Bilt Mastercard® (Wells Fargo)
vs
Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
Skip the marketing fluff. Below is the side-by-side breakdown of fees, yield/rewards math, fine-print restrictions, and the exact household profile each product is built for.
The only credit card in America that earns 1x transferable points on rent with $0 transaction fees (up to 100,000 points/year) plus 1:1 Hyatt & Alaska transfers.
- Paying $2,500/month in rent generates 30,000 Bilt Points/year—worth ~$600+ when transferred 1:1 to World of Hyatt—for a $0 annual fee
- The only $0-annual-fee card in the U.S. with direct 1:1 airline and hotel transfer partners (normally requires a $95+ card)
The #1 U.S. family grocery and streaming card: 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets (up to $6,000/yr), 6% on select U.S. streaming, and 3% on transit & gas.
- Maxing out the $6,000 U.S. supermarket cap yields $360/year—netting $265 after the $95 Year-2 fee before counting 6% streaming or the $84 Disney Bundle credit
- Covers live TV streaming bundles (like YouTube TV and Hulu + Live TV) at the full 6% cash back rate
Annual Holding Cost & Overseas Trip Impact
Always subtract the annual fee from your projected annual rewards before evaluating headline multipliers.
A 3% foreign transaction fee wipes out 3% in rewards on every international hotel, restaurant, or flight billed in foreign currency.
In-Depth Breakdown: Bilt Mastercard® (Wells Fargo) vs Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express
1. How Bilt Mastercard® (Wells Fargo) Works
The Bilt World Elite Mastercard solves the single largest unrewarded expense in a renter’s budget: monthly rent. While credit card processors normally charge a 2.5% to 3.0% fee to pay rent by card, Bilt generates a dedicated routing and account number (or mails a physical check on your behalf) so you earn 1x Bilt Points on rent up to 100,000 points per calendar year with $0 transaction fees—provided you make at least 5 total card transactions per statement period. Even better, Bilt Points transfer 1:1 to World of Hyatt, Alaska Airlines, United MileagePlus, and Air Canada Aeroplan for a $0 annual fee.
2. How Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express Works
The Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express delivers the highest uncapped streaming rate and highest annual supermarket cash back rate in consumer banking. Cardholders earn 6% cash back at U.S. supermarkets on up to $6,000 per year in purchases (then 1%), an uncapped 6% cash back on select U.S. streaming subscriptions (Netflix, Disney+, Spotify, Apple TV+, YouTube TV, Max), and 3% cash back at U.S. gas stations and on transit (rideshares, parking, tolls, subways)—plus an $84/year Disney Bundle credit ($7/month statement credit).
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I choose Bilt Mastercard® (Wells Fargo) or Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express?
Choose Bilt Mastercard® (Wells Fargo) if you prioritize Paying $2,500/month in rent generates 30,000 Bilt Points/year—worth ~$600+ when transferred 1:1 to World of Hyatt—for a $0 annual fee. Choose Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express if you want Maxing out the $6,000 U.S. supermarket cap yields $360/year—netting $265 after the $95 Year-2 fee before counting 6% streaming or the $84 Disney Bundle credit.
What is the biggest catch with Bilt Mastercard® (Wells Fargo) vs Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express?
With Bilt Mastercard® (Wells Fargo), the main limitation to keep in mind is: Requires at least 5 total transactions per statement period to earn points (otherwise you earn a flat 250 points on rent). With Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, the primary trade-off is: Warehouse clubs (Costco, Sam’s Club) and superstores (Walmart, Target) are excluded from the 6% U.S. supermarket category.