- Earns points for paying rent without charging a fee
- Full travel rewards program
- No annual fee
- Build credit history when you pay rent
- Double rewards on the first of every month (except for rent payments)
- No foreign transaction fees
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Updated April 3, 2024
Earning travel rewards for paying rent is a nice perk. That’s exactly what the card_name does. And because the card_name doesn’t charge a fee for paying rent with a credit card, you don’t have to pay to earn rewards.
The features of the card don’t stop there. It earns extra rewards for dining and travel purchases. To top it off, card_name has a comprehensive travel rewards program that rivals any of the best players in the travel rewards space. And that’s for a no-annual-fee card.
Yes, it is that good. But it’s not for everyone. Here’s our review of the card_name, including the features, fine print, drawbacks, and competitors.
Bilt Mastercard®
Bilt Mastercard®
Credit score needed
credit_score_needed
Regular APR
reg_apr,reg_apr_type
Annual fees
annual_fees
TIME’s Take
For renters with good credit, this card is worth considering. It earns rewards for making rent payments and is the only card on the market to do so without charging a transaction fee.
Those rewards are quite valuable thanks to the Bilt Rewards program, which includes a full slate of some of the best transfer partners—among them Hyatt, Marriott, and American Airlines.
The card doesn't offer a sign-up bonus, however, which would make it even more valuable to cardmembers.
Pros and cons
Pros:
Cons:
- No sign-up bonus
- No points for paying a mortgage with the card
- Balance transfer fee up to 5%
- Need to remember to make five transactions on the card to be eligible for earning points
Who is the card for?
The card_name is made for renters. Earning points for paying rent is a great way to build a stash of points for the vacation you’ve always wanted to take.
If you’re a homeowner, you’re not out of luck. Because of the transfer travel partners, promotional offers, and rewards earned on dining and travel purchases, it’s still a worthwhile card, especially considering there is no annual fee.
To qualify, the card does require a higher credit score, so if you’re building credit, you might have to sit the bench on this one until you qualify.
Features
The card_name’s features are pretty impressive. As mentioned earlier, it’s the only card that earns rewards for paying rent without charging a fee. But there are more features that also make this card worth considering.
Rewards for paying rent
You can earn up to 100,000 points each year by paying your rent with your Bilt credit card. There is no fee for paying rent with the card and you can have Bilt send a check to your landlord if they don’t accept credit card payments. You are limited to paying rent on just one property in a 30-day period.
Rewards structure
Beyond what the card earns for paying rent, you’ll also be entitled to earn rewards though bonus categories. The card earns 3x on dining and 2x on travel purchases. For all other purchases (including rent), rewards are earned at one point per dollar spent.
Travel partners
card_name has an impressive array of travel transfer partners. This translates into potentially valuable redemptions. Travel partners include:- Avianca.
- American Airlines.
- IHG.
- Turkish Airlines.
- Air France.
- Virgin Atlantic.
- Iberia.
- British Airways.
- United.
- Aer Lingus.
- Hyatt.
- Marriott.
- Emirates.
- Hawaiian Airlines.
- Cathay Pacific.
- Air Canada.
Double points on rent day
On the first of every month, you can earn double points on every spending category. The 3x purchases on dining purchases turn into 6x, the 2x purchases on travel turn into 4x, and you earn 2x on all other purchases (except rent).
Reports rent payments
The card_name reports your rent payments to the three credit bureaus. On-time payments can build your credit history and score in a very favorable way.
Earn Bilt status
Points earned through your purchases count towards Bilt Rewards status.
Car rental insurance
You’re eligible for car rental insurance when you pay for the entire cost of a rental car with your card_name and decline the coverage offered by the car rental company. This can save you money on your car rental and help pay for accidents and thefts that occur while you’re traveling.
The fine print
The terms and conditions of the card_name are similar to those of many other credit cards. You’re looking at the following rates and fees:
- Regular APR: reg_apr,reg_apr_type.
- Annual fee: annual_fees.
- Foreign transaction fees: foreign_transaction_fee.
- APR for cash advances: cash_advance_apr.
- Cash advance fee: cash_advance_fee.
- Balance transfer fee: balance_transfer_fees.
- Foreign currency conversion fee: None.
- Layment payment fee: Up to $40.
Additional hidden perks
Travel benefits
The card_name comes with a full slate of travel benefits. These include: trip cancellation and interruption coverage, trip delay reimbursement, and auto rental collision damage waiver.
Lyft credits
When you take three Lyft rides in a single month, you’re eligible for a $5 credit. It doesn’t seem like a huge benefit, but if you take a lot of Lyft rides, you can save $60 over the course of a year.
Cellphone protection
When you pay your cellphone bill with your card_name, you’re protected in case of theft or damage to your cell phone (see terms and conditions for more details).
Purchase Protection
You have 90 days of purchase protection from theft and damage when you buy covered items with the card.
What could be improved
If there’s one downside to the card_name, it’s that there’s no sign-up bonus. But that’s the tradeoff for a no-annual-fee card that earns points for paying rent.
Alternatives
| Credit score needed | credit_score_needed | credit_score_needed |
|---|---|---|
| Regular APR | reg_apr,reg_apr_type | reg_apr,reg_apr_type |
| Annual fees | annual_fees | annual_fees |
| Bonus rewards full | bonus_miles_full | bonus_miles_full |
TIME Stamp: A solid choice for renters
The card_name is worth having in your wallet, particularly for renters. There is no other card that earns travel rewards for paying rent, and without charging a transaction fee or an annual fee.
The rewards earnings rate is good and the transfer partners are excellent. The main question prospective cardholders will want to ask is whether they can get enough value out of the card if they’re not renters. Is 3x earnings on dining and 2x on travel purchases enough if you’re not earning points for paying rent? Then again, there is still no annual fee, so it could make sense for a lot of people from different walks of life.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Is it easy to get approved for the card_name?
The card_name requires good to excellent credit for approval. If you’re still new to credit, try building your credit history and score before applying for the card_name.
Does card_name help your credit score?
The card_name can help your credit score as on-time payments are reported to the credit bureaus. Payment history accounts for 35% of your FICO credit score.
Can I use card_name to pay rent?
Yes. You can pay your rent using the card_name. You earn rewards every time you pay rent using the card.
Can I pay my mortgage with card_name?
No. It’s not possible to pay your mortgage with the card_name.
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