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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 Apr 28, 2024 | 6:44 pm
  #766  
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Originally Posted by Dr Jabadski
Have these payments been initiated by your property management company withdrawing an ACH payment from Bilt/WF OR by having Bilt/WF send an ACH payment. If the latter, perhaps you would be kind enough to reply to the questions above (in this post). Thank you.
The former - payment initiated by my HOA withdrawing from my Bilt account.
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Old Apr 29, 2024 | 1:28 pm
  #767  
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Interesting situation. I had the card when it was issued by Evolve. Somehow there were some fraudulent charges ten days ago, card cancelled and new one sent. I just got the new one, and I got the email for "5X points for 5 days" which I thought was odd.

Checked my credit report and my Bilt account is showing as closed. I notice on the 5X points email that it says Bilt | Wells Fargo. I suspect my card had to be moved from Evolve to Wells Fargo as part of this process. I have a bad feeling that this new card is going to show up as a brand new account on my report, which sucks for 5/24 and age of accounts.

I never use this card anywhere physically so I don't know how it was successfully attacked, but if you do have an old Evolve card, be warned that if it needs to be replaced it seems you're going to be moved to WF.
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Old Apr 29, 2024 | 4:17 pm
  #768  
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Originally Posted by nexusCFX
Interesting situation. I had the card when it was issued by Evolve. Somehow there were some fraudulent charges ten days ago, card cancelled and new one sent. I just got the new one, and I got the email for "5X points for 5 days" which I thought was odd.

Checked my credit report and my Bilt account is showing as closed. I notice on the 5X points email that it says Bilt | Wells Fargo. I suspect my card had to be moved from Evolve to Wells Fargo as part of this process. I have a bad feeling that this new card is going to show up as a brand new account on my report, which sucks for 5/24 and age of accounts.

I never use this card anywhere physically so I don't know how it was successfully attacked, but if you do have an old Evolve card, be warned that if it needs to be replaced it seems you're going to be moved to WF.
On the flip side, great way to get another 5x for 5 days if you have an Evolve version!
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Old Apr 29, 2024 | 4:46 pm
  #769  
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Originally Posted by josephstern
On the flip side, great way to get another 5x for 5 days if you have an Evolve version!
Well, I didn't KNOW that was gonna happen so I hadn't lined up any spend. Now I've gotta come up with something! Probably gonna pay my car lease for the month and upcoming registration renewal at least.

Also, I don't really trust it so I did a bunch of transactions to hit the 5 I need, and I need to make sure they actually get 5X points before I put any big spend on.
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Old Apr 29, 2024 | 4:59 pm
  #770  
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Originally Posted by nexusCFX
Well, I didn't KNOW that was gonna happen so I hadn't lined up any spend. Now I've gotta come up with something! Probably gonna pay my car lease for the month and upcoming registration renewal at least.

Also, I don't really trust it so I did a bunch of transactions to hit the 5 I need, and I need to make sure they actually get 5X points before I put any big spend on.
Buy some gift cards for your grocery store? Shouldn't be a charge to do so and you're just front-loading the spend a bit. That's what I often do in these situations.

Also maybe car insurance and utility/cellphone bills?
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Old Apr 29, 2024 | 5:01 pm
  #771  
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Originally Posted by josephstern
Buy some gift cards for your grocery store? Shouldn't be a charge to do so and you're just front-loading the spend a bit. That's what I often do in these situations.

Also maybe car insurance and utility/cellphone bills?
I can already 4 or 5X a lot of things via gift cards cuz of Chase Ink Cash, so Bilt is kind of meh for that.
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Old Apr 29, 2024 | 8:30 pm
  #772  
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Maybe there are other data points about the credit impact when cards moved from one issuer to another. E.g., Costco (Amex -> Citi).
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Old Apr 29, 2024 | 8:32 pm
  #773  
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Originally Posted by nexusCFX
… Now I've gotta come up with something! ….
Pretty sure estimated tax payments can be paid at any time.
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Old Apr 29, 2024 | 8:58 pm
  #774  
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Originally Posted by Dr Jabadski
Pretty sure estimated tax payments can be paid at any time.
Bilt is notorious for not awarding the rent day 2X for tax payments, claiming they are ineligible. Any recent DPs that the 5X works for them?
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Old Apr 29, 2024 | 11:56 pm
  #775  
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Originally Posted by notquiteaff
So the timeline as I understand it is:

Wed 4/17 (night) applied and approved
Fri 4/19 card shipped
Mon 4/22 card received

I dont quite understand what you mean by I registered - perhaps when you received the card and confirmed that to WF? Other people seemed to indicate in the past that Bilt is tracking the shipment and that delivery triggers the email - which would still match your timeline.

