Great Card If
- You want a travel rewards credit card — that earns points on your rent or mortgage payments — all without an annual fee.
- You want to access Bilt Rewards’ valuable suite of airline and hotel transfer partners.
Don’t Get If
- You want to earn more than 1x points on your everyday purchases.
- You’re looking for more robust travel and lifestyle benefits.
Bilt Blue Card — Is It Worth It?
Issued by Cardless, the Bilt Blue Card (rates & fees) retains many of the core value propositions that made the legacy Bilt Mastercard so popular, even as that original card is no longer open to new applicants.
Most notably, the Bilt Blue Card still carries a $0 annual fee (rates & fees) but now serves as the entry-level option in Bilt’s revamped lineup. There are some major structural changes to the Bilt Rewards loyalty program that also impact how the Bilt Blue Card earns rewards:
- Unlimited 1x points on rent and mortgage payments
- Earn 1x points and 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday purchases
You’ll still earn Bilt Points, but as of February 7, 2026, Bilt Cash becomes an additional currency within the Bilt Rewards ecosystem. Bilt Cash is a flexible currency that can unlock enhanced transfer bonuses, expanded travel and lifestyle redemptions, but perhaps most importantly, the ability to earn the full 1x points on rent.
Every $30 in Bilt Cash unlocks the ability to earn 1,000 points for housing payments. Let’s break this down with a clear example:
- If you spend $3,000 per month on the Bilt Blue Card for nonhousing purchases, you’d earn 3,000 points and $120 in Bilt Cash.
- If your rent costs $2,000, redeeming $60 in Bilt Cash would allow you to earn the full 2,000 points (1x) on your monthly rent.
- If you don’t have enough Bilt Cash (because you haven’t spent enough on nonhousing purchases), you can choose to pay a 3% transaction fee (rates & fees) to earn the full points, or skip the fee and earn fewer points.
Bilt Blue Card Top Benefits and Perks
The Bilt Blue Card gives you access to the rich Bilt Rewards program, and benefits include:
For cardholders looking for elevated rewards and additional perks with Bilt, there are also 2 new premium alternatives: the Bilt Obsidian Card (rates & fees) and the Bilt Palladium Card (rates & fees).
Hot Tip:
Beginning January 14, 2026, cardholders will be able to seamlessly transition and select their new Bilt card from the 3 options by January 30, 2026. Existing cardholders remain eligible for a welcome offer, and applying for a new line will not impact their existing credit history. All Bilt Card 2.0 accounts will officially go live on February 7, 2026.
Best Ways To Earn and Redeem Bilt Points
The Bilt Blue Card doesn’t offer bonus categories; instead, it caters to cardholders who want to preserve the ability to earn points on rent or mortgage payments. The card earns 1x points on everyday purchases, making it important to calculate how much Bilt Cash you’ll need to earn from everyday spending to unlock the full number of points on your rent — and determine whether the card fits your spending habits.
That said, the strength of the card lies in the broader Bilt Rewards program, which continues to improve year after year. Bilt offers some of the most valuable transfer partners available, including Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards and World of Hyatt, allowing members to score strong value when redeeming points.
In addition to transfers, points can be redeemed through Bilt Travel, toward future rent or mortgage payments, and for rideshare services, statement credits, eligible student loan payments, or even a home down payment, though redemption values vary by option.
Alternative Cards to the Bilt Blue Card
If the math feels overwhelming, the Freedom Unlimited card is an easy, $0-annual-fee option. It earns 5% back on travel booked through the Chase Travel portal, 3% back on dining and drugstore purchases, and 1.5% cash back on all other spending.
The Freedom Unlimited card can also earn Chase Ultimate Rewards points when paired with a premium Chase card, such as the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card or the Chase Sapphire Reserve®.
And if your landlord allows rent payments by credit card, you could earn 1.5% back on rent with the Chase Freedom Unlimited card — though you’ll likely pay a transaction fee of around 3%, depending on your situation. Even so, earning 1.5% back on rent could be more rewarding (and potentially much simpler) than the Bilt Blue Card, which earns just 1x points on rent.
If you’re looking for another $0-annual-fee rewards card for utmost simplicity, the Citi Double Cash card is an excellent choice. It offers a straightforward earning structure — 2% cash-back on all purchases (1% when you buy and 1% when you pay, earned as ThankYou Points) — with no caps or bonus categories to track.
You’ll have access to all Citi ThankYou Rewards transfer partners — though at a reduced rate. You will need a premium Citi travel credit card to unlock additional transfer partners, but it also grants access to the Citi ThankYou Rewards ecosystem, allowing you to continue expanding your options.