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Old Oct 7, 2023, 1:25 pm
FlyerTalk Forums Expert How-Tos and Guides
Last edit by: Dr Jabadski
Bilt Rewards Mastercard WikiPost

(10/7/23 Original author (Dr Jabadski) note: As I posted here on 9/9/23 Considering Ive been salivating about simple no-cost points-etizing (like monetizing) my condo payments for about 25 years, I see Bilt as a game changer. I should have added almost a Holy Grail (a thing that is eagerly pursued or sought after). I successfully applied for a Bilt Mastercard 1 month ago thus Im far from an expert. Both before and after approval I posted multiple questions many times on this thread and several other FTers were highly gracious and informative. Thought a WikiPost might save some others a good deal of time, effort and aggravation, at least in not repeating my questions and searching for the answers. I certainly hope the experts will edit and update this WikiPost as necessary. Im also exercising Writer's Prerogative to officially coin the term pointsetize, like monetize convert into or express in the form of currency, to earn points from payments which otherwise would not earn points.)

Bilt Rewards Mastercard (Bilt MC) was first launched in mid-2021, in good part as a no fee way to charge and pointsetize rent payments. (Perhaps the only no fee way to pointsetize rent payments.) There are multiple reports of earning Bilt points for paying condominium monthly maintenance/common charges, sometimes even when the word condo or condominium is in the transaction description.

Bilt MC is a personal credit card, WF reports credit card information to the various credit bureaus and Bilt MC will count toward Chase 5/24.

This post and this post (both from 9/7/23) describe shutdown reports perhaps related to micro transactions, fluctuating rent payment amounts or multiple rent payments. This 10/11/23 post includes several references to Reddit user quotes about shutdowns and several Reddit Bilt quotes in response.

Links to Bilt Rewards Terms of Use and Evolve Bank & Trust (Bilt Technologies) Customer Account Agreement. The Terms state Bilt may make available to you a Bilt Rent Account (Account), which is a transaction bank account that can be used by you solely to make rent payments. The Agreement states: For the avoidance of doubt, the Account is a transaction bank account that can be used by you solely to make rent payments. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not an account that you may use to deposit or withdraw funds for any other purposes outside of rent payments.

Bilt MC is a metal card weighing ~16 grams (comparisons: AmEx biz plat 18.5 gm, AmEx Gold 15 gm, Chase Sapphire Reserve 13 gm, traditional plastic card 5 gm).

Bilt Mastercard is issued and managed by Wells Fargo. Bilt Rewards is a separate website and app (which contains some credit card information but not as much as WF website).

Most reports are of instant approvals, Wells Fargo reconsideration phone number and experiences are not well documented. Reported initial Credit Limits vary $4,000 - $30,000 with higher limits more commonly reported. This post (9/1/23) describes one instance of a Something went wrong message upon application and the steps toward approval several days later.

In March/April 2025 Bilt initiated a new and different process for paying rent and HOA fees which requires preauthorization and/or "auto-pre-authorization" within 5 days of payment. Rent payments can be made in multiple different ways. Bilt will provide a (bank) routing number and account number. ACH rent payments can be sent (deposited) by Bilt or withdrawn by a managing company.

Bilt MC is shipped via trackable no-signature-required First Class mail in a small (4.5 x 6.5) white box with unique packaging inside as pictured at the bottom of this post. As of Feb 2024 no reports of expedited shipping.

Reports on this thread starting in late November 2023 indicate this "quasi-SUB" may be offered randomly and/or only to some people, selection criteria unknown. This post may be the only report of being offered the quasi-SUB prior to Bilt Mastercard application, based on existing Bilt Rewards account. Bilt's quasi-SUB" is offered via an email and a text message notification the same day as card receipt informing of 5x/5 days/max 50K (email quoted verbatim in this post). (Quasi* due to very short duration in contrast to many traditional SUBs of 3 month duration.) Please note this quasi-SUB maxs out at $12,500 (not $10,000) and tax payments will count. No reports yet of returns and their effect on quasi-SUB. (* quasi- a combining form meaning resembling, having some, but not all of the features of, used in the formation of compound words: quasi-definition; quasi-monopoly; quasi-official; quasi-scientific.)

Newly earned Bilt points will display as pending until 5 transactions per statement cycle. After 5 transactions, points will post and become available shortly after a transaction, before statement date. The Bilt Rewards website has a transaction counter which disappears upon reaching 5.

Bilt points for linking partner programs (100 points each) and for adding a credit card to Bilt Wallet (100 points each for first 3) post immediately. Original author received 500 point bonus for first rent payment.