Thanks!
I thought it was sent after I validated my card but must be when the the card arrives. My card arrived 4/22 but the 5x bonus lasted till 4/28.
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Old Apr 30, 2024 | 5:43 am
  #776  
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Originally Posted by nexusCFX
Bilt is notorious for not awarding the rent day 2X for tax payments, claiming they are ineligible. Any recent DPs that the 5X works for them?
Link in the Wiki:
Originally Posted by NYC Flyer
(9/11/23) It's already documented in this thread that tax payments qualify for bonus points (including the startup bonus). Keep in mind that the 5x offer is maximized with $12.5K in spend, not $10K.
Personally, in September 2023 I met the 5 day quasi-SUB with IRS payment of $6k and NYS payment of $4k (fees additional) then another NYS payment of $2.5k after reading the quote above.
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Old May 1, 2024 | 6:11 am
  #777  
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PointQuest answers May 2024 (curated from r/biltrewards)

Honey: Food doesn't go bad

Memorial day: was not public holiday earlier

May Pole: European festival where they dance around what ?

Ottawa: Capital of Canada

Costume Department: New york Metropolitan museum

Kentucky Derby: Fastest two minutes in sports held every May

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Vine: Lele Pons was the most followed woman on this app

The Office was not based in New York

Hummingbird is the only bird that can fly backwards

K represents Potassium

Unicorn: The national animal of Scotland


May the 4th be with you: Star Wars

Ryan gosling SNL skit: Papyrus

Taylor swift TTPD: Post Malone

Titanic Rose’s necklace: heart of ocean
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Old May 14, 2024 | 8:21 am
  #778  
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I went ahead and applied for this card. The transfers to Hyatt, Alaska, and FlyingBlue in addition to the 2x rent day bonus were enough to push me over the edge. Seems like a great complement to my Chase setup. I was approved; $30k limit, hard pull on EX. The card arrives on Saturday and I have some charges planned in the (hopefully likely?) event I get the 5x offer.

Adding the card to Apple Pay worked fine, although I was only able to add it to my phone. It won't add to my watch. I'm going to guess that's because the card's actual CVV doesn't match the temporary one that's in the app.

We are homeowners so the rent feature is sort of useless unless or until mortgage payments become a thing with Bilt. I plan on paying our water bill through the ACH system until then.
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Old May 15, 2024 | 9:47 am
  #779  
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Interesting decision regarding Bilt, rent/condo payments and manufactured spend.

Just notified of a new assessment, $15,717 one-time (affordable) check only payment OR $308.22 added to monthly Bilt ACH payment for 60 months (total $18,493, ~18%). I’ll do all I can to have them do one-time payment by Bilt ACH but don’t expect success.

Much as I covet and adore miles and points, even with Bilt rent points being “free” (of additional fees) $2776 (over 5 years) seems like a high extra amount for an additional 18,493 Bilt points, ~$0.15 per point.

Wondering how others look at it. Thank you.
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Old May 15, 2024 | 10:16 am
  #780  
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Originally Posted by Dr Jabadski
Interesting decision regarding Bilt, rent/condo payments and manufactured spend.

Just notified of a new assessment, $15,717 one-time (affordable) check only payment OR $308.22 added to monthly Bilt ACH payment for 60 months (total $18,493, ~18%). Ill do all I can to have them do one-time payment by Bilt ACH but dont expect success.

Much as I covet and adore miles and points, even with Bilt rent points being free (of additional fees) $2776 (over 5 years) seems like a high extra amount for an additional 18,493 Bilt points, ~$0.15 per point.

Wondering how others look at it. Thank you.
I'd try pushing that through Bilt as a one-time expense. Worst case, I guess, they close you down. But more likely, they'd just not give you points for that expense.
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