Which Bilt credit card is best for you?

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From our partners at Bilt

The Bilt 2.0 card rollout introduced a lot of new ideas in a short amount of time, giving us plenty to dig into as the program evolves. From refreshed card options to new ways of thinking about rewards like Bilt Cash, it’s clear there’s a bigger, more ambitious vision taking shape.

And now that the dust has settled, we're left with three shiny new cards: the Bilt Blue Card, Bilt Obsidian Card, and Bilt Palladium Card.

The biggest change is that Bilt isn't just for renters anymore, as you can now earn rewards on mortgage payments. The catch is that, unlike the old system where you could just pay rent and call it a day, you now need to actually use your Bilt card for other purchases to earn points on housing.

But the "right" Bilt card depends less on whether you rent or own, and more on how much you spend on your card each month. Let's dig into the details and figure out which one might be best for you.

First, here's a high-level look at how the three new cards compare across annual fee, welcome bonuses, earning rates, and more.

Blue Card: $0 (see rates and fees)
Obsidian Card: $95 (see rates and fees)
Palladium Card: $495 (see rates and fees)

Blue Card: $100 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved¹
Obsidian Card : $200 of Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved¹
Bilt Palladium: 50,000 Bilt points and Gold Elite Status after $4,000 of non-housing spend in the first 90 days. You’ll also get $300 in Bilt Cash when you apply and get approved.¹

Blue Card: 1x point per dollar on everyday purchases¹
Obsidian Card: 3x points on dining OR groceries (you choose annually; grocery capped at $25,000/year)¹, 2x points on travel¹, and 1x point per dollar on everyday purchases¹
Palladium Card: 2x points per dollar on everyday purchases¹

This component of rewards is the same across all three cards: Up to 1.25x points on rent and mortgage payments (based on your everyday spending) OR choose to earn 4% back in Bilt Cash on everyday spend¹

Bilt Blue: No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees)
Bilt Obsidian: No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), $100 Bilt Travel portal hotel credit (split semi-annually per calendar year)¹
Bilt Palladium: No foreign transaction fees (see rates and fees), $400 Bilt Travel portal hotel credit (split semi-annually per calendar year)¹, $200 Bilt Cash (annually)¹, Priority Pass airport lounge access (worth $469 per year). See Guide to Benefits.

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You have two paths for earning points on housing, but let's keep it simple and focus on the tiered system. It's based on how much you spend on everyday purchases on your card relative to your housing payment in a given billing cycle:

• Spend 25% of your housing payment on everyday purchases: Earn 0.5x points on housing payment that billing cycle¹
• Spend 50% of your housing payment on everyday purchases: Earn 0.75x points on housing payment that billing cycle¹
• Spend 75% of your housing payment on everyday purchases: Earn 1x points on housing¹
• Spend 100%+ of your housing payment on everyday purchases: Earn 1.25x points on housing payment that billing cycle¹

There's also a flexible Bilt Cash option you can choose instead where you earn 4% Bilt Cash on everyday spending (in addition to your points) and redeem it to "unlock" points earnings on housing payments¹. This is like "expert mode" — it can be worth it for some, but involves a lot more math.

Now that we know how the three cards break down, let’s look at where each one shines.

Bilt Palladium: For the big spender

The Bilt Palladium Card ($495 annual fee; see rates and fees) is for people who put basically everything on a single credit card, from utilities to car repairs and insurance.

It earns an unlimited 2 points per dollar on everyday purchases (excluding housing)¹. You also get a $400 Bilt Travel portal hotel credit (split into two semi-annual credits per calendar year)¹, $200 in Bilt Cash annually¹, Priority Pass lounge access (see Guide to Benefits), and a 50,000-point welcome bonus after spending $4,000 on non-housing purchases in the first 90 days¹.

Here's where it gets interesting. If you opt for earning Bilt Cash, you can use the points accelerator when you’re ready to redeem. By redeeming $200 in Bilt Cash, you unlock an extra 1 point per dollar on your next $5,000 of eligible spend on the card within the calendar year².

That means you can effectively earn 3x points per dollar on everyday spend for up to $25,000 a year, which is amazing.

Bilt Obsidian: For the foodie or traveler

The $95-per-year (see rates and fees) Bilt Obsidian Card is the sweet spot if you spend heavily on restaurants or grocery runs. You earn 3x points on either dining or groceries (you pick one category annually, but grocery is capped at $25,000 in spend/year), plus 2x points on travel and 1x on everyday purchases¹.

Plus, Obsidian cardholders can use the points accelerator feature, too. By redeeming $200 in Bilt Cash, you can boost your earnings to 4x points on dining or groceries, 3x on travel, and 2x on everyday purchases for your next $5,000 in eligible spend².

Bilt Blue: For the fee-conscious

If you prefer to avoid annual fees, the Blue Card is an easy call (see rates and fees). You earn 1x point per dollar on everyday spend¹ and can still access up to 1.25x points on housing if you use the card enough¹.

Yes, it lost a little luster compared to the old Bilt Mastercard, but it's a solid option if you want to stay in the Bilt card ecosystem.

Before you apply, consider the opportunity cost. Bilt credit cards work best as your primary card, which means shifting some spending away from other cards that might earn 4x on groceries or offer big welcome bonuses.

If you maximize the Palladium's $200 annual Bilt Cash credit, the effective annual fee is $295 (without counting the hotel credits; see rates and fees). To recoup that solely through everyday spending rewards versus a free 2% cash-back card, you need to put roughly $1,000 to $1,200 in spending on the card each month.

Still not sure which card to pick? Here's a simple decision tree:

• Is a $0 annual fee non-negotiable?
  • YES: Get the Bilt Blue (see rates and fees)
  • NO: Go to Question 2.
• Do you spend more on dining/groceries than most other categories?
  • YES: The Bilt Obsidian is your winner.
  • NO: Go to Question 3.
• Do you have high monthly expenses and want to maximize every point?
  • YES: Go with the Bilt Palladium.
  • NO: Loop back to the Bilt Obsidian.

The key is matching the card to your spending patterns. Do the math, check your statements from the last few months, and pick the card that fits your life.

Learn more: Apply for the new Bilt credit cards

¹Offer Terms
²Bilt Cash Terms.

Terms apply. Subject to approval and eligibility. Cardless Inc. is the servicer of the Bilt Cards. Cardless is a financial technology company, not a bank. Bilt Cards are issued by Column N.A., Member FDIC, pursuant to license from Mastercard International Incorporated.

This article may contain links through which we are compensated when you click on or are approved for offers, and we may receive compensation for sending traffic to partner sites. Points Path and Rakuten Marketing may receive a commission from card issuers. This compensation may impact how and where links appear in this article. This article does not necessarily include all financial companies or all available financial offers. The editorial content in this article is not provided by any of the companies mentioned, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Opinions expressed here are the author's alone.

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