Bilt Blue Card review: No-annual-fee rewards on rent or mortgage
Editor's Note
The Bilt Blue Card (see rates and fees) is the entry-level, no-annual-fee card for Bilt Rewards members.
This card earns flexible Bilt Points and Bilt Cash (if you choose) at a flat rate on all nonhousing purchases, plus unlimited points on rent and mortgage payments (up to 1.25 points per dollar spent). You'll need to regularly spend on the card to unlock full rewards on housing payments.
Bilt points are the most valuable rewards currency available, per TPG's January 2026 valuations. These points are valued at industry-leading 2.2 cents apiece and are transferable to a stellar list of 23 transfer partners, including Alaska Airlines Atmos Rewards, United Airlines MileagePlus and World of Hyatt.
New cardholders receive $100 in Bilt Cash after applying and being approved. Current cardholders of the Wells Fargo-backed Bilt Mastercard® are eligible for this offer.
The Bilt Blue Card is a solid entry point to understanding how Bilt Rewards works. However, it doesn't provide many additional benefits, and some cardholders may find that limiting. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½
*Card rating is based on the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
The information for the Bilt Mastercard has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.
Bilt Blue: The basics
The Bilt Blue Card is best for flat-rate rewards and those who don't want to pay an annual fee. Here's what to know.
- Annual fee: $0.
- Bilt Cash earning structure: Earn 4% Bilt Cash on all nonhousing purchases if you elect this option.
- Bilt points earning structure: Earn 1 point per dollar spent on everyday purchases.
- Housing earning structure: Earn up to 1.25 points per dollar spent through the tiered-rewards option, or up to 1 point per dollar spent if you opt to earn Bilt Cash.
- Welcome bonus: Earn $100 in Bilt Cash after you apply and are approved. Current Bilt Mastercard cardholders are eligible for this offer.
Bilt Blue pros and cons
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Bilt Blue key benefits
With no annual fee, the Bilt Blue Card is a stripped-down card with very few benefits.
This is especially evident when comparing it to its two sister cards, the $95-annual-fee Bilt Obsidian Card (see rates and fees) and $495-annual-fee Bilt Palladium Card (see rates and fees).
The Bilt Blue Card's two primary perks are cellphone protection and no foreign transaction fees.
You won't receive any statement credits on the Bilt Blue Card.
Related: Earn rewards on a budget with these no-annual-fee credit card strategies
How Bilt points work
How to earn Bilt points
The Bilt Blue Card earns:
- 4% Bilt Cash on all nonhousing spending†
- 1 point per dollar spent on all nonhousing purchases‡
- Up to 1 point per dollar spent on mortgage and rent payments
†Keep in mind that if you opt for the tier-rewards option, you won't earn Bilt Cash.
‡Tax payments and purchases with online resale marketplaces (such as eBay or Facebook Marketplace) do not earn points.
Bilt Cash explained
Bilt Cash is redeemable for purchases made within the Bilt Rewards platform. Here are some examples of ways you can use it:
- Fitness classes
- Home delivery orders
- Hotel bookings
- Lyft rides
- Unlock points on mortgage and rent payments; redeem $30 in Bilt Cash to earn 1,000 Bilt points on mortgage or rent payments, up to the full price of your housing payments
You have to redeem Bilt Cash or hit a spending threshold to earn points on housing payments. Because of this, it's important to be sure you spend on the Bilt Blue Card often enough to unlock full points-earning capabilities.
If you pay $2,000 in rent, you'll need to redeem $60 in Bilt Cash to earn 2,000 points on that payment. If you redeem just $30 in Bilt Cash, you'll earn 1,000 Bilt points instead. You won't pay a transaction fee.
Most of your Bilt Cash will expire at the end of each calendar year. Just $100 in Bilt Cash rolls over to the next year.
If you choose to earn through the tiered-rewards option, you'll need to spend 75% of what your housing payment costs in order to earn a full 1 point per dollar spent.
With the same $2,000 rent cost, you'll need to spend $1,500 on nonhousing purchases on your card in the same month to earn 2,000 points on your housing payment. If you spend $2,000 in the same month, you'll earn 2,500 points (thanks to the 1.25-points-per-dollar multiplier). There is no transaction fee with this option.
How to redeem Bilt points
You'll get closest to TPG's valuation of Bilt points at 2.2 cents apiece by transferring them to one of Bilt's 23 airline and hotel partners.
There are multiple partners that provide high value, but some of our favorites are Air Canada Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue and Southwest Airlines Rapid Rewards.
I frequently transfer my Bilt points to Atmos Rewards for short-haul domestic American Airlines flights. I've previously used 4,500 points to book a one-way flight from Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT) to Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport (SDF) to visit a friend.
I also recommend Bilt loyalists check out World of Hyatt, which provides fantastic value on hotel stays thanks to its lucrative award chart.
You could also redeem points toward:
- Amazon.com purchases directly
- Bilt Collection purchases
- Bilt Travel portal bookings
- Fitness classes
- Next month's rent or mortgage
We don't recommend these redemptions, however, since they yield values lower than our valuation of Bilt points.
Drawbacks to consider
The Bilt Blue's welcome bonus is the most underwhelming in the Bilt Card 2.0 suite, so if you want more Bilt Cash or points up front, you may want to apply for the Bilt Obsidian Card or Bilt Palladium Card instead.
Additionally, some cardholders could find it overly complicated to calculate how much spending is required on the Bilt Blue Card to earn full points on their housing payment. With the tiered-rewards option, it could be challenging for some cardholders to spend enough on the card to unlock up to 1.25 points per dollar on housing expenses.
This no-annual-fee card also lacks benefits and comprehensive protections. You'll also never earn more than 1 point per dollar spent on nonhousing payments and 4% Bilt Cash on any purchase, which could be limiting to some cardholders.
Comparing the Blue to other Bilt cards
You'll find more benefits and elevated earning rates on the other two Bilt cards. The Bilt Obsidian Card is excellent for earning bonus Bilt points in two categories (dining or groceries up to $25,000 a year, and travel) while enjoying a modest list of perks for $95 a year.
The top-tier Bilt Palladium Card charges $495 and provides the highest level of additional benefits and credits, along with 2 Bilt points per dollar on all nonhousing purchases.
Keep in mind that the other Bilt cards charge annual fees, so the trade-off for fewer benefits is that you won't have to pay any annual fee on the Bilt Blue Card.
Related: Current Bilt cardholders: Key dates and deadlines as Bilt transitions to new card options
Bottom line
The Bilt Blue Card is the best choice for Bilt Rewards fans who want to avoid an annual fee at all costs. It's a good option if you'll spend frequently enough on it to earn full rewards on your rent or mortgage.
However, if you find the Bilt Blue Card's lack of bonus categories and benefits too limiting, you'll be better off with either the Bilt Obsidian Card or Bilt Palladium Card — just keep in mind you have to pay an annual fee with these cards.
And, if the structure of earning rent and mortgage rewards is too complicated, you may want to check out other travel cards or even a cash-back option.
Apply here: Bilt Blue Card
For rates and fees of the Bilt Blue Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Bilt Obsidian Card, please click here.
For rates and fees of the Bilt Palladium Card, please click here.