Bilt Blue Card

The Bilt Blue is the free entry point to the only mainstream rewards program that earns points on rent and mortgage payments without charging a transaction fee for the privilege. Since the program's rework, that earning is no longer automatic. Rent and mortgage earn up to 1.25x, scaled by how much you put on the card elsewhere, so the housing payment is now a reward for using the card rather than a standalone perk. Everyday spending earns 1x, and there is an optional mode that pays 4% in Bilt Cash instead of points. New cardholders get $100 in Bilt Cash on approval, and approval generally starts at good credit, roughly 670 or higher. In practice you have to decide which version of the card you are holding. As a points card, the appeal is the transfer partner list, which is strong for a product with no annual fee, and the housing payment is the only place most people can earn a travel currency on their single largest monthly expense. As a cash card, the 4% Bilt Cash mode is simpler and easier to value but takes the points side off the table. Either way, the scaled earn on rent means the card only pays properly if you route real everyday spending through it, which sits awkwardly with the fact that its everyday rate is just 1x, well below what a basic cash back card returns. There is no annual fee on the Blue, and the paid siblings sit at $95 for the Obsidian and $495 for the Palladium, so the free tier is the sensible place to test whether the program suits your life before paying for a higher one. The borrowing terms are the weak point and deserve a blunt reading. The regular APR is 26.74% to 34.74% variable, high even by current standards, and the introductory offer is a reduced 10% APR on purchases for 12 billing cycles rather than the 0% most competitors provide. There is no foreign transaction fee. The card is issued by Column N.A. and serviced by Cardless under the Bilt brand, so support is not a large bank operation. Do not take this card intending to carry a balance. At 26.74% to 34.74%, a single month of revolving can wipe out a year of rent points. It is also a weak choice if you own your home outright, if your landlord already accepts cards at no cost, or if you simply want a strong everyday rate, because 1x on general spending is the poorest part of the offer.