Oct 7, 2023, 1:25 pm
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.
Linksto 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.
(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
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.
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 Rent Free may also have been discontinued in 2024 or 2025.
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.
Bilt Mastercard
Aug 2, 2024 | 9:41 pm
#946
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS Plat, AA EP, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton Dia, Hyatt Glob, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 21,475
They dont want your spend on rent day only.
Aug 3, 2024 | 9:18 am
#947
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,679
Right, but their total non-rent charge volume (i.e., the volume on which they can collect interchange fees) will precipitously decline now by a meaningful amount - I'm guessing 20-50%.
I'm still not sure if they make or lose money on each charge though.
I'm still not sure if they make or lose money on each charge though.
Aug 3, 2024 | 10:35 am
#948
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS Plat, AA EP, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton Dia, Hyatt Glob, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 21,475
If they really lose 20-50% of their charge volume, would that be solely because of people who only used the card on rent day? If so, washing them out of the program seems to be the plan. But if they also lose everyday spend that people were making on top of the rent day charges, that wouldn’t seem good. But Bilt, of course, has the data that shows how people are using the card. If I had had the card, I probably would have only used it for dining (everyday, to gamble with potential rent day transfer bonuses) and rent day double earnings purchases.
In the end, profitability also very much depends on the details of the redemption deals and how cardholders use the points. Maybe those massive bonus deals on rent day transfers don’t cost them a lot if foreign carriers try to use them to break into the US market. And now few people will be able to reach high enough status to get those big bonuses in transfers, it seems.
Aug 3, 2024 | 1:55 pm
#949
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Upper Sternistan
Posts: 10,679
The doubled travel (4X) and dining (6X) charges on rent day were probably massively unprofitable. Everything else at 2X was probably not very profitable either, considering that unlikely other card issuers they presumably split whatever is left of the merchant fees with WF in some form.
If they really lose 20-50% of their charge volume, would that be solely because of people who only used the card on rent day? If so, washing them out of the program seems to be the plan. But if they also lose everyday spend that people were making on top of the rent day charges, that wouldnt seem good. But Bilt, of course, has the data that shows how people are using the card. If I had had the card, I probably would have only used it for dining (everyday, to gamble with potential rent day transfer bonuses) and rent day double earnings purchases.
In the end, profitability also very much depends on the details of the redemption deals and how cardholders use the points. Maybe those massive bonus deals on rent day transfers dont cost them a lot if foreign carriers try to use them to break into the US market. And now few people will be able to reach high enough status to get those big bonuses in transfers, it seems.
If they really lose 20-50% of their charge volume, would that be solely because of people who only used the card on rent day? If so, washing them out of the program seems to be the plan. But if they also lose everyday spend that people were making on top of the rent day charges, that wouldnt seem good. But Bilt, of course, has the data that shows how people are using the card. If I had had the card, I probably would have only used it for dining (everyday, to gamble with potential rent day transfer bonuses) and rent day double earnings purchases.
In the end, profitability also very much depends on the details of the redemption deals and how cardholders use the points. Maybe those massive bonus deals on rent day transfers dont cost them a lot if foreign carriers try to use them to break into the US market. And now few people will be able to reach high enough status to get those big bonuses in transfers, it seems.
Sure, their data show where the charges went, but the psychology of a card losing its luster is going to be a little more complicated to calculate out.
I also think that all of the Bilt evangelists (me among them) who've been out there telling everyone, renter or not, to get this card will tone it down and recommend other cards instead. But they've also started advertising pretty heavily, so it's not all about word-of-mouth anymore.
Anyway, I also doubt this is the last of the negative changes unfortunately. I'm guessing we'll see something along the lines of rent only getting a point per $2 or something (which, granted, is still better than nothing).
Aug 4, 2024 | 4:02 pm
#950
Join Date: Oct 2021
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 552
So I was definitely pretty unprofitable for them with the vast majority of my non-rent charges coming on rent day for taxes, insurance payments, expensive travel purchases, etc. I had already secured platinum for next year with nearly 60k of non-rent spend YTD. I'm going to wait and see how the rent days promotions look for the rest of this year and early next year to decide where to put those charges going forward, but I'm skeptical it'll be worth the opportunity cost of putting it on other cards, especially if they're capping the transfers at 50k like they did with Alaska going forward. I still plan to use it for rent and dining and some smaller charges on rent day, up to the 1k cap.
Aug 5, 2024 | 9:01 pm
#951
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 535
I'm confused. What do only 15% of BILT users have the BILT credit card? What value do NON BILT credit card holders derive if they don't get full points for their rent?
Thanks.
Thanks.
Aug 5, 2024 | 9:23 pm
#953
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: SQ Gold, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Caesars Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Atmos Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,228
You can also link your non-Bilt credit or debit card to Bilt and earn purchases on restaurants. Similarly, you can also earn points on Lyft.
Lastly, you can pay rent with a non-Bilt credit card and pay a 3% fee. You earn 250 points by doing this but it isnt advisable.
Aug 6, 2024 | 8:22 am
#954
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS Plat, AA EP, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton Dia, Hyatt Glob, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 21,475
I wonder how many non-renter people are there like yours truly who created an account a while ago (maybe mid/early 2023) with the idea of perhaps signing up for the credit card and in the meantime played the rent day trivia game to earn a few points every month. I never ended up getting the card, but transferred around 5000 points to AS recently (life changing, I know). And I did it twice because I also managed an account for my wife.
Aug 6, 2024 | 12:30 pm
#955
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: NYC suburbs
Programs: UA LT Gold 1.2MM (BIS), AA LT Plat (SUBs, BD/Bask), Hilton Dia (CC), Hyatt Glob (BIB), et. al.
