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

The Chase Sapphire Preferred has the bigger bonus, 75,000 points, worth roughly $1,500, versus $200 Bilt Cash (~$200) on the Bilt Obsidian.

Is the Bilt Obsidian's $95 annual fee worth it compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred?

At $95/yr, the Bilt Obsidian is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Chase Sapphire Preferred's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.

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

Yes, since they're from different issuers (Bilt / Cardless 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 Obsidian or the Chase Sapphire Preferred first?

Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Bilt Obsidian: $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 Obsidian vs Chase Sapphire Preferred

Both are travel travel cards. The Bilt Obsidian comes from Bilt / Cardless at $95/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 ($1,300 more in estimated value) than the Bilt Obsidian's. Get the Chase Sapphire Preferred first; revisit the Bilt Obsidian after you've earned that bonus.

Feature	Bilt Obsidian	Chase Sapphire Preferred
Annual fee	$95	$95
Sign-up bonus	$200 Bilt Cash	75,000 points
Bonus value (est.)	$200	$1,500
Min spend to unlock bonus	$0 in 0 mo	$5,000 in 3 mo
Issuer	Bilt / Cardless	Chase
Card category	travel	travel
Best earning category (Dining_or_groceries)	3x	1x
Transfer partners	bilt	chase-ur
Headline benefits	$100 Bilt Travel hotel credit Pick 3x dining OR groceries $300 Bilt Dining partner credit $120 Lyft credit (via Bilt Cash)	5x on travel booked via Chase 3x on dining & streaming $50 annual hotel credit Transfer to 13 partners (Hyatt 1:1)

Read the full review

Bilt Obsidian

$95/yr · $200 Bilt Cash

Read the full review

Chase Sapphire Preferred

$95/yr · 75,000 points

Editorial take: Bilt Obsidian

The headline tier of Bilt 2.0, launched February 7, 2026 by Cardless after the Wells Fargo era ended. Strongest for renters who eat out (or buy groceries) and use Lyft. The $100 hotel credit pays back most of the AF if you stay 2+ nights anywhere on the Bilt Travel portal. Pair with the no-fee Blue if you want a no-AF anchor too.

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. Two $95 cards with overlapping ambitions. Bilt Obsidian earns 3x on dining-or-groceries (your choice monthly), 2x travel, 1x rent, plus $100 Bilt Hotel credit and Lyft credits. Sapphire Preferred earns 5x on Chase Travel, 3x dining, 3x online groceries, 3x streaming. CSP wins on category breadth and travel earn. Bilt wins on rent earn and American Airlines transfers.

The three dimensions that actually decide it. First, rent. Bilt is the only major card that earns points on rent. CSP cannot. Second, transfer partners. Both have Hyatt. Bilt adds American (unique). Chase adds United. Third, earn rate on shared categories. CSP's 5x on Chase Travel beats Bilt's 2x on general travel.

Real customer scenario for each. If you pay $2k a month in rent and your other spend is broad, Bilt's rent earn (24k points a year at 1x) plus dining/groceries 3x is the play. If instead you do not rent (own or family situation), CSP's broader 3x and 5x categories crush Bilt at the same fee.

The trap to avoid. Holding Bilt for the rent benefit without using the Bilt Rent Day boost (1x doubles to 2x on the first day of each month on non-rent purchases up to 10k points). Missing Rent Day cuts Bilt's effective earn rate roughly in half on bonus spend.

Common questions

Which card has the bigger sign-up bonus, Bilt Obsidian or Chase Sapphire Preferred?: The Chase Sapphire Preferred has the bigger bonus, 75,000 points, worth roughly $1,500, versus $200 Bilt Cash (~$200) on the Bilt Obsidian.
Is the Bilt Obsidian's $95 annual fee worth it compared to the Chase Sapphire Preferred?: At $95/yr, the Bilt Obsidian is in the mid-fee tier. Compare its specific perks (lounge access, travel credits, primary rental insurance) to the Chase Sapphire Preferred's, pick the one whose perks you'll actually use.
Can I have both the Bilt Obsidian and Chase Sapphire Preferred?: Yes, since they're from different issuers (Bilt / Cardless 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 Obsidian or the Chase Sapphire Preferred first?: Get the one whose sign-up bonus you can hit comfortably without overspending. Bilt Obsidian: $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.