Best Credit Card for Rent in 2026

Other Options to Consider

‍

Bilt Mastercard®

‍

[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "2990", "isExpanded": "true", "bestForCategoryId": "52", "bestForText": "Rent Rewards", "headerHint" : "RENT REWARDS" } ]]

‍

‍

Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express

‍

[[ SINGLE_CARD * {"id": "261", "isExpanded": "false", "bestForCategoryId": "15", "bestForText": "Cash Back Seekers", "headerHint": "Popular Cash Back Card"} ]]

‍

Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.

‍

How to Choose a Credit Card for Rent

‍

Paying your rent with a credit card can be a savvy way to earn rewards or build credit, but it's a decision that requires carefully weighing the benefits against the potential costs.

‍

The primary pitfalls to watch for are transaction fees charged by rent payment platforms, which can cancel out your rewards, and high interest rates if you don't pay your balance in full each month. Additionally, ensure a card's annual fee doesn't outweigh the actual value you'll get from its benefits before committing.

‍

Key Factors

‍

• Rewards Rate vs. Transaction Fees: Your card's rewards should outpace the typical 2-3% processing fee that most rent payment platforms charge.
• Welcome Offer: A strong introductory bonus can provide significant upfront value, often covering transaction fees for many months.
• Annual Fee: Ensure the card's yearly cost doesn't cancel out the net value you gain from rewards and other perks.
• APR: High interest rates will quickly erase any rewards earned if you carry a balance, so only use a card for rent if you can pay it off monthly.
• Credit Building: For those with a thin credit file, responsibly using a credit card for rent is a great way to build a positive payment history.

‍

What to Watch Out For

‍

Be wary of cards that lure you in with impressive rewards but come with transaction fees that eat up your earnings when paying rent. It's also crucial to avoid the temptation of carrying a balance, as the interest costs can quickly turn your rewards strategy into a net loss. Ultimately, the best card is one where the benefits clearly outweigh all associated costs, including the annual fee.

‍

Decision Flow

‍

If you want to earn rewards without paying transaction fees: The Bilt Mastercard® (See Rates & Fees) is the clear frontrunner. It's the only card that allows you to pay rent at any apartment with no transaction fee, earning points on your largest monthly expense. To earn points, you must use the card 5 times each statement period, and there's a cap of up to 100,000 points earned on rent per calendar year.

If you're chasing a large welcome offer: A new credit card's introductory bonus can provide enough value to cover rent transaction fees for a year or more. Cards like the Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card often feature generous welcome offers that you can earn by meeting a spending threshold within the first few months. Putting your rent payments on the card is a simple way to help meet that requirement and unlock a substantial bank of points.

If you want to turn rent into travel over the long term: Look beyond the welcome offer to a card with a strong rewards ecosystem. For example, cards that earn American Express Membership Rewards points, such as the American Express® Gold Card, can provide outsized value when their points are transferred to airline and hotel partners. While you'll have to pay a transaction fee on rent, the value you get from redeeming the points for premium travel could easily eclipse that cost. Terms apply.

If your primary goal is building your credit score: The rewards are secondary to your payment habits. The best strategy is to pick a card you can get approved for—even a secured card—use it for your rent payment, and then pay the balance in full and on time every single month. This consistent, responsible behavior is what builds a strong credit history.

If you prefer straightforward cash back: A flat-rate cash back card is your best option. While you'll still likely pay a transaction fee, a card earning a simple 2% cash back on every purchase can soften the blow. For example, with a 2.9% processing fee, your effective cost is reduced to just 0.9% of your rent, making it a simple and predictable way to get some value back.

_{Terms apply to American Express benefits and offers. Enrollment may be required for select American Express benefits and offers. Visit americanexpress.com to learn more. Eligibility and Benefit level varies by Card. Terms, Conditions, and Limitations Apply. Please visit americanexpress.com/benefitsguide for more details. Underwritten by Amex Assurance Company.}

‍

Maximize Your Return with Rent

‍

To get the most value out of every dollar you spend, here are some key strategies for maximizing your credit card rewards when shopping with Rent.

• Stack your rewards: Before you shop, click through to Rent from a cash-back or points-earning shopping portal to earn rewards from the portal on top of the points or miles from your credit card.
• Use the right card: Check how purchases from Rent are categorized on your credit card statement and use a card that offers bonus rewards for that specific category, such as online shopping or travel.
• Leverage card-linked offers: Log into your credit card account before you check out and look for targeted offers from your card issuer that provide extra points or statement credits for shopping at Rent.
• Redeem for maximum value: Instead of redeeming your points for cash back, consider transferring them to a high-value airline or hotel partner to get a much better return on your spending.
• Meet welcome offer spending: If you've recently opened a new credit card, use your Rent purchases to help meet the minimum spending requirement for the lucrative welcome offer.

‍

Supercharge your Rewards with Kudos

‍

Kudos is a free smart wallet that automatically selects your best card at checkout, helping the average user earn up to $750 more per year. Get started for free.

‍

Other Things to Consider

‍

Beyond just the rewards and benefits, it's wise to consider your broader financial habits. While a store-specific card might offer high rewards, its value is limited unless a significant portion of your budget is spent with that single retailer. The most critical factor is disciplined debt management; earning rewards on rent is only beneficial if you pay your balance in full each month to avoid costly interest charges. Remember that traditional payment methods like cash or debit prevent debt accumulation entirely. Ultimately, successfully using a credit card for rent means carefully managing it alongside any other credit lines, such as Buy Now, Pay Later plans, to stay financially healthy.

‍

Our Methodology

‍

We evaluate nearly 3,000 credit cards across the U.S. market — far more than the ~150 cards commonly featured on sites that focus only on products tied to affiliate commissions. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive, unbiased view of the credit card landscape so you can make confident, data-driven decisions.

‍

Our editorial team combines deep industry experience with rigorous verification standards. While our experts surface the most relevant recommendations in our guides, you can also explore the full dataset yourself through our card explorer tool, which includes thousands of cards — more than 95% of which do not provide us with commissions.

Frequently Asked Questions

‍

Can I pay rent with a credit card?

‍

Yes, you can often pay rent with a credit card, but it depends on whether your landlord or property management company accepts them. Many use third-party services to process these payments, which may come with additional fees.

‍

Are there fees for paying rent with a credit card?

‍

Most of the time, yes. Landlords or the payment platforms they use typically charge a convenience fee, often a percentage of your rent payment, to cover credit card processing costs.

‍

Does paying rent with a credit card affect my credit score?

‍

Paying rent with a credit card can impact your credit score. Making on-time payments can help build your credit history, but the large monthly charge can also increase your credit utilization ratio, which could temporarily lower your score.

‍

‍

‍

‍