Last updated: October 2026
In February 2026, Bilt retired the Wells Fargo Bilt Mastercard and launched Bilt Card 2.0: three cards issued by Column N.A. (serviced by Cardless) — Blue, Obsidian, and Palladium. Same transferable Bilt Rewards currency, but a new housing earn design, mortgage support, and a clearer good/better/best lineup.
Try it in the optimizer: Enter your rent or mortgage plus everyday spend in our credit card optimizer. MaxPoints models Bilt’s Housing-only spend-ratio tiers (up to 1.25x) when recommending Blue, Obsidian, or Palladium alongside cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred or American Express Gold.
What changed from Bilt 1.0
| Topic | Old Bilt Mastercard | Bilt Card 2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Cards | One Wells Fargo Mastercard | Blue / Obsidian / Palladium |
| Issuer | Wells Fargo | Column N.A. (Cardless) |
| Housing | Rent (as marketed); flat 1x in many guides | Rent, mortgage, and HOA via Bilt |
| Housing earn | Flat 1x (+ old caps / 5-txn rule) | Housing-only tiers up to 1.25x, or Flexible Bilt Cash (4% Bilt Cash on everyday) |
| 5 transactions/month | Required to earn full rewards | Gone |
| Fees | $0 | $0 / $95 / $495 |
Non-transitioned Wells Fargo Bilt accounts were converted toward Wells Fargo Autograph — that card is already in our catalog separately.
New since launch (September 2026): Bilt is rolling out product changes in a phased beta. Some Blue cardholders can upgrade to Obsidian or Palladium, some Obsidian cardholders can upgrade to Palladium, and downgrades go the other way. An upgrade to Palladium comes with its own bonus (50,000 points and Gold status after $4,000 of everyday spend in 90 days), but downgrading within 30 days after an annual fee posts reverses the old card’s welcome Bilt Cash.
Housing-only earn (what MaxPoints models)
With Housing-only rewards selected, your housing multiplier for a billing cycle depends on how much everyday (non-housing) spend you put on the card versus your housing payment:
| Everyday spend vs housing payment | Housing multiplier |
|---|---|
| Under 25% | Flat 250 points that cycle |
| ≥ 25% | 0.5x |
| ≥ 50% | 0.75x |
| ≥ 75% | 1.0x |
| ≥ 100% | 1.25x |
There is no transaction fee when you pay rent or mortgage through Bilt. Housing payments are designed so they do not consume your available credit line the way a normal card charge would.
Not modeled (yet): the alternate Flexible Bilt Cash path (4% Bilt Cash on everyday spend, redeemable toward housing points or Bilt ecosystem value). Our optimizer assumes Housing-only and estimates the tier from your calculator inputs (total non-housing spend vs rent/mortgage).
The three cards
Rates below reflect Bilt’s card pages as of October 2026. Portal and partner rates can change; confirm on bilt.com/card before applying. Welcome bonuses move often — treat them as temporary.
Bilt Blue Card — $0 annual fee
Best default for most renters who want transferable points without a fee.
- 1x on everyday purchases
- Bilt Travel portal: about 3x hotels / 2x flights (stacked with membership, as marketed)
- 3x Lyft (linked accounts)
- Up to 4x at Bilt dining partners (variable by restaurant)
- Housing-only: up to 1.25x on rent/mortgage/HOA
- No foreign transaction fees
- Welcome offer (October 2026): $100 of Bilt Cash
Bilt Obsidian Card — $95 annual fee
Pick one elevated category for the year: dining (uncapped) or grocery (3x up to $25k/year, then 1x). Dining is the default; you can switch within 30 days of approval and then once a year in January. MaxPoints lists both as separate catalog entries so the optimizer can match your spend.
- 3x dining or grocery (your annual choice)
- 2x other travel; higher rates through Bilt Travel (about 4x hotels / 3x flights)
- 3x Lyft; up to 6x at Bilt dining partners (stacked, as marketed)
- $100 Bilt Travel hotel credit ($50 semi-annually; typically 2-night portal stay required — friction applies)
- Housing-only: up to 1.25x
- Welcome offer (October 2026): $200 of Bilt Cash
Bilt Palladium Card — $495 annual fee
Premium tier for heavy everyday spenders who will use portal hotel credits and lounge access.
- 2x on everyday purchases (ex-housing)
- About 4x hotels / 3x flights via Bilt Travel; 4x Lyft; up to 5x at Bilt dining partners
- $200 annual Bilt Cash (rollover rules apply; often up to $100)
- $400 Bilt Travel hotel credit ($200 semi-annual; 2-night portal min)
- Priority Pass (cardholder plus 2 guests)
- Housing-only: up to 1.25x
- Welcome offer (October 2026): $300 of Bilt Cash, plus 50,000 points and Gold status after $4,000 of everyday spend in 90 days
Like other premium cards in our database, statement credits are stored for reference; the optimizer currently nets annual fee against earn value the same way it does for Chase/Amex products.
Transfer partners
Bilt Rewards still punches above a no-fee product’s weight. As of October 2026 it transfers to roughly two dozen airline and hotel programs, most at 1:1 (Accor is 3:2). Standouts for many redemptions remain Alaska Airlines (Atmos Rewards), United, World of Hyatt, and other strong lodging programs including Hilton, Marriott, IHG, and Wyndham (added March 2026). Amtrak Guest Rewards joined on September 23, 2026 at 2:1, Bilt’s first rail partner. Spirit Airlines was briefly a partner, but Spirit stopped flying on May 2, 2026. If a promo is live, it is listed on transfer bonuses.
Point valuations move. MaxPoints currently values Bilt at 2.2 cents per point for portfolio math — in line with aggressive transfer valuations, not cash-back floor value.
Which card should you get?
- Blue if you want housing rewards and transferable points with zero annual fee.
- Obsidian (Dining) if dining is a top category and you’ll use (or accept friction on) the $100 hotel credit.
- Obsidian (Grocery) if groceries dominate and you can stay under / plan around the $25k grocery cap.
- Palladium only if the hotel credit + Bilt Cash + Priority Pass are credits you’ll actually use — otherwise Blue or Obsidian usually wins on net value.
Use the optimizer with realistic housing and everyday spend. Housing tiers punish putting only rent on the card; you need meaningful everyday volume to unlock 1.0x–1.25x.
Portfolio fit
Bilt is still a specialist, not a complete wallet:
- Housing → Bilt (Blue for most people)
- Premium transferable earn → Chase Sapphire / Amex / Citi flagship as appropriate
- Category crushers → Freedom Flex / similar capped 5% cards for niche categories
Bilt’s dining/travel rates on Blue are modest; Obsidian’s 3x dining can compete when you don’t already run Amex Gold or Sapphire for restaurants.
Bottom line
Bilt Card 2.0 keeps the core promise — fee-free housing payments with transferable points — and expands it to homeowners, but housing earn is no longer a free flat 1x. You earn more when everyday spend on the card scales with rent or mortgage. Start with Blue unless your dining/grocery volume and credit usage clearly justify Obsidian or Palladium.
Rates, partners, and credits change. Always verify current terms on Bilt’s site before you apply.