Posts: 4,587
Q&A with Richard Kerr, VP of travel at Bilt Rewards Aug. 01, 2024
For example, only 15% of Bilt Rewards members also carry our cobranded Bilt credit card, and we found an incredibly small percentage of them were consuming a disproportionate amount of resources, taking away from what we could offer to the broader base.
For example, only 15% of Bilt Rewards members also carry our cobranded Bilt credit card, and we found an incredibly small percentage of them were consuming a disproportionate amount of resources, taking away from what we could offer to the broader base.
Aug 6, 2024 | 7:50 pm
#956
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 535
If you live in a property that has a partnership with Bilt (https://www.biltalliance.com, they claim 4M+ properties), I think you can pay directly with the app without the credit card. I dont live in one so maybe someone else can provide more color.
You can also link your non-Bilt credit or debit card to Bilt and earn purchases on restaurants. Similarly, you can also earn points on Lyft.
Lastly, you can pay rent with a non-Bilt credit card and pay a 3% fee. You earn 250 points by doing this but it isnt advisable.
You can also link your non-Bilt credit or debit card to Bilt and earn purchases on restaurants. Similarly, you can also earn points on Lyft.
Lastly, you can pay rent with a non-Bilt credit card and pay a 3% fee. You earn 250 points by doing this but it isnt advisable.
I wonder how many non-renter people are there like yours truly who created an account a while ago (maybe mid/early 2023) with the idea of perhaps signing up for the credit card and in the meantime played the rent day trivia game to earn a few points every month. I never ended up getting the card, but transferred around 5000 points to AS recently (life changing, I know). And I did it twice because I also managed an account for my wife.
Without commenting about don't get full points for their rent, Bilt Rewards is (basically) a loyalty rewards program with transferable points, like Chase UR and AmEx MR. The Bilt Credit Card is 1 way to earn points in the program. NON BILT credit card holders can earn and transfer/redeem Bilt Rewards points.
Aug 6, 2024 | 8:02 pm
#957
Join Date: Jan 2020
Programs: SQ Gold, Marriott Lifetime Platinum, Caesars Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Atmos Silver, IHG Platinum
Posts: 2,228
I found a Reddit thread where it said if you live in a Bilt Alliance property as a non carhdholder you only get 250 points instead of 1x.
If you generously say that the Bilt points are worth 2cpp, 24k points per year is $480 per year or $960 every two years. If you count this as one of your 4 personal SUBs per two years, you can find better SUBs than that. Not counting the 5x for the first 5 days with max $10k spend.
The other answer is ... a lot of people find credit cards scary and don't want to apply for new ones?
If you generously say that the Bilt points are worth 2cpp, 24k points per year is $480 per year or $960 every two years. If you count this as one of your 4 personal SUBs per two years, you can find better SUBs than that. Not counting the 5x for the first 5 days with max $10k spend.
The other answer is ... a lot of people find credit cards scary and don't want to apply for new ones?
Aug 6, 2024 | 8:24 pm
#958
Join Date: Jul 2016
Posts: 535
If you live in a property that has a partnership with Bilt (https://www.biltalliance.com, they claim 4M+ properties), I think you can pay directly with the app without the credit card. I dont live in one so maybe someone else can provide more color.
You can also link your non-Bilt credit or debit card to Bilt and earn purchases on restaurants. Similarly, you can also earn points on Lyft.
Lastly, you can pay rent with a non-Bilt credit card and pay a 3% fee. You earn 250 points by doing this but it isnt advisable.
You can also link your non-Bilt credit or debit card to Bilt and earn purchases on restaurants. Similarly, you can also earn points on Lyft.
Lastly, you can pay rent with a non-Bilt credit card and pay a 3% fee. You earn 250 points by doing this but it isnt advisable.
I found a Reddit thread where it said if you live in a Bilt Alliance property as a non carhdholder you only get 250 points instead of 1x.
If you generously say that the Bilt points are worth 2cpp, 24k points per year is $480 per year or $960 every two years. If you count this as one of your 4 personal SUBs per two years, you can find better SUBs than that. Not counting the 5x for the first 5 days with max $10k spend.
The other answer is ... a lot of people find credit cards scary and don't want to apply for new ones?
If you generously say that the Bilt points are worth 2cpp, 24k points per year is $480 per year or $960 every two years. If you count this as one of your 4 personal SUBs per two years, you can find better SUBs than that. Not counting the 5x for the first 5 days with max $10k spend.
The other answer is ... a lot of people find credit cards scary and don't want to apply for new ones?
Aug 6, 2024 | 9:43 pm
#959
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Pacific Northwest
Programs: UA Gold 1MM, AS Plat, AA EP, Bonvoy Plat, Hilton Dia, Hyatt Glob, IHG Plat, ...
Posts: 21,475
SADLY, none of these explain why only 15% of BILT users have got the credit card because that's the only mechanism that gets you 1 point per $1 of rent. The avg rent in the USA is $2K, which means an easy 24,000 points each year. Why do 85% of BILT users choose to forego this?
I agree that if I was a renter, I would have been more inclined to get a Bilt Mastercard, too. But if we igore the (unpredictable) rent day transfer bonuses, the earnings of the card didn't really beat other cards in my fleet (say, my CSR), so without a guaranteed SUB I was never convinced that getting the card was worthwhile for me.
Aug 7, 2024 | 7:40 pm
#960
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: District of Columbia
Programs: AA ExecPl, AF Gold, Hyatt Globalist,IHG Diamond, Hilton Diamond, Delta Gold
Posts: 2,670
Thought this was kind of interesting: my building management recently switched to one who is a Bilt partner. This showed up in the elevator a couple of days ago - so the building seems to have some incentive to promote it.
