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Side-by-side

American Express Schwab Investor Card vs Bilt Palladium

Both are travel travel cards. The American Express Schwab Investor Card comes from American Express at $0/yr; the Bilt Palladium from Bilt / Cardless at $495/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the Bilt Palladium is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,015 more in estimated value) than the American Express Schwab Investor Card's. Get the Bilt Palladium first; revisit the American Express Schwab Investor Card after you've earned that bonus.

FeatureAmerican Express Schwab Investor CardBilt Palladium
Annual fee$0$495
Sign-up bonus10,000 Membership Rewards points50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status
Bonus value (est.)$110$1,125
Min spend to unlock bonus$1,000 in 6 mo$4,000 in 3 mo
IssuerAmerican ExpressBilt / Cardless
Card categorytraveltravel
Best earning category (All_purchases)1.5x1x
Transfer partnersamex-mrbilt
Headline benefits
  • 1.5X MR on everything
  • $0 annual fee
  • 1.0c/pt Invest with Rewards
  • Full MR transfer partners
  • $400 Bilt Travel hotel credit
  • $200 Bilt Cash bonus
  • Priority Pass + 2 guests
  • All Obsidian-tier benefits
Read the full review
American Express Schwab Investor Card
$0/yr · 10,000 Membership Rewards points
Read the full review
Bilt Palladium
$495/yr · 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status

Editorial take: American Express Schwab Investor Card

The hidden gem of the Amex MR lineup for Schwab brokerage customers. Flat 1.5X MR with $0 annual fee, full transfer-partner access, AND a 1.0 cents-per-point cash-into-brokerage redemption guarantees you can always extract real cash. The catch: you need a Schwab brokerage account to apply.

Editorial take: Bilt Palladium

Bilt 2.0's top tier ($495 AF), launched February 7, 2026 by Cardless. Stacks $400 hotel + $200 Bilt Cash + the Obsidian benefit set + Priority Pass with 2 guests. For Bilt loyalists who already hit the rent-day game hard, the math works; for everyone else, Obsidian is plenty.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, American Express Schwab Investor Card or Bilt Palladium?
The Bilt Palladium has the bigger bonus, 50,000 Bilt Points + $300 Bilt Cash + Bilt Gold status, worth roughly $1,125, versus 10,000 Membership Rewards points (~$110) on the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Is the American Express Schwab Investor Card's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Bilt Palladium?
The American Express Schwab Investor Card has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Bilt Palladium's $495 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Bilt Palladium's benefits to clear $495 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the American Express Schwab Investor Card.
Can I have both the American Express Schwab Investor Card and Bilt Palladium?
Yes, since they're from different issuers (American Express and Bilt / Cardless) the application rules don't conflict. Many points enthusiasts hold both, they pair well when one earns flexible bank points and the other earns a different currency.
Should I get the American Express Schwab Investor Card or the Bilt Palladium first?
Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. American Express Schwab Investor Card: $1,000 spend in 6 months. Bilt Palladium: $4,000 in 3 months. Pick the easier minimum spend if you're new to points; pick the larger bonus if you have planned big purchases coming up.

Card details on this page reflect the most recent data we've verified against the issuer's own site. Sign-up bonuses and fees can change at any time, confirm the current offer on the issuer's page before applying.