last day of that month.
• Welcome bonus (subject to approval): 50,000 Bilt Points + Gold Status after spending $4,000 on everyday purchases in the first 90 days + $300 of Bilt Cash.
• Priority Pass ($469/year value). See Guide to Benefits.
• Bilt Point redemptions include airlines, hotels, future rent and mortgage payments, Lyft rides, statement credits, student loan balances, a down payment on a home, and more.
• Earn additional points through Bilt Neighborhood Benefits™ when you use your card at Bilt’s network of 50,000+ merchant partners.

Financial Snapshot

• Foreign Transaction Fees: None

All of these cards allow you to earn points on rent and mortgage payments without transaction fees (rates & fees). That applies whether or not you live in a Bilt Rewards Alliance apartment or use a preferred mortgage provider. If your landlord or mortgage provider doesn’t accept credit card payments, Bilt sends a check on your behalf, and you still earn points as normal.

With all 3 cards, you can earn Bilt Cash (offer terms), which expires after 12 months at the end of the month. You can use that to unlock your points-earning capabilities on housing payments, up to 1 point per $1 spent. Or you can earn up to 1.25x on housing payments through a second system based on how much you spend on your credit card. That spending must come from nonhousing expenses, though.

Bilt also partners with several airline loyalty programs to offer elevated rewards on up to $50,000 annually in rent payments when you use an eligible co-branded card. These include personal United co-branded credit cards, Atmos Rewards credit cards, and the Air France KLM Visa Signature^® Credit Card.

Eligible United credit cards, such as the United℠ Explorer Card, earn 2 miles per $1 spent when rent is paid on time via Bilt, while Atmos Rewards credit cards and the Air France KLM Visa card earn 3 points or miles per $1 spent, respectively. All have a 3% transaction fee, and the amount of points you earn after hitting $50,000 in payments in a year varies by card.

There aren’t any limits to how many points you can earn from rent or mortgage payments, and there’s no limit on how many housing payments you can make on multiple properties each month. Instead, the limit to your earnings comes from how much you’re spending, whether that’s paying fees on non-Bilt cards, spending to earn Bilt Cash, or spending to unlock higher point-earning rates.

Made Essential Visa Signature Preferred Card

The Made card is for homeowners who want to earn rewards on mortgage payments, including taxes, homeowners’ association fees, and other escrow payments. You still pay your mortgage directly to your lender after linking your bank account via Plaid in the Made app; you don’t use the Made card.

The Made card earns 3 points per $1 on gas, EV charging, groceries, and utilities, and 2 points per $1 on home improvement, home maintenance, and furniture purchases. It also offers Mortgage Match for an additional 1 point per $1 on card purchases, up to the amount of your mortgage payment.

If you spent $400 on groceries on the card in a month, you would earn 1,200 points for the grocery spending at 3 points per $1 and an additional 400 points for the mortgage payment (at an additional 1 point per $1 of card spending from Mortgage Match). The points you earn from Mortgage Match can’t be more than your monthly mortgage payment. So if you spent $3,000 on the card in a month and your mortgage is $2,000 a month, you could only get 2,000 additional points for that month from Mortgage Match.

There is no annual fee for the Made card, and points earned can be redeemed for a statement credit on home expenses, cash-back to your bank account, or gift cards. Benefits of the card include extended warranty protection, return, price, and purchase protection, and travel and emergency assistance.

Plastiq

Plastiq is another way to pay your mortgage or rent with a credit card. You can also pay utility bills, insurance, and tuition with Plastiq.

If you are making residential rent payments, you can essentially use any payment method, including Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, Diners Club International, and JCB. However, not all payment methods are accepted for mortgage payments. Visa and Amex are out, leaving Mastercard, Discover, JCB, and Diners Club as the options.

To use Plastiq, create an account and provide the recipient’s information, the payment amount, and your credit card details. Plastiq charges your credit card as a purchase instead of a cash advance and sends your payment.

For payments funded by a bank account, there’s no fee. However, payments made by credit or debit card carry a 2.99% fee. Additionally, Plastiq charges a $0.99 electronic delivery fee or a $1.49 delivery fee for checks.

Plastiq users can earn Fee-Free Dollars, also known as FFDs. FFDs are a Plastiq currency you can send on Plastiq without incurring fees. For example, if you have $500 in Fee-Free Dollars and pay a $500 bill, you don’t have to pay any fees.

One of the easiest ways to earn FFDs is to make referrals to family, friends, and business associates.

Other ways to pay rent with a credit card include PlacePay (2.99% fee for credit cards), RentTrack (2.95% fee for credit cards), RentMoola (2.99% for Visa and Mastercard, 3.99% for Amex), and Venmo (3% fee for credit cards).

Hot Tip:

Credit card payments made through Venmo are increasingly treated as cash advances, incurring hefty fees. In general, the only credit card issuer still treating Venmo transactions as purchases rather than cash advances is American Express.

Melio

Melio is a business payment platform that allows businesses to pay rent with a credit card, even if a commercial landlord only accepts ACH or checks. Businesses can set up the landlord as a vendor in Melio, enter the rent amount, pay via credit card, and have Melio deliver the payment by ACH or check. The landlord doesn’t have to accept cards or join Melio.

Businesses can use a free Melio plan that includes up to 5 ACH transfers per month, but there is a 2.9% standard card processing fee.

Commercial mortgage payments can be paid with Melio, but you can’t use a credit card to fund them. It can’t be used for personal rent or residential mortgages.

Hot Tip:

Upgraded Points readers can get a $200 gift card after completing your first payment of at least $500 using any payment method. You must be a new Melio user to qualify for the promotion.

Final Thoughts

Paying for your mortgage or rent with a credit card can earn valuable rewards, but it has drawbacks, including fees and credit score risk. Consider whether the rewards you can earn from your mortgage or rent payment are more than the fees you’d pay, whether you can pay your balance in full to avoid credit card interest, and if your credit score can handle an increase in credit utilization.