Bilt Rewards points are transferable at 1:1 usually within a few minutes to multiple different airline and hotel programs.

Theres discussion of the long term viability of Bilt with some of those posts linked at the bottom of this post after BREAK.

Bilt Status Tiers: Blue - anyone enrolled in Bilt Rewards with under 25,000 points, Silver - 25,000 points earned, Gold - 50,000 points earned, Platinum - 100,000 points earned. Tier status earned at any point in a year remains active through the end of the following year. Earn Interest on Points (Silver, Gold, Platinum Tiers) is minimal, discussed on this post and this post.

Bilt Points Quest Trivia was discontinued as of July 2024. Bilt Points Quest Trivia on the first of each month offers up to 250 points for correctly answering, within 10 seconds, 6 (out of 15-20) questions. Must get first 5 questions (10, 20, 30, 40, 50 points) correct to see the 6th bonus 100 point question. Theres often a Reddit thread with the Q & A. (Point Quest - October 2023 Answers) The lower half of this post has comments from a highly experienced test taker regarding memory, recall and studying for Points Quest Trivia.

Bilt Rent Free may also have been discontinued in 2024 or 2025. Bilt also has various RentFree games, available a few days prior to and/or on the 1st of the month, different people get different games. Could be a Family Feud style question with enough time to Google answers or a Where's Wally? (Bilt Brick) type of game or something else. Successful completion enters to be one of 3 people for whom Bilt pays their monthly rent (up to $2500).

List of Bilts Rent Day promotions going back to October 2022 at the bottom of the page here: DEALSPOINTS.

June 2024: Bottom of this post describes one persons experience paying a significant assessment (and earning points) with Bilt MC, at this time (only 3 weeks later) no report of clawback or shutdown (based on using Bilt to pay rent more than once a month and/or for something other than rent/condo fees).

June 2024: Bottom of this post contains Bilt quotes regarding Bilt BiltProtect.

June 2024: Important post (and link) stating that WF is losing money every month on Bilt.
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Old Dec 12, 2023 | 4:04 pm
  #511  
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I just got the card and am wondering if I should use it for my more expensive mortgage payment or my HOA fees which are only like 1k. Anyone have Fifth Third bank and gotten points for paying their mortage?
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Old Dec 12, 2023 | 4:26 pm
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Originally Posted by gracetheyoung
I just got the card and am wondering if I should use it for my more expensive mortgage payment or my HOA fees which are only like 1k. Anyone have Fifth Third bank and gotten points for paying their mortage?
-looking straight into the camera-

Only 1000 in Condo fees you say?

That said, I don't see why it wouldn't work if your mortgage bank allows it. Just don't put both on it, thats likely not gonna work.
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Old Dec 12, 2023 | 4:32 pm
  #513  
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Originally Posted by gracetheyoung
I just got the card and am wondering if I should use it for my more expensive mortgage payment or my HOA fees which are only like 1k. Anyone have Fifth Third bank and gotten points for paying their mortage?
I really, really think Bilt will cut you off if try to use this for a mortgage.
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Old Dec 12, 2023 | 6:17 pm
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Mom received a $5 check for APR displayed incorrectly.
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Old Dec 12, 2023 | 6:44 pm
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Originally Posted by josephstern
I really, really think Bilt will cut you off if try to use this for a mortgage.
Yeah, I wouldn't risk it myself.

