Bilt Rewards Program: How to Pay Rent with Bilt and Earn 1X Points on Rent

Rent is often a significant expense, but Bilt’s rewards program turns it into an opportunity. Bilt lets you pay your rent with your Bilt credit card (Bilt Mastercard) without fees – and earn rewards points in the process. 

Let’s take a look at how the rent payment system works with Bilt, how to use Bilt to pay rent, and highlight the benefits. Our goal is to explain how to pay rent with Bilt and why it’s a game changer for renters who want to earn points on their largest monthly bills.

How Does Bilt Rent Payment Work?

Bilt is a rewards program (with an accompanying no-annual-fee Bilt Mastercard) that allows renters to pay rent through the Bilt app or website and earn points – all without transaction fees​. Normally, paying rent with a credit card incurs a 2-3% processing fee that can wipe out any rewards, but Bilt covers those fees for its users​.

Whether your landlord is part of Bilt’s partner network or not, Bilt provides a solution:

Bilt Alliance Properties (In-Network)

If you live in a Bilt Rewards Alliance property (one of over 4 million units in Bilt’s network​), paying rent is seamless. These properties have an official partnership with Bilt, and rent payment systems are integrated​. 

You’ll pay your rent directly through the Bilt app or website, after linking your apartment unit to your Bilt account​. Bilt will then transfer the rent to your property manager behind the scenes. 

In-network rent payments can be made via ACH or card without fees, and even tenants without the Bilt credit card can earn a base 250 points per month by paying through Bilt​. (Bilt Alliance residents also have the option to enroll in rent reporting to boost their credit score by reporting on-time payments​).

Non-Bilt Alliance Landlords (Out-of-Network)

If your landlord doesn’t accept credit cards or isn’t in Bilt’s network, you can still pay rent with Bilt. Bilt offers a feature called BillPay for out-of-network rent payments​. Through BillPay, Bilt can facilitate your rent in one of two ways:

Via Your Landlord’s Online Portal or Digital Payment (ACH/ETF)

Bilt will generate a unique routing and account number (a “Bilt Rent Account”) for you​. You add this bank account info to your landlord’s payment site (or person-to-person apps like PayPal/Venmo) and use it to pay rent. When that virtual bank account is debited, Bilt automatically charges your Bilt Mastercard for the same amount, earning you points​. This effectively lets you pay rent online with the Bilt credit card even if the landlord only accepts ACH transfers. 

For security, you pre-authorize the payment amount in the Bilt app each month before using the portal – Bilt allows up to 110% of the authorized amount to account for slight variances, and blocks any payment that wasn’t pre-approved in the app​. You then have 5 days to go submit the payment in the portal after authorization​. (If it’s your first time, you’ll copy the provided account and routing number from the Bilt app and add it as a new bank payment method on your landlord’s site​. Bilt even supplies an address to use if the portal asks for one​).

Via Mailed Check

For landlords who only take checks or cash, Bilt will send a check on your behalf. In the Bilt app, you enter your rent amount and select “Check” as the payment method​. You’ll input the landlord’s name and mailing address for the check. 

Bilt then mails out a physical check for free via USPS First Class (5–7 business days) or, if you’re in a hurry, via FedEx 2-Day or Overnight for an extra $10–$30​. Your landlord simply receives the check and deposits it like any normal rent check – they don’t need to sign up for anything. 

This means even if your property manager says “no credit cards, check or Zelle only,” you can still use Bilt to pay rent by check and earn points (Bilt currently doesn’t support Zelle, however)​. The ability to send up to 3 rent checks per 30-day period is offered in case you split payments, though Bilt may flag unusually large or suspicious transactions​. 

If you pay roommates or family as landlords, Bilt may ask for a lease or documentation to prevent abuse of this feature​ (reddit.com).

In all cases, Bilt rent payments are fee-free for the tenant – Bilt charges your card with no added transaction fee and convert it into the appropriate form of payment to the landlord​. Even if your landlord doesn’t accept credit cards directly, you can still use the Bilt Mastercard to pay rent through these workarounds​. Essentially, Bilt either pays your landlord online via ACH (using the Bilt Rent Account as a bridge) or cuts a check to your landlord. From the landlord’s perspective, they get an ACH deposit or paper check as usual; from your perspective, the rent charge shows up on your credit card and earns rewards. It’s a win-win.

How to Pay Rent with Bilt: Step-by-Step Guide

Using Bilt to pay your rent is straightforward. Here’s how to use Bilt to pay rent step by step:

Join Bilt and Set Up Your Account: Download the Bilt Rewards app (or visit the Bilt website) and create a free account. If you live in a Bilt Alliance property, link your apartment by searching for your property name/unit in the app so that you’re “connected to your unit”​. If not, you can still add your home address manually for record-keeping.

