Annual fee: $95 ($50 authorized users)
Welcome bonus: $200 Bilt Cash on approval
Best for: Renters and homeowners who spend heavily on dining or groceries
The Obsidian is the middle child of Bilt 2.0 — and it might be the best value in the lineup.
$95/year gets you 3x on dining or groceries (your choice), hotel credits, trip protections, and earning on rent and mortgage payments. No other card at this price covers housing payments — and Bilt now earns on both.
Earning Rates
Category | Rate |
|---|---|
Dining OR Groceries (choose one) | 3x Bilt points |
Travel | 2x Bilt points |
Rent/mortgage | 1x Bilt points |
All other purchases | 1x Bilt points + 4% Bilt Cash |
You pick dining or groceries for the 3x rate. Groceries are capped at $25,000/year. Choose based on where you spend more.
The 4% Bilt Cash on everyday spending stacks on top of point earning. That's real cash-back value on every non-category purchase.
$100 Annual Hotel Credit
$50 in Bilt Travel hotel credit every 6 months ($100/year total). Minimum 2-night stay required.
That drops the effective fee to $0 before you factor in point earning. A $95 card that functionally costs nothing.
🔗 Check if the fee pays for itself → Fee Breakeven Calculator
Travel Protections
The Obsidian comes with protections you'd normally need a $300+ card to get:
Trip delay insurance — reimbursement for meals and lodging when flights are delayed
Purchase protection — covers new purchases against damage and theft
Cellular protection — pay your phone bill with the card, get coverage on your device
No foreign transaction fees
These protections alone justify the $95 fee for anyone who travels 2+ times per year.
The Housing Payment + Dining Stack
Here's why the Obsidian is interesting: it combines rent or mortgage earning with dining/grocery earning in one card — and Bilt now earns on both rent and mortgage.
Monthly scenario ($2,000 housing payment + $800 dining):
Rent or mortgage: 24,000 Bilt points/year
Dining at 3x: 28,800 Bilt points/year
Total: 52,800 Bilt points/year + 4% Bilt Cash on other spending
Minus $100 hotel credit = $0 effective fee
That's 52,800 points per year from a card that costs you nothing after credits. Transfer those to Hyatt 1:1 and you're looking at 3+ free nights at a Category 5 property.
🔗 Calculate your exact earnings → Bilt Calculator
Who It's For
Ideal for:
Renters who spend $500+/month on dining or groceries
People who want rent + everyday earning in a single card
Mid-tier upgrade from Bilt Blue without committing to $495/year
Consider Bilt Palladium instead if:
You want 2x on everything (not just dining/groceries)
You want Priority Pass lounge access
You spend enough across all categories to justify $495/year
Consider Bilt Blue instead if:
You prefer pure cash back simplicity
You don't spend enough on dining/groceries to justify the 3x category
$0 annual fee matters more than earning optimization
The Bottom Line
The Bilt Obsidian is the sweet spot of the Bilt 2.0 lineup. $95/year, effectively $0 after hotel credits. 3x on dining or groceries. 1x on rent and mortgage. Trip protections.
For anyone paying rent or a mortgage who eats out regularly or has a serious grocery habit, this card fills a gap nothing else covers.
🔗 Calculate your Bilt rent earnings → Bilt Calculator
🔗 See what your points are worth → Points Valuation
🔗 Full card details → Bilt Obsidian Card
— Austin 🤌