Why the New Bilt Credit Cards Are Too Complex for Most People (And How to Fix It)

The New (Complicated) Rewards Structure

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You must choose between two earning systems:

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Option 1: Bilt Cash System

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• Earn 4% Bilt Cash on all non-housing spending
• Use Bilt Cash to waive a 3% fee that unlocks 1x points on rent/mortgage
• Example: $2,000 rent = $60 fee = need $1,500 in spending to earn enough Bilt Cash

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Bilt Cash Redemptions: GrubHub ($120/year max), Lyft ($120/year), Walgreens ($120/year), partner restaurants ($300/year), Gopuff ($60/year), hotel bookings, and more. Expires annually (only $100 rolls over).

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Option 2: Tiered Rewards System

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Points on housing tied to the non-housing spending ratio:

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• 25% spending ratio = 0.5x on housing
• 75% spending ratio = 1x on housing
• 100% spending ratio = 1.25x on housing

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Example: $2,000 rent + $2,000 non-housing spend = 1.25x points on rent.

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You can switch options monthly.

What Changed (And Why People Are Angry)

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Before: Make 5 transactions per month → automatically earn 1x points on rent with no fees.

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After: Choose between complex earning systems, track spending ratios and Bilt Cash, meet high spending thresholds, manage multiple caps and limitations.

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Additional Issues:

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• Longtime cardholders faced denials or reduced credit limits
• Key restrictions hidden in fine print (no points on tax payments, eBay, Facebook Marketplace)
• Housing payments now ACH from checking account (not charged to card)
• Executive dismissed complaints as "basement-dwelling redditors"

Are Bilt Points Still Valuable?

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Yes. Bilt Points remain highly valuable at ~2.2 cents each with excellent transfer partners: Southwest, Alaska, Air Canada, Air France-KLM, Hyatt, and Japan Airlines.

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The points haven't been devalued—they're just harder to earn.

Better Alternatives to Consider

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Instead of Bilt Blue:

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• Chase Freedom Unlimited®
• Citi Double Cash® Card

[[ COMPARE_CARD * {"ids": ["497", "580"], "bestCategoryIds":["17", "18", "19"], "bestForTexts":["Fantastic Cash Back Perks", "Simple Rewards"]} ]]

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Instead of Bilt Obsidian:

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• Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card

[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "509", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint": "Exceptional Travel Value"} ]]

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Instead of Bilt Palladium:

• Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card

[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "2888", "isExpanded": "true", "bestForCategoryId": "52", "bestForText": "Frequent Travelers", "headerHint" : "Luxurious Travel Benefits" } ]]

How Kudos Simplifies Bilt 2.0's Complexity

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If Bilt's potential value appeals to you but the complexity doesn't, Kudos can help.

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What Kudos Does

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Kudos is an AI-powered browser extension and mobile app that automatically optimizes your credit card usage:

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1. Automatic Threshold Tracking: No manual calculations—Kudos tracks your progress toward Bilt's spending requirements in real-time.

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2. Smart Card Recommendations: At checkout, Kudos tells you whether to use Bilt or another card based on:

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• Your current Bilt Cash balance and threshold progress
• Better earning rates on other cards you own
• Which option maximizes total rewards

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3. Monthly Optimization: Kudos helps determine which earning option (Bilt Cash vs. tiered rewards) makes sense based on your actual spending patterns.

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4. Multi-Card Strategy: Use Bilt strategically while automatically switching to better cards when optimal, maximizing housing rewards without forcing unnatural spending.

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5. Boost Cashback: Stack additional merchant cashback on top of your Bilt earnings through Kudos' partner network.

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Example Strategy

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Rent: $2,000/month

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‍Cards: Bilt Obsidian + Chase Sapphire Preferred

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Without Kudos: Default to Bilt everywhere to hit thresholds, missing better earning opportunities.

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With Kudos: Automatically uses Bilt for dining, Chase for travel, alerts when you've hit thresholds, and identifies merchant-specific Boost opportunities.

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The Real Win: You don't need to become a points expert. Kudos handles optimization at checkout, transforming Bilt from exhausting to effortless.

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Getting Started: Download the free Kudos browser extension or mobile app, add your cards, and let AI handle the rest.

The Bottom Line: Is Bilt 2.0 Worth It?

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Consider Bilt if:

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• You have significant housing payments and can meet spending thresholds
• You value Bilt's transfer partners (especially Hyatt, Alaska, Southwest)
• You use optimization tools like Kudos to automate the complexity
• Welcome bonuses offset first-year fees

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Skip Bilt if:

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• You want simple, set-it-and-forget-it rewards without tools
• You prefer straightforward cash back
• The math requires a calculator to justify

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The Verdict: Bilt built its reputation on elegant simplicity. Bilt 2.0 destroyed that. However, AI-powered tools like Kudos can restore the simplicity by handling optimization automatically. For people with substantial housing payments who value Bilt's transfer partners, the cards can still deliver exceptional returns—if you're willing to use optimization tools or don't mind the complexity.

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Without Kudos or similar platforms, Bilt 2.0 requires constant attention and mental overhead that most people won't tolerate. With Kudos, it becomes a valuable component of an automated rewards strategy.