Add a Payment Method: Link your Bilt Mastercard in the app. (If you don’t have the Bilt credit card yet, you can still use Bilt’s rent payment features with a linked bank account or another card, but you’ll only earn a flat 250 points on rent in that case​. The real rewards value comes with the Bilt Mastercard.) You can also enable BiltProtect, which ties a bank account to your Bilt card – with BiltProtect on, your rent charge will be debited from your bank account (avoiding using up your credit line) while still earning points​. This is handy if your rent is very high or near your credit limit, or if you want to avoid interest entirely.

Go to the “Pay Rent” tab: In the Bilt app, tap the Pay Rent tab. Enter your monthly rent amount in the field provided​. (If your building is in-network, you may see your balance due automatically – you can choose to pay the full amount or a partial amount if needed​).

Choose Payment Method (Online or Check): After entering the amount, Bilt will ask how you want to pay.

If your landlord is in the Bilt Alliance, you’ll likely just confirm paying with your Bilt Mastercard or linked account and Bilt will process it internally (you won’t need to choose ACH vs check – it’s handled via the integration).

If your landlord is not in-network, you’ll see options like “Online” (portal/ACH) or “Mail a Check.” For example, if you normally pay via an online portal (or PayPal/Venmo), select the online payment/ACH option. Bilt will display the routing and account number for your dedicated BillPay account and may prompt you to enter the name of your landlord or property manager. If you haven’t used it before, copy the provided account details and add that as a bank payment method in your landlord’s system​. On the other hand, if you choose “Check,” you’ll be prompted to fill in the recipient name and mailing address for your landlord to receive the check​. (You’ll also choose whether to send via free USPS or paid FedEx shipping at this step.)

Screenshot from the site Support Biltrewards

Review and Confirm: Double-check the amount and details. If mailing a check, confirm the delivery method. If using BillPay (online), the app will ask you to authorize the payment. This creates that pre-authorization window during which you need to go complete the payment on your landlord’s site. Once everything looks correct, hit “Pay” The app will show a confirmation that your payment was submitted or authorized​.

Complete Payment in Portal (if applicable): This step only applies if you choose the online portal/ACH method. After authorizing in Bilt, log in to your landlord’s payment portal within 5 days and initiate the rent payment using the saved Bilt bank account details​. (Make sure to match or stay under the authorized amount – Bilt allows a little wiggle room up to 110% of what you entered, to account for things like utilities or fees​.) When the portal pulls the funds, Bilt will charge your Bilt Mastercard for that same amount. If you don’t submit the payment in the portal, the authorization will expire after 5 days.

Get Confirmation: If you paid via the Bilt app directly (Alliance or check), you’re done – Bilt will process the payment to your landlord. You can view your payment status and history in the app (and even track if a check was delivered or cashed)​. If you paid via your landlord’s site using BillPay, you should get the normal payment confirmation from that site, and Bilt will send a notification or email once the charge to your card is triggered.

That’s it! Your rent is paid, your landlord receives the funds in their normal way, and you earn Bilt points for the transaction. 

It’s wise to set this up a few days before your rent is due, especially if using the mailed check option (since USPS can take 5-7 business days)​. You can also set up autopay in the Bilt app for future rent payments – for example, you can schedule a check to be mailed every month automatically or authorize a recurring amount for BillPay​.

Benefits of Paying Rent with Bilt (No Fees + Rewards)

Why pay through Bilt instead of just writing a check or using another service? 

There are several key benefits of paying rent through Bilt:

1. No fees: Bilt is the only program that allows you to pay rent by credit card with no fees for the tenant.

For example, if your rent is $3,000, you pay $3,000 through Bilt and earn points on it, whereas a 3% fee elsewhere would add $90 to your expenses

2. Earn 1x points on rent: When you pay rent with your Bilt Mastercard, you earn 1 point for every dollar in Bilt Rewards points, up to an annual limit of 100,000 points (equivalent to $100K in rent). If you pay $2,500 in rent, that means 2,500 Bilt points you earn each month. There’s also a monthly minimum of 250 points – if your rent is less than $250, Bilt will award 250 points. 

Rewards for everyday spending: The Bilt Mastercard is a full-fledged credit card with 3 points for restaurants, 2 points for travel, and 1 point for other purchases. 

Many renters use the Bilt as their primary card to accumulate points for groceries, restaurants, and more, in addition to rent. (It’s important to note that rent and utilities always pay 1x – they don’t qualify for the bonus category – but Bilt often offers promotions to make earning even more, as we’ll see on Rent Day).

3. Build a credit history: Bilt can help you build a credit history with your rental payments. For Bilt Alliance residents, Bilt offers free rent reporting to the major credit bureaus. 

Paying your rent on time can have a positive impact on your credit score (whereas usually rent is not reported at all). 

4. No annual fee: The Bilt Mastercard has no annual fee, so it doesn’t cost you anything to use it. In fact, you get your rental rewards for free if you pay your card bill in full each month (otherwise, interest will negate its value). 