Originally Posted by Smiley90
Just don't put both on it, thats likely not gonna work.
The property management company that collects my HOA dues charges a $2.95 flat fee for an ACH or debit payment if I have them initiate the payment that is a separate transaction, but I haven't had any issues with two transactions. I amortize the fee across multiple months, so I'll only have the second data point in January. Also, while there's no cost to mailing a check, I have no confidence that Bilt will send a timely payment, and I've read about there being problems with Bilt mailing checks.
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Old Dec 13, 2023 | 6:00 am
  #516  
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Originally Posted by Majuki
The property management company that collects my HOA dues charges a $2.95 flat fee for an ACH or debit payment if I have them initiate the payment that is a separate transaction, but I haven't had any issues with two transactions.
This is pretty common these days for rent/HOA payment platforms, so Id expect a fair amount of Bilt users are having a small fee charged monthly via a second ACH.
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Old Dec 13, 2023 | 6:47 am
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Originally Posted by dw
This is pretty common these days for rent/HOA payment platforms, so Id expect a fair amount of Bilt users are having a small fee charged monthly via a second ACH.
I thought Bilt only allowed one ACH per month? E.g. one rent payment or one condo payment.
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Old Dec 13, 2023 | 8:05 am
  #518  
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Originally Posted by dw
This is pretty common these days for rent/HOA payment platforms, so Id expect a fair amount of Bilt users are having a small fee charged monthly via a second ACH.
Yes - I have a second charge for $2.49 I think. Not a problem.
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Old Dec 13, 2023 | 1:42 pm
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Originally Posted by Smiley90
I thought Bilt only allowed one ACH per month? E.g. one rent payment or one condo payment.
That was my initial concern, especially since the $2.95 fee cleared first.
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Old Dec 14, 2023 | 7:28 am
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My first billing period just cycled so I'm now in the second. Last month, there was a bar with 5 segments that changed color as I used the card so I knew I'd get the points for my rent. Anyone know where that is (I can't find it now)?
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Old Dec 14, 2023 | 8:22 am
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Originally Posted by fredc84
My first billing period just cycled so I'm now in the second. Last month, there was a bar with 5 segments that changed color as I used the card so I knew I'd get the points for my rent. Anyone know where that is (I can't find it now)?
In the app, go to Wallet -> Bilt card

There should be a "Recent transactions" heading just below the black "Make a payment" bar.

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Old Dec 14, 2023 | 8:27 am
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Originally Posted by josephstern
In the app, go to Wallet -> Bilt card

There should be a "Recent transactions" heading just below the black "Make a payment" bar.

Interesting, after "Recent Transactions" it says "Start earning points this statement period by using your Bilt Mastercard." then no bar, then "Statement period ending 01/12/24"
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Old Dec 14, 2023 | 8:30 am
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Originally Posted by fredc84
Interesting, after "Recent Transactions" it says "Start earning points this statement period by using your Bilt Mastercard." then no bar, then "Statement period ending 01/12/24"
Maybe you need one to get the bar started, like I have? Not sure.
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Old Dec 14, 2023 | 8:33 am
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Originally Posted by josephstern
Maybe you need one to get the bar started, like I have? Not sure.
Need one what? If you mean "need a charge," last month the bar was there before I made my first charge.
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Old Dec 14, 2023 | 8:44 am
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Originally Posted by gracetheyoung
I just got the card and am wondering if I should use it for my more expensive mortgage payment or my HOA fees which are only like 1k. Anyone have Fifth Third bank and gotten points for paying their mortage?
Originally Posted by Smiley90
-… Just don't put both on it, thats likely not gonna work.
Originally Posted by josephstern
I really, really think Bilt will cut you off if try to use this for a mortgage.
Originally Posted by Majuki
Yeah, I wouldn't risk it myself….
Excellent advice. Bilt T&C and their bank’s Agreement are repetitively specific that it’s only “rent payments”.

As per the Wiki: Links to Bilt Rewards Terms of Use and Evolve Bank & Trust (Bilt Technologies) Customer Account Agreement. The Terms state “Bilt may make available to you a Bilt Rent Account (“Account”), which is a transaction bank account that can be used by you solely to make rent payments.” The Agreement states: “For the avoidance of doubt, the Account is a transaction bank account that can be used by you solely to make rent payments. For the avoidance of doubt, this is not an account that you may use to deposit or withdraw funds for any other purposes outside of rent payments.”

Fortunately for many of us, condo fees are close enough for government work that Bilt recognizes them as rent. When my condo fees were ACHed from my bank account prior to my Bilt account, the bank listed the transaction as “ABC Condo Rent”, so maybe in some unique financial accounting systems categorizations condo fees ARE rent.

Regardless, at the most basic level, paying a mortgage via Bilt (in the expectation of points) would truly be “looking a gift horse in the mouth” and “biting the hand that feeds you” at the same time. My advice is the same as that of the esteemed authors' replies quoted above, it’s a bad idea.

Originally Posted by fredc84
My first billing period just cycled so I'm now in the second. Last month, there was a bar with 5 segments that changed color as I used the card so I knew I'd get the points for my rent. Anyone know where that is (I can't find it now)?
(Sorry if out of true chronological order, I was composing it while the posts immediately above posted.)

Me too. I saw it once, a month or 2 ago and then not again.

I just paid my WF MC bill, currently at 0 transactions. I did find the screenshot snip below: “Wallet” tab of main page, about halfway down. Perhaps that’s the counter?

FWIW, it was relatively simple to change my Bilt MC statement date, a 3-5 minute call to WF. The agent could only discuss “payment due date” so I did the calculation, just added 10 days to my original due date.

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