Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Bilt Blue or Chase Sapphire Preferred?

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has the bigger bonus, 75,000 points, worth roughly $1,298, versus $100 Bilt Cash (~$100) on the Bilt Blue.

Is the Bilt Blue's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

The Bilt Blue has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Chase Sapphire Preferred's $95 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Chase Sapphire Preferred's benefits to clear $95 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the Bilt Blue.

Can I have both the Bilt Blue and Chase Sapphire Preferred?

Yes, since they're from different issuers (Column N.A. and Chase) 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 Bilt Blue or the Chase Sapphire Preferred first?

Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Bilt Blue: $0 spend in 0 months. Chase Sapphire Preferred: $5,000 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.

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Side-by-side

Bilt Blue vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

Both are travel travel cards. The Bilt Blue comes from Bilt / Cardless at $0/yr; the Chase Sapphire Preferred from Chase at $95/yr. Below: side-by-side specs, an opinionated verdict, and the FAQs people actually ask before applying.

Bottom line

For most people the Chase Sapphire Preferred is the stronger pick today, the sign-up bonus is meaningfully larger ($1,198 more in estimated value) than the Bilt Blue's. Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred first; revisit the Bilt Blue after you've earned that bonus.

Feature	Bilt Blue	Chase Sapphire Preferred
Annual fee	$0	$95
Sign-up bonus	$100 Bilt Cash	75,000 points
Bonus value (est.)	$100	$1,298
Min spend to unlock bonus	$0 in 0 mo	$5,000 in 3 mo
Issuer	Column N.A.	Chase
Card category	travel	travel
Best earning category (Lyft)	3x	1x
Transfer partners	bilt	chase-ur
Headline benefits	$0 annual fee 1x everywhere, no caps Up to 1.25x on rent Rent Day 2x on the 1st	5x on travel booked via Chase 3x on dining & streaming $100 annual hotel credit Transfer to 13 partners (Hyatt 1:1)

Read the full review

Bilt Blue

$0/yr · $100 Bilt Cash

Read the full review

Chase Sapphire Preferred

$95/yr · 75,000 points

Editorial take: Bilt Blue

The no-fee entry tier of Bilt 2.0, launched February 7, 2026. 1X base earn on everything else, with 3X on Lyft, up to 4X at Bilt dining partners, and 3X hotels / 2X flights through the Bilt Travel portal. Best for renters who want the no-fee anchor plus full transfer partner access without paying $95+. The 5-transactions-per-cycle minimum from legacy Bilt is gone, and Rent Day doubles everyday earn on the 1st up to 1,000 bonus points.

Editorial take: Chase Sapphire Preferred

The best starter travel card, period. Transferable points, solid bonus categories, and a low annual fee make this the card we recommend to almost everyone getting into the points game. Note: the 10% anniversary points bonus sunsets October 1, 2026.

The real-world take

TL;DR. Bilt Blue ($0) launched in February 2026 as the no-fee anchor of Bilt 2.0 (issued by Column N.A., Member FDIC, with Cardless as servicer). Its flat 1x earn on most spend is not the point; the point is paying rent, earning Bilt Points, and unlocking the full Bilt transfer partner list (Alaska Atmos Rewards, Hyatt, United, Air France/KLM Flying Blue, and more). The Sapphire Preferred ($95) is a traditional bonus-category card with 5x on Chase Travel and 3x dining. They solve different problems: Bilt unlocks rent as a points category; CSP optimizes everyday non-rent spend.

The three dimensions that actually decide it. First, rent. Bilt Blue is the only major card that lets you earn points on rent without a transaction fee. CSP cannot pay rent in any practical sense. Second, earn outside of rent. CSP's 3x dining and 5x Chase Travel crushes Bilt Blue's flat 1x. Third, transfer partners. Bilt has Hyatt (huge), Alaska Atmos Rewards, and United. Chase has Hyatt and United. American Airlines AAdvantage was previously a Bilt transfer partner, but that partnership ended in June 2024, so neither card reaches AAdvantage.

Real customer scenario for each. If you pay $2,200 a month in rent and live in a city with Bilt-eligible apartments, Bilt Blue earns roughly 26,400 points a year on rent alone, worth $300 to $500 in airline transfers depending on partner. CSP cannot touch that. If instead you own your home or live with parents and your largest categories are dining and travel, CSP is the better single card.

The trap to avoid. Treating Bilt Blue as your only card. Outside rent, the 1x flat earn is below market. The strategy is Bilt Blue for rent plus a category card like CSP or Amex Gold for everything else. Renters who only carry Bilt are leaving 2 to 4 points per dollar on the table on dining and travel.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Bilt Blue or Chase Sapphire Preferred?: The Chase Sapphire Preferred has the bigger bonus, 75,000 points, worth roughly $1,298, versus $100 Bilt Cash (~$100) on the Bilt Blue.
Is the Bilt Blue's $0 annual fee worth it compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred?: The Bilt Blue has no annual fee, so the question is whether the Chase Sapphire Preferred's $95 fee is justified by its perks. If you'll use enough of the Chase Sapphire Preferred's benefits to clear $95 in value annually, it's worth it; otherwise stick with the Bilt Blue.
Can I have both the Bilt Blue and Chase Sapphire Preferred?: Yes, since they're from different issuers (Column N.A. and Chase) 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 Bilt Blue or the Chase Sapphire Preferred first?: Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Bilt Blue: $0 spend in 0 months. Chase Sapphire Preferred: $5,000 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.