The conditions are 5 transactions per month: To unlock your Bilt Mastercard earnings, please note that you must make at least 5 card purchases during each billing cycle. 

This is a unique requirement: if you use your card less than 5 times in a month, you will not earn any activity points for that month. (Bilt will still award you the base 250 points for paying rent if you don’t meet this requirement, but you will forfeit the remaining points for rent and other expenses.) Rent counts as one of those 5 swipes, so if you use your Bilt card for four other small purchases (a cup of coffee, a bus pass, etc.), you’ll meet the 5-transaction threshold and earn your points in full. Once you reach 5 purchases, all of your points for that billing period will become active and redeemable (until then, they show as pending).

Bilt Rent Day: Monthly Promotions for Renters

Bilt makes the first day of each month something to look forward to. “Bilt Rent Day” (on the 1st of every month) is a special monthly event when Bilt cardholders and members get extra rewards and perks. Below are the highlights of Rent Day and how they relate to rent.

On the first of the month, Bilt Mastercard holders earn bonus points on non-rent purchases. For 24 hours, all your spending (except rent and a couple of excluded categories like gift cards or tax payments) earns double rewards​. This means dining is 6x points (instead of 3x), travel is 4x (instead of 2x), and other purchases are 2x (instead of 1x) for that day​. Rent payments still earn 1x on Rent Day – they are not doubled​. Bilt intentionally excludes rent from the double points promo (likely because that could be a huge windfall for high rents). So, if you pay rent with Bilt on Rent Day, you’ll get the usual 1x points, not 2x. However, you can maximize Rent Day by doing things like scheduling other big purchases or bills on the 1st. For example, some cardholders will wait to book travel or buy a new appliance on the first of the month to get the Rent Day double points bonus. You might also buy gift cards on Rent Day to your favorite grocery or gas station, effectively pre-paying those expenses while earning 2x on them​. 

Bilt recently capped the bonus you can earn on Rent Day to a maximum of 1,000 extra points per Rent Day (previously it was uncapped up to 10k)​. This cap means the double points will apply to roughly the first $500–$1,000 of spend that day (depending on categories) – still plenty for most people, but heavy spenders should be aware of the limit.

Bilt’s Rent Day also includes fun promotions. One of the main promotions is the Rent Free game, which gives participants a chance to win the next month’s rent from Bilt. 

Rent Free is essentially a contest that you play in the Bilt app on the day of your rental. Each month, Bilt offers a game (often featuring social media influencers or themed trivia) where participants answer questions or make choices. The top players can win a free month’s rental (up to a certain amount, such as $2,500), and other players with the most points can win bonus Bilt points (e.g., 1,000 points for the next 100 second-place participants).

So don’t forget to open your Bilt app on the 1st and join the Rent Day activities – you might get some free points, and if you’re really lucky, Bilt will pay your rental bill.

Other Rent Day privileges: Bilt often runs additional Rent Day promotions. They vary from month to month. Travel enthusiasts are offered a 100% bonus on points transferred to a specific airline on this day only. 

From a rent perspective, the main direct impacts are the free rent raffle and the double points that encourage you to move some non-rent related expenses to the 1st of the month. This doesn’t change the way rent is paid (other than encouraging you to log in on that day), but it does add additional value and engagement for Bilt members.

Final Thoughts

For renters, Bilt has transformed a normally unrewarded (and painful) payment into a points-earning opportunity. Paying rent with Bilt is straightforward and doesn’t require your landlord to do anything special – you can pay rent online with Bilt or have Bilt mail a check, all while charging your Bilt Mastercard with no extra cost to you. In return, you earn Bilt Rewards points on what is likely your biggest monthly expense. Over a year, those points can add up significantly – and might fund your next vacation flight or be put toward your next rent payment. The program’s Bilt Rent Day promotions (like double point day and the Rent Free lottery) further sweeten the deal, giving renters extra reasons to be engaged on the first of the month.

Bilt’s rent payment feature is the best for those who want to make money from renting a house, compared to other services that also allow you to pay rent using any card, such as Plastiq and PlacePay (their commission is ~3%). Venmo / PayPal services are free for cash, but don’t offer bonuses (and also charge ~3% for using the card). 

Zelle and checks are free, but also don’t earn rewards. 

Only Bilt offers to pay rent online or by check with no fees and still earn points. Bilt points are best redeemed for airline miles or hotel points.

The main drawback of the Bilt is that you need to have (or get) a Bilt Mastercard to fully unlock the 1 point for every dollar of rent. If you’re not interested in another credit card, you can still join the Bilt Rewards program and earn 250 points per month on your rent by linking your bank or other card, but 250 points (~$5 in travel) is modest compared to, say, the 2,000+ points you’ll get with the Bilt card for a typical rental. Most renters who are serious about the benefits of credit cards will find the Bilt card to be worth it, especially since it has no annual fee.