Best Credit Card for Rent 2026: Bilt vs Plastiq vs ACH alternatives
Bilt is the only no-fee transferable-points card that earns directly on rent. Plastiq charges a 2.85% fee but works with any card. Is paying rent on a points card worth it? Here is the 2026 math.
- 1x points on rent with no merchant fee — works at most apartment buildings and management companies via Bilt's payment system.
- Cap of 100,000 points/year on rent — equivalent to ~$8,333/month in rent before the cap kicks in.
- 3x dining, 2x travel, 1x other on non-rent spend.
- 5-transaction rule: To earn category bonus points, you must make 5+ transactions during the statement cycle (rent counts toward the 5).
Rent is most renters' single largest monthly expense — and historically, no credit card would let you earn points on it without a fee. Bilt Mastercard, launched in 2021, changed that: it's the only no-annual-fee credit card that earns transferable points (1x) on rent payments with no merchant fee. For renters, it's the closest thing to a "free" points machine. Here is the 2026 math compared to alternatives.
The Bilt Mastercard: how it works
- 1x points on rent with no merchant fee — works at most apartment buildings and management companies via Bilt's payment system.
- Cap of 100,000 points/year on rent — equivalent to ~$8,333/month in rent before the cap kicks in.
- 3x dining, 2x travel, 1x other on non-rent spend.
- 5-transaction rule: To earn category bonus points, you must make 5+ transactions during the statement cycle (rent counts toward the 5).
- Rent Day: 1st of each month, points earning doubles plus occasional 100% transfer bonuses.
- No annual fee.
Bilt Rewards transfer 1:1 to 17 airline + hotel partners including American AAdvantage, United, Aeroplan, Air France-KLM Flying Blue, Avianca LifeMiles, Hyatt, IHG, and more.
Plastiq: the alternative for any card
Plastiq is a third-party service that charges your credit card and writes a check to your landlord. The math:
- 2.85% fee per transaction. On a $2,500 rent payment, the fee is $71.25.
- Best with cards earning 3x+ on rent-eligible categories. Most cards earn 1x on rent through Plastiq, so you net 1¢ - 2.85¢ = -1.85¢ per dollar (a loss).
- Useful for sign-up bonus minimum spend. If you have a card with a $10,000 spend / 100,000-point bonus, putting rent on it via Plastiq accelerates the bonus — and the 2.85% fee is offset by the bonus value.
The Bilt vs Plastiq math
| Scenario | Bilt | Plastiq |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly rent $2,500, 12 months | 30,000 points/year (no fee) | ~30,000 points/year minus $855 fees |
| Rent Day double-up scenario (transfer bonus active) | 60,000+ points possible | Plastiq has no Rent Day equivalent |
| Sign-up bonus minimum spend acceleration | Counts as 1x rent toward minimum | 2.85% fee accepted as cost of acceleration |
| Cards that earn category bonus on rent | Bilt Mastercard only | None reliably |
For pure rent earning, Bilt wins by a wide margin. Plastiq is useful only as a vehicle for accelerating sign-up bonuses or hitting spend thresholds.
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Other rent-earning options
- RentTrack: Earns Bilt points equivalents (1x) on rent at participating buildings; some buildings prefer RentTrack over Bilt's direct integration.
- Apartment management portals (Yardi, RealPage): Some accept credit cards directly with a 2.5-3% convenience fee. Worth using only for sign-up bonus spend.
- Bilt Plus partnership buildings: Some Bilt-partnership buildings offer additional points (0.5x-1x extra) on rent paid via Bilt. Verify with your building's leasing office.
The Bilt 5-transaction rule explained
To earn the 1x-3x category bonus on the Bilt Mastercard, you must make 5+ transactions during the statement cycle. Rent payments count. If you make fewer than 5 transactions in a cycle, you earn 0 points on all spend that cycle.
This is unusual for a no-fee card and is the most common reason new Bilt cardholders see lower-than-expected earnings. Most cardholders hit 5 without thinking (rent + 1-2 dining + 1-2 grocery = 4-6 transactions), but if you put everything else on a different card, this is a real gotcha.
Bottom line
For renters, the Bilt Mastercard is the cleanest "free" points-earning vehicle in the credit card market. At 1x on rent with no fee, no annual fee, and 17 transfer partners, it's the most straightforward path to earning meaningful flexible points without changing spending habits. Plastiq is useful only for accelerating sign-up bonuses or hitting spend thresholds — the 2.85% fee is generally not worth absorbing for ongoing earn. The 100,000-point/year cap on rent earning corresponds to roughly $8,333/month in rent, which covers most US renters; high-rent markets (Manhattan, San Francisco) may exceed the cap.
Compare rent-earning cards on Pointify →
Last verified by the Pointify research team on May 1, 2026, against current Bilt Mastercard terms and Plastiq pricing. The 100,000-point/year rent earning cap and 5-transaction-per-cycle rule still apply as of this update. Verify current terms before applying.
About the author
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The Pointify team analyzes loyalty programs, fare data, and booking strategies across 300+ airlines and major award programs. Our goal: help you get maximum value from every point and mile